Automatic link monetization
Skimlinks Affiliate Link Checker
Skimlinks links (go.skimresources.com, go.redirectingat.com) rarely "error" — they fail by silently redirecting to an unmonetized or wrong destination when a merchant leaves the Skimlinks marketplace. Because Skimlinks strips its parameters and sets a cookie during the redirect, a clean-looking final URL is normal, and naive parameter checks false-alarm constantly.
How Skimlinks links work
Typical link
https://go.skimresources.com/?id=12345X678901&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmerchant.com%2Fproduct&xcust=my-campaignSkimlinks rewrites your outbound merchant links (or you build them manually) through go.skimresources.com with the destination in the url parameter. The click is monetized server-side: Skimlinks matches the merchant to its network relationships, tracks the click, and redirects — usually with a clean final URL.
That server-side model means URL-parameter checks prove nothing about Skimlinks tracking. What matters is: does the link reach the intended destination page, and is the merchant still monetizable?
Link domains
go.skimresources.com · go.redirectingat.com
Tracking parameters
| Parameter | Role |
|---|---|
| id | Your Skimlinks publisher ID |
| url | URL-encoded destination page |
| xcust | Your custom sub-ID |
| xs | Source flag |
How Skimlinks links break
Merchant exits the Skimlinks marketplace
The redirect still works — you just earn nothing on it anymore. Invisible without checking merchant status or noticing the revenue drop.
Destination page dies
The url parameter points at removed content; visitors land on a 404 or a homepage. The Skimlinks hop reports success either way.
Double-encoded URLs
CMS plugins sometimes re-encode the url parameter, producing destinations like https%253A%252F... that resolve incorrectly.
Error signals Afterlink detects
These are actual failure fingerprints from Afterlink's validation engine for Skimlinks links:
- ▸Destination (url parameter) returning 404 or homepage redirect
- ▸Redirect chain ending somewhere other than the encoded destination
- ▸Malformed/double-encoded destination URLs
How Afterlink checks Skimlinks links
Afterlink extracts every link from your YouTube channel or website, recognizes Skimlinks links by domain and parameter signature, then runs five checks on each one: the full redirect chain (including JavaScript and meta-refresh redirects), network error-page detection, destination verification against the embedded target, tracking parameter analysis, and deep-link decay detection (product page silently replaced by a homepage). Every link gets a clear verdict — working, warning, or broken — with the evidence attached.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Skimlinks final URL have no tracking parameters?
That’s by design. Skimlinks tracks the click server-side during the go.skimresources.com hop and typically hands the visitor a clean URL. Missing parameters on the final page are normal, not a failure.
How can a Skimlinks link be broken if it still redirects?
Two ways: the destination page no longer exists (bad landing experience), or the merchant left the Skimlinks marketplace (redirects fine, pays nothing). Both need active checking; neither shows an error to the visitor.
Does Afterlink support go.redirectingat.com links?
Yes — that’s Skimlinks’ second redirect domain, common in older content. Afterlink detects both, decodes the embedded destination, and verifies it independently.
Troubleshoot Skimlinks
- Skimlinks Links Not Working? Diagnose and Fix Them
- Skimlinks Link Redirects to Homepage Instead of the Product — Fix
- Skimlinks Tracking Not Working? How to Verify and Fix Attribution
- Skimlinks Program Closed or Merchant Left? What Happens to Your Links
- How to Test Skimlinks Affiliate Links (Complete Procedure)
Related networks
Check every affiliate link you've ever published
If you've published Skimlinks links, some of them are probably broken right now. Afterlink scans your entire YouTube channel or website, follows every redirect chain, and alerts you the day a link breaks.
Run a free scan