Patent Publication Number: US-2012046960-A1

Title: Methods and systems for socializing affiliate marketing

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates generally to online affiliate marketing and more particularly, to online affiliate marketing for individuals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many web businesses use affiliate marketing as a way of promoting their website and selling products and services online. Affiliate marketing may be thought of as an online version of the practice of paying finder&#39;s fees for the introduction of new customers to a web business. An “affiliate” is someone who joins or registers with a web merchant&#39;s affiliate marketing program and is rewarded for referring or directing visitors, subscribers and/or customers to the web business. In various affiliate marketing programs, the finder&#39;s fee compensation may be based on a certain value for each visit (often known as Pay-per-click), for each registrant (often known as Pay-per-lead), or a commission for each customer purchase or sale (often known as Pay-per-Sale). 
     An affiliate typically must have a website in order to join and participate in an affiliate marketing program. Affiliate marketing is conducted via the affiliate&#39;s web pages, such as a page on the affiliate&#39;s niche website, where the affiliate seeks to attract a target audience that is interested in the niche information and that will include customers for the web merchant&#39;s business. An affiliate receives benefits, typically commissions, for customers that interact with a web business via a special affiliate link (e.g., an affiliate hyperlink or an affiliate URL or another linked control or linked feature) on the affiliate&#39;s web page. The affiliate links and affiliate linked features are different from normal links and features in that they allow the web business to identify the affiliate&#39;s web page as the source of the link or control and consequently to accurately pay to the affiliate any commissions generated. To drive a customer to the website of the web merchant and earn commission off of the customer, the affiliate places the special affiliate links and affiliate features (such as linked controls, linked banners, linked widgets, embedded shopping carts, etc.) on the affiliate&#39;s website to advertise the web merchant&#39;s products and/or services. When an internet user on the affiliate&#39;s web page interacts with an affiliate link or affiliate feature (e.g., clicks on a link) and subsequently completes a commission-generating activity on the website of the web merchant&#39;s business, then the affiliate earns a commission. As noted, an individual wishing to act as an affiliate needs to have a website in order to sign up for and participate in a conventional affiliate marketing program. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with embodiments of the invention, systems and methods are provided that allow a user to participate in an affiliate marketing program without having a website or web page. in some embodiments, systems and methods are provided that supply a user with a link that generates affiliate benefits, such as commissions, for the user. 
     In one embodiment consistent with the invention, systems and methods are provided for affiliate marketing, the systems and methods including components and stages for performing operations including registering an intermediary entity as an affiliate in an affiliate marketing program of a business; obtaining, from a user, a link that links to a website of the business; creating a substitute link for the link, wherein the substitute link links to an intermediary website associated with the intermediary entity; directing, by the intermediary website and to the website of the business, a client request initiated using the substitute link; and crediting to the user, by the intermediary entity, an affiliate benefit earned in conjunction with the directing according to the affiliate marketing program. 
     In another embodiment consistent with the invention, systems and methods are provided for enabling a user to participate in an affiliate marketing program of a web business, the systems and methods including components and stages for performing operations including creating an affiliate to the web business according to the affiliate marketing program, wherein the affiliate includes an intermediary website; supplying a substitute link that links to the intermediary website, wherein the substitute link is associated with the user and with the web business; forwarding, by the intermediary website, a client that is using the substitute link to the web business; receiving, by the affiliate and from the web business, an affiliate benefit generated in association with the forwarding of the client; and attributing the affiliate benefit to the user that is associated with the substitute link. 
     In yet another embodiment consistent with the invention, systems and methods are provided for affiliate marketing by a user, the systems and methods including components and stages for performing operations including obtaining a link that links to a website of a business; providing the link and information identifying an originating user to an affiliate of the business, wherein the affiliate includes an intermediary website; receiving from the affiliate a substitute link that links to the intermediary website, wherein the substitute link is associated with the originating user; distributing the substitute link to an internet user; and receiving, from the affiliate, credit for an affiliate benefit caused by the internet user utilizing the substitute link to interact with the website of the business; wherein the originating user is not the affiliate of the business. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of an exemplary process for creating a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of another exemplary process for creating a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is flow chart of an exemplary process for utilizing a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is flow chart of another exemplary process for utilizing a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates exemplary data structures for organizing information associated with an affiliate marketing link consistent with embodiments of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an exemplary computing system that may be used to implement embodiments consistent with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system consistent with embodiments of the invention. The exemplary system may be utilized by a user  100  to earn affiliate marketing benefits, (such as cash and cash equivalents, for example, commissions, credits, discounts, coupons, etc.) from a web merchant website  110  without formally registering and joining the affiliate marketing program of a business, such as web merchant website  110 , and without necessarily using a website maintained by user  100 . 
     In the embodiment shown, a user  100  may interact with a web merchant website  110  and an intermediary website  130 , using, for example, a personal computer, laptop computer, or smart phone equipped with a web browser and communicating via the internet (not shown). To market, advertise, or promote a product or service offered by web merchant website  110 , user  100  may obtain an original URL  120  from web merchant website  110  that points to a web page describing the product or service. User  100  may obtain original URL  120  by, for example, copying original URL  120  on a computer. 
