flash/html banners confuse me :(

Hello,

I want to start my program soon but as a newbiw I am really confused :(
I want to add flash banners but example is too complicated for me, sorry.

Now,

when I click add flash/html button, it asks for;

*product category, that is ok
*Destination URL , that is ok
*description, not sure what to write here anf for whom?

Anyway, ain problem is, it doesn't ask for banner url.I have 2-3 different banners for same destination url and they are all in affiliate/banners folder, both swf and html files publieshed by Flash.
How will affiliates choose the banner?

Also, there is an example code there, I am adviced to add just "GetURL(clickTAG)" script to the banner.Will affiliates add those codes to their pages, do I have to do anything about it?

Well,as you see I am confused :) please help.

Thanks,

[mark]

Hello,

description field is for adding actual banner HTML code. You should put piece of HTML there that will do what you want - display tables, forms, or in your case display Flash banner.

So for flash banner it could be:

<OBJECT classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000 codebase="http:// download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/ flash/swflash.cab#version=4,0,0,0" ID=ad_banner_example1 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60>

<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf?clickTAG =$CLICKURL">
<PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=false>
<PARAM NAME=menu VALUE=false>
<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=medium>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#FFFFFF>

<EMBED src="http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf?clickTAG=$CLICKURL" loop=false menu=false quality=medium bgcolor=#FFFFFF swLiveConnect=FALSE WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash">

</OBJECT>



In this example i expect banner to be in this url: http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf.

The constant $CLICKURL will be replaced with correct destination URL (and additional parameters) when affiliate sees the code of this banner.

You should not hardcode the destination in the flash banner, because the destination URL is unique for every affiliate. That's why you shoulld use some parameter (clickTAG in the example) that will get the value from $CLICKURL. Flash should then redirect visitor to the passed url when he clicks on the banner.

When you have more banners for the same destination url, you can create more banners in affiliate system. Your affiliates will then be able to choose between them in their panel.

If you have some more questions, let me know.

regards,

mark

Thanks Mark,
It is all clear now and I fixed my banners :)

I still have a question;

When we add banners, we relate the banners to a product type. What if a customer coming from that banners purchase another type of product?

I want to direct to my main page from banners, so I prefer not relating banners to a specific product.

Thanks,

ok I found the answer, thanks :)

Still, what should I do inside the flash banner? I cant have the banner (flash) with no button.. and.. if I place a button.. what should this button do ???

Thanks
Hello,

description field is for adding actual banner HTML code. You should put piece of HTML there that will do what you want - display tables, forms, or in your case display Flash banner.

So for flash banner it could be:

<OBJECT classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000 codebase="http:// download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/ flash/swflash.cab#version=4,0,0,0" ID=ad_banner_example1 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60>

<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf?clickTAG =$CLICKURL">
<PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=false>
<PARAM NAME=menu VALUE=false>
<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=medium>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#FFFFFF>

<EMBED src="http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf?clickTAG=$CLICKURL" loop=false menu=false quality=medium bgcolor=#FFFFFF swLiveConnect=FALSE WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash">

</OBJECT>



In this example i expect banner to be in this url: http://www.yoursite.com/affiliate/banners/banner1.swf.

The constant $CLICKURL will be replaced with correct destination URL (and additional parameters) when affiliate sees the code of this banner.

You should not hardcode the destination in the flash banner, because the destination URL is unique for every affiliate. That's why you shoulld use some parameter (clickTAG in the example) that will get the value from $CLICKURL. Flash should then redirect visitor to the passed url when he clicks on the banner.

When you have more banners for the same destination url, you can create more banners in affiliate system. You
r affiliates will then be able to choose between them in their panel.

If you have some more questions, let me know.

regards,

mark

[Satsoft]

I've done exactly what has been instructed and my flash banner does not link to anything. I would edit the SWF file to make that link to my site, but then I would lose the URL variables to track where the hit came from.

How do I get it so that when a user clicks on my flash banner, it takes them to my site and records a hit for the appropriate affiliate?

[martin]

I've done exactly what has been instructed and my flash banner does not link to anything. I would edit the SWF file to make that link to my site, but then I would lose the URL variables to track where the hit came from.

How do I get it so that when a user clicks on my flash banner, it takes them to my site and records a hit for the appropriate affiliate?

This should be sth with flash banners. As I don't know flash, so I can't help you with that... the fact is that flash banners work, but when banners are made in "some way" they don't work as links.... Try to play with some settings during creating flash banners. If you are interested, send email to support@qualityunit.com, I can send you example banner and banner code that works..

[mark]

Hello,

when you are able to make banner link to your site then you should be able to make it link to any url given in the flash parameter (clickURL).

Affiliate system will pass the correct tracking link to the banner when its code is displayed in the affiliate's panel, and then the click is properly tracked.

regards,

mark