A SmartLink URL contains many advertising offers instead of the typical affiliate link with one offer. It is a “smart link” that directs each viewer to a landing page based on their location, device type, and other parameters. SmartLinks make affiliate business more effective and increase your earning potential as a publisher. This article will explain how they work, their benefits, and how to use them productively.
What is a SmartLink?
A SmartLink is an advanced algorithm that combines different advertising offers into a single URL.
Publishers or affiliates can place this link anywhere in their blogs: an anchor text, an image, or a button. When a user clicks on the link, the algorithm shows them the offer most likely to yield a conversion.
The algorithm considers the user’s location, browser type, device type, and other factors to determine the offer to display. For example, if the user is based in the U.S. and uses an iPhone, they’ll see an ad for an iOS app. This way, they’re more likely to respond because the ad is relevant to their interest.
SmartLinks show the most relevant offers for your audience to boost conversions. Join Adsterra today and get SmartLinks that’ll increase your revenue.
To Contents ↑Differences between affiliate links, SmartLinks and Direct Links
You usually take an affiliate link from an affiliate network to promote one specific product or service. Such links pay off when users buy products or pay for services. For instance, you can promote a new smartphone to a tech-inclined audience and earn a 5% commission for each purchase.
SmartLinks include multiple offers. Instead of promoting a single smartphone to all your readers, you’ll have different offers, and every reader sees the one that suits them. The offer can be a smartphone for a tech-inclined reader, an iGaming platform for a sports fan, a new app based on a reader’s geolocation, and so on.
Direct Link is the name of Adsterra’s SmartLink. SmartLink is the general term, and Direct Links are Adsterra’s form of SmartLinks that help publishers monetize their website effectively.
What are the benefits of SmartLinks
Increased conversions thanks to advanced targeting
SmartLinks are optimized to meet user preferences. When someone visits your website and clicks on the link, they’ll see an offer that suits their interests, increasing their chances of taking the suggested action.
Advanced targeting
SmartLink algorithms show offers based on various metrics, including geographical location, device type, operating system, and browser type. It enables publishers to show targeted offers to their viewers, increasing their friendliness toward a site. There’s a low chance of users getting annoyed by irrelevant ads.
Easy start
SmartLinks are simple URLs you can attach anywhere on your website. They’re not complex to understand and use. You only need valuable content, and you can insert SmartLinks in any position.
Revenue enhancement
You can combine SmartLinks with other ad formats because of their simplicity. They don’t interfere with your existing Display ads or other formats. Hence, they help increase revenue from your existing content.
Monetization without a website
A dedicated website isn’t compulsory to earn revenue from SmartLinks. Instead, you can create a simple landing page on WordPress, Blogger, and other site builders within a few hours. You’ll then send traffic from your social media accounts to the landing page. You’ll make money when people visit the landing page and interact with Direct Links placed on it,
How do SmartLinks work?
SmartLinks monitors where traffic comes from and determines the offer to display at that time. They help you maximize ad revenue by displaying highly relevant offers to your audience.
To Contents ↑How to use SmartLinks
SmartLinks are easy to use. You generate the link from your chosen ad network, place it on a web page, and the SmartLink does the rest. Your ad network curates the offers, and its algorithms choose which offers to display to different users.
You can use SmartLinks alone or combine them with other ad formats. Preferably, your ad network should let you control what type of offers appear in SmartLinks, e.g., prohibiting some niches your audience isn’t comfortable with. For more information, you can check our guide for working with SmartLinks (Direct Links).
To Contents ↑How to get a SmartLink from Adsterra
The process starts with signing up as a publisher on Adsterra. Then, head to the Direct Links page and click the ADD NEW DIRECT LINK button. Choose your traffic type, check the ads you want to remove from your feed, and click ADD. After a brief verification, you’ll receive your code from the Direct Links page or the email Adsterra sends you.
To Contents ↑Can you make money with SmartLinks?
Yes, you can make considerable income with SmartLinks. However, they aren’t an instant get-money card. You need to pay attention to several factors to effectively monetize your site with SmartLinks, such as placing links in the right places and choosing a reliable ad network with a steady stream of high-quality offers. If you play your cards right, SmartLinks boost your chances of earning significant website revenue.
To Contents ↑Case studies of effective SmartLink monetization
We’ve provided a detailed answer to the question, “What is SmartLink?” but how about some real-world examples? Let’s look at them below.
A hardworking blogger, Kishwar Shahzad, used Adsterra’s Direct Links to earn $2,100 in 2 days. Of course, this wasn’t easy. Shahzad used X (Twitter) to drive traffic to his website and, fortunately, got viral posts with 50,000+ views. He leveraged this sizeable traffic to earn a lucrative amount, proving the effectiveness of SmartLink ads from Adsterra.
Another blogger in the entertainment niche, Jeremiah Yahaya, earned $2,000 from Direct Links. He focused on creating viral posts shared on Facebook groups, each drawing thousands of views. With consistent posting and significant traffic, Yahaya got high conversions from the relevant offers displayed to his audience. Adsterra’s SmartLinks earned him roughly $2,200 in revenue.
Conclusion
SmartLinks are easy to set up and an effective way to monetize your website or social traffic. They show relevant affiliate offers to your audience, increasing conversions and earning you considerable revenue. However, the quality of traffic remains vital when working with SmartLinks.
You need high-quality content to attract good traffic and an ad network that unlocks access to relevant affiliate offers. Adsterra is a credible source of ad offers that cares about its partners revenue growth. Get access to multiple advertisers who pay highly for quality traffic.
To Contents ↑FAQs about SmartLinks
Yes, many ad networks let you control what type of offers appear on your website’s SmartLinks. For example, Adsterra lets you prohibit various types of ads.
Preferably, a SmartLink should be in an informative article where people are interested in clicking the link to get more information. You can attach the link to any relevant text or image on your website. It could be at the top, middle, or bottom of a web page– SmartLinks are universal.
Your ad network will provide a dashboard to track your revenue at all times. For instance, Adsterra offers a detailed dashboard to monitor your earnings over time and know when to make adjustments.
