Overview
A HopLink™ referral tracking URL is a referral URL that links potential customers to a seller’s landing page and it informs ClickBank which affiliate directed that traffic for commission purposes. If the customer buys the product within 60 days of clicking on the HopLink, the affiliate who referred the customer receives credit and commission for the sale.
Affiliates can create a HopLink in a couple of ways. Additionally, affiliates sometimes receive HopLinks from sellers that are unencrypted. We encourage affiliates to encrypt these using the Encode feature in the HopLink Tools suite.
Affiliates can also add tracking IDs (TIDs) or additional parameters to the HopLink. These can help affiliates track traffic sources or pass information to sellers’ pages.
What’s in a HopLink?
HopLinks contain both the account nickname (affiliate ID) of the affiliate who is referring the customer and of the seller who is being promoted. Optionally, an affiliate may also include a tracking ID (TID).
HopLinks may be in a format where the affiliate and seller account nicknames are shown or they can be encrypted to hide the affiliate and seller account nicknames. Whether encrypted or readable, HopLinks correctly track the affiliate that referred the sale and ensure commission credit. However, encrypted HopLinks provide protection from bad actors who may want to plagiarize ad content.
A HopLink, in its unencrypted, readable format looks like this:
https://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=[affiliate account nickname]&vendor=[seller account nickname]
Once encrypted, it looks like this:
https://dcb8e1n7uk1rel69sjvbi6sx1s.hop.clickbank.net
By default, the HopLinks ClickBank provides through our tools are encrypted to not show the affiliate nickname (affiliate ID).
Getting a HopLink Through a Marketplace Listing
The ClickBank Marketplace is home to thousands of offers on ClickBank that affiliates can promote. To access the ClickBank Marketplace, log in to your account and follow these instructions to get a HopLink through the ClickBank Marketplace.
Step 1: Log in to your ClickBank account.
Step 2: Access the ClickBank Marketplace.
Step 3: Find an offer you want to promote and click the Get Affiliate Link button.
NOTE: If the seller requires affiliates to be approved before they start promoting, you won’t be able to get a tracking link from the listing. Instead, you can reach out to the seller for approval.
Step 4: Enter in your affiliate account nickname and click Continue.
Relate: Direct Tracking for Affiliates
NOTE: Do NOT use a dash (-) in your TID. Dashes break the TID and it will not be tracked.
Step 6: Complete the tracking link form by selecting which landing page you want your link to point to. Additionally, you can add optional tracking parameters to help you optimize and refine your promotional efforts. When you’re ready, click Copy. This copies your HopLink to your clipboard, ready for you to use.
Step 8: Test your HopLink to ensure that it works by using the Decoder in the HopLink Tools suite.
Step 9: Use this HopLink in your promotional materials including blogs, forums, and social media.