So I think I got all this right.. I have my domain name registered through GoDaddy, and my landing page is at KickoffLabs.
I can create CNAM entries at GoDaddy for custom subdomains, like
foo.heroesandtreasure.com
to push it over to KickoffLabs, the same way the regular www.heroesandtreasure.com is sent over there (i.e. using a CNAM entry). There's no apparently limit to how many of these I can make.
Over at KickoffLabs, I can set a "custom domain" to create my subdomain page. I can create a different landing page for every subdomain (like the "foo" one I have above) if I want to, and it's no extra cost to me.
And I can also set a redirect there if I want, and if no landing page has been built. So what does that get me?
I can set up that foo address to redirect to my regular www page. When the KS goes live, I can take 30 seconds and change the redirect to my KS page. So I can publicize the foo web address, and it will go to my page first, and KS when the time is right, and when the KS is over I can send it somewhere else again.
By setting up multiples, I believe I can track where my KS traffic is coming from, though I'm not positive yet that this will work. If I create face.ht.com and goog.ht.com, etc., I think the "referral" on KS will show up as that subdomain, so I can see whether people are coming from ads, or paid google search results, or what.
I realize this is not technically a board game topic, but it is something useful for people kickstarting their games, or even just trying to have ads and keep track of where their traffic is coming from. No idea if this is helpful to anyone, but I'm very happy to have figured it out!
Comments
Not sure on KickOffLabs but Tracking is a beast at times!
I can set up that foo address to redirect to my regular www page. When the KS goes live, I can take 30 seconds and change the redirect to my KS page. So I can publicize the foo web address, and it will go to my page first, and KS when the time is right, and when the KS is over I can send it somewhere else again.
This is a smart move that allows you to advertise prior to your campaign and continue to use the same www address before, during and long after. Brand awareness and all that good stuff.
You will enter your google analytics ID number to your KS page which will help with a number of sites, but not all.
I'm not sure with Kickofflabs and their subdomains (they may be in the list of those that show up, like I have below), however KS will (I believe) show those referrals as "Direct traffic no referrer information" in your dashboard.
To get KS to show any referrals I got from my own site I used the custom KS referral links you can set up once you're live as the redirect link.
That kind of works with your plan. You just have the redirect address as the custom link! It DOES mean if you want to micro-track all of it you'll have to set up subdomains to send each and every one of those ads to that redirects using a custom KS url. Anyone that uses your primary URL you were using beforehand will show as coming from that one.
HOWEVER, some sites are tracked directly by KS as well. I know I did not use custom URL's for several sites that showed up as referrers; reddit, beastsofwar.com, spiele-offensive.de, kicktraq and GOOGLE for example.
It's an interesting beast that Kickstarter URL tracking thing.
Ah, that's good to know. If
Ah, that's good to know. If it doesn't work the way I was hoping, I can use the referral links. I know some sites show up properly if you have the subdomains varying (there's a thing about it in Stegmaier's blog)
What I really want (maybe) is to be able to distinguish facebook traffic from normal sources vs. my facebook ads, and maybe also know which facebook ads are yielding the most traffic.
If your ads are running
If your ads are running during your campaign simply use the Kickstarter custom referral links (you can make as many as you want and name them whatever you want) and you'll easily see where your pledges are coming from with that.
Well, for the launch ads, I
Well, for the launch ads, I have them set up already so it's one (three) less things to have to worry about that day.
Mail Chimp
On a separate topic that didn't deserve its own thread, I was suprised to learn that Mail Chimp is free up to 2000 customers.
Jay103 wrote:On a separate
Yup! Make use of it, it's a great way to maintain a mailing list of potential customers!