Is it OK to Post Affiliate Links in Twitter?

by Shawn Collins on February 17, 2009

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille talk about Snuggies, posting affiliate links on Twitter, new Facebook TOS, the Elite Retreat, and Peter Shankman on the O’Reilly Factor.

Affiliate links on Twitter

Also, the breakup of LinkShare and Overstock, the LinkShare bookmarklet, ShareASale’s proposed toolbar policy, Twitter Power by Joel Comm, and the passing of Andy Bourland.

Show Links

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  • http://experienceadvertising.com/?page_id=2 Evan W.

    You know…I have been in the Overstock Aff program for years and they always had this issue with no name in the email From. I even told them about this and they couldn't rectify it….I don't know what that tells you but…

    I think affiliate links in Twitter is fine. Hopefully it doesn't get too over-done, but you know how it is..

    Great job with the podcast. Enjoyed listening to it!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/affiliatetip Shawn Collins

    I agree – I was just going through the transcription of the Gary Vaynerchuk keynote from Affiliate Summit and there is a bit in there that is timely for this conversation:

    "The funny part is that, there's a really interesting divide in the global social media Web 2.0 world, right? You've got the artists. And you've got the entrepreneurs. And I'm completely blown away by why we can't be both.

    I don't understand why we can't be both. I don't understand why we're not allowed to make money. And you know what the funny part is? If people don't like the way you're going about making money, they don't have to buy it. They don't have to follow you. And they can call you all the bad names in the world.

    Let them knock themselves out. Because, if you want to make money, then you should. And if you don't, God bless you, don't."

    I couldn't agree more.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/loxly loxly

    As affiliates we recommend things to people all the time, our industry relies on us using affiliate links to sell merchandise via those recommendations. So yes, I think that sending affiliate links in twitter is fine. I originally was thinking it was similar to direct to merchant ppc, but it isn't. People sign up to follow you because they want to know what you think about things. Product recommendations can certainly be part of that. And if your site has a twitter feed of your links, I would recommend those links go back to your site, but if you feel you are effective enough at selling in 140 characters, go ahead and try going direct to merchant from twitter.

    • Simona

      Thank you for this important info-but how do I link an affiliate link on Twitter?

      SD

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/TrishaLyn TrishaLyn

    Lisa: which morning show do you listen to? If it's Sarah & Vinnie, I'd be interested in following their twitters…

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/hittjw hittjw

    Yes, you can post an affiliate link if making a direct recommendation to your followers or a specific tweet of someone you follow. Do what every your audience wants, why couldn't you have a twitter alert of the latest coupons, offers, or niche related news? It's just mixing it up the irritates people. (Ps. Sad to hear about Andy Bourland.)

    • http://www.seven3shop.com kiakquit3

      I think posting an affiliate link in twitter is always fine. A couple of cute sentences can communicate the world faster

  • http://teamloxly.com Deborah Carney

    There are some very good feeds that are deals feeds that you know are going to have affiliate links included and you subscribe to get that information. Also, if you know the people you are following and know they are affiliates, you expect if they answer a question about a product or where to get it, or if they recommend a product out of the blue, it will be an affiliate link. What I don't like (and I unfollow them) are the people that their entire twitter stream is them sending @ messages to every single person with the exact same link to their very own product. And the unsolicited DMs with advertising.

    There is a difference between being involved in the conversation and contributing to it with personal recommendations for a product and using an affiliate link, which I think is perfectly acceptable, and spamming out your one link to people without explanation of what it is or how it benefits them or without any other content. Think of it as running around a room giving your business card to people without an introduction, just shoving it in their hand and running to the next person.

    Word of mouth is still the best method of advertising, it isn't hard to "do it right".

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