Text links - the rules

I am looking at an offer on cj.com and there are a number of different text links I can use. Do I have to use the exact text they have on the link or can I customise it?

e.g. if it said "Subscribe to Yahoo! Personals" could I change the text to "Yahoo! Personals" instead?

I just want to know how strict they are or if the text link is just suggested text rather than compulsory text.

Thanks,

Jon

 

I think most affiliate programs let you change the links.
At least I haven't got in trouble for it!!
I almost always change the anchor text.
I just copy the link itself and then use whatever anchor text I want.

 

Me too. Never heard of this being a problem, and have certainly never had a problem myself.

 

You are completely free to customize it - you just need to take care and know what you are doing - use the html code, not the LMI code.

 

Most TOS state that you can't change any part of the text or graphical link but I have never heard of anyone losing commission over it.

 

That's a fair statement. As long as you don't make any false statements or claims ("Subscribe to Yahoo! personals and get a free iPod.") you should be ok.

 

Exactly, just don't change it to anything misleading (or completely inaccurate)

 

Nor should you (as I learned the hard way, tryingto be smooth, though not with CJ) state in the link, "This link makes me cash. Click it or die." certain compaies dislike that type of linking.

 

You had to learn that the hard way?

 

Lol, yes. Mainly because I was doing it just for the hell of it. I didn't like the service anyway, and they still paid me $60 out of the $456 I cheated. Why I got the $60 in the mail, I will never know.