Note: This feature is back in SEO Smart Links Pro 1.8.1; so if you want comment processing, just upgrade and enable the option. For historical interest...
Back when I did my review of Automatic Keyword Affiliate Link Plugins, my preferred choice SEO Smart Links Pro supported keyword matching in comments. So if one of my blog commenters mentioned HostGator say, that keyword would automatically turn into an affiliate link.
I liked this feature.
Unfortunately it led to so many support requests that the plugin author removed it. Apparently on blogs with large numbers of comments, the extra processing time is too much for many servers. So if you have a blog with thousands of comments, just live and let live. But if you only have a few, and really want this feature, and promise not to hassle the plugin author about it... Here's how to re-enable comment processing in SEO Smart Links Pro version 1.6.3:
Edit the file seo-smart-links-pro.php in a text editor like TextPad.
Uncomment this code in function SEOLinksPro:
/*if ($options['comment'])
add_filter('comment_text', array(
&$this,
'SEOLinks_the_content_filter'
), 200);*/Changing it to:
if ($options['comment'])
add_filter('comment_text', array(
&$this,
'SEOLinks_the_content_filter'
), 200);In function handle_options, you need to insert code to set the comment option. Look for this code:
<p>Check to enable UTF-8 support if your site uses non-english characters. Also helps with matching non-letter characters.</p> <input type="checkbox" name="utfsupport" $utfsupport /><label for="utfsupprt"> Enable UTF-8 support</label> <br> <br>
And immediately after it, add:
<p>Process Comments.</p> <input type="checkbox" name="comment" $comment /><label for="comment"> Process comments</label> <br> <br>
Now go to the SEO Smart Links Pro Options screen, and select the option to Process Comments. Save options... and you're done!
Processing...
Is there any other plugin which can do this in the current world without making any of these changes in the php?
Just upgrade to the latest version and enable the option in the plugin settings; you no longer need to modify the php code.
I really love SEO smart links pro, and the only issue I had with it was when it would hyperlink keywords in guest posts. I would like to extend my appreciation regarding this article said. when I read this response keywords is way you could generate affiliate links that reward your guests automatically. I really increase my knowledge. Thank you for sharing it. It is very informative and helpful.
Skimlinks also automatically changes links to affiliate links. Do you know if their script works on comments as well?
I don't know Linda; I haven't played with it.
I also do not think this would work very well in a blog that has so many comments. If it is left this way then it can lead to the pages loading very slowly. If a blog only gets a few comments then SEO Smart Links Pro will be fine.
Yes; it seems to be working here just fine.
Hey Graham, do you track affiliate stats to the point where you know what percentage of sales (or even hits) are coming in from your comment section?
I love SEO smart links pro, and the only issue I had with it was when it would hyperlink keywords in guest posts (I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate my links in their posts) which I JUST figured out how to exclude recently solving my own problem. (Amazing what you can learn when you go searching! LOL)
Hi Warren. No, and I'm not even sure how I would do that. To be honest, I use a bit of a shotgun approach to affiliates at the moment, and my traffic isn't high enough to get many sales; so there's not a lot to track yet.
It would be cool if SEO Smart links pro had per-user custom keywords; that way you could generate affiliate links that reward your guests automatically. Mind you, if guest posters want to put their own affiliate links in explicitly, they will override anything the plugin generates since it won't replace existing links. Or you could just make it part of your conditions for guest posting that keywords in their articles may turn your affiliate links. Guests are probably posting more for backlinks in their bio anyway.
Cheers,
Graham