I have a few domains that I run some PPC and Affiliate Marketing through that I'd like to strip out the referring URL to before it gets to the merchant. Does anyone know a good method for this? As far as I know, using a PHP Redirect from the site that I don't want them to know to another domain that it's fine for them to know and then PHP redirecting from their to merchant page does NOT get rid of the original referring URL, right? Any feedback would be appreciated.
Stripping out Referring URLs
- Thread starter SeoDave
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PHP's header function does indeed not strip out the referring URL. Same for Javascript that changes the window's location. One solution that I'm using is a meta refresh. If you want to try it, check CloakedLink.com - Free Link Cloaking / Referrer Hiding Service
I believe even meta redirect won't even work in safari on mac os x. I tested that a while back.
Now safari is not used much, but the point is that these things depend on whatever version of browser you have.
If you use DKI, then save the keywords in a cookie and redirect to a URL without the keywords in it. On that page, read the keywords from the cookie. If you want you can not redirect to that page if there isn't a referrer or if it's googlebot etc.
If you want to go directly to the merchant URL, then your only options are meta redirect + javascript fallback.
Now safari is not used much, but the point is that these things depend on whatever version of browser you have.
If you use DKI, then save the keywords in a cookie and redirect to a URL without the keywords in it. On that page, read the keywords from the cookie. If you want you can not redirect to that page if there isn't a referrer or if it's googlebot etc.
If you want to go directly to the merchant URL, then your only options are meta redirect + javascript fallback.
If you use things like click.php?clickid=2332 and it then goes to a page with a header redirect, wouldn't that work. Someone said that it will not work above, but how can a person actually see the referral url if it redirects in 0 seconds? Also, if the url when you are at the merchants site says something like merchantssite.com/productid=2322affid=2332, then you don't really want that affid striped from their url as that is normally the way that they will track your visitors so that they know they have come from you when there is a purchase.
the safest way is meta-refresh at 2 seconds, anything below 2 seconds and its a possibility that the referrer might show. I use meta refresh and never had a problem
Ok, fun thing I found out by accident. IFrame the offer. Use 100% width, 100% height.
That will change the referer to YOUR url, instead of the url of the SE or whatever. If you're actually trying to strip out your OWN url, use a header(Location: http:///www.site.com); redirect in PHP, to a different, non blackhat domain of yours, and have THAT iframe the offer.
That will change the referer to YOUR url, instead of the url of the SE or whatever. If you're actually trying to strip out your OWN url, use a header(Location: http:///www.site.com); redirect in PHP, to a different, non blackhat domain of yours, and have THAT iframe the offer.
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