Convert URLs to Cash - A Review of Link Bucks
Linkbucks is a website which allows you to convert normal links into paying links by adding an ad banner or interstitial page. This displays an superimposed ad or intermission landing page at the destination link.
Depending on the IP location of the user who clicks on your link, you’ll approximately earn US $1 for 9,400 ad banner impressions or 3500 intermission pages. If you’re familiar with Usercash, you’ll notice that Link Bucks offers exactly the same ad options and roughly similar earning ratios. As far as I’m aware, these are the only two companies out there that pay users through the attachment of ads to links.
DOSH DOSH REVIEW
Let’s start with a brief review of how LinkBucks works. After signing up for a free account, log in and click on the ‘Create links‘ button on the top menu bar. You’ll then have the option of choosing to convert single or multiple links.
If you want to convert all the links on your webpage or blog, you could also choose to get the code for the full page script. You might want to check out my previous post on Usercash for a more detailed explanation of the process.
Here are some screenshots:
Single Link
Multiple Links
For an sample of the ads for the top banner and intermission page, try clicking on each of the following links. Both point to http://www.doshdosh.com.
As you can see, the ad banner is a little thicker than User-Cash but still doesn’t look too bad.
What I really liked about Link Bucks was its ease of use and classy web 2.0ish site design with mouse-over bubbles and big rounded tabs. The light green is easy on the eye and all the navigational controls are accessible above the fold.
Link Bucks also offers more advanced statistics reporting than Usercash, by allowing users to run reports according to Country, Original Link and or Adtype in a wide variety of time frames.
A Quick Stats panel also shows you a summary of your earnings and is visible on every page of the control panel. In terms of aesthetics and advanced controls, Link Bucks easily triumphs the more austere and minimalistic UserCash.
Where can you use the paying links? They work especially well in forums when you are referring others to an external URL. Similarly, blogs with lots of out-links could also do well.
I can also envision affiliate marketers using Link Bucks as a way to cloak (& track) their referral links, although there are far more sophisticated methods around.
What’s Cool.
- Excellent site design and ease of use
- Ability to host image galleries from HTML or BBCode
- Advanced Stat Reporting for all converted links
- Great admin (doubled user earnings because of site downtime)
- Legitimacy - Link Bucks pays its users.
What’s Not
- Traffic from Asia (with the exception of Singapore) do not earn money.
- Biggest drawback - No Affiliate/Referral Scheme.
Verdict
I’ve tried Link Bucks a few months ago when it first launched. It was pretty buggy so I didn’t continue using their service. After going through their website again recently and testing a few links, I have to say that I’m impressed with what they’ve done.
They certainly outclass Usercash in every way. However their only weakness is the lack of a referral program, which Usercash offers to their advantage. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t want to use one, seeing how successful it can be for site exposure and membership recruitment.
If I were in charge, I would probably set up a scheme whereby each user would take a 10% cut of each member’s earnings on top of a $2 bonus when each referred user cashes out for the first time.
But then again, that’s just me. A word of caution to all potential users: Don’t expect to earn massive amounts of money unless you own a very high traffic website or post extensively in popular forums. Having said that, have fun with Link Bucks!