     User  100  may then access intermediary website  130  and provide original URL  120  to intermediary website  130 . In various embodiments, intermediary website  130  may be implemented with a server computer connected to the Internet. In one embodiment, intermediary website  130  has previously been registered, (for example, manually by an operator or automatically via a software script or application), as an affiliate in the affiliate marketing program of web merchant website  110 . In another embodiment, intermediary website  130  proceeds to register as an affiliate in the affiliate marketing program of web merchant website  110  after receiving original URL  120 , which identifies web merchant website  110 . In either embodiment, intermediary website  130  may generate a substitute URL  140  that points or links to intermediary website  130  and may store information associating substitute URL  140  with user  100 , original URL  120 , and intermediary website  130 &#39;s affiliate program membership with web merchant website  110 . 
     Intermediary website  130  also provides substitute URL  140  to user  100  for distribution. In some embodiments, substitute URL  140  may be a short URL that is convenient to distribute to other people, especially, for example, in text messages (SMS messages) and other mediums where the number of characters per message is limited. In some embodiments, substitute URL  140  may be descriptive of the web page from web merchant website  110  that original URL  120  points to. For instance, if original URL  120  points to a web page describing a Garmin Nuvi™ GPS navigation device for sale from web merchant website  110 , then substitute URL  140  may contain the word “nuvi.” 
     Although substitute URL  140  points to intermediary website  130 , in various embodiments consistent with the invention, substitute URL  140  is used to transfer anyone using it (e.g., clicking on it) from intermediary website  130  to the appropriate web page of web merchant website  110  corresponding to original URL  120 . Preferably, this transfer is performed in a manner that is not noticeable to the user of substitute URL  140 . 
     After user  100  receives substitute URL  140  from intermediary website  130 , user  100  may distribute substitute URL  140  to others, such as third party  160 , third party  162 , and third party  164  shown in the example of  FIG. 1 . A third party internet user  160 ,  162 ,  164  may be a person utilizing a computer running a web browser, which, as is well known in the art, acts as a client to a web server, such as a web server for intermediary website  130 . In addition, user  100  may utilize substitute URL  140  personally. Typically, user  100  will describe, support, promote, and/or recommend the product or service associated with substitute URL  140  when distributing it to others. 
     User  100  may distribute or disseminate substitute URL  140  by any means, including social networking sites, electronic communications, face-to-face communications, etc. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , user  100  may place substitute URL  140  on the wall of their homepage on the Facebook™ social networking site  150 , where a third party user  164  may click on it to be indirectly taken to web merchant website  110 . For other examples, user  100  may place substitute URL  140  in a tweet message sent via the Twitter social messaging site  152 , so that a third party recipient  162  may click on it using a browser on a laptop computer. Or, user  100  may place substitute URL  140  in an email message  154 , where a third party recipient  160  may click on it from a mobile device, such as a smart phone. Or, user  100  may place substitute URL  140  in an SMS (text) message  156  sent from a mobile device, such as a cell phone, where a third party recipient may click on it. Similarly, user  100  may verbally or via a handwritten note provide substitute URL  140  to a third party user, who may later type it into a web browser. 
     In addition, third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164 , may further disseminate substitute URL  140  to other third parties, using any of the means mentioned above, or any other desired means. 
     As shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , when a third party user  160 ,  162 ,  164  is interested in the product or service associated with substitute URL  140 , the third party user may utilize substitute URL  140  (e.g., by clicking on it or typing it into the address bar of a web browser), which initially directs third party user  160 ,  162 ,  164  to intermediary website  130 . In this embodiment, the third party user&#39;s browser acts as a client, sending a client request for a web page to a web server associated with intermediary website  130 , as is well known in the art. 
     In the embodiment shown, when intermediary website  130  receives a web page request from a client using substitute URL  140 , redirect logic  135  utilizes an affiliate URL  170  to direct or forward third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164  to the appropriate page of web merchant website  110 . In some embodiments, the functioning of redirect logic  135  is transparent to third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164 , so that they do not typically notice that redirection occurs. In the embodiment shown, third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164  end up accessing web merchant website  110  via affiliate URL  170  after utilizing substitute URL  140 . 
     Affiliate URL  170  conforms to the format required by the affiliate marketing program of web merchant website  110  (of which intermediary website  130  is an affiliate member) so that intermediary website  130  (and ultimately user  100 ) is credited for any commissions generated by third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164 . In one embodiment, intermediary website  130  generates and stores affiliate URL  170  at the same time substitute URL  140  is generated. In other embodiments, affiliate URL  170  may be generated when a web page request using substitute URL  140  is received. 
     As is known in the art, web merchant website  110  keeps track of commission-generating events performed by third party users  160 ,  162 , and  164 , and periodically provides earned affiliate benefits information, such as commission data  180 , and earned commission funds to the affiliate entity identified by affiliate URL  170 . In this example, intermediary website  130  is registered as the affiliate associated with affiliate URL  170 . In some embodiments consistent with the invention, intermediary website  130  may provide all or a portion of the commission funds generated from substitute URL  140  to user  100 . In other embodiments, intermediary website  130  may provide all or a portion of the commission funds generated from substitute URL  140  to a recipient designated by user  100 , such as a charitable organization. In yet other embodiments, intermediary website  130  may retain a portion of the commission funds as compensation for services provided to user  100 . 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize that the system depicted in  FIG. 1  is designed for clarity of explanation and that components, subsystems, and entities may be added to, deleted from, or modified in the system depicted in  FIG. 1  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a multitude of users like user  100  and a multitude of web merchant websites like web merchant website  110  may be added. Similarly, multiple intermediary websites like intermediary website  130  may be employed within the scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart of an exemplary process  200  for creating a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention. In various embodiments, process  200  may enable a user who does not have a website, and/or does not register with an affiliate marketing program to nonetheless receive commissions and other benefits from an affiliate marketing program(s). In certain embodiments, process  200  may be implemented using an intermediary website  130  in a system as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is not intended to be limiting—for example, multiple users like user  100  may be served by an intermediary website  130 . In other embodiments, process  200  may be implemented using a computing system not included in intermediary website  130 . In yet other embodiments, process  200  may be implemented using more than one website like intermediary website  130 . 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , process  200  begins when an entity, such as intermediary website  130 , is registered as an affiliate in the affiliate marketing program of a web business, which typically has a website such as web merchant website  110  (stage  210 ). As a registered affiliate, intermediary website  130  is entitled to receive commissions for commission-generating events performed by customers (e.g., third party users  160 ,  162 ,  164 ), that use an affiliate-identifying link to access the web merchant&#39;s website  110 . 
