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


Instant Relevant Web Site Content - No Its Not a Bot

In about the Time it takes to Watch a Reality... Read More

But My Business Doesnt Need A Website!

Revenues are often lost because many business owners don't see... Read More

The Top Ten Benefits of Having a Web Site

Do you need a web site? Are you considering getting... Read More

From Search to Sale

The Internet car buyer is an elusive animal. Trying to... Read More

Making The Business Case For Web Standards

Through the explosive growth of the Web, companies have realized... Read More

Newsletter Management Using PHP w/o mySQL for Beginners

Let's begin by setting some limits. If you're like me,... Read More

Better Web Site ROI: Efficient Online Business with SEO, PPC, Split Testing, and Forums

If you're looking for better web site ROI, chances are,... Read More

Beware the Software Siren

I've heard several prominent web marketers mention in their classes... Read More

How to Create a Professional Web Site in 24 Hours

While creating a Web site may seem like... Read More

How To Evaluate Your Web Sites Performance

Setting up a website is the very first step of... Read More

Web Designer? You Dont Need No Stinkin Web Designer!

RIVERSIDE, CA August 4, 2004 ?- "Historically, small business owners... Read More

Tell me what your website does!

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

4 Rock Solid Reasons For Building Your Own Website

What is the point of having a website, you may... Read More

What is The Google Toolbar?

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

Unlocking the Power of Your Website!

Why do some web sites reap huge benefits while others... Read More

A Network Of Web Sites Is Not Enough!

The big thing these days is your ability to capture... Read More

7 Killer Ways To Increase Your Online Sales

Every online entrepreneur I talk to is asking the same... Read More

How to Draw Icons or Images on a Mapserver Generated Map

In this example I have used the map of the... Read More

5 Tips For A Better Website

Having an eye catching website is great, but are you... Read More

Trinkets, Lockets And Empty Pockets

It never ceases to amaze me how many people set-up... Read More

Seven Daft Things Not To Do To Your Website

1. Splash pagesMost of the time splash pages are uncalled... Read More

Business Website Building Do?s and Don?ts

First, using a lot of web graphics, flash, banners and... 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

Enhance Your Website With A Yahoo-Style Directory

Does your website have a links/resources page?Do you exchange reciprocal... Read More

3 Ways To Increase Your Websites Conversion rate

Everywhere you look these days, people are telling you that... Read More

Introductory PHP For Non-Programmers

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

Website Globalization

Globalize Your WebsiteThe Internet has unlocked a wide array of... Read More

Website Conversion Rate: More Keywords Equals More Sales

Your website conversion rate should concern you. This simply refers... Read More

Building eCommerce Websites that Work - Part 3

An interesting eCommerce success factor that isn't precisely overlooked, but... Read More

How To Get Your Customers To Trust Your Website

Research reveals three important facts:1) The Internet is one of... Read More

A Website Is Not Enough

Your ObjectiveYour small business needs an appealing and professional website... Read More

Get Your Business on the Web

I can't think of any business alive today that couldn't... Read More

Web Accessibility Myths

With more and more countries around the world passing laws... Read More