How to cloak your URLs for free
It irritates me that there is an easy way to cloak your URLs using free software, yet people sell tools for an arm and a leg that do this simple job.
All you need is the following:
- Wordpress
- PrettyLink plugin
That’s it!
There is a paid version of the PrettyLink plugin, but you don’t need it. I don’t have it; I don’t even know what extra benefits it confers.
What you need to do is to install Wordpress onto a domain; search for the PrettyLink plugin and install that; and you’re done!
Not only will PrettyLink set up the redirects for you, it will also track the following information for you:
- Number of clicks through your link, and number of unique visitors through your link. (The two may be different because somebody may click through your cloaked link more than once.)
- The date, time and IP address of each visitor.
- The referrer details, if presented. This is the site they were on when they clicked on the link to get to your site.
It’s really pretty straightforward stuff. If you’re going to install it somewhere, I recommend that you install it on the root domain of a site; that way, the links you define can look something like:
http://www.example.com/mycloakedlink
For many of you, it should be really easy to install. About one hour should see the process done.
If you don’t know how to do it but you’re OK with installing scripts generally, it shouldn’t take much longer than that.
If you’re not really good at installing scripts but you would like to install this, would you be interested in a video that shows how it’s done? I can produce one, and if I do, I will make it available for a nominal fee.
If that’s of any interest to you, please leave a comment and let me know.
30 March 2010, 00:50
I have been deciding how much was reasonable to pay for a cloaker and how to really be sure the one I chose is secure VS spyware or worse.
Now I stumble on your post and find the answers and best of all the remedy is free. Thank you for the excellent tips.
[Reply]
admin Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 01:14
You’re welcome Mindy; there are also plugins for making Wordpress more secure, and I recommend you install one if you’re worried about spyware. I have had two Wordpress installations hacked some time ago – but at the time, they were old versions that I hadn’t upgraded (Wordpress 1.5). I’ve sorted the problem out now.
If you need advice on plugins to make Wordpress secure, I can look up what people I know are using and let you know.
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 01:08
I have two link cloakers, one paid for on my domain, and another one just wasting away on my hard drive. I like the free one better to use with wordpress, if you do the video, how much will it cost?
[Reply]
admin Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 01:15
Oh, I don’t know. How much seems reasonable?
I think about $5. Does that sound OK?
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 01:20
Thanks this will be very useful, really appreciate your post and information.
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 01:29
Have to agree with the other comment – perfect timing. I installed the plugin in about 1 minute – configured it and had my links set in less than 10 minutes
Perfecto
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 06:24
David,
You’ve restored a little of my faith in human nature.
Something good, and free!
My installation goes in today.
Many thanks.
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 13:12
There is also a free/paid affiliate cloaker called “AFLinker” which you can find here: http://www.aflinker.com/
I use this and it is quite good.
[Reply]
30 March 2010, 15:01
David,
I’m glad I’m on your list! I can certainly use this plugin. Regarding the security plugins that have been mentioned, I’d appreciate some suggestions as well–things that work, and are easy to configure. Thanks again.
[Reply]
admin Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 23:18
OK Bill. I’ll do some research and make that a separate post in a day or two.
Cheers!
[Reply]
31 March 2010, 10:41
Hi David,
Would it work just to use tinyurl.com to simply change affiliate links as a form of cloaking? This is free and would involve no installation. Is it that there is some stats reporting facility with the prettylink plugin that provides the main benefit?
By the way – I too would also be interested in security improvements for Wordpress.
Many thanks,
[Reply]
admin Reply:
March 31st, 2010 at 23:03
Hi Mike,
Yes, it’s true that you can use URL shortening services – I hadn’t thought of that. But then you’re dependent on the service running. Of course, you’re dependent on your OWN service running if you are doing that.
But yes, it is also true that you get statistics with the prettylink plugin which I suspect you don’t get from the TinyURLs.
I will make the post about Wordpress security soon.
[Reply]
31 March 2010, 11:37
Hi again,
Having now read over Blair Williams webpage about Pretty Link, I can now see there are great benefits to this WP plugin over just using tinyurl for example. Looks like a really good resource.
Thanks David!
[Reply]
14 May 2010, 20:34
can’t find the PrettyLink plugin on the wrodpress.org website. What gives?
[Reply]
admin Reply:
May 16th, 2010 at 09:40
Hi Stan,
It’s strange that it doesn’t appear in the search results any more.
It’s here:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/pretty-link/
David
[Reply]
03 August 2011, 06:25
I took 1 st personal loans when I was 20 and that helped my business very much. Nevertheless, I require the sba loan also.
[Reply]
28 December 2011, 05:56
You craft some quality blogs, I really like nearly all of your current articles. I always check back here often to find out in case you have modified. Carry on blogging!
[Reply]
29 December 2011, 07:50
I have two link cloakers, one paid for on my domain, and another one just wasting away on my hard drive.I’d appreciate some suggestions as well–things that work, and are easy to configure. Thanks again.
[Reply]