LinkShare Launches Automated LinkGenerator

LinkShare has just announced a new Web services offering for affiliates, called Automated LinkGenerator.  Linkshare’s Automated LinkGenerator creates LinkShare affiliate links for any product on a merchant’s site that offers LinkGenerator. 

Here’s what LinkShare says:

This new feature provides the same functionality as the LinkGenerator tool in the Individual Product Links interface, without having to log into the Affiliate Interface to get your links.  This new tool does not replace Merchandiser (LinkShare’s datafeed), but will be helpful for getting direct links from merchants that do not offer Merchandiser feeds.

If you are interested in using the Automated LinkGenerator, e-mail LinkShare at linkgen_request@linkshare.com to have this new tool enabled.  Once you are enabled, the Automated LinkGenerator will be located under the LinkShare Feed Synergy Services area of the Affiliate Interface.

To create an Automated LinkGenerator link, you will use a REST (Representational State Transfer) Web services to request links for a given merchant URL. You will then send a URL from the merchant’s site to LinkShare using the specified link format (see the Automated LinkGenerator Help area).  The URL can be sent through a browser, a tool like wget or curl, or an automated script.  For each URL provided, LinkShare returns a click link.  You can request up to 1,000 links within an hour.

Web services applications are accessible using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and REST. Web Services use HTTP with XML for communication. These are ubiquitous technologies and any device capable of using these technologies is able to both host and consume Web services.  Web services concepts are simple to understand and with the addition of various tool-kits provide a low barrier to entry and easy software development.

For information on setting up a Web services, please visit the following sites:
REST - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer
Web Services - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_service
Web Services & PHP - http://webservices.xml.com/pub/a/ws/2004/03/24/phpws.html

I think this is a great  enhancement within the LinkShare affiliate network.  I like to use direct links whenever I can because they obviously convert MUCH better.  Many of the retailers I promote with in-house affiliate programs already offer this feature so I guess it’s about time LinkShare stepped their game up.  What do you think?

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[tags]linkshare, automated linkgenerator, web services, affiliate links, representational state transfer, REST, simple object access protocol, SOAP[/tags]