I have mixed feelings about this post.  Knowing Brad Fallon and the team at FreeIQ pretty well, usually I try to have my posts about FreeIQ be very positive, upbeat and very supportive of this new technology.  But my first obligation to you - my loyal readers - is to provide you the most up to date and honest information that will help you grow and protect your FreeIQ business. 

I have had several people email me about Direct Publishing and whether or not I have had any problems with it.  After some extensive testing, research and conversations with the FreeIQ technical team, here is what I found out.

Direct Publishing works…..most of the time. 

Let me explain.

FreeIQ.com's Direct Publishing feature relies on receiving the http referrer information to see who sent the person to FreeIQ.   The http referrer essentially tells the website you are arriving at - where you came from.  It's part of the internet and the way computers talk to each other.  Simple.

Direct Publishing in a nutshell:

1. When a visitor arrives at FreeIQ.com, they look for the http referral information to see where the visitor came from. 
2. Then they do a lookup in their database for the referring website or domain. 
3. If they find a match for one of their affiliates sites that has been set up or "validated for Direct Publishing", they assign that incoming referral to the affiliate who sent them. 
4. If the http referral is NOT sent, FreeIQ assumes the person came to FreeIQ directly and NOT through an affiliate.  So no affiliate credit is assigned.

That's the process.  Sounds great…right?   Here's the problem. 

Many computers privacy settings or Firewall settings for do NOT allow for the http referrer to be sent to the website they are visiting.   Why?  Some users set their privacy settings ultra high so very little can be learned about them through their surfing activities.  Also, some versions of AntiVirus and FireWall programs like Norton actually have the "Send http referrer" turned OFF by default.   Preliminary research has told me this may affect as many as 20% of the computers in use.   Whether it's 1% or 20%, I personally don't want to miss any affiliate referrals.  I don't think you do either.   If you are using Direct Publishing and missing some referrals, this may be why. 

This isn't a fault of FreeIQ, but just the nature of the beast called the internet.  The unfortunate part is that there is no way to ensure that everyone in the world configures their machine to send the http referrer. 

So what do we do about it?  

Well, my suggestion - until further notice - is to send everyone to FreeIQ through an affiliate link.  It's the most reliable way to ensure you get credit for the referral.   It doesn't matter which affiliate link you use.   If you need help on setting up your affiliate links, check out our tutorials.   Until FreeIQ.com can figure something out, Direct publishing might miss some referrals which in the end might cost you money. 

Lastly:
For anyone who requested (  or swiped   ) the FreeIQ search box code from me, I figured out a new version of the code that gives me affiliate credit without relying on Direct Publishing.   Preliminary testing looks good.  I could use some beta testers to make sure it works for you too.  Get in touch with me through Ask The FreeIQ Guy if you would like the solution.

If any of you technical folks out there know a better way for direct publishing to be implemented, (other than using the http referrer) leave me a comment.   If there is anything we can do collectively to help improve the technology, it's for the good of all of us.   I appreciate your help.

To your FreeIQ education.

Dan Buglio
The FreeIQ Guy
FreeIQTips.com