     In stage  220 , process  200  obtains a link, such as original URL  120 , linking to a web merchant; for instance, a link pointing to a product webpage on the website  110  of the web merchant. In one embodiment, the link is provided by a user  100  to intermediary website  130 . In other embodiments, the link may be obtained by some other means, such as by a software application that collects web merchant URLs according to parameters (e.g., product or service descriptions) supplied by a user. In some embodiments, intermediary website  130  also collects identification information, such as an email address, from a user the first time that the user supplies a link. In various embodiments, the identification information may be used to direct future commission payments to the user. 
     Using the link pointing to the web merchant as an input, process  200  next creates a substitute link, such as substitute URL  140 , that points to the entity registered as the affiliate, such as intermediary website  130  (stage  230 ). In some embodiments where the link is a URL, the substitute URL may be characterized by having a small number of characters, which may be useful because a short URL is easier and less error-prone to type in, write down, and remember, and also fits better where space is limited, such as in text messages. 
     At stage  240 , process  200  associates the substitute link with the source that supplied the original link obtained in stage  220 , such as user  100 , and with the web merchant to which the original link points. In certain embodiments, this association between the substitute link and the user may be used to direct commission funds to the user or to a designee, and the association between the substitute link and the web merchant may be used to forward or direct users of the substitute link from the entity registered as the affiliate, such as intermediary website  130 , to the web merchant, e.g., to the web merchant&#39;s website  110 . In some embodiments, a representation of the associations between the substitute link, the user, and the web merchant may be stored in a data structure, such as a data base. 
     The final stage  250  of process  200  provides the substitute link that was created to the user associated with the original link pointing to the web merchant. In one embodiment, the substitute link, such as substitute URL  140 , is supplied to user  100 , who supplied the original link, such as original URL  120 , to process  200 . As noted with respect to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , user  100  may subsequently supply the substitute link to other users. 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize that stages may be added to, deleted from, modified, or reordered in process  200  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, stages  210  and  220  could be reversed in order, such that process  200  registers the intermediary website as an affiliate after determining who the web merchant is from the link obtained, for example, from a user. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart of another exemplary process  300  for creating a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention. The embodiment illustrated in process  300  provides additional details regarding implementing various steps of process  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . In certain embodiments, process  300  may be implemented using an intermediary website  130  in a system as shown in  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, process  300  may be implemented using a computing system not included in intermediary website  130 . 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , process  300  begins by receiving an original link to a web business, such as original URL  120 , from a user, such as user  100 , who would like to share the original link with others and earn affiliate marketing benefits (stage  310 ). In some embodiments, the user may provide the link by typing it in via a website form, hosted, for example, on intermediary website  130 . In other embodiments, the user may use an application programming interface (API), for example, on intermediary website  130 , which obtains the link by communicating with an application controlled by the user. 
     Next, process  300  parses the destination website from the original link (stage  320 ). For example, in a case where the original link pointing to a Garmin Nuvi™ is: “http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H49LXQ?ie=UTF8&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B000H49LXQ,” parsing this link yields “amazon.com” as the destination website. 
     At stage  330 , process  300  determines whether the destination website from the original link is an affiliated merchant website. For example, if the destination website is “amazon.com,” then process  300  may process a data structure containing information regarding the web merchant websites whose affiliate marketing plans have been joined, such as a table or list of affiliated merchant websites, and determine whether “amazon.com” is listed in the data structure. In certain embodiments, the affiliate marketing programs of many different web merchants may have been joined prior to execution of process  300 , such that the data structure may contain hundreds, or even thousands, of entries for affiliated web merchant websites. 
     If the destination website is an affiliated merchant website (stage  330 , Yes), then process  300  proceeds to stage  340  and generates an affiliate link corresponding to the original link received from the user. In some embodiments, an affiliate link, such as affiliate URL  170 , may be used to forward third parties from an intermediary website  130  to an affiliated merchant&#39;s website  110 . The affiliate link contains information identifying the registered affiliate associated with process  300 , such as intermediary website  130 , and also contains information from the original link, such as information directing a browser to a web page selling a specific product or service within the affiliated merchant&#39;s website. 
