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Canonical Link

A Canonical Link (or "Canonical Tag") is an HTML element used to signal to search engines like Google which URL is the "canonical" or preferred version of a webpage. It helps avoid issues with duplicate content when multiple URLs have similar or identical content.

Purpose of a Canonical Link

If a website is accessible through multiple URLs (e.g., with or without "www," with or without parameters), search engines might treat them as separate pages. This can negatively impact rankings because the relevance and authority are spread across multiple URLs.

A canonical link specifies which URL should be treated as the main version.

How It Works

The canonical tag is added in the <head> section of the HTML code, like this:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/preferred-url" />

Benefits

  1. Consolidating SEO Strength: Prevents link equity from being split across multiple URLs.
  2. Avoiding Duplicate Content: Search engines only evaluate the canonical version, avoiding penalties for duplicate content.
  3. Improving Crawling Efficiency: Search engine bots don’t need to crawl every URL version.

Example

An online store has the same product available under different URLs:

  • https://www.store.com/product?color=blue
  • https://www.store.com/product?color=red

Using a canonical tag, you can declare https://www.store.com/product as the main URL.

 

 


Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a form of online marketing where businesses (merchants) promote their products or services through partners (affiliates). Affiliates earn a commission when a specific action (like a purchase, signup, or click) is completed as a result of their promotion. It’s a performance-based model that benefits both merchants and affiliates.

How does affiliate marketing work?

  1. Merchant (Advertiser): The company offering products or services and seeking promotion through affiliate partnerships.
  2. Affiliate (Publisher): The individual or organization promoting the merchant's products, often via websites, blogs, social media, or email campaigns.
  3. Affiliate Network (optional): A platform that connects affiliates and merchants, provides tracking tools, and manages commission payouts (e.g., Awin, CJ Affiliate).
  4. Customers: End users who are directed to the merchant's website and perform the desired action.

Process:

  1. The merchant provides affiliates with special links (affiliate links) or promotional materials (banners, text ads).
  2. Affiliates place these links on their platforms.
  3. Customers click on the affiliate links, leading them to the merchant’s website.
  4. Tracking technologies (cookies, tracking IDs) monitor whether the desired action is completed.
  5. Affiliates earn a commission based on the agreed payment model.

Commission Models:

  • Pay-per-Click (PPC): Commission for each click on the affiliate link.
  • Pay-per-Sale (PPS): Commission for each successful sale.
  • Pay-per-Lead (PPL): Commission for generating leads (e.g., signups or registrations).

Benefits:

  • For merchants: Low risk, as payment is based on results.
  • For affiliates: Opportunity to earn passive income.
  • Scalable and accessible globally.

 


Cost per Click - CPC

CPC stands for Cost per Click, a pricing model in online marketing, particularly for paid advertisements. In this model, advertisers pay a specific amount each time a user clicks on their ad.

Where is CPC used?


How does CPC work?

  • Advertisers set a budget and bid on specific keywords or target audiences.
  • The click price can vary based on:
    • Competition for the keyword or target market
    • Quality of the ad (relevance, click-through rate)
    • Maximum bid set by the advertiser

Advantages of CPC:

  • Cost Control: You only pay when your ad generates a click.
  • Measurable Results: It’s easy to track how many users clicked on the ad.
  • Efficiency: Highly targeted, especially with a good conversion rate.

Disadvantages of CPC:

  • Costs can increase: Especially for high-demand keywords.
  • Not every click converts: Clicks don’t always result in sales.