Key takeaways
- Links suit clickable places; codes suit spoken and on-screen promotion.
- A SkedCast link click is remembered for 60 days; a code is entered within 24 hours of signing up.
- A code never takes a customer away from a partner whose link already brought them.
- Tag your links by placement so your analytics show what works.
- Both earn the same commission, and your audience gets the same discount.
How an affiliate link is tracked
When someone clicks your link, the program remembers it in their browser for a set time: 60 days by default at SkedCast. If they sign up and pay within the program's windows, the customer is yours. If they clicked several partners' links, the last click wins.
Links carry more information than codes. Add a placement tag to each one (for example one for YouTube, one for your newsletter) and your analytics show which placement brought clicks, sign-ups and paying customers.
How a promo code is tracked
A code needs no click and no cookie: the customer types it. At SkedCast they enter it in the app within 24 hours of signing up and before their first payment, and they get the same 20% off their first invoice as through a link.
That makes codes the right choice wherever clicking is awkward: a podcast, a livestream, a talk, or a short video where people watch on one device and sign up on another.
SkedCast codes: 3 to 20 letters and digits, not case-sensitive, up to 3 at a time. Our brand name and words like OFFICIAL or ADMIN cannot be used, and a code is never reused once retired.
When both are used
If a customer clicked your link and also has your code, either way they are yours. If they clicked another partner’s link and then type your code afterwards, the link keeps the credit: a code entered after sign-up never moves a customer from one partner to another. Promote your code where your link cannot reach, rather than as a way to catch customers someone else brought.
Which to use, by format
A practical split most creators settle on:
- Blog posts and newsletters: links, with a placement tag per issue or article.
- YouTube: a link in the description and a pinned comment, and the code said in the video.
- Podcasts and livestreams: the code, said clearly and repeated, plus a short link in the show notes.
- Instagram and TikTok: the link in your bio or a link sticker, and the code on screen.
- Slides, print and on-screen: a QR code, which tracks like the link.
Sources and how this was checked
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Attribution rules are SkedCast's own, checked against the program's configuration and code; no third-party program is quoted. SkedCast figures are the program defaults, checked against the program's configuration; your partner dashboard shows the terms that apply to you.
FAQ
- Do affiliate links or promo codes convert better?
- It depends on the format. Links win where people can click, because they take people straight to the offer; codes win in audio and video, where a link is not clickable but a short word is easy to remember.
- Can I use both an affiliate link and a promo code?
- Yes. Both credit you and earn the same commission. Use each where it fits, and tag your links so you can see what each placement brings.
- What happens if someone uses my code after clicking another creator’s link?
- At SkedCast the link keeps the credit. A code entered after sign-up never takes a customer away from a partner whose link already brought them.