code for hiding banner if coming from affilaite

[justhomdotcom]

Ok often talked about but i've not seen any pointers to any code that will hide banners if the customer has come through an affiliate link (for example in our case if aff=aw is appended on the end of the url) - just me playing around but wanted to see how it all works.

[Darren M]

Originally Posted by justhomdotcom Ok often talked about but i've not seen any pointers to any code that will hide banners if the customer has come through an affiliate link (for example in our case if aff=aw is appended on the end of the url) - just me playing around but wanted to see how it all works.

Not sure how you do it in PHP, but here's an ASP example which should give you an idea...


affFlag = Request.Querystring("aff") ' Get the input parameter from the URL

If affFlag = "" Then ' No aff link detected

Response.write "Show banner"

Else ' this must be an affiliate link

Response.write "Don't show banner, replace with something else"
Response.write "and don't show phone number! "

End If

[morleymouse]

i wouldnt just check if 'aff' is part of the URL as a customer returning would see the banner.

You need to check in the local cookie to see if the aff is stored in there so something, in php, along the lines of

PHP Code:

if ($_COOKIE["local_affiliate_tracking_cookie_name"]) {
echo "buy online, not offline"; } else {
echo "biiiig banner"; } 


Something like that anyway

[Travel Pixel]

in php it could go something like this:

$afflink = $_GET['aff'];

if ($afflink != '') {
//dont show banner
}
else
{
//show banner
}

[justhomdotcom]

Originally Posted by morleymouse i wouldnt just check if 'aff' is part of the URL as a customer returning would see the banner. You need to check in the local cookie to see if the aff is stored in there so something, in php, along the lines of

Ahhh yes sorry forgot we already do that, if they come from an affiliate we set a local cookie called network

[morleymouse]

whatever code you use to show the network tracking code on your thanks page could be replicated to show different banners for affiliates and then if no network cookie show what you want

[justhomdotcom]

Ahhhh good point - never thought of that

[a4uforummember]

Originally Posted by justhomdotcom Ahhhh good point - never thought of that

how its done just hom... i have no idea, its just really pleasing that you want to do it. It sets a really good example for many other merchants who are not prepared to go that extra mile for their affiliates.

[Travel Pixel]

im suprised that all merchants dont do this before embarking on an aff campaign - its pretty straightforward really and everyone is always moaning about phone numbers.

[justhomdotcom]

We haven't got anything on our site that needs it, i was just wondering how it was done (and im sure that other merchants that do need it would benefit)

[sgpratley]

It should really be put in as part of the merchant set-up by the networks.
If you have to collar your techies to add the the cookie tracking, you may as well get them to do this at the same time.

I imagine it's a lot harder to get it done later when the merchant starts seeing all those free sales coming in.