How to add affiliate links to your website

One affiliate drops a raw tracking URL in the middle of a paragraph. It looks messy and nobody clicks it. Another wraps the link around a clear button that says "Check current price" right after a helpful comparison table. Same product. Same commission rate. Very different results.

How to add affiliate links is less about technical skill and more about placement and presentation. Your site editor handles the mechanics. Your judgment about where readers need a link handles the rest. Here is how to insert affiliate links the right way.

How do you insert affiliate links in text?

Copy your tracking URL from the affiliate program dashboard. Highlight the words you want clickable in your article, often the product name or a short phrase like "visit the store." Paste the URL into the link field your editor provides.

Set the link to open in a new tab so readers do not lose your page. Use descriptive anchor text that tells readers what they will find. Avoid vague phrases like "click here" because they give no context and hurt accessibility.

Most visual editors show a chain icon or a link button in the toolbar. That is all you need for standard text links. No coding required.

Where should affiliate links go on a page?

Place your first link after you have given enough context for the reader to understand the product. Jumping straight to a link before explaining anything feels pushy and earns fewer clicks.

Strong positions include the end of a product summary, inside a comparison table row, and near a conclusion where you state your recommendation. Repeat the link two or three times on longer articles so mobile readers do not have to scroll back to the top.

Buttons stand out more than text links. A single button after your verdict works well on review pages. Too many buttons on one screen looks like an ad wall.

How do you add image and banner links?

Image links work like text links. Upload the product photo or program banner, select the image, and attach your affiliate URL. Add alt text describing the product for search engines and screen readers.

Banners from affiliate programs come in standard sizes. Place them in sidebars or between sections where they support the article topic. A random banner with no context gets ignored.

Always test your links after publishing. Click each one yourself to confirm it lands on the correct page with your tracking intact.

Link placement strategy goes deeper than insertion alone. For where links perform best across page types, read best practices for placing affiliate links. If you are still learning how tracking works, start with what are affiliate links and how they work.

Frequently asked questions