Create Ad Widget Overview

Second Life LinkShare Affiliate Members can now use the “Create Ad Widget” found on all Destination Guide entry pages to create custom ads for specific Destination Guide locations. It’s an easy way to create and publish professional looking ads on your website or blog and generate advertising revenue. By using the “LinkShare encrypted ID” for the Second Life Affiliate program, you’ll earn commissions for all new Second Life registrations generated by your ad. Read on to learn how it works.


FAQs

Who can use these widgets to promote Destination Guide locations?

Anyone can create and customize ads to display on their own website using the “Create Ad Widgets” found on all Destination Guide entry pages. To get credit for driving free Second Life registrations using these ads, you must be a Second Life LinkShare Affiliate partner.

How do I join the Second Life LinkShare Affiliate program?

To start earning paid commissions for traffic generated by your site or keywords, you must sign up for the Second Life Affiliate Program provided by Linkshare. Just visit the Second Life Affiliate Program page and click on the “LinkShare Affiliate Program” button to view and complete the application form. We’ll get back to you within five business days regarding the status of your application.

How do I create an ad using the widget?

1. Choose your Destination

Visit the Destination Guide, choose a destination, and click the "Create Ad Widget" link just below the "View on map" button.

2. Create an ad using the widget

Use the widget to customize the ad title, description, button copy and ad size. Next, enter your LinkShare encrypted ID in the provided field within the widget. Finally, copy the widget code and paste it onto your blog or website to start referring traffic.

How can I track the commissions generated by my customized Destination Guide ads?

Commission generated by your Destination Guide ads will be reported by LinkShare and can be accessed through the reporting tools via the LinkShare Publisher Dashboard.

How do I find my LinkShare encrypted ID?

Follow these instructions on how to find your LinkShare encrypted ID:

  1. Login into your LinkShare account.
  2. On the Publisher Dashboard, click the “Programs” tab and then select “My Advertisers” in the menu.
  3. Locate the “Second Life” program, click on it to open the program view and then click on the “Text/ Email” hyperlink under the “Links by Type” menu that appears in the left hand column of the page.
  4. In the “Text/ Email” links view, click on the “Get Link” button for any of the Second Life links that appear in the table. A new window containing the corresponding link code will open. Within the link code view, you will see the html href tag for the link that you’ve selected. The LinkShare encrypted ID that you need follows is included in the href URL.
  5. Look for “http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=” and then copy the string that follows “id=” and paste this encrypted ID into the “LinkShare encrypted ID” field in the “Create Ad Widget.”

Is the LinkShare encrypted ID the same as the LinkShare SID?

No, the encrypted ID and the SID are different. You must use the encrypted ID, and not the SID, to receive credit for the new Second Life registrations that your widget generates using the “Create Ad Widget.”

What is the Destination Guide? How can I suggest a venue for inclusion?

For more information about the Second Life Destination Guide including the process and criteria for suggestions, visit the official Second Life Knowledge Base documentation page.

If the Destination Guide entry is removed, will the ad continue to display correctly and will I continue to earn commissions?

Yes, you will continue to earn commissions, as the underlying link remains valid with LinkShare.

I’m having an issue with collecting commissions using ads I’ve created using the widget, who should I contact?

First, please contact LinkShare to confirm that your account is setup correctly. Second, please double check that you are using the proper LinkShare encrypted ID. Third, if you’re still experiencing a problem, please contact Linden Lab through the LinkShare affiliate program for further assistance.

What should I do if I am having an issue with displaying a Destination Guide ad that I created using the “Create Ad Widget”?

Double check that you have copy and pasted all required code, as provided by the widget. Please note: It is your responsibility to ensure that the images and ad copy display correctly. Linden Lab is not responsible for accurate display of the ads created through the use of the Destination Guide ad widget.