![WordPress Plugins for Affiliate Marketing with Shawn Collins (Part 2) [LNIM048]](https://www.latenightim.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wordpress-plugins.jpg)
Hook
In Part 2 of my interview with WordPress expert Dustin Hartzler, we go deep on the plugins that matter most for affiliate marketers: caching for speed, analytics for tracking, link management for commissions, and forms for conversions. Plus updated recommendations for 2026 on every category.
What You'll Learn
- Essential WordPress plugins for caching, analytics, and performance
- The best link management plugins for affiliate marketers
- Comment systems, form builders, and broken link checkers
- How to evaluate whether a plugin is still safe to use
- Updated 2026 alternatives for every plugin discussed
Episode Summary
This is Part 2 of my conversation with Dustin Hartzler from YourWebsiteEngineer.com about the must-have WordPress plugins for affiliate marketing websites. In Part 1 (Episode 47), we covered plugin evaluation criteria, backup, security, spam, and SEO. This episode expands into the remaining categories.
Caching: Dustin recommended W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache. Both generate static HTML files so your server does not have to process PHP on every page load. This is still the right concept, though the specific plugins have evolved.
Analytics: Google Analyticator and Jetpack were the recommended tracking solutions. Dustin also mentioned Google Analytics by Yoast. The goal is the same: know who visits your site, where they come from, and what they do.
Link Redirection: Pretty Link Lite was highlighted for creating clean, cloaked affiliate links. The Redirection plugin was recommended for managing 301 redirects. Both are still available and actively maintained.
Comments: Livefyre and Disqus were discussed as alternatives to WordPress's built-in comment system. Dustin noted that the built-in system is often the best choice because it is easy to style consistently with your site.
Forms: Gravity Forms (premium) and Contact Form 7 (free) were the top recommendations. Both remain popular choices.
Broken Links: Broken Link Checker was recommended for automatically detecting dead links on your site. This is especially important for affiliate sites where product links go dead regularly.
I also shared listener feedback about Andrew Hansen's Forever Affiliate course, including testimonials from students who found it through the podcast.
Key Takeaways
- Site speed directly impacts affiliate revenue. Slow sites lose visitors before they ever click an affiliate link. Caching is non-negotiable.
- Track everything. You cannot improve what you do not measure. Analytics tells you which content drives clicks and conversions.
- Pretty Links is still the go-to for affiliate link management. Clean, branded redirect URLs protect your commissions and look professional.
- Check for broken links regularly. Dead affiliate links mean lost commissions. Automate this check.
- Keep your plugin count low. Every plugin adds complexity and potential security vulnerabilities. Install only what you actively need and use.
What's Changed Since This Episode Aired
- Caching: WP Rocket has become the premium standard. LiteSpeed Cache dominates on LiteSpeed servers. Many managed WordPress hosts (like WP Engine, Kinsta, and Cloudways) now include server-level caching, reducing the need for caching plugins entirely.
- Analytics: Google Analytics 4 (GA4) replaced Universal Analytics in 2023. Plugins like MonsterInsights and Site Kit by Google are the current standard for GA4 integration in WordPress. Privacy-focused alternatives like Plausible and Fathom have gained popularity.
- Comments: Livefyre was acquired by Adobe and no longer exists as a WordPress plugin. Disqus is still available but has declined in popularity due to ads and performance concerns. Most sites now use the native WordPress comment system or disable comments entirely.
- Forms: WPForms has emerged as a strong alternative to both Gravity Forms and Contact Form 7, offering a better balance of ease and functionality.
- Link Management: ThirstyAffiliates has grown to rival Pretty Links, offering automatic keyword linking and more sophisticated tracking.
- Broken Links: Broken Link Checker is still available but can be resource-intensive on large sites. External services like Ahrefs Site Audit or Screaming Frog are often better choices for comprehensive link auditing.
- Auto Tagging and “What Would Seth Godin Do”: Both plugins mentioned in the original episode are either abandoned or no longer relevant. Modern email capture is handled by tools like OptinMonster, ConvertKit, and native block-editor patterns.
Resources
- Pretty Links — Affiliate link cloaking and management
- Contact Form 7 — Free form builder
- Broken Link Checker — Detect dead links
- WP Rocket — Premium caching plugin
- Subscribe to Late Night Internet Marketing
Related Episodes
Audit Your Plugins Today
Go to your WordPress dashboard right now and look at your installed plugins. When was each one last updated? Do you actually use all of them? Deactivate and delete anything you are not using — every unused plugin is a potential security hole. Then make sure you have the essentials covered: caching, security, SEO, and link management. Subscribe to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Hi Mark,
I also wanted to say thanks for having Andrew Hansen on and talking about the Forever Affiliate program. I am a big fan of your work/site/podcast, but had recently taken a break from podcasts. No fault of your own, I usually listen when I take walks outside and haven’t been doing that as often. With the weather warming up, I got back into it and happened to pick this podcast after a month or two hiatus.
It couldn’t have been more perfect timing, as I had just taken an inventory of what has and has not worked for me with my online adventures over the last year or two. Of everything, affiliate marketing was what I enjoyed most and had a few successful affiliate sales with.
As a result, I was planning to refocus my efforts on Affiliate Marketing and the Forever Affiliate program sounded like exactly what I was looking for.
As you always say, don’t purchase something unless you need it and those are words I live by, but since I was specifically looking to take my affiliate sales to the next level, I was excited to try the program out and it really is great.
I’m through Phase 1 and most of the way through Phase 2 and am learning a bunch of stuff about things I wasn’t doing or wasn’t aware of and just as important are the things Andrew tells you not to do. I’m looking forward to the results, $ well spent! Thanks and keep up the good work.
P.S. I was one of the people that helped provide feedback right after you added your Intro music and some of the transition sounds and that intro music is still as catchy as ever! I end up singing that thing for hours after listening to a podcast. :o)
-Chris
Thanks Chris. I really appreciate your feedback and continued support. Looking forward to interacting with you in the new Private FB Group for FA purchasers (http://www.latenightim.com/fagroup)
Thanks Mark, wasn’t aware of the group. I just clicked the button to join. Appreciate the heads up.
This is an awesome list of WP plugins. I just sent this to my two WP friends.
Very cool. Dustin is a great guy. Glad you like the list.
OK I’m about a year behind, but I’m trying to catch up on your podcast.
I was listening to this podcast today and I do agree with a few of these, but you have to be careful with using too many plugins or any plugins that are generally too heavy.
My host throttled my websites because they were using too much bandwidth, and then I used the P3 Plugin to see which of the plugins were taking up the most bandwidth and it was crazy how much these were slowing my site down. I now take a minimal approach to these.
And I always delete Jetpack as soon as Hello Dolly is gone. That is such a slow plugin! Great resources from it, but SUPER slow.