Page Targeting with URL Patterns
TL;DR
Using Page Targeting with URL patterns, you can activate Visitor Analytics features on a set of pages that share a common element, like containing the same word, having the same path, etc. Visitor Analytics offers you 5 methods for defining a URL pattern: Simple Match, Exact Match, Starts With, Ends With and Contains.
What is Page Targeting with URL patterns?
Using URL patterns allows you to activate several features on a specific set of pages of your website. For Visitor Analytics, URL patterns can be used to define a set of pages to be used for generating a heatmap, as well as for defining a step in a conversion funnel.
How can a new URL pattern be defined?
If you want to specify a URL pattern to target more pages, you have various options available. First, click on the dropdown “Choose URL matching type”. The following options will appear:
- Simple Match: This targeting model includes all elements of the page URL. Including any fragments or query strings, protocol or the addition of “www”.
- Exact Match: Only targets a specific URL with its protocol. The URL can also contain a fragment or query string.
- Starts with: Only targets URLs that start with the value you entered.
- Ends with: Only targets URLs that end with the value you entered.
- Contains: Only targets URLs that contain the value you entered.
Examples
Simple Match
The match will be correct if the path of your user URL is the same as the URL path of the targeted page.
Simple match: http://www.yourwebsite.com/products/
Correct match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/?q=lp-EOkA
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http: // www.yourwebsite.com/PRODUCTS
Incorrect match:
- http:// yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct
- http:// yourwebsite.com/products/categories
- http:// yourwebsite.com/products/favorites
Exact match
The match will be correct if your user URL is exactly the same as the URL of the targeted page.
Exact match: http://www.yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct/?shlY
Correct match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct/?shlY
Incorrect match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct/?dhlYjy25
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct/details
Starts with
The match will be correct if your user URL starts exactly as you specified it.
Starts with: http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
Correct match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/categories/firstcategory/firstproduct/details
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/y=4gf5
Incorrect match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/homepage/
- https:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http:// yourwebsite.com/products/
Ends with
The match will be correct if your user URL ends exactly as you specified it.
Ends with: products/
Correct match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/homepage/products/
- https:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
Incorrect match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/categories/
- https:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/firstproduct
- https:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/categories/favorites/
Contains
The match will be correct if your user URL contains the text you specified.
Contains: products
Correct match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/homepage/products/
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/products/categories/favorites
Incorrect match:
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/homepage
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/contact
- http:// www.yourwebsite.com/features