How to Cloak Affiliate Links in WordPress

You cloak affiliate links in WordPress by swapping long tracking URLs for short paths on your own domain. You publish something like yoursite.com/go/product instead of https://example.com/ref?id=12345&sub=abc. Link Manager Pro stores the real affiliate destination, redirects each click to that URL, and lets you update the destination later without hunting through old posts. You pick the slug (the go/product segment), configure the redirect type, set rel attributes, and optionally forward query parameters. The masked URL works as soon as you save the link. You perform every step inside Link Manager Pro → Links; you never hand-edit .htaccess for basic affiliate hops.

The problem

Raw affiliate URLs look messy, expose opaque tracking parameters, and age badly when programs change query strings or domains. Readers hesitate to click long, unfamiliar strings. You also lock yourself into hard-coded URLs across your content whenever the merchant updates a link.

The solution: masking with Link Manager Pro

Link cloaking (masking) means you replace the visible URL with a branded path on your site while Link Manager Pro handles the hop to the affiliate program behind the scenes.

Why you cloak:

• Trust — Short, on-brand URLs look intentional and easier to verify.
• Click-through — Clean links reduce friction compared with parameter-heavy URLs.
• Sharing — You paste a memorable path in email, social posts, or PDFs.
• Maintenance — You edit the destination in one place; posts that already use the masked URL keep working.

Step-by-step: cloak a link

1. Go to Link Manager Pro → Links → Add New.
2. Enter the affiliate destination URL (the full program URL with your tracking).
3. Set a custom slug — the part after your prefix (for example product in yoursite.com/go/product). You configure the prefix (for example go, link, refer) under Settings.
4. Choose a redirect type:
   • 301 — permanent; search engines treat the masked URL as the canonical hop.
   • 302 — temporary; use when you expect the destination to change.
   • 307 — temporary like 302, but preserves the original HTTP method (POST stays POST).
5. Set link attributes. For affiliate links, enable nofollow and sponsored so search engines and policies treat the hop as paid or sponsored.
6. Optionally enable parameter forwarding so query strings on the masked URL pass through to the affiliate (for sub-IDs or campaign tags).
7. Save. The cloaked link goes live immediately.

Best practices

• Pick descriptive slugs (hosting-deal, spring-sale) so you recognize links in analytics and exports.
• Keep sponsored on affiliate hops alongside nofollow unless your counsel advises otherwise.
• Use 301 for stable, long-term affiliate destinations; use 302 when the merchant rotates landing pages often or you A/B test destinations.

Prefix and slugs

You set the link structure prefix once under Settings (for example go, link, or refer). Every masked URL uses that prefix plus your slug. Plan the prefix before you print URLs—changing it later breaks every existing masked link readers already bookmarked or shared.

Parameter forwarding in real life

You enable Forward URL Parameters when you append tracking on the fly—yoursite.com/go/product?sub=newsletter—and you need the affiliate network to receive sub=newsletter on the final hop. Leave forwarding off when extra query strings might confuse the merchant’s tracking or violate program rules.

Putting cloaked URLs in content

After you save the link, paste the masked URL (or rely on auto-linking keywords) inside posts, pages, and widgets. Link Manager Pro still tracks clicks and honors the rel values you set. For program compliance, pair technical attributes with visible disclosure copy—see Affiliate disclosure.

For deeper detail on how masking fits SEO and disclosure rules, see Link masking & URL cloaking, Creating links, and Affiliate disclosure.

Related

• Link masking & URL cloaking
• Creating links
• Affiliate disclosure