How do I create a HopLink?

Overview 

There are three ways to create a HopLink. One, you can create an encrypted HopLink via the ClickBank Marketplace, or through the HopLink Shield. You can also create a HopLink manually. An encrypted HopLink is a more secure link because it does not contain the name of the affiliate or vendor in the link text. 

Once you have created a HopLink, you can add additional tracking IDs or parameters to track traffic sources and pass on information to a ClickBank Vendor’s page. 

This article is a composite article that contains the following sub-articles:

• How to Create an Encrypted HopLink from a Product Listing
• How to Create an Encrypted HopLink Using HopLink Shield
• Manually Creating a HopLink
• Using Tracking IDs with HopLinks
• Tracking ID Example 
   

How to Create an Encrypted HopLink From a Product Listing 

Follow these instructions to create a HopLink for a product you wish to promote through a product listing in the ClickBank Affiliate MarketplaceClick the Promote button in the product's listing.

Step 1: Log in to your account. 

Step 2: Click Marketplace.

Step 3: Select a product you want to promote and click the Promote button. 

Step 4: Add a tracking ID in the Tracking ID field. This step is optional but encouraged for analytics purposes.

Step 5: Click Generate HopLinks. Note: This produces an encrypted HopLink in which neither the vendor or affiliate name is shown. 

Step 6: Copy and save this HopLink. 

Step 7: Add parameters to the HopLink to pass to the vendor's page. (Optional). Check out this article for more informational on adding parameters to URLs.

Step 8: Test the HopLink to ensure that it works.

Step 9: Use this HopLink in your promotional materials including blogs, forums, and social media. Note: You can use the HopLink Decoder the verify the affiliate nickname and the vendor nickname in a HopLink.

How to Create an Encrypted HopLink Using HopLink Shield 

You can also create HopLinks using the HopLink Shield tool. 

Step 1: Access the HopLink Shield tool here.

Step 2: Enter in your affiliate nickname and the nickname of the vendor you want to promote.  

Step 3: Click Encode. 

Step 4:  Copy and save the HopLink.

Step 5: Add parameters to the HopLink to pass to the vendor's page. (Optional). Check out this article for more informational on adding parameters to URLs.

Step 6: Test the HopLink to ensure that it works.

Step 7: Use this HopLink in your promotional materials including blogs, forums, and social media. Note: You can use the HopLink Decoder the verify the affiliate nickname and the vendor nickname in a HopLink.

Manually Creating an Unencrypted HopLink 

You can manually create a readable HopLink using a vendor nickname and your affiliate nickname. The HopLink must exist in this format: 

https://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR

To manually create a HopLink in this format, replace "AFFILIATE" with your account nickname and "VENDOR" with the account nickname of the vendor you wish to promote. You can find a ClickBank Vendor's account nickname on their website or on their affiliate tools page. 

Once you have created the HopLink, you can add tracking IDs to track your traffic sources and parameters to pass to the vendor's page.  Then, test the HopLink to make sure it works before proceeding with promotion. 

Using Tracking IDs with HopLinks 

A tracking ID (TID) is an alphanumeric string of up to 100 characters, including numbers, lowercase letters, and underscores, that you can add to the end of a HopLink.

Your tracking IDs are visible only to you as the affiliate, so the vendor you send customers to won't be able to view your tracking IDs. The format for a tracking ID is:

https://hop.clickbank.net/?affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR&tid=EXAMPLE_TID

When a customer follows a HopLink with a tracking ID, and when they purchase a product, the tracking ID is linked with those events. You can use tracking IDs to differentiate between different sources of traffic and compare your promotional methods.

Tracking ID Example  

For example, if you're promoting the same product on a blog, in a forum post, and on twitter, you can differentiate your HopLinks with TIDs to track clicks and conversions that happen on each medium.

Initial HopLink:  https://hop.clickbank.net/affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR&tid=EXAMPLE_TID

TIDS for Promotion Mediums 

• Blog
  • Tracking ID – blog_feb_2018
  • Hoplink –
    https://hop.clickbank.net/affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR&tid=blog_feb_2021
• Forum
  • Tracking ID – forum_feb_2018
  • Hoplink – https://hop.clickbank.net/affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR&tid=forum_feb_2021
• Twitter
  • Tracking ID – twitter_feb_2018
  • Hoplink –https://hop.clickbank.net/affiliate=AFFILIATE&vendor=VENDOR&tid=twitter_feb_2021

Then, when a sale is made using one of your HopLinks, the tracking ID is passed into ClickBank's reporting, so you'll be able to see which of your promotional efforts led to the sale.

Additional Articles & Related Resources

• KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLE: HopLinks Guide 
• KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLE: How do I earn commission as a ClickBank Affiliate?