General
What is a vanity URL?
A short, custom URL that's easy to remember for when the user needs to physically type it into their web browser. Ex. www.essentiahealth.org/vnl
What should be included in the Basecamp project for a vanity URL?
Vanity URL
Tracking URL with parameters
Original URL
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a webpage URL to track and analyze marketing efforts by providing information about the source, medium, and campaign that generated the traffic.
Why do we use + signs in our UTM parameters?
It's easier to read them in GA4 and to use for tracking purposes
What is UTM URL?
A webpage URL with UTM Parameters attached to it. Such as www.essentiahealth.org/services/orthopedics-sports-medicine/?utm_source=vanity&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=01-ee-northland
Who set's up the vanity URL and how do you send the request to them?
Web team! You must request the vanity URL request in ServiceNow in the web request form.
You are using the same direct mailer for this year's Well Child campaign that you did the previous year. It uses a vanity URL. What do you need to double check before sending it to the printer?
That the Vanity URL is updated, because UTM parameters may need to change. You can give a to-do to a digital marketing specialist for that service line to double check it.
What UTM parameters do we use?
Source, Medium, Campaign, Content.
Who should be creating the parameters for a campaign?
The dig team
When someone uses a tracked vanity URL, where does it redirect?
The webpage’s actual URL, which will include UTM parameters on the tail end of it.
What kind of ads are vanity urls used on?
Materials the target audience cannot physically interact with. E.g. magazine, newspaper, rackcard, etc.
What all needs to be known to create UTM parameters?
Service Line, Market, Specific Campaign Name, URL this is being used on, How long the UTM URL will be live, how it will be used (channel tactics), the platform/placement the UTM URL is being used on (eg. facebook, spotify, etc.)
You're working on display ads for a clinic campaign and you plan on sending it to the vendor yourself. What information for the UTM URL do you need to send them?
Service Line, Market, Specific campaign name. If dig team is sending everything to the vendor, they will give this info to the vendor and you don't need to worry about it.
Preferably at least a month before you need it, so we can plan on adding it to an upcoming sprint.
What are the things the web team needs for a Vanity URL request?
1.An overview of what is being requested
2.Service line
3.Market
4.The name of the specific campaign the requested vanity URL is a part of
5.The destination website URL where traffic should be directed to.
6.The requested vanity URL. If unsure, ask for a recommendation (example: essentiahealth.org/heart or essentiahealth.org/sports-medicine)
7.What date do you need the confirmed vanity URL to place on print materials?
8.What is the 1st date the marketing creative that includes the vanity URL will be live in market?
9.Does the vanity URL have an end date? (this helps the web team keep the backend of the website clean). Please note if the vanity URL will “live on” in the print center.
10.The specific print/traditional channel tactic(s) the vanity URL will be use on (e.g. newspaper, magazine, rack card, etc.)
Why do we limit sharing of the vanity URL?
Past experience has shown leadership likes to click it, which can mess with our data. We've also seen it shared with the entire organization, making that data null and void.
What is the formula for our UTM parameters?
Service line-Market-UTM campaign
01-ee-joint+replacement
Why do we use the same campaign UTM parameters for all the ads in that campaign?
It helps us track data at a campaign level
Where can you find all of the information in this game?
Sharepoint: Vanity URLs & URLs with UTMs Documentation.pptx
Who else needs to know about vanity urls?
The dig team, because they will need to provide the utm parameters
In the dashboards Kendrick has created
BONUS: Explain what the source, medium, campaign and content parameters are in general.
Source – where traffic is coming from / where the message was seen (e.g. Facebook, Spotify, Duluth New Tribune)
Medium – what type of traffic it is / how the message was communicated (e.g. display, paid social, email)
Campaign – which marketing effort the traffic belongs to (For EH, we use the campaign UTM to identify service line, market, campaign/strategy) - e.g. The west orthopedic joint replacement campaign or the east cardiology HRA campaign
Content – the specific creative (e.g. Kelli's :30 sec video story, 1.16.2023 new provider post, pre-HRA email #1)
Why is it important that UTM parameters are set up correctly?