By marrying print pieces, electronic newsletters and emails with a website, you can better track the effectiveness of the piece. Some natural connections between a direct marketing item and a website include asking your reader to RSVP online, register for an event, watch a video, download an app or access some other type of valuable information.
Directing a reader to a website allows you to use Web analytics to determine if your intended audience is following through on the call to action you provided. In this post, I’ve outlined three ways to determine the effectiveness of a print piece, email or newsletter.
Use a redirection
Make your URL user-friendly by using a redirect:
- Keep it simple.
- Don’t use numbers.
- Connect it with your piece’s messaging, such as www.missouristate.edu/BeaBear
You can request a redirect online from the office of web and new media. Web and new media can provide you with a hit count for your redirect, or you can include tracking in the original (or destination URL) as discussed below.
Include tracking in your URL
Track usage of links by using campaign tracking. Campaign tracking allows you to count how many visits to a site came from social media, emails, newsletters, releases and more by defining the following:
- utm_source= origin of referral (i.e. release, bulletin, homepage)
- utm_medium= qualifies the source (i.e. email, online, feature)
- utm_campaign= topic of link or promotion (i.e. diversity, summervisit)
- utm_content= optional description of the campaign
These tracking pieces go at the end of your destination URL:
http://www.missouristate.edu/paw/?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=photo&utm_campaign=publicaffairs&utm_content=paw
You can create custom URLs for your links using the Google URL Builder. When creating and using custom URLs, remember the following:
- Because the tracked URL is very long, hyperlink text or use it as the original URL in a redirect.
- Keep track of how you categorize your source, medium and campaign.
- Track the usage of the link through a Google Analytics campaign report.
Create a QR code
QR codes can be added to both print and electronic pieces to give your target audience a quick way to access online content. QR codes are most effective when they provide the user with content that enhances their experience, such as a direct way to download an app or to access a map of a building.
Because the actual use of QR codes is varied, consider the following items when determining if you should use a QR code:
- Will my target audience know what this is and be able to use it?
- Do I have mobile friendly content to share?
- Is my content valuable to the end user? Will it enhance their experience?
QR codes are created using the Google URL shortener. When they are created, Google provides you with a shortened URL, the QR code image and a tracking link. Read the “How to create a QR code post” for more details.