How Did You Get Here?

When marketing your website, it's important to know which of your efforts are producing results and which of them are a waste of time.

You can learn a lot about this by analyzing your website's statistics (assuming your webhost offers this service).

However, even with the best statistics programs, it can be difficult to determine where exactly your visitors are coming from. Did they arrive on your product page by clicking a link in your newsletter or did they get there by clicking the banner you've paid to have displayed on Yahoo?

The best way to answer this question is to track your links. You can do this by buying link tracker software or by employing a third-party service to do it for you.

However, if your budget is tight, there's one way you can track your links without spending a dime.

This can be done by tagging a question mark followed by a piece of text at the end of your hyperlinks. This will not affect the way the link works, but will help you identify that link in your website's statistics.

For example, http://www.yoursite.com/page1.htm?linka will point simply to http://www.yoursite.com/page1.htm as if the "?linka" were not there at all.

However, when you analyze your statistics, you will have separate results for both links. That way you can determine how many people visited page1.htm and how many people visited page1.htm by clicking the link marked '?linka'.

You can use this to test the effectiveness of any or all of your links. For example, if you want to know how many people are arriving on your product page from your newsletter, your banner ad and your home page, you could set up your links as follows:

The link from your newsletter: www.yoursite.com/product.htm?newsletter The link from your banner on Yahoo: www.yoursite.com/product.htm?yahoobanner The link from your home page: www.yoursite.com/product.htm?home

When you analyze your visitor statistics you can clearly see how each of these links are performing and then act accordingly.

As there is no limit to the amount of distinct links you can create, you can easily track all your links at no cost.

About The Author

Michael Hopkins is owner of BizzyDays eBook Publications.

Download Brand New Original eBooks for FREE at:

http://www.bizzydays.com

Download The eBook Publishing Success Package at:

http://selfpublishing-ebooks.htm

contact@bizzydays.com

In The News:

pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Do Authors Need a Website?

"I am a writer, not a business-person. I don't want... Read More

Effectively Using Robots Meta Tags

The "robots" meta tag, when used properly, will tell the... Read More

I Did It: Six Months to a Successful Website

For years now I've been looking to start my own... Read More

Do You Need a Web Database?

Does My Web Site Require A Web Database?If your web... Read More

Are Web Graphics Stealing Your Money?

They might not be wearing a mask and carrying a... Read More

Effective Webdesign

D.zigns dzignerwebs The Basics Before starting on... Read More

7 Reasons YOU Need a Website

1) A marketing necessityI still hear it said from time... Read More

Using Psychology Easily on Your Website to Make More Sales!

Psychology is a long word which everyone thinks, "no, that's... Read More

You May Be Losing Valuable Traffic - And Not Even Know It!

Here's something you may never have thought of before:If I... Read More

Ten Major Tips to Develop a Multilingual Web Site to Work

If you are living in a country that its native... Read More

5 Essential Traits Of A Home Business Website

So you've decided to start an online work at home... Read More

Content Management ? The New Standard in Web Design

The evolution of web development parallels the model of technology... Read More

Benefits Of Making Your Website Accessible To Disabled Users ? Part 2: The Business Case

The Disability Discrimination Act states that service providers must not... Read More

How to Get Your Website In Front of Thousands of Customers At No Cost To You!

Dan Kennedy once said that if you can't make money... Read More

Preventing Repeat Form Submission Using PHP Sessions

We've all seen those messages on some websites warning not... Read More

How to Increase Sales with Automation Improvements

How popular is online shopping? And is there room for... Read More

The Most Important Aspect of Writing Web Copy

There is an ongoing debate about web copy. Some say... Read More

Launch Your Own Website Today - Its Easier Than You Think!

Thousands of people are now making a living online and... Read More

Set Up Your Website in Minutes ? For Free

There was a time not long ago when setting up... Read More

Websites: You Get What You Pay For!

So you finally decided to invest in a web presence... Read More

10 Simple Steps: Its Magic If You can E-Mail You can Update Your Web Page Dynamically

Dynamically Update Your Web Pages Via E-MailIf you can Send... Read More

Make Your Communication Come Alive

Design and layout can make your communication come alive and... Read More

17 Tips to Plan a Website

Everyone wants one.Everyone wishes they knew how to make one.SOME... Read More

Making Your Websites More Compelling

The Internet is a remarkable publishing medium. With just a... Read More

Web Accessibility: The Basics

What is web accessibility & why is it important?Web accessibility... Read More

The Evolution Of Search

There have been many significant changes to the face of... Read More

What Does An Ex-Basketball Coach Know About Pulling Web Metrics?

In my previous life.....Actually, my previous JOB life, I was... Read More

Developing A Website: 10 Tips For Getting Started

1. Be clear on your purpose.Building a website can be... Read More

Introductory PHP For Non-Programmers

When you started reading this sentence you assumed lo acabarķa... Read More

What Business Owners MUST Know BEFORE They Commit To Having A Web Site

Q1.Why would I need a web site? A1.- Improve my... Read More

Your Website Reflects Your Business

Some left shoes are in isle 5, while the right... Read More

Tell me what your website does!

You know exactly what your organisation does and what your... Read More

What is The Google Toolbar?

No matter what browser you may want to use, you... Read More