Link Maker | RSS Feed Generator | Widgets | Encoder | JavaScript Snippet | Affiliate Links Inside iOS Apps
Linking Tools
GeoRiot offers tools from the iTunes Affiliate Program, as well as exclusive Georiot tools to build GeoRiot enabled affiliate links. See Getting Started: Create GeoRiot Enabled Links for guidance on what linking tool is right for you.
Three tools from the iTunes Affiliate Program have been modified to work with GeoRiot clients. If you’ve used these tools directly from Apple, or via your Affiliate Networks, they will look very similar; however they will output GeoRiot links with no extra work on your part! These tools include:
iTunes Link Maker tool - Search for an item and copy/paste the link
RSS Feed Generator tool - Generate a custom RSS feed that outputs GeoRiot links
Widget Builder tool - Generate interactive widgets to add to your site
GeoRiot also provides custom tools allowing our clients to quickly convert URLs into GeoRiot enabled links. These tools include:
Encoder - Encodes raw iTunes links into GeoRiot enabled affiliate links
Javascript Snippet - Add to the header of any webpage to automatically convert existing raw, LinkShare, TradeDoubler, or DGM Pro affiliate links for iTunes into GeoRiot enabled affiliate links
Whichever linking tool or linking format you choose to build your GeoRiot link, ALL GeoRiot links work internationally.
A note for app developers: In order to optimize the user experience, we recommend handling redirect links in iOS behind the scenes to avoid stutter stepping into Safari before the appropriate store is loaded. Learn more about adding affiliate links inside iOS apps.
iTunes Affiliate Tools
Link Maker tool
Use the Link Maker tool to create GeoRiot enabled links by first logging into the
GeoRiot dashbaord then navigating to Account >
Manage Traffic Sources > Manage Affiliate Program Set. Select the "Link Maker" link beside the country corresponding
to the iTunes or App Store storefront for your base country, typically the US.
At the Link Maker tool, enter your search terms in the text box.
Select one of the results to view and copy/paste your new GeoRiot enabled links-- available in a variety of formats.
RSS Feed Generator tool
The RSS Feed Generator allows you to build RSS feeds (XML or JSON) that provide top content from the iTunes Store, App Store, iBookstore, or Mac App Store on your site or app. The feed generator and output RSS content looks identical to what you’d find in your Affiliate Network dashboard, or straight through Apple, however it contains GeoRiot enabled links!
This tool can be accessed by logging into the GeoRiot dashboard. Navigate to Account > Manage Traffic Sources > Manage Affiliate Program Set, then select the "RSS" link beside the country corresponding to the storefront you are building the link from. Once again, all RSS Feeds created with the RSS Generator will include links that are GeoRiot enabled!
Widget Builder
The Widget Builder allows you to easily build interactive widgets for your site. These widgets allow your users to search the stores, browse playlists and review apps and albums. The Widget Builder and resulting widgets look identical to what you’d find in your Affiliate Network dashboard, or straight through Apple, however it contains GeoRiot enabled links!
Just like the prior two tools, access the Widget Builder tool by logging into the GeoRiot dashboard. Navigate to Account > Manage Traffic Sources > Manage Affiliate Program Set, then select "Widgets" beside the country corresponding to the storefront you are building the link from.
GeoRiot Tools
Encoder
The GeoRiot Encoder tool allows you to encode one or more raw landing page links into GeoRiot-enabled links. The links produced by this tool are in the Quick Build format and allow for the addition of tracking parameters.
This tool can be accessed by logging into the GeoRiot dashboard. Navigate to Account > Manage Traffic Sources > Manage Affiliate Program Set > Encoder.
JavaScript Snippet
The GeoRiot JavaScript snippet solution converts raw and/or affiliate links into GeoRiot enabled links which is ideal for websites or blogs with many hardcoded affiliate links, or if you simply do not want to update your database,. The JavaScript snippet is placed in the head of each page or copied into your header template, then, each time the page loads, the JavaScript snippet converts the links on the fly! It even supports a mix of iTunes and affiliate network links!
The snippet can be found at http://www.georiot.com/sendToGeoRiot.html. The GRID value in the JavaScript must match the GRID value of your account. Not sure what your GRID value is? See What GRID value should I use?. Learn more about the GRID value in the Managing Your Account page.
Affiliate Links Inside iOS Apps
Affiliate links used inside iOS apps present an additional problem. Because affiliate links require a web based redirect, the user is removed from the app, waits for the mobile Safari app to load, and redirects to process, then for the appropriate app to load, and is finally shown the requested info. This process is called a "stutter step", and you want to avoid it whenever possible.
Apple provides some documentation and pseudo code on processing the web redirects behind the scenes in the app in order to avoid this “stutter step”. This is available in the iOS Developer Library as QA1629.
