Link layer
Screen early
The routing domain is usually the fastest place to prove whether risky clicks should ever reach the offer path.
- Click-screening first
- Offer page hidden until allowed
Use Case ยท Affiliate Operators
Use Smart Links and Protected Pages together when the traffic path is layered.
Affiliate operators often need a decision layer on the routing domain and another on the landing page. KillBot supports both models so the click path can be screened early while the real page still has its own policy.
Smart Links
Protected Pages
Decision logs
Explore next
Move through the public guide with the most relevant next pages for this topic.
First route
Best first route to protect.
Affiliate operators usually prove the model on the routing domain first, because that is where the click path becomes visible before the real destination opens.
Traffic source
Layered click path with routing domain
The first decision often belongs on the link layer.
First route
Routing domain before the offer page
Screen the click before the real destination is exposed.
First layer
Smart Link
Use the page layer only after the link layer is proven.
Proof signal
Cleaner link-to-page handoff
The first proof is a clearer separation between link screening and destination traffic.
Page layer
Add the destination later
Once the Smart Link results are stable, add a Protected Page on the final destination if the route needs a second decision layer.
- Destination-specific rules
- Link and page decisions together
Expand next
Layer only where useful
Avoid doubling the control layers until the Smart Link decision is already easy to explain in Traffic Log.
- Traffic Log review
- Route-by-route expansion
Routing domain before the main offer page
When the traffic path is layered, the first useful proof point is usually the link layer. That makes it easier to see whether risky clicks should ever reach the final destination.
Smart Link
Layered routing
Offer path
Best first route
The routing or tracker domain before the offer page
Preferred first layer
Smart Link
Why this route
It screens the click before the real destination is exposed
When to add page layer
After the link-layer outcomes are stable and explainable
Proof of success
Cleaner early screening and clearer link-vs-page decision review
Expand next
Add Protected Page rules to the final destination
Use the routing domain first when the traffic path is already split into layers.
Add the destination-page layer only after the link-layer policy is proven.
Pattern
Common deployment pattern.
Step 1
Screen the click on a Smart Link
Use the routing domain to decide whether the click should continue.
Step 2
Protect the real page
Add a Protected Page rule set to the destination landing page.
Step 3
Review both layers
Use Traffic Log to understand how the link-layer and page-layer decisions relate.
Layer roles
Where each layer fits.
| Layer | Role |
|---|---|
| Smart Link | Screen traffic on the routing domain before the destination page is opened. |
| Protected Page | Apply the page-level country, referrer, schedule, and redirect rules on the real page. |
| Traffic Log | Explain how the click-layer decision and page-layer decision relate to each other. |
Fit
Why the model fits layered traffic paths.
Earlier screening
Decide at the link layer before the real destination opens.
Destination-specific rules
Keep separate page-level rules for the real landing page.
Clearer investigations
Use Traffic Log to see the destination outcome and the routing outcome together.
FAQ
Questions teams ask before rollout.
Why do affiliate operators often use both Smart Links and Protected Pages?
Because the routing domain and the final destination usually serve different roles. Smart Links screen the click earlier, while Protected Pages keep destination-specific rules on the real page.
Can KillBot show both decisions in one workflow?
Yes. Traffic Log keeps the outcomes visible so operators can review the routing path and the final page decision together.
Get started
Layer the routing domain and the destination page only where the traffic path really needs both.
Start with the Smart Link overview to confirm the early-screening model, then use the docs guide to decide when the destination page needs its own second check.