Tracking click-throughs on your SMS Marketing campaigns
NOTE: This only works if you have Google Analytics code installed on your web or mobile site.
It’s all about ROI right? But a text message is only text – how can I track click throughs? Well, here’s how;
FIRST STEP – Create a custom URL with campaign identifiers in
The great chaps over at Google have created a URL tool so you can create a link with information in about your specific campaign, go to https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en-GB
Complete the details of the campaign you’re doing, press submit and you’ll get a link something like;
www.example.com/?utm_source=SMS&utm_medium=Coupon&utm_content=20off&utm_campaign=May2013
You’ll see here that it has a bunch of source=, medium=, content= etc. variables in the URL. This information will all go in the Campaigns section of your Google Analytics.
SECOND STEP – That URL is too long! Shorten it down for SMS
You don’t want to be using a URL that long in a text message! When you type your text in your Message Box account simply click the URL Shorten button by the message window and the system will shorten it down to around 12 characters – however long the original was.
ALL DONE!
Now, for people with smartphones where the link is converted to a clickable link in a text message, you’ll be able to see who clicked through, from what campaign and also if you have e-commerce tracking in your Google Analytics, how many people bought from you!
You’ll be able to calculate the exact ROI from your next SMS marketing campaign.