Overview
At ClickBank, we value the privacy, security, and intellectual property of our affiliates. As of March 28, 2023, we have implemented expanded Affiliate ID Encryption that includes platform-wide changes to better protect affiliate identity.
Affiliate ID Encryption makes it harder for spy tools to identify an affiliate from their affiliate link. Encryption obscures the identifiable element of an affiliate ID when it is passed.
Although ClickBank has been providing encrypted HopLinks with encoded affiliate IDs (nicknames) for over a decade, the protective benefits have been limited since the affiliate nickname has been visible in the HopLink redirect URL and on the order form. Now, the affiliate ID in both of those places will be encrypted (or hidden) by default.
This status update contains the following sections:
- The New HopLink Tools Suite
- No Impact to Current HopLinks
- Choose Encryption Going Forward
- Additional Resources & Related Articles
The New HopLink Tools Suite
This improvement also comes with a new section in the primary account called the HopLink Tools section.
Related: How do ClickBankaccounts work?
These tools allow you to:
- Quickly create a new encrypted HopLink, either as an affiliate or for your affiliates
- Encode existing “plain” HopLinks for your campaigns or affiliates
- Securely decode encrypted HopLinks, including the encrypted affiliate ID on the order form, provided you are the seller or affiliate
No Impact to Current HopLinks
These changes will not impact HopLink function, attribution, or associated analytics. No immediate change to your HopLinks is required. Existing HopLinks will continue to function as expected, whether encrypted or plain, but encrypted HopLinks will now offer better end-to-end privacy and protection from crawlers.
Encryption
We encourage affiliates to create new encrypted HopLinks for each ad campaign to avoid using the same encrypted value in multiple places. You can use the Create feature in the HopLink Tools suite to create new encrypted HopLinks, or you can encode current HopLinks using the Encode feature.
Affiliates can also still confirm their HopLinks functionality by using the Decode tool. Just copy the encrypted value at the bottom of the order form, using only the encrypted value itself (don’t include the “affiliate=” portion), and paste it into the Decode field. The results returned should include your affiliate account nickname and the seller's account nickname.
Sellers: If you don’t currently utilize encrypted HopLinks or generate them for affiliates today, we encourage you to encrypt existing HopLinks where possible and utilize encrypted links going forward.
Additional Resources & Related Articles
Everything about HopLinks, from how they work to how to add TIDs to how to use HopLinks Tools, is included in this comprehensive guide: HopLinks Guide. If you need additional support, please reach out via our contact form.
- KNOWLEDGE BASE: HopLinks Guide
- KNOWLEDGE BASE: How do I test a HopLink?