Blank Referers: People please read this

MDSOperandi

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Hi guys, I have posted the info below in another forum post but I thought that I would post it here again.

It makes me shudder every time I see people using BH techniques and consistantly sending blank referers through to affiliate websites.

Now, there are definately times when a blank referer can be sent. I think that Norton removes a referer but it does not happen all the time with every visitor.

Sending through a blank referer for every visitor is right up there with a 100% CTR. Red Flags for further investigation anyone?

The the biggest problem with sending traffic with blank referers is that it's so very easy to run some SQL over webstats such as (SQL Pseudo code)

Code:
SELECT WebsiteDomain FROM WebsiteStats WHERE Referer IS NULL

Any affiliate company who knows what they are doing probably has scripts like this running over their databases on an hourly basis. The code above will show all websites that have a blank referer.


If you are sending traffic the affiliate manager should be able to see and visit your referer and be satisfied about the origin of your traffic.

Before sending traffic look at the referer and think "Would I be happy with this if I was an Affiliate Manager?"

Now obviously there are affiliate networks that don't care but if you are targeting CJ / Shareasale etc you should really think twice before sending though blank referers.

Previously I was involved with a large group of people who were sending through clicks straight from a search engine / blanking referers. 90% of them got banned and I didn't; the reason? I sent all my traffic via an intermediate page which set the referer and more importantly displayed banners pertaining to the merchant I was promoting.

When an AM looked at my traffic they saw a referer and when they followed the "Traffic Trail" they ended up at a nice little WH site complete with banners on auto-rotation. I was never banned ;)

It's not a massive effort to set up an traffic laundering page but could save your accounts and more importantly your money.

Regards
MDS
 
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