     In one embodiment, to generate the affiliate link, process  300  uses information stored about the affiliated merchant, such as information regarding an affiliate ID assigned to the registered affiliate. For instance, using the “amazon.com” example, an affiliate link may be generated by looking up stored information about the affiliate ID assigned by the amazon.com affiliate marketing program (e.g., “edeem-20”) and adding it to the original link. For instance, a “tag” field may be used to denote the affiliate ID, and the generated affiliate deep link may: “http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H49LXQ?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=edeem-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B000H49LXQ.” In this example, because the affiliate link identifies “edeem-20” as the registered affiliate, the affiliated merchant (amazon.com) will credit any commissions generated from the use of the affiliate link to affiliate “edeem-20.” 
     Referring again to stage  330 , if the destination website is not an affiliated merchant website (stage  330 , No), then process  300  proceeds to stage  350  and determines whether the system is registered or associated with any similar affiliated merchant(s). In one embodiment, this stage may be implemented by searching a data structure, such as a database, for affiliated merchants that have characteristics similar to the characteristics for the destination website merchant&#39;s characteristics. For example, if the destination website is a book-selling website, then process  300  may query a database of affiliated merchants for those that are classified as types of book sellers. 
     If there are not any similar affiliated merchants) (stage  350 , No), then process  300  proceeds to stage  380 . If, on the other hand, there is at least one similar affiliated merchant (stage  350 , Yes), then process  300  proceeds to stage  360 . In stage  360 , process  300  saves information describing the similar affiliated merchant(s) as reporting data, and proceeds to stage  380 . 
     As shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 3 , stage  380  may be entered from stage  340 , stage  350 , or stage  360 . In stage  380 , process  300  generates a substitute link, for example a substitute URL  140 . In certain embodiments, the substitute link references a forwarding website that is registered as an affiliate in one or more affiliate marketing programs, such as intermediary website  130 . In some embodiments, the substitute link may be a shortened link, which is more convenient to circulate and use than the full-length original link. 
     Next, process  300  associates the substitute link that was generated, the original link, the user, the affiliate link (if one was generated), and the reporting data (if any was created) with each other (stage  390 ). In one embodiment, a searchable or query-capable data structure, such as a database, may be used to store the substitute link that was generated, the original link, the user, the affiliate link (if one was generated), and the reporting data (if any was created) in association with each other, for example, as a row in a database. 
     The final stage of process  300  provides the substitute link and the reporting data (if any) to the user that provided the original link (stage  395 ). In one embodiment, process  300  may provide the substitute URL on a web page GUI as a character string that the user may cut and paste into emails, text messages, social networking pages, etc. In another embodiment, process  300  may provide the substitute URL as an output parameter of an API. The user may share the substitute link with other users, who may in turn share the substitute link, and so on. In yet other embodiments, the substitute link may be provided automatically to third party users, for example, to third party users on a mailing list provided by the user who supplied the original link. 
     In cases where the substitute link is accompanied by reporting data indicating similar affiliated merchant websites in stage  395 , some embodiments may provide the user with information indicating that the web merchant associated with the original link is not an affiliated merchant and consequently, the user cannot earn commissions or other benefits. Those embodiments may also provide the user with information indicating that creating substitute links instead to one or more of the similar affiliated web merchant(s), as indicated in the reporting data, offers the opportunity to participate in an affiliate marketing program and earn benefits from the similar affiliated web merchant(s). 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize that stages may be added to, deleted from, reordered, and/or modified in process  300  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, stage  360  may be deleted, and a registration stage may be substituted. In such a substitute registration stage, process  300  may register as an affiliate in an affiliate marketing program offered by the destination website. 
       FIG. 4  is flow chart of an exemplary process  400  for utilizing a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention. In various embodiments, process  400  may enable a user who does not have a website, and/or does not register with an affiliate marketing program to receive commissions from the affiliate marketing program when people use a link created on behalf the user. In certain embodiments, process  400  may be implemented using an intermediary website  130  in a system as shown in  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, process  400  may be implemented using a computing system not included in intermediary website  130 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , process  400  begins by receiving a client request including a substitute link, such as a substitute URL  140  (stage  410 ). In some embodiments, the client request may be received, for example, from an Internet user, (such as third party user  164 ), who clicked on the substitute link causing a web page request to a server associated with the substitute link, such as a server implementing intermediary website  130 . 
     At stage  420 , process  400  identifies a web merchant and a user associated with the substitute link. In some embodiments, process  400  may perform stage  420  by using the substitute link, such as substitute URL  140 , in a query to a database that stores information associating the substitute link with the web merchant, (such as the business operating web merchant website  110 ), as well as storing other information. In one embodiment, the query returns the stored information about the web merchant, including, for example, a link to the web merchant&#39;s web site. 
     At stage  430 , process  400  redirects the client request to the web merchant associated with the substitute link. In some embodiments, process  400  may perform stage  430  by using the substitute link to query a database and retrieve an associated affiliate link stored in a database, such as affiliate URL  170 . In other embodiments, process  400  may perform stage  430  by dynamically generating an affiliate link, such as affiliate URL  170 , in response to the client request; where the affiliate link is constructed based on stored information about the user who created the substitute link and stored information about the web merchant. In both of these embodiments, the affiliate link points to the web merchant, for example, by pointing to a web page on web merchant website  110 , and the affiliate link is used to redirect the browser that sent the client request received in stage  410 . In some embodiments, stages  410 ,  420  and  430  may be performed by redirect logic  135  implemented in software or firmware on a computing system associated with intermediary website  130 . 
