Timothy, we should address the Tag issue. Making it easy for members to substitute their tags for the forum's could result in no sales being credited to the forum's associate account. Based on my experience, this results in Amazon removing the search engine credentials from the host tag, which renders the signature tool inoperable as far as Amazon book searches go.
Because of that, I've made the Tag feature an option controlled by the administrator. But, of course, the user's guide shows the Tag button and explains its use. At the very least, I could remove the reference from the document and let each administrator decide whether they care to reveal it to their members. I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter.
Is it sales, or click throughs which matter?
Sales at the moment are pretty non-existent. Talking cup of coffee commission over a quarter. So its not exactly a money maker. (Not that I want one.)
I cant tell how many clicks are happening, but I suspect a lot, although they usually dont generate sales, since people are just looking at whatever book is being discussed. So there is activity, just not revenue.
The other thing which might help is in-forum code to change any external link in posts, going to Amazon, to add the tag. Since a lot of activity is about a book not in a signature, this could add traffic to the tag. In any case, all external links should be https, so the forum needs to be dynamically changing them where https works as a link, in order the browser green lock stays in place. At the moment, it doesn't on any thread where an external link is http, and this affects how google thinks of the forum. Fix 2 birds with one code?
But yes I know, needs a php coder who knows the forum code for this.
As a general comment, I'd prefer not to force people to use the forum tag. They have the right to use their own if they have one. But where people dont, I cant see a problem in adding the tag automatically, as long as they can change it later.