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Tech Corner: FMTCURL

Tech Corner

January 11, 2023

By FMTC Content Team

Are you using the right links for your content?

Written by Josh Hutter

Welcome back to FMTC’s Tech Corner, where we take a deep dive into our tools and technology. In this article, we’re discussing the FMTCURL parameter and how to make it work for you.

Available URLs

FMTC provides available URLs through the data feed to ensure you have all the available links for each piece of content you receive. All the URLs will land on the same page but will be monetized differently.

AffiliateURL: Your affiliate tracking link that contains your own affiliate ID.
FreshReachURL: The merchant’s homepage URL monetized by FreshReach®. FreshReach® must be enabled, and an ID must be provided for this link. For more information about the program, visit our FreshReach® section to reach out to our sales team.
[B-Y-O Sub-Affiliate]URL: A monetization link from a sub-affiliate provider you are working with directly and have set up in advance with FMTC.
DirectURL: Unmonetized non-affiliate link that lands on the page associated with the offer. It may be a homepage link or a deep link.
FMTCURL: A dynamic, cascading system of the above links.

For more information on available API endpoints, please visit our API Documentation.

FMTCURL: How does the cascade work?

Now that you know the URLs, which one should you use? The FMTCURL takes this question and handles that for you. The cascade works as follows:

AffiliateURL

FMTC always promotes direct relationships and will provide the AffiliateURL above any other link (if available). To provide the AffiliateURL, FMTC must verify that a relationship exists between the affiliate and the merchant’s program, which is done through MerchantSync. Once MerchantSync confirms an approved status for the program, the FMTCURL will return the AffiliateURL. If an AffiliateURL is provided in the endpoint and FMTC cannot verify that a relationship exists, it will not provide the AffiliateURL through the FMTCURL and will cascade further down the list.

FreshReachURL

FreshReach® is FMTC’s stop-gap solution to provide publishers with another method of monetization while you are waiting for your direct relationships to be approved. To access these links, you must first be approved into the FreshReach® program through FMTC. If a FreshReachURL is provided, that means the program is a part of FreshReach®, and the URL can be utilized. If no URL is provided, the program is not a part of FreshReach® and will cascade further down the list.

[B-Y-O Sub-Affiliate]URL

FMTC provides additional monetization methods for affiliates, allowing you to bring your own sub-affiliate network to FMTC and integrate those links into your FMTC feed. Once integrated, you will receive these links through your FMTC feed as you would any of our other links. You can reach out to our sales team for more information.

DirectURL

The direct non-monetized link that isn’t associated with the affiliate. This is the link that will be provided when no other link is available to use. It allows you to promote the item even though there is no commission tied to it.

FMTCURL

The FMTCURL can change between any API call you make, depending on what information has changed behind the scenes. For example, if a program is not a part of FreshReach® and a direct relationship has not been established yet, a direct link will be provided. If FMTC adds the program to FreshReach®, the next time you make the call, the FMTCURL will upgrade to the FreshReachURL. Finally, once you establish your relationship with the program, it will upgrade again to the AffiliateURL. This lets you know that the links you are using will always be correct and up to date. You can focus on your direct relationships without worrying whether the link is correct.

As always, our team is ready to help you! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact your account manager or email us at [email protected]. Curious about other FMTC technologies? Find more information on FMTC’s tools in Tech Corner: