A Pretty Links Alternative – A Better Link Tracking Service

If you’re an affiliate marketer, you’re already using Pretty Links or at least have heard of this service.

Pretty Links is a great tool if you are starting out with affiliate marketing. It allows you to cloak, track, and manage your affiliate links all in one place.

However, in my opinion, Pretty Links lacks the functionality needed to really take your blog to the next level.

An affiliate link tracking system should be a core part of your affiliate marketing toolbox.

But if you want to become a super affiliate, you need to track the source of clicks and — more importantly — track conversions. Unfortunately, Pretty Links lacks this functionality.

Affiliate marketing has much more than just a “pretty” link.

You need ways to add value for readers. Just placing a link in your content with the words “buy now” is not the road to riches. You won’t be sitting on a tropical beach in front of your cabana sipping a piña colada anytime soon.

Your site shouldn’t just have great content. It should also have functionality.

Instead of just typing “buy now,” you can use the Amazon Associates program, for example. Using this affiliate program, you can insert product information, pricing, and ratings right into your blog. The best part is that it can be done automatically. There’s no need to manually update Amazon pricing daily.

Pretty Links Alternatives

In case you’re wondering, ThirstyAffiliates was acquired by the makers of Pretty Links and has similar functionality and pricing.

You’ll notice all the WordPress plugins, like Pretty Links, lack conversion tracking. They also tend to slow down your site.

The services that aren’t plugins offer conversion tracking and, typically, more advanced functionality.

To help you find a product that best suits your needs, I’ll break down Pretty Links alternatives into two different types of services:

1. Link and conversion trackers
2. Services that let you better monetize Amazon’s affiliate program

Best Conversion Tracking

LinkClicky

Companies that sell their own products have the means to track every click and source of a conversion. Why can’t this be done with affiliate marketing?

The answer is you can!

When I created LinkClicky, my goal was to track clicks and conversions as if they were your own products.

LinkClicky was created from my years of frustration with other complex and confusing affiliate services.

The problem with existing services is that they are complex to set up and use.

I tested every other affiliate link-tracking service and found they were either difficult to configure or didn’t have all the features I wanted.

LinkClicky supports these features:

• There is no need to go to each affiliate network to track revenue; LinkClicky tracks it all in one place.
• To track any affiliate link, just add and go! No need to worry about setting up postback and confusing subid variables. It automatically detects what affiliate link source and adds the correct subid for that system.
• Get analytics like no other service. Currently supports Google Analytics 4 and Woopra.
• Use the same affiliate link, no matter the source. Track affiliate clicks AND conversions from your blog, social media, YouTube, and email. Know exactly how much revenue came from what sources and web pages.
• Get the exact ROI for any paid ad campaign. No more guessing how much revenue an affiliate ad campaign generates.
• And much more!

With LinkClicky, you take all of the guesswork about which sources of traffic or web pages generate the most revenue. LinkClicky gives you the insight to optimize your affiliate revenue.

LinkClicky makes Pretty Links look like a toy and is for any affiliate marketer who is serious about making more money online.

ClickMagick

ClickMagick has several new features for the power affiliate marketer.

However, unfortunately, this service isn’t as easy to use as it could be. In fact, there are many advanced options that even some of the most advanced affiliates may not use.

Setting up a new merchant can be a daunting process and not user-friendly

But if you’re looking for a unique feature, it’s more than likely that ClickMagick offers it!

Here are a few unique features you’ll find with ClickMagick:

• Automated Split Testing — Test which merchant offer works better and get ClickMagick to use the winner automatically.
• Cross-device Tracking — Track clicks from multiple devices used by a single reader.
• Trackback and Pixels Conversions — Track and report conversions.
• Geographical Targeting — Display a different destination URL based on location.
• Google, Facebook, and TikTok Ad Tracking — Send conversions to Google Ads, Facebook, and TikTok.

Best Amazon Affiliate Plugin

AAWP

If you’re an Amazon Associate, you need something better than Pretty Links. Pretty Links really isn’t best suited for Amazon’s affiliate program. At the core, Pretty Links is just a link management system.

If you want to monetize using the Amazon Associate program, you need to pull Amazon’s product, pricing, and image information — automatically. This is why I recommend AAWP.

AAWP is a WordPress plugin. Its core strength isn’t tracking. In fact, the plugin has no built-in click or conversion tracking and reporting. AAWP’s strength is in its ability to pull information directly from Amazon’s site.

AAWP links up to Amazon’s API and will pull this information automatically:

• Product Title
• Product Description
• Product Image
• Pricing

In addition, the plugin automatically all of this information daily. There’s no need to go into your site and update the pricing when Amazon changes its price — which is a common occurrence with Amazon.

AAWP also has these features:

• Geotargeting — Target the correct Amazon Associates program based on the visitor’s location.
• Highlight Amazon Links — Set up links to display the Amazon icon, making your visitors aware that they can buy the product on the site.
• Product Summary — Display a nicely formatted callout that automatically shows an Amazon product, description, and pricing. There’s no need to manually update this information, saving you time and effort.
• Comparison Tables — Easily create comparison tables of products available on Amazon and highlight key features.
• Automated Lists — Automatically create bestsellers and new release lists that ensure you have the latest products listed on your blog.
• Amazon “Buy Now” Button — Install a clear call-to-action so your visitors are more likely to convert.

All of these features increase your Amazon conversion rates. This is especially important with Amazon’s recent commission changes. Plus, you get all this for under $50.

Lasso (Runner Up)

Lasso is a recent entry into the affiliate link management space. My friend Andrew Fiebert created Lasso’s most powerful feature its integration with Amazon’s API.

Lasso is a WordPress plugin that works well with any affiliate program, not just Amazon’s.

Like AAWP, Lasso allows you to create nice-looking summary boxes that display your Amazon (or another affiliate) product information.

Unfortunately, Lasso’s biggest limitation is in conversion tracking. For me, this is a big roadblock. But many users won’t be bothered. Plus, if you’re using Amazon, conversion tracking isn’t an option anyway.

Lasso lacks the functionality of the comparison tables and automated lists found in AAWP, but this plugin has some features not found anywhere else.

Lasso offers these features:

• Quickly Add New Affiliate Links — Find unmonetized links and keywords and add them without manually entering every post.
• Alerts for Broken or Out-of-Stock Links — Replace outdated products with ones that can keep you making money.

Summary

It’s time to dump Pretty Links and use one of the alternatives mentioned. If you want to track conversions, use LinkClicky. If you want to better monetize with Amazon, use AAWP or Lasso.

Don’t forget that it’s also possible to use multiple link trackers.