Tracking Overview
There are many different forms of tracking via the Internet. The most common type is 'web traffic' tracking (via the web server logs) of which 'visitor tracking' (using client side Javascript and cookies) is a more modern and accurate form of this.
Completion tracking records tracking information with a person's record when they submit a form (i.e. an 'Action Edition'). This means you can tell who came from where, via what channel and/or promotion and even who referred them. This is incredibly valuable information for determining how each activity is working and how different activities compare (e.g. two different versions of a banner ad) so that you can do more of the one that works and stop the activities with poor performance.
The main constraint of 'web traffic' tracking is that it is anonymous: it can tell you traffic trends or even specific paths, but you'll never know (or it will be difficult) to know which of these relate to a specific supporter. The advantage is that is includes 99% of your web visitors. The main constraint of 'completion tracking' is that it only tracks people who actively submit data, but the advantage of this is that it is identifiable tracking.
Thus, you need to use both forms of tracking to get a full and useful picture of what your site visitors and supporters are doing and where your 'Action Editions' are succeeding or failing. However few other applications make completion tracking possible, including other e-campaigning applications.
Completion Tracking
The origin url (HTTP_REFERRER) and Landing url (first ACTUAL_URL visited on site) of each supporter taking the action can optionally be stored within the Action Record. For that to work, however, each access must be checked. The package includes script called "checkIncoming" that does the job of checking visitors and setting origin_url and Landing_url attribute in session as required. That script must be called from for example an Access Rule.
Note that the capture of remote IP address by default uses the REMOTE_ADDR HTTP request parameter. If your system is behind an Apache or Squid proxy, you probably have to modify the action_validate_integrity script to use X_FORWARDED_FOR (squid) or HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR (Apache) request parameter instead. If you make this change in the portal_skins/custom folder then you also need to re-set the customised script's 'proxy' role to 'Manager'
The url parameters will be recorded in session object and consequently stored in an Origin Record inside an Action Record.
Completion Tracking Usage
Tracking works to store key tracking variables with the record of the user to whom it applies if they complete the action. If they don't complete it, it isn't stored. However using a client-side tracking system (like Google Analytics) will allow you to count all the visitors who do not complete the action.
Two types of tracking can occur: automatic and via the query string.
To work, completion tracking requires your Site Administrator to have configured the tracking in the Access Rule installed on the site root (see Install and Configure).
Automatic Tracking
Picks up the URL of an off site referrer (Referrer URL), the URL of first Landing page (Landing URL) on the site and the URL of the last page they visited before completing the action (Onsite Origin).
Query String Tracking
In any URL query string to the site, you can specify variables that are picked up when a user first arrives on the site with them in the Landing URL. They can land anywhere on the site and these variables will be saved when a user completes an Action Edition.
Onsite Link Tracking (Untested)
Onsite link tracking is the ability to embed query variables in on-site links to actions so you know what page elements are working best to promote the action. Having this ability allows fine-grained tracking and testing of what cross-site content or links (not just what pages) are successfully resulting in completed actions. The Onsite Origin URL is already tracked automatically but is not enough to identify what link on that page (or what cross-site promotion regardless of page) is the most effective.
Query Variables
The default query string variables that can be used are:
- 's' = source code (referrer: google, homepage, newsletter4)
- 'm' = medium code (promotion medium: email, banner, cpc, co-reg, tell-a-friend, rss)
- 'p' = participant ID (a personal identifier)
- 'c' = content code (version or other content identifier)
- 't' = term(s) (keywords used)
- 'n' = name (campaign, action, promo code, or slogan)
Only use the ones you need. Any of these can be used for carrying tracking as you wish to define it and don't need to correspond with the description here. These are just the most common uses. They can be used to track supporters, supporter segments, visitors from specific online ads or promotions, tell-a-friend pass alongs, etc. Tracking tags and values can automatically be added in the eCampaigning Tool using Data Merge and your other systems may also have this capability.
If you use click-through tracking with your emails, make sure these codes are using in the landing URL so the system can pick them up.
Having all these test work means tracking can occur from other web pages, online ads and promotions, emails and any other source where you can either pick-up a referrer URL or embed variables in the landing URL. If you wanted to use this for a shortname in 'offline' URLs? (i.e. posters, books, TV, radio) you would need to set-up a shortcut redirect with the query variables in the landing page URL.
Visitor Tracking (not implemented yet)
Visitor tracking on your web pages can be accomplished through a 'web analytics' tool (e.g. Google Analytics). The web analytics tool needs be be able to track 'unique visitors' and thus popular open source tools like Analog and AWStats? are not sufficient. Your web analytics tool will generally require you to add s small block of Javascript code at the bottom of every page in your site (for page tracking) usually via 'main_template'. This can be handled by your site administrator.
The eCampaigning tool enables you to set-up visitor tracking specifically for your 'Action Editions'. You may want to do this if:
- You have the eCampaigning tool running on a different system from your main site and want to include visitor traffic from the Action Editions' in your main site's web analytics system.
- You want to track ecampaigning tool visitor behaviour independently from the site statistics
- You don't have a web analytics solution in place and/or you can't access the main_template
Add feature usage instructions here when they become available
