Email Campaigns – Short URL / User-friendly URLs

Form URLs simple to remember and use

Here is a sample use case:

We have a beautifully designed event form for Mother’s day and added a “to register, visit this link”

Until now the generated link would use to look like the one below

https://pub-apple.Ecm9.Com/showform.Ashx?Formguid=39bf0325-bff6-4022-8520-b6ece4ccbc33

As you can see the end of the link contains some random characters

(Which are good to keep malicious parties from guessing our form URLs and span the form)

However, these links are not good for sharing because one cannot guess or remember the characters.

Instead, we should have user-friendly links which are easy to remember and used.
 

Let’s break the link down into parts

https://pub.subdomainname/motherday

The first past is your subdomain that

Https:// - Tractionnext only allows https links to be created

pub - Tractionnext naming convention

subdomain – your subdomain that is setup in your account

/motherday – the friendly name

This link basically acts as an alias to the more complex URL

https://pub.subdomainname/showform.Ashx?Formguid=39bf0325-bff6-4022-8520-b6ece4ccbc33

We can create short URLs for Forms, Landing pages, and Competition Forms.

Short URLs/User-friendly URLs are short and easy to remember, and they help visitors to remember web addresses therefore visitors can revisit it by just typing the web URL in the address bar.

How to use it?

Login to the TractionNext website. 

• Navigate to the left menu of any module.

Click on the ‘Short URLs’ option on the left menu, short URL list page is displayed. Refer the below image…

Deleting a short URL 

If you wanted to delete any short URL, just click on the ‘Delete’ button next to it. It will display the below image asking your confirmation. Once deleted, it cannot be restored.

Click on ‘Yes’ to delete the Short URL.

Multiple deletions are also possible by clicking on the checkbox displayed on the left side. As soon as you click the checkbox, a ‘Delete’ icon appears, clicking on that will allow you multiple deletions. Refer the below image…

Searching a short URL

Type in your input in the search box and click on the ‘Search’ icon. The result is displayed. Search is possible based on short name only and not on any other values such as Type, Description etc. Refer the below image…

Filtering a short URL

You can filter the short URL based on types such as Form and Landing pages. By default, it displays all. Refer the below image…

Based on Landing pages

Based on Forms

This contains the Short URLs for forms as well as competition forms.

Default view (All)

Creating a short URL

In Forms

Click on ‘Create Form’. Fill the details such as name, description etc. and lead to the ‘Create a Short URL’ section. It asks the following details.

• Choose a domain
• URL Key

You can choose the domain from the dropdown. It displays the existing subdomains of your account. If you have not configured any subdomain then it displays the default domain only.

Type in the URL key of your choice (for example, Submit_your_Details that is easy to understand)

Generated short URL is displayed below, you can copy it by clicking on ‘Copy’ button next to it.

Refer the below image for the details…

After entering all the details, click on the Save button. It displays the ‘Success’ message for the Form.

In Landing pages

Click on the ‘Create Landing page’. Fill the details such as name, description, etc. and lead to the ‘Create a Short URL’ section. It asks the following details.

• Choose a domain
• URL Key

You can choose the domain from the dropdown. It displays the existing domains/subdomains of your account. If you have not configured any subdomain then it displays the default domain only.

Type in the URL key of your choice.

Generated short URL is displayed below, you can copy it by clicking on the ‘Copy’ button next to it.

Refer the below image for the details…

In Competition Forms

Click on Create Competition -> Entry by Form -> Create New.

Fill the sections such as Content and Design, Field mapping.

The last section is ‘Create a Short URL’ section. It asks the following details.

• Choose a domain
• URL Key

You can choose the domain from the dropdown. It displays the existing subdomains of your account. If you have not configured any subdomain then it displays the default domain only.

Type in the URL key of your choice

Generated short URL is displayed below, you can copy it by clicking on ‘Copy’ button next to it.

Refer the below image for the details…

Click on ‘Create New’ button, you will get the below…

Note: In the same domain, if someone tries to create a short URL with an existing short URL name, it won't allow irrespective of the category whether it is a form or landing page or competition. An error message has been thrown saying that "This short URL is already taken. Please try another one".  If any client has more than one subdomain, then they can create it with the same name.