Links in threads

[Andrew[MG]]

Have you changed the way these are delivered so they now go through a redirect system "clixexpress"? My work firewall (and I'm guessing lots of other people's) now blocks any external links that I click on in the forum.

Any reason for doing this?

[Andrew[MG]]

Ah it's http://skimlinks.com/

I've never seen this used as a viable revenue stream, more just an annoyance to the user experience. Happy to stand corrected though....

[slinky]

Links in threads have been directed through this kind of service for quite a while now.

[Andrew[MG]]

slinky said:

Links in threads have been directed through this kind of service for quite a while now.

Possibly it's just a change in my work firewall that's stopped me following links. Do you have any idea how many people it's affecting? Did you see any impact in Webmaster Tools when you implemented it?

Probably commercially sensitive, but are you willing to say if it's been successful?

[illmonkey]

Going on what I know about skimlinks, PH are probably making a packet from it, so I'd say its successful.

I can understand it being a pain by the redirection URL being blocked. Sites I know that use it have a membership fee you can pay to ditch adverts etc, maybe they need to do this?