     At stage  440 , process  400  credits any benefit-generating activity associated with the redirected client request to the user associated with the substitute link. In one embodiment, process  400  may receive data, such as benefits tracking reports, earned affiliate benefits statistics, or commission data  180 , from a web merchant and analyze the data to determine the amount of benefits, (e.g., commission or merchandise awards) generated in association with a substitute link, such as substitute URL  140 , that was directed (e.g., using an affiliate URL  170 ) to the web merchant&#39;s website. In this embodiment, process  400  may match the substitute link to a user that instigated its creation, and credit the benefits to that user. 
     In another embodiment, stage  440  may track subsequent affiliate-benefit-generating activity associated with the redirected client request, so that process  400  creates its own records for use in crediting affiliate benefits to users. In some embodiments, such records may be compared to affiliate benefit data (e.g., commission data  180 ) from a web merchant to verify that the web merchant is properly tracking and awarding affiliate benefits. In one embodiment, process  400  may track subsequent affiliate-benefit-generating activity by remaining in the communication path between the source of the client request and the web merchant to which the client request was redirected, and recording pertinent data that passes between the web merchant and the source of the client request. 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize that stages may be added to, deleted from, reordered, and/or modified in process  400  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a stage may be added between stages  430  and  440 , in which process  400  tracks subsequent activity associated with the client web page request after it is redirected to the web merchant, for the purpose of calculating commissions or other benefits. For another example, an additional stage may be added after stage  440 , in which process  400  pays the user associated with the substitute link according to the credited amount of benefit-generating activity by, for example, sending a check or cash card to the user or transferring cash to the user via online banking or via an online payment transfer provider, such as PayPal™. For yet another example, an additional stage may be added after stage  440 , in which process  400  pays a designee (such as a charity or a relative) specified by the user associated with the substitute link according to the credited amount of benefit-generating activity. For yet another example, stage  440  may be modified so that benefit-generating activity is credited to an entity that operates process  400 , so that, for example, the entity is paid all or a portion of any commissions associated with substitute links created by a user. In one embodiment of this modification, the portion of commission paid to the entity is adjusted according to the volume of benefits earned from substitute links associated with a user. 
       FIG. 5  is flow chart of another exemplary process  500  for utilizing a link for affiliate marketing consistent with embodiments of the invention. The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5  provides additional details regarding implementing various steps of process  400  shown in  FIG. 4 . In certain embodiments, process  500  may be implemented using an intermediary website  130  in a system as shown in  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, portions of process  500  may be implemented using a computing system not included in intermediary website  130 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , process  500  begins by receiving a substitute link, such as a substitute URL  140  (stage  510 ). In some embodiments, the substitute link may be received, for example, from an Internet user, (such as third party user  164 ), who clicked on the substitute link causing a browser to send a client request to a server associated with the substitute link, such as a server implementing intermediary website  130 . 
     Next, process  500  looks up the received substitute link and data associated with the received substitute link (stage  520 ). In one embodiment, a set of substitute links and associated data, such as data representing an original link, an affiliate link, affiliated web merchant information, originating user information, etc., may be stored in a data structure, such as an ordered table or indexed list, that facilitates quick search and retrieval based on the substitute link. 
     Using the data associated with the substitute link, process  500  determines whether the substitute link is associated with an affiliated merchant (stage  530 ). In one embodiment, process  500  may check a specific field or parameter in a data structure entry corresponding to the substitute link to determine whether the substitute link is associated with an affiliated merchant. 
     If there is not an affiliated merchant associated with the substitute link (stage  530 , No), then process  500  proceeds to stage  540 . At stage  540 , process  500  redirects the client request to a link, (such as original URL  120 ), supplied by a user, (such as user  100 ), who instigated the creation of the substitute link, (such as substitute URL  140 ). In one embodiment, process  500  retrieves the link supplied by the user from a data structure where it was stored when the user supplied it to create the substitute link. 
     If, on the other hand, there is an affiliated merchant associated with the substitute link (stage  530 , Yes), then process  500  proceeds to stage  550 . At stage  550 , process  500  retrieves an affiliate link associated with the substitute link. In one embodiment, an affiliate link is a link that points to an affiliated merchant&#39;s website and allows the affiliated merchant to identify a specific registered affiliate as the provider of the link and to accurately pay to the registered affiliate any benefits (e.g., commissions) generated by internet users who use the affiliated link. In one embodiment, process  500  retrieves the affiliate link, such as affiliate URL  170 , from a data structure where it was stored after creation during the substitute link creation process. For instance, a stored amazon.com affiliate link, containing a tag field that identifies the affiliate as “edeem-20” may be: “http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H49LXQ?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=edeem-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B000H49LXQ.” 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , process  500  next adds link tracking code(s) to the affiliate link (stage  560 ). In one embodiment, link tracking code(s) include a code that uniquely identifies an Internet user that utilizes the substitute link (e.g., third party user  164 ), and allows tracking of individual click activity by the Internet user and tracking of sales made via the click activity. For instance, using the “amazon.com” example, a tracking code “deem00123” may be assigned to the internet user who clicked on the substitute link and that code may be added to the affiliate link in a field or parameter called “tid” (tracking ID). In this example, the resulting affiliate link with tracking code may be: “http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H49LXQ?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=edeem-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B000H49LXQ&amp;tid=deem00123.” In this example, because the affiliate link identifies “edeem-20” as the registered affiliate, the affiliated merchant (amazon.com) will credit any commissions generated from the use of the affiliate link to affiliate “edeem-20” and the commission data supplied by the affiliated merchant will include the tracking id associated with each commission-generating activity (in this case “deem00123”). By correlating the tracking id with the substitute link, and the substitute link with the user who caused its generation, the generating user can be properly credited with any earned commission. 
