URL parameter is a snippet of significant information in the link that is inserted after a domain of your destination offer or webpage. It pre-populates data in a survey form. A number of added variables enable the dynamic setting of data on a single web page or its subpages, which helps to drive more views. Basically, when adding numerous URL parameters to the final link, you are able to receive and then pass all kinds of values and traffic details with the string and, as a result, get sufficient data to analyze as well as more visitors.
Overview
Their main role is to provide additional details about a website, what you do, who you are, etc. Based on the inserted variables in the URLs or a tracking template, the search engines handle specific parts of your web page and index your site more effectively. For example, if it’s an online store, URL parameters help to bring up the same content at different links and not duplicate it. To put it simply, the preset variable passes a concrete indicator that provides more details about the source and helps the system to distribute visitors more efficiently to the targeted offers. However, in order for it to work, you need to include only accepted formats.
How to Use URL Parameters
Before you jump to link creation and stuff your campaign URL with super important values, make sure you know how to do it properly. Let’s review an example of how to build your string:
Your page:
https:// www.onlinestore.com/
The first part is the protocol – https:// (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure), followed by a domain name www.onlinestore.com
Now, the parameter we are going to add will have a key and value. Here’s what it looks likes:
?parameter=value
The question mark ‘?’ is an operator that indicated the start of the query. It is put at the end of the initial link. The equals ‘=’ helps to separate the parameter and value pair.
So, we get this:
https://www.onlinestore.com?parameter=value
Now, if you wish to put not one pair of variables but two or three, you use the ampersand ‘&’ operator to add the subsequent pairs. Here’s how:
https://www.onlinestor.com?product=socks&color=black&size=m
In case you’re using a tracker, you’ll be able to set the URL tracking parameters, which are inserted to your URL in a slightly different way. See below:
https://www.onlinestore.com?value={parameter}
Here, the enclosed parameter in { } tells the system that you want this parameter to be returned after the advertising is clicked. In this way, the tracker will record the source value from where the click came.
This is the simplest way to push several URL parameters to any web page, offer or LP, setting them in an HTML form. However, you can do a lot more with these values, for example, store, hide, report or track. By managing various variable formats in the snippet, you can simplify this process by setting a specific logic of bringing up actionable information.
Now, it also depends on the HTTP method you use. The most common one is GET, which is used to form a string with URL get parameters in order to request data from a traffic source.
URL GET Parameters
These parameters are provided in the request form and work as queries of data accepted from the traffic source and then forwarded through the tracker to affiliate network side. They are also called tokens, which are set at the end of a campaign link to ship the statistical and dynamic values. Whilst including URL get parameters in your string on the traffic source side, you will get more statistical data, which you can further use in the URL passed to the affiliate network. Such tokens, no matter how many you use in your tracking link, will make it unique for a user. For instance, you can set the substitution depending on the variables, like this:
“Important information for {{os}} users!”
In this case, parameter {{os}} stands for Android or iOS. Depending on the received information, the system determines the device model and shows the corresponding content on the destination page. Likewise, you can preset other variables in the tracking URL such as country, language, city, traffic type, device, browser, carrier, etc. A tracker is used to optimize this process when you set many campaign URLs and send users to different pages or subpages.
Additionally, there are UTM parameters that help to track how your campaign perform across different traffic sources, namely: utm_source (traffic source), utm_medium (link type), utm_capmaign (product, service or campaign), utm_term (terms), and utm_content (what is clicked).
When parameters are set in the link, they operate to determine the campaign that runs traffic to a particular landing or offer.
URL Parameters on AdsBridge
If to work with tracking software, you are able to automate the setting process of your URLs and efficiently run traffic from their sources to affiliate networks. A modern tracker lets you control the flows and distribute users by dozens of parameters to hit the exact target. AdsBridge is one of the leading SaaS solutions with fully-fledged features, custom settings, and auto-optimization. And when dealing with such parameters on AdsBridge, you can save hours of your precious time to manage them once and then receive an extensive statistical data for analysis. This way, you not only create unique links but also store full analytics about their performance.
When creating a campaign URL in the AdsBridge system, you can set ValueTrack parameters you want to transmit from the source to the target website. These types of variables are used to carry data about a click, which is then stored on the tracker’s side in statistics. But you also should get the needed macros from the traffic source, so that your URLs send required static or dynamic data.
Other than that, the platform has a great handy service that makes your huge URLs with myriad parameters look shorter. The link shortener is called Index page feature. It adds all variables to your subdomain and it looks like this:
http://onlinestore.com/c/1234567?click_id={click_id}&token1={token1}
With the help of this tool, it is easy to work with a campaign link and place it on various sources in a short version while at the same time receive full data on values and parameters.
What’s more, such shortened scripts can pass moderation on Google AdWords and Bing without a hitch. Basically, you get the same statistical details and store requested information, only it doesn’t look like a long strip of text in the address line.
Final word
Essentially, URL parameters play an important role in the website indexing and its advertising when sending visitors to a targeted offer. They also help you collect and record valuable data about your traffic sources and ensure a more precise targeting as well as avoid duplicated content when sending visitors to final offers. Having a tracker by your side, you can easily create URLs for multiple campaigns and add all important variables in just a few clicks. Without adding these details to your strings, the campaigns are far more likely to be banned. In order for them work successfully and bring your dozens of new customers, make sure your key data and values set properly in the final URL of your website.