How to work with custom URL parameters

Custom URL parameters can be added to traffic campaign links. This has several uses:

• Reports in the Reports section can be grouped by custom URL parameters, making it easy to track campaign performance based on arbitrary factors.

• Custom parameters can be set up to pass values into placeholders used in campaign templates.

The basic flow for working with custom URL parameters involves the following stages.

• New parameters are added to Eversend in the Parameter Settings section inside workplace settings.

• Parameters can also be grouped into sets in the Traffic Sources section in the ‘Traffic’ module.

Parameters are then added to campaign links during campaign creation. If campaign templates use placeholders that reference these parameters, these placeholders will be substituted with parameter values when deployed on domains.

Open workplace settings and navigate to the Parameter Settings section to add new URL parameters individually.

Parameter keys

Parameter keys (shown to the left of parameter names) are generated automatically and cannot be edited.

Info

The ‘System Parameters’ block in the String Parameters includes Facebook parameters for tracking ad campaigns and ad sets. The keys of these parameters match the keys used inside Facebook.

The section is split into two tabs, String Parameters and Numeric Parameters. In each of these tabs, click on ‘Add user parameter’ button in the upper-right corner to create a new parameter. Set the parameter name and press ‘Save changes’ to finish its creation.

Optionally, open the Traffic Sources section in the ‘Traffic’ module. Traffic sources allow for grouping one or more URL parameters. Such groups can be reused across several traffic campaigns.

Read this tutorial to learn more about creating and editing traffic sources.

Switch to the Campaigns section in the ‘Traffic’ module and click on the ‘Create new campaign’ button in the upper-right corner to add a new campaign.

In the campaign creation wizard, press the ‘Add parameter’ button in the ‘URL Query Params’ block. Select a parameter in the ‘Attribute’ dropdown and then set its query key in the ‘Query Key Name’ input field. Inside the ‘Dynamic token or value’ field, set a static parameter value or write a temp value inside single or double curly brackets (e.g., {value} or {{value}}). If the latter option is chosen, the parameter will take dynamic values.

Note that the ‘Campaign Link’ block will update automatically to display an accurate preview of the campaign link including all currently applied URL parameters.

Using traffic sources

To apply a traffic source to a campaign, select it in the ‘Source (optional)’ dropdown. All the parameters from the chosen traffic source will be immediately added to the campaign.

If some parameters were set up for the campaign before a traffic source is applied, they will be overwritten.

Copying URL parameters

URL parameters can be copied from other campaigns by clicking on the ‘Copy from existing campaign’ button. In the newly opened modal window, select a campaign to copy URL params from and ensure that the ‘URL Query Params’ checkbox remains checked. Then, press ‘Save’.

All URL parameters from the chosen campaign will automatically apply to the new campaign. If some parameters were already set up, they will be overwritten.

After a campaign with one or more Placeholders can be used to insert the values taken by various URL parameters into campaign templates.

To use this feature, simply reference a URL parameter inside the body of a template (e.g., any PHP, HTML or JavaScript file):

{{query.PARAMETER_NAME}}

The PARAMETER_NAME should match the query key name set up for a parameter during campaign creation. When a template is deployed to a domain, the placeholder will automatically take the value of the parameter specified in the placeholder regardless of whether it is static or dynamic.

URL parameters can also be used to group report data in the Reports section.

To do so, open any report preset apart from Conversions and Clicks. Open the ‘Add level’ dropdown to add a new grouping to the currently displayed report. In this dropdown, select the name of the parameter that should be used for grouping data. The report will be automatically regenerated, allowing for viewing performance metrics exclusively for campaigns that use this parameter. If possible, data will be grouped by parameter value.

Using filters

URL parameters can also be used as filters in any report preset.

Query parameters are also used to integrate Eversend with advertising suites and similar tools. The following instructions provide examples on how to configure Eversend campaigns for use in several external platforms.

Placeholders

To learn how custom URL parameters can be used via placeholders, read this tutorial.

1. Create a new string parameter with a suitable description either in workplace settings or via using a traffic source.

1. When creating a new campaign, add the previously created parameter. Set the query key name to external_id and the dynamic value to {click_id}.

1. Create the campaign and use the campaign link in MGID.

2. In the Reports section, use the name of the new parameter to filter or group campaigns based on MGID’s click_id.

1. Create two new string parameters either in workplace settings or via using a traffic source.

1. When creating a new campaign, add the two previously created parameters. Set their query names and values as shown in the below example.

1. Create the campaign and use the campaign link in Taboola.

2. In the Reports section, use the new parameters to filter or group campaign based on Taboola’s click_id.

1. Create a new string parameter with a suitable description either in workplace settings or via using a traffic source.

1. When creating a new campaign, add the previously created parameter. Set the query key name to hash and the dynamic value to {hash}.

1. Create the campaign and use the campaign link in IREV.

2. In the Reports section, use the name of the new parameter to filter or group campaigns based on IREV’s click_id.