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Commerce Link Optimization with Direct Relationships

Maximize earnings across all your affiliate partnerships, including the ones you’ve built yourself.

With Sovrn Commerce, you already have the tools to manage every affiliate link from one platform. Now, with Link Optimization, you can take it even further by automatically routing traffic to the highest-paying opportunity, whether that’s through Sovrn or a direct merchant relationship.


What is Link Optimization with Direct Relationships?

Link Optimization with Direct Relationships enables Sovrn to evaluate all available monetization paths, including the networks and merchant partnerships you’ve added and automatically route each click to the highest EPC (earnings per click).

This means you keep full control over your affiliate strategy while letting Sovrn’s real-time auction engine do the work of maximizing your revenue.

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How Does Link Optimization with Direct Relationships Work?

  1. Connect your affiliate networks
    Sovrn Commerce supports direct integrations with leading affiliate networks like Rakuten, CJ, Impact, and more. Once connected, your merchant relationships within those networks become available to Sovrn’s optimization engine.

    Navigate to Settings > Network Connections to get started.

  2. Enable Link Optimization
    To allow Sovrn to optimize across your direct relationships, go to the Merchant Settings page in your Commerce dashboard and enable Link Optimization. This gives Sovrn permission to evaluate traffic routing for all eligible merchants.

  3. Optional: Apply merchant exclusions
    You can manually exclude specific merchants from Link Optimization. For example, if you have a negotiated flat-rate deal with a merchant, or you want to always route traffic through a certain network, simply add the merchant to your exclusion list. Sovrn will respect your preferences and never include those merchants in the auction.

  4. Clicks are optimized in real time
    When a user clicks a link, Sovrn checks all available routes — including Sovrn-managed programs and your connected networks — and determines which option will deliver the highest EPC.

    • If the merchant is excluded, traffic will follow the network you set.

    • If the merchant is included, Sovrn runs a real-time auction and routes the click to the highest bidder.

    • This all happens behind the scenes -- no additional setup required.

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Why use Link Optimization with Direct Relationships?

  • More revenue from every click
    Automatically capture the best available EPC across all your affiliate sources.

  • One centralized platform
    No more jumping between networks — Sovrn Commerce gives you one place to manage everything.

  • Full control when you need it
    Maintain strategic routing for key merchants while letting Sovrn handle the rest.

  • Enterprise-grade optimization
    Sovrn’s predictive modeling and auction engine help you get the most value from your traffic -- whether you’re a mid-size creator or a large enterprise publisher.


Get Started

Ready to activate Link Optimization with your direct relationships?

  1. Contact Support to enable on your Sovrn account

  2. Go to Affiliate Networks and connect your network accounts.

  3. Visit Merchant Settings to enable Link Optimization.

  4. Set any merchant exclusions as needed.

Still have questions? Reach out to our support team

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