Using Affiliate Links

[Lew]

What do you make of using affiliate links in your description to supplement any income from YouTube?

So far, our channel is so small we're not monetised and the affiliate links we have been using aren't relevant in most of our videos so we don't put them in the description. Has anyone had any success using them?

 

[6StringMadMan]

Try to steer away from direct linking and build a landing page instead. YouTube doesn't like direct linking and sending the viewer to a landing page will also allow you to build a list.

 

[Lew]

Try to steer away from direct linking and build a landing page instead. YouTube doesn't like direct linking and sending the viewer to a landing page will also allow you to build a list.

Will YouTube penalise us for using links in the description then? As in, links to our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc too?

 

[6StringMadMan]

There's really no way to know for sure, unless you were working at YouTube. Some people say that linking to a website (not necessarily social site, but your own website) would prevent your video from getting "YouTube love", because YT wants people to stay on YT- and that makes sense to me. But in terms of social links, such as Twitter, Instagram, etc, I assume that they would benefit your video, because instead of being some spammy one video-upload-wonder, you're likely a brand. Also, I've done plenty of ranking tests, and there is a huge boost to your ranking when you add social links. The next time you upload a video don't add the social links and then go back and add them. Chances are, you'll see an improvement in your ranking.

 

[Lew]

There's really no way to know for sure, unless you were working at YouTube. Some people say that linking to a website (not necessarily social site, but your own website) would prevent your video from getting "YouTube love", because YT wants people to stay on YT- and that makes sense to me. But in terms of social links, such as Twitter, Instagram, etc, I assume that they would benefit your video, because instead of being some spammy one video-upload-wonder, you're likely a brand. Also, I've done plenty of ranking tests, and there is a huge boost to your ranking when you add social links. The next time you upload a video don't add the social links and then go back and add them. Chances are, you'll see an improvement in your ranking.

Interesting. Cheers for clarifying that. Certainly makes for an additional challenge knowing all these little things.

 

[Crown]

Moved to the networks / monetization forum.

There are no specific rules regarding affiliate links but you should definitely be cautious about overdoing it. I agree with @6StringMadMan that the safest way is to start a website, make the URL your approved website linked to your YT account. Only put your affiliate links on your website (It's YOUR website so you can do what you want on it right?) and then link to your website from YouTube.

 

[Xynudu]

Only put your affiliate links on your website (It's YOUR website so you can do what you want on it right?) and then link to your website from YouTube.

For YT only link to your website from your channel header panel. The BOTS can't identify who owns any web link in the video description (except for high profile sites on their black/white lists). Quite often the name will be different anyway.

Safest way is to not put anything in the description until you get monetised. Then you can do it with the usual disclaimers ticked in the advanced monetisation options.

I helped out a guy on here who was in exactly this situation trying to monetise and once I got him to delete his own web site links it went through OK.

Cheers Rob