     At the last stage  570 , process  500  redirects the entity that supplied the substitute link in stage  510 , (e.g., third party user  164 ), according to the affiliate URL with the tracking code(s) attached. Subsequent commission-generating activity by the redirected entity on the affiliated merchant&#39;s website can be credited to the registered affiliate associated with process  500 , and ultimately to the user that generated the substitute link, based on the tracking code(s). 
     As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , if the substitute link is not associated with an affiliated merchant (stage  530 , No), then the substitute link does not provide any commission or other affiliate marketing program benefit due to third-party user activity on the linked-to website. In one embodiment consistent with the invention, the substitute-link-creating user may nonetheless benefit from the substitute link by associating the substitute link with a commission-generating ad such as a banner ad or an interstitutual ad or page. When the substitute link is distributed and shared with other internet users, the user may earn benefits when the substitute link is used and the associated ad is viewed and/or clicked on. 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize that stages may be added to, deleted from, reordered, and/or modified in process  500  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, stage  550  may be modified such that process  500  generates the affiliate link as needed instead of retrieving a previously generated link from storage. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates exemplary data structures for organizing information related to an affiliate marketing link consistent with embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, exemplary data structures  600 ,  650 , and  670  may be implemented, and the data stored, on a server that hosts intermediary website  130 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary originating-user-association data structure  600  that organizes data into five columns or fields or parameters. In other embodiments, the data may be organized in different ways using different types of data structures. In the embodiment shown, as users create additional substitute URLs, rows are added to data structure  600  to hold the substitute URLs and associated data. In the embodiment shown, the leftmost column  610  contains data representing substitute URLs created by systems and process consistent with the invention, for example, as may be created or generated as a type of substitute link in stage  230  of process  200  or in stage  380  of process  300  on behalf of a user  100 . 
     The second column  612  contains data representing original URLs corresponding to the substitute URLs in column  610 . In various embodiments, the original URLs in column  612  may be received from a user, an application program, or some other source, as described, for example, with respect to receiving a web merchant link in stage  210  of process  200  or stage  310  of process  300 . 
     The third column  614  of data structure  600  contains information representing web merchants that are affiliated with systems and processes consistent with the invention. As shown, for example, in cell  624  of column  614 , the web merchant information may include data identifying the web merchant&#39;s website, (such as “amazon.com”) and the affiliate ID, (such as “edeem-20”), assigned by the web merchant to an entity that registered with the web merchant&#39;s affiliate marketing program. The web merchant information may also include other data (not shown) related to the web merchant or the registered affiliate. In one embodiment, the web merchant information may include data describing web merchant website  110  and may be collected when an entity implementing systems and processes consistent with the invention, such as an entity managing intermediary website  130 , is registered as an affiliate in the affiliate marketing program of a web merchant. In various embodiments, the web merchant information in column  612  may be utilized to determine whether a given web merchant is an affiliated merchant (i.e., a merchant whose affiliate marketing program has been joined) or whether a given merchant is similar to an affiliated merchant, as described with respect to stages  320 ,  330 , and  350  of process  300 . 
     The fourth column  616  of data structure  600  contains information representing originating users that utilize systems and processes consistent with the invention to create substitute links and participate in affiliate marketing programs. As shown, for example, in cell  626  of column  616 , the originating user information may include a user ID (“User4”), a user email address (“user4@gmail.com”) and payment designee information (“User4”) that identifies to whom affiliate marketing program benefits, such as commissions, should be paid. The originating user information may also include other data related to the originating user (not shown). In one embodiment, the originating user information may be collected from a user, such as user  100 , the first time that the user utilizes, or registers to use, systems and processes consistent with the invention. 
     The fifth column  618  of data structure  600  contains data representing affiliate URLs corresponding to the original URLs in column  612 . In some embodiments, an affiliate URL, such as affiliate URL  170 , in column  618  may be created as described with respect to creating an affiliate link during stage  340  of process  300 . 
     As shown in exemplary data structure  600 , a substitute URL, original URL, web merchant information, originating user information, and affiliate URL that are interrelated may all be associated with each other by placing them in the same row of data structure  600 . For example, substitute URL  620 , original URL  622 , web merchant information  624 , originating user information  626 , and affiliate URL  628  are all associated with each other. Accordingly, a data structure such as data structure  600  may be used, for example, by stage  240  of process  200  or stage  390  of process  300 , to associate and store related data items. 
     Similarly, after being populated, exemplary data structure  600  may be used to look up or identify web merchant information and links, as well as originating user information, associated with a substitute URL, for example, as described with respect to stage  420  of process  400  and with respect to stages  520 - 550  of process  500 , by referencing the data in the row corresponding to the substitute URL. Similarly, exemplary data structure  600  may be used (for example, by redirect logic  135 ) to forward or direct an internet user employing a substitute URL, (such as third party user  164 ), to an affiliated web merchant&#39;s website, as described, for example, with respect to stage  430  of process  400  or stages  540 ,  560 , and  570  of process  500 . 
