Affiliate Link Tracking Best Practices (Without Breaking the Rules)

Discover how to track affiliate links ethically and optimize your strategy.

affiliate dashboard link compliance

1. Always Disclose Affiliate Links

Use clear labels like “This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission…”

2. Use Pretty Link or ThirstyAffiliates

These tools cloak long URLs and help manage links in one place. You can make affiliate URLs look more trustworthy by using branded short links.

3. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Don’t overload your content with affiliate links or manipulate anchor text to trick search engines.

4. Use UTM Parameters with Affiliate Networks

Track which platforms drive the most affiliate clicks. Example:

https://affiliate.com/?ref=yourid&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Not sure how to set up UTMs? Our beginner’s guide to UTM parameters breaks it down step by step.

5. Monitor Performance

Use link trackers to see what converts then optimize.

Affiliate marketing works best when transparent, helpful, and data-driven.