Amazon Omakase Documentation

The Smart Way to Sell Amazon Books!

Setup & Configuration

Set up and Configuration is simple, quick and painless. Here's how to get started.

• If you're not already signed up with Amazon Associates, click here to sign up.
• Download the Amazon Omakase Plugin install package
• Install it using the Joomla Plugin Installer
• Under the Plugins menu, select site Plugins
• Click on "Content - Amazon Omakase Plugin"
  (NOTE: This is a System plugin on Joomla! 1.5 sites.)
• To the right, set all your default configuration options, including your Associates ID, banner size, css style class, display settings and color settings
• On the left, make sure you set "Published" to "Yes".
• Click "Save" at the top.

Now, you're ready to start displaying the ads.

Make sure to set your Amazon Associates ID in the Plugin Editor, or if you prefer, enter it as a parameter when you call the plugin. If you don't specify yours anywhere, the plugin will use mine... (of course I don't mind the donations)

Usage

To insert Omakase Ads into your code, simply add {bwomakase} into your content. This will use the default parameters you set in the Plugin Editor.

You can also place these ads in module positions by placing the {bwomakase} tag in a custom html module. On Joomla! 1.6, 1.7 and 2.5 sites, you will have to set the Prepare Content option to Yes under the Basic Options box in the Custom HTML module.

Customizing Case by Case

If you want to change a specific ad slightly, just add any custom parameters into the code. For example, if you set up the default ad to use the 728x90 banner size, but want to insert a 180x150 product box use {bwomakase size="180x150"} If you'd also like to change the tracking ID for that ad, enter it as {bwomakase size="180x150" id="newtrackingid-20"}. The plugin will pull all other parameters from the defaults you set in the Plugin Editor.

Here's the complete list of parameters you can set:

• id = Amazon Associates ID to use an ID other than the one you specify. e.g., {bwomakase id="myamazonid-20"}
• size = 120x600, 120x240, 160x600, 180x150, 468x60, 728x90, 300x250, or 600x520 [These are the ONLY acceptable banner sizes] e.g., {bwomakase size="180x150"}
• logo = show or hide [show/hide the Amazon.com logo] e.g., {bwomakase logo="hide"}
• images = show or hide [show/hide product images] e.g., {bwomakase images="hide"}
• target = same or new [Open link in same or new window] e.g., {bwomakase target="new"}
• price = show or hide [Show/Hide additional prices if you specify h, then only the retail price is shown] e.g., {bwomakase price="hide"}
• border = show or hide [Show/Hide ad border] e.g., {bwomakase border="hide"}
• discount = show or hide [Show/Hide discount sticker on product image] e.g., {bwomakase discount="hide"}
• bordercolor = six digit hex color code [Border color] e.g., {bwomakase bordercolor="090909"}.
• bgcolor = six digit hex color code [Background color] e.g., {bwomakase bgcolor="090909"}
• textcolor = six digit hex color code [Ad text color] e.g., {bwomakase textcolor="090909"}
• linkcolor = six digit hex color code [Link color] e.g., {bwomakase linkcolor="090909"}
• pricecolor = six digit hex color code [Price color] e.g., {bwomakase pricecolor="090909"}
• logocolor = six digit hex color code [Color of amazon.com logo text if logo="hide"] e.g., {bwomakase logocolor="090909"}
• css = class of the div container in which the add appears. Add information to your template stylesheet (css) to add formatting info such as float, margin, border and text-align. e.g., {bwomakase css="omakase_right"}

We've added the Omakase Advanced configuration options, listed below. It's easiest to set these in the Plugin manager as global defaults. We've included them as parameters as well, if you wish to change them on a call by call basis. Rather than explain how these are created, I suggest you go to the Amazon site, create an Omakase ad and cut and paste parameters from there.

• products = This is for the priority product categories under the Advanced options. I'd suggest you go to Amazon and create an Omakase link, then cut and paste the string of letters after amazon_ad_categories=.
• include = This is to exclude certain keywords under the Advanced options. If you're not sure how to format this string, go to Amazon and create an Omakase link, then cut and paste the string after 'include='.
• exclude = This is to exclude certain keywords under the Advanced options. If you're not sure how to format this string, go to Amazon and create an Omakase link, then cut and paste the string after 'exclude='.

Using CSS Class Name to style

To make styling easier, if you specify a css class either as a default or when using the css="mycssclass" parameter, the plugin will wrap the Amazon Omakase code in a <div class="mycssclass"> container with CSS Class Name specified, allowing you to customize how the ad will appear using your template style sheet. To get the effect shown on the right, text wrapped around a 180x150 Omakase banner. Go to your template and edit the css style sheet. Add the following line:

.omakaseright { float:right; margin-left:10px; }

Then within your content, enter:

{bwomakase size="180x150" css="omakaseright"}