       FIG. 6  also illustrates an exemplary third-party-user-association data structure  650  that organizes data into two columns or fields. In the embodiment shown, as third party internet users utilize substitute links, rows are added to data structure  650  to record the use of the substitute URL and associated data. In other embodiments, similar data may be organized in different ways using different types of data structures. In the embodiment shown, the leftmost column  653  contains data representing a tracking code associated with an Internet user, (such as third party user  164 ), that utilizes a substitute URL or other substitute link. The second column  647  contains data representing the substitute URL used by the internet user, e.g., by clicking on a link corresponding to the substitute URL. 
     In one embodiment, a server associated with a website that a substitute URL points to (e.g., a server implementing redirect logic  135  on intermediary website  130 ) may assign a distinguishable tracking code (or in some embodiments, a unique tracking code) to each third party internet user that utilizes a substitute link, and record the tracking code and substitute link in a data structure, such as data structure  650 . For example, with reference to  FIG. 1  in conjunction with  FIG. 6 , third party user  162  may utilize substitute URL  140  (in this example, “http://deem.it/38d”) to interact with intermediary website  130 , and intermediary website  130  may assign the tracking code “deem00001” to user  162  and record that assignment in cell  660  of data structure  650 . In association with tracking code  660 , intermediary website  130  may also record in the same row of data structure  650  the substitute URL used by user  162 , which is “http://deem.it/38d” in this example. 
     Similarly, third party user  164  may utilize the same substitute URL  140  (“http://deem.it/38d”) to interact with intermediary website  130 , and intermediary website  130  may assign the tracking code “deem00033” to user  164  and record that assignment in cell  665  of data structure  650 . In association with tracking code  665 , intermediary website  130  may also record in the second row of data structure  650  the substitute URL used by user  162 , which is again “http://deem.it/38d.” 
     As explained elsewhere in this specification, for example with respect to stages  550 ,  560 , and  570  of process  500 , tracking codes  660  and  665  may be used to track the affiliate-benefit-generating activities of third party users  162  and  164 , respectively, and to properly credit the generated benefits (such as referral fees or referral discounts) to the user who instigated creation of the substitute URL utilized by third party users  162  and  164  (“http://deem.it/38d” in this example). As explained in greater detail below, in various embodiments, a substitute URL  647  from data structure  650  may be used as a pointer, index or other access means  680  into data structure  600  to look up or find data, such as originating user information  626 , that is stored in association with the substitute URL. 
       FIG. 6  also illustrates an exemplary affiliate-benefits data structure  670  that organizes affiliate benefit data, such as commission data  180 , from a web merchant. In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , data structure  670  organizes benefit data into five columns or fields. In the embodiment shown, as affiliate benefit data is obtained from a web merchant, rows are added to data structure  670  to record the data in a convenient manner. In other embodiments, the benefit data may be organized in different ways using different types of data structures. In the embodiment shown, the leftmost column  680  contains data representing an affiliate ID assigned to an entity, such as intermediary website  130 , that is registered as an affiliate in an affiliate marketing program offered by a web merchant. The second column  682  contains data representing a tracking ID provided in an affiliate link used by a third party internet user who generated affiliate marketing benefits on the web merchant&#39;s website, such as website  110 . In one embodiment, tracking ID  682  is equivalent to, or otherwise corresponds to, tracking code  653  The third column  684  contains data representing a product or service, such as a stock control unit (SKU) number, that was purchased by a third party user. The fourth column  686  contains data representing a sale amount, or sale price, paid by a third party user to purchase the product or service described in column  684 . And, the last column  688  contains data representing a commission (or other benefit) earned by the affiliate, which may be based, for example, on the sale amount  686 . 
     In various embodiments, data structure  670  may be used to credit affiliate benefits, such as commissions  688 , to the appropriate originating user of a substitute link as explained, for example, with respect to stage  440  of process  400 . For instance, a computing system, such as a server implementing intermediary website  130 , may process the first row  690  of data structure  670  to identify the tracking ID  682  of the internet user who generated commission  688 . In this example, the tracking ID is “Deem00001.” Using the tracking ID as an index or pointer  683  into data structure  650 , the computing system may identify the substitute URL  657  associated with the data in row  690  of data structure  670 . In this example, the corresponding substitute URL is “htpp://deem.it/38d.” Then, as noted previously, the substitute URL  657  may be used to access  680  the appropriate row of data structure  600  and find the originating user information  616  that is associated with the substitute URL. In this example, substitute URL  620  “htpp://deem.it/38d” is associated with user “User4,” as indicated in cell  626 . According to this embodiment, user “User4” is credited with the $6.00 commission listed in row  690  of data structure  670 . Following a similar process, as shown by path  687  and  680  of  FIG. 6 , user “User4” is also credited with the $6.00 commission shown in row  695  of data structure  670 . 
     In some embodiments, originating user information  616  may include information regarding to whom commissions, or other earned affiliate benefits, are to be paid. Continuing the example above, “User4” has specified in the “PayTo” attribute that User4 will receive their own earned commissions. For another example, in the second row of column  616 , “User2” has specified that any earned benefits are to be paid to the Red Cross charitable organization. In some embodiments, a user may specify that portions of earned benefits are to be paid to two or more entities, for example 50 percent to the originating user and 50 percent to a charitable organization. 
