Mastering the Promotion of Database-Driven Website URLs

Understanding Dynamic URLs and Their Challenges

Dynamic URLs are generated by database-driven websites to display content based on specific parameters. These URLs often contain a question mark and name-value pairs, which instruct the site's logic to present information from the database. For example:

http://www.somesite.com/page.asp?itemid=6

This URL directs the site to display content associated with 'itemid' number '6'. If the 'itemid' changes, the content changes accordingly. URLs with multiple name-value pairs can provide even more tailored content:

http://www.somesite.com/page.asp?itemid=6&submit=getrecord&recordid=35

While these URLs function well for webmasters and IT staff, they can be a hurdle for marketers. A long and complex URL is difficult to remember and type, potentially reducing response rates. Moreover, it's challenging to discern whether traffic to such URLs comes from existing site visitors or specific marketing campaigns.

The Power of eMarketing-Friendly URLs

To overcome these challenges, marketers can create simplified, memorable URLs that redirect to the original dynamic URLs. These eMarketing-Friendly URLs are not only user-friendly but also allow for precise tracking of website traffic using tools like WebTrends. For more information on website traffic analysis tools, a simple search for 'website traffic analysis' on search engines like Google will yield numerous options.

An example of an eMarketing-Friendly URL is:

http://www.somesite.com/promotion

This URL is easier to remember and can be effectively used in marketing materials such as postcards or digital ads.

Implementing eMarketing-Friendly URLs

Option One: Manual Creation

For those with web coding knowledge and server access, creating an eMarketing-Friendly URL involves a few steps:

1. Access your website server and create a directory with the name you wish to promote, such as 'promotion'.
2. Create an HTML file with a meta refresh tag that redirects to the desired dynamic URL and save it as index.html in the new directory.
3. Test the new URL to ensure it redirects correctly and then monitor traffic with a website traffic analysis tool.

Option Two: Using an Application

For non-technical marketers or those with limited time, an eMarketing-Friendly URL application can be a valuable tool. These applications allow you to:

• Designate your eMarketing-Friendly URL and the target URL.
• Choose whether the friendly URL remains in the address bar or redirects.
• Create multiple eMarketing-Friendly URLs without technical assistance.

Benefits of using an application include saving time, making adjustments on the fly, avoiding server clutter, and responding to marketing needs at any time.

Conclusion

Promoting database-driven website URLs doesn't have to be a daunting task. By utilizing eMarketing-Friendly URLs, marketers can improve user experience, enhance campaign tracking, and ultimately drive better results. Whether you choose to manually create these URLs or use an application, the key is to make them simple, memorable, and trackable.

For a deeper dive into the importance of URL structure and best practices for SEO, consider exploring resources from Moz or Search Engine Journal.