This makes the link easier to share and gives affiliates a more professional way to promote your products.

Key Features of AffiliateWP Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon:

1. Customizable URL Slugs:
   • You can change the referral URL structure to use custom slugs instead of the default query parameter. This allows you to create a more branded or clean URL format.
   • For example, instead of ?ref=affiliate_name, you can set a slug such as /affiliate_name, /offers/affiliate_name, or /special/affiliate_name.
2. More Descriptive Affiliate Links:
   • By using custom slugs, you allow affiliates to use URLs that are not only memorable but also relevant to the products or services they are promoting.
   • For example, if an affiliate is promoting a particular product, you could configure the URL to look like https://yoursite.com/products/affiliate_name or https://yoursite.com/sale/affiliate_name.
3. Enhanced Branding:
   • Custom affiliate slugs can help you create a more professional and branded experience. This can make affiliate links appear less like tracking URLs and more like part of the website’s regular content.
   • You can use slugs that reflect specific campaigns, seasonal promotions, or affiliate names, reinforcing your branding.
4. SEO Benefits:
   • Custom slugs are SEO-friendly because you can create descriptive and keyword-rich URLs. This can help with search engine visibility and improve the affiliate’s ability to rank for specific terms or products.
   • For instance, a link like https://yoursite.com/black-friday-sale/affiliate_name is more likely to show up in search results for "Black Friday Sale" than a generic query string.
5. Affiliate Flexibility:
   • Affiliates can still use their unique referral link but in a cleaner, easier-to-share format.
   • This is particularly helpful in marketing channels like social media, email campaigns, and print materials, where long URLs can appear unattractive or confusing.
6. Redirects for Old Links:
   • The addon ensures that even if the old default referral URLs (with the ?ref=affiliate_id format) are shared or bookmarked, they will still work. The system automatically handles redirects to the new custom slugs, preventing broken links and maintaining affiliate commissions.
7. Simple Setup:
   • The setup process for custom slugs is straightforward. Once you install and activate the Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon, you can configure the new URL structure directly in the AffiliateWP settings.
   • There’s no need for complex coding; the addon provides an intuitive interface for customizing the URL slugs.

How to Set Up the AffiliateWP Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon

Step 1: Install the Addon

1. Purchase and Download:
   • The AffiliateWP Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon is a paid extension, so you need to purchase it from the AffiliateWP website.
   • After purchasing, download the addon ZIP file.
2. Install the Addon:
   • In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Click Upload Plugin, choose the ZIP file you downloaded, and click Install Now.
   • After installation, click Activate to activate the addon.

Step 2: Configure Custom Slug Settings

1. Go to AffiliateWP Settings:
   • Once the addon is activated, go to the AffiliateWP settings page by navigating to AffiliateWP > Settings in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Enable Custom Affiliate Slugs:
   • In the settings, look for the Custom Affiliate Slugs tab (or a similar name, depending on the version of the addon).
   • Here, you can enable custom slugs and configure how they will appear.
3. Set Up the Slug Format:
   • You can define a custom format for the affiliate referral URL, including slugs such as:
     • /go/affiliate_name
     • /promo/affiliate_name
     • /offers/affiliate_name
     • /special/affiliate_name
   • Typically, you can use placeholders like {affiliate_name} or {affiliate_id} to generate a personalized URL for each affiliate. For example:
     • Base URL: https://yoursite.com/
     • Custom Slug Format: /{affiliate_name} or /{affiliate_id}.
   • You may also have the option to add custom keywords or categories, depending on your needs.
4. Save Changes:
   • Once you’ve configured your preferred URL format, click Save Changes to apply the new slug structure.

Step 3: Using Custom Slugs

• Once the custom slugs are set up, each affiliate will have a personalized referral URL based on the format you defined. For example:
  • https://yoursite.com/go/johndoe
  • https://yoursite.com/promo/susan
• Affiliates can then use and share these URLs to drive traffic and generate commissions.
• You can also monitor the performance of these slugs through the AffiliateWP reporting and analytics dashboard to track clicks, conversions, and commissions based on the new URL structure.

Step 4: Ensure Compatibility with Old Links

• AffiliateWP will automatically redirect old affiliate links that use the default query format (?ref=affiliate_id) to the new custom slugs. This ensures that any existing affiliate links remain functional even after you switch to custom slugs.

Example Use Cases for Custom Affiliate Slugs:

1. Campaign-Specific URLs:
   • You can create specific slugs for affiliate promotions related to a particular campaign. For instance:
     • https://yoursite.com/sale/affiliate_name for an affiliate promoting a seasonal sale.
     • https://yoursite.com/black-friday/affiliate_name for Black Friday promotions.
2. Affiliate-Specific Landing Pages:
   • Using custom slugs, each affiliate can have a landing page that highlights products or services tailored to their audience.
     • For example: https://yoursite.com/affiliate_name/landing-page
3. Easy-to-Remember URLs:
   • Affiliates can use short and memorable links that are easier to share and remember.
     • Example: https://yoursite.com/discount/affiliate_name
4. Better SEO:
   • If affiliates are using their own names or promotional keywords in the slugs, it can improve SEO for both your affiliate program and your products.
     • Example: https://yoursite.com/refer/johndoe

Benefits of Using Custom Affiliate Slugs:

1. Brand Consistency:
   • Custom affiliate slugs align the affiliate program with your website's branding, offering a more consistent and professional experience for both affiliates and customers.
2. Improved Affiliate Marketing:
   • Custom slugs can make affiliate links more shareable and easier to remember, increasing the likelihood of successful promotions by affiliates.
3. Better User Experience:
   • A clean, easy-to-read URL is more appealing to customers. By eliminating the default query string (?ref=affiliate_id), you create a better user experience and encourage more clicks and conversions.
4. SEO Benefits:
   • Descriptive, keyword-rich slugs can contribute to better SEO rankings. Using terms related to promotions, offers, or product categories can help these pages appear in relevant search results.
5. Increased Trust:
   • Custom slugs appear more trustworthy and professional, increasing the likelihood that visitors will click on the affiliate links.
6. Ease of Use for Affiliates:
   • Affiliates benefit from having clean, branded URLs that are easier to share on social media, emails, websites, and offline materials.

Conclusion

The AffiliateWP Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon is a simple but powerful tool to enhance your affiliate program. By allowing you to customize referral URLs, you improve both the user experience and the marketing effectiveness of your affiliate program. Whether you're aiming for cleaner, more branded links, better SEO, or more shareable URLs, this addon provides the flexibility to tailor affiliate links to your needs and goals. If you're looking to make your affiliate program look more professional, improve affiliate engagement, and increase conversions, the Custom Affiliate Slugs Addon is a valuable addition to your AffiliateWP toolkit.