     One of ordinary skill will recognize the data structures of  FIG. 6  may be organized differently, and may be implemented using various databases or programming techniques, without departing from the principles of the invention. For example, the three data structures  600 ,  650 , and  670  may be combined into a single data structure or database. In addition, data structures  600 ,  650 , and  670  may contain additional or fewer data items, without departing from the principles of the invention. For example, data structure  600  may have another column that is used to track the total amount of commission accumulated by a user, another column that records reporting data, and/or added information in the web merchant information column  614 , such as information regarding merchant type and classification that may be used to identify similar merchants. For another example, additional information specifying more than one “PayTo” designees and a percentage portion of earned benefits to be paid to each, may be added to originating user information  616  of data structure  600 . For yet another example, columns  684  and  686  may be removed from data structure  670 . 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an exemplary computing system  700  that may be used to implement embodiments consistent with the invention. The exact components and arrangement, however, are not critical to the invention. Data computing system  700  includes a number of components, such as a central processing unit (CPU)  705 , a memory  710 , an input/output (I/O) device(s)  725 , and a nonvolatile storage device  720 . System  700  can be implemented in various ways. For example, an implementation as an integrated platform (such as a workstation, personal computer, laptop, etc.) may comprise CPU  705 , memory  710 , nonvolatile storage  720 , and I/O devices  725 . In such a configuration, components  705 ,  710 ,  720 , and  725  may connect and communicate through a local data bus and may access a database  730  (implemented, for example, as a separate database system) via an external I/O connection. I/O component(s)  725  may connect to external devices through a direct communication link (e.g., a hardwired or local wifi connection), through a network, such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) and/or through other suitable connections. System  700  may be standalone or it may be a subsystem of a larger system, such as a larger system for providing affiliate marketing benefits to users without requiring the users to have a website or join a web merchant&#39;s affiliate marketing program. 
     CPU  705  may be one or more known processing devices, such as a microprocessor from the Core™ 2 family manufactured by Intel™ Corporation. Memory  710  may be one or more fast storage devices configured to store instructions and information used by CPU  705  to perform certain functions and processes related to embodiments of the present invention. Storage  720  may be a volatile or non-volatile, magnetic, semiconductor, tape, optical, or other type of storage device or computer-readable medium, including devices meant for long-term storage. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, memory  710  contains one or more programs or subprograms  715  loaded from storage  720  that, when executed by CPU  705 , perform various procedures, processes, or methods consistent with the present invention. Alternatively, CPU  705  may execute one or more programs located remotely from system  700 . For example, system  700  may access one or more remote programs that, when executed, perform functions and processes related to embodiments of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment, memory  710  may include an affiliate marketing benefits computer program  715  that controls a website, such as intermediary website  130 , to direct substitute links to a web merchant&#39;s website, such as redirect logic  135 . Memory  710  may also include other programs that implement other methods and processes that provide affiliate marketing functionality to users who do not personally belong to an affiliate marketing program and/or do not have their own websites, such as programs that provide registration functions, substitute link generation functions, commission tracking functions, payment functions, designee payment functions, and other functions to users. 
     Methods and systems consistent with the invention are not limited to programs or computers configured to perform dedicated tasks. For example, memory  710  may be configured with a program  715  that performs several functions when executed by CPU  705 . For example, memory  710  may include a single program  715  that registers users, generates substitute links, accepts substitute links and directs them to web merchants, accepts commission data from web merchants, and separates and pays commissions to the users who earned them. 
     Memory  710  may be also be configured with other programs (not shown) unrelated to the invention and/or an operating system (not shown) that performs several functions well known in the art when executed by CPU  705 . By way of example, the operating system may be Microsoft Windows™, Unix™, Linux™, an Apple Computers™ operating system, Personal Digital Assistant operating system such as Microsoft CE™, or other operating system. The choice of operating system, and even to the use of an operating system, is not critical to the invention. 
     I/O device(s)  725  may comprise one or more input/output devices that allow data to be received and/or transmitted by system  700 . For example, I/O device  725  may include one or more input devices, such as a keyboard, touch screen, mouse, and the like, that enable data to be input from a user, such as a system operator. Further, I/O device  525  may include one or more output devices, such as a display screen, CRT monitor, LCD monitor, plasma display, printer, speaker devices, and the like, that enable data to be output or presented to a user. I/O device  725  may also include one or more digital and/or analog communication input/output devices that allow computing system  700  to communicate, preferably digitally, with other machines and devices. The configuration and number of input and/or output devices incorporated in I/O device  725  are not critical to the invention. 
     In the embodiment shown, system  700  connects via a network  735 , (such as the Internet), to various systems and computing machines, such as web merchant website  110 , an Internet user&#39;s computer  740 , and other websites  745  connected to network  735 . In general, system  700  may input data from external machines and devices and output data to external machines and devices via network  735 , and other entities in addition to those shown may connect to network  735  and interact with system  700 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , database  730  is a standalone database external to system  700 . In other embodiments, database  730  may be hosted by system  700 . In various embodiments, database  730  may manage and store data used to implement systems and methods consistent with the invention. For example, database  730  may manage and store data structures used to record user information and links (such as substitute links and affiliate links) created by users, record link usage by third party Internet users, and record and reconcile affiliate benefit data, such as commission data. 
     Database  730  may comprise one or more databases that store information and are accessed and/or managed through system  700 . By way of example, database  730  may be an Oracle™ database, a Sybase™ database, or other relational database. In various embodiments, database  730  may be used to manage and store, for example, data organized as shown in data structures  600 ,  650  and  670  of  FIG. 6 . Systems and methods consistent with the invention, however, are not limited to separate data structures or databases, or even to the use of a database or data structure. 
     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.