tracking source of event registrations

Matthew Daylor

Hi there–


We're looking at replacing iModules with NetCommunity for event registrations. I'm trying to figure out if we can replicate our current workflow of using appeal codes to track the source of event registrations (did they come through our social media post, an email, our website...?). One article I found that describes something similar is this:  https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/55482 , but that's really focused on giving forms, not event registrations. 


Is there something we can put in a URL that will then be available in reporting to attribute registrations to a certain source? Or some other way of doing it?


Thanks for any insights you have!


Matt

shani traum

I think the only way to do this is to have specific urls (and therefore page names) for each source.  You can report out (and view in batch) the page names so you'll know what appeal to assign to the registration.


So, the page with url = "....../Golf" could be a page saved as 2018 golf website in NetCommunity (the registrant won't see this) and the page with url = ".../2018Golf" could be a page saved as 2018 golf email, etc.


These saved page names are what will pull into RE when you process the registrations and you'll be able to tell, based on the names, what the source was.


Good luck!


Shani

Matthew Daylor

Huh. Thanks, Shani! But that wouldn't work for a social media post or an email, or a website outside of NetCommunity, right?

shani traum

Maybe I'm misunderstanding how you register folks - and if so, sorry for muddying the waters!


Do you take registrations directly from those social media platforms or are you giving them a link within the social media post to click to send them to NetCommunity to complete their registration?


If the latter... Basically what you're doing is creating multiple copies of the same registration page.  All the info is the same except for the url and name under which the page is saved. Which platform you're linking from determines which url you use..  So, in the email, link to the one named email, on the Facebook post, link to the one called FB, etc.


If folks are registering from the Social Media platform itself and never going to Netcommunity?  Them, I have no suggestions - sorry!








 

Matthew Daylor

Nope, it's the latter—that explains it better, thanks! We don't use NetCommunity yet, and I've had no training, so I'm pretty ignorant about how it works—which makes it hard to ask the right questions! Thanks so much.

Diane Maidl

Matt -


Is your goal to track the traffic from a source to the form or specifically the completed registration by source. I have a couple things we have used.


If you are tracking the traffic, this can be done through Google Analytics with campaigns. The information will not be in RE, but you will be able to see what tool/media was used to get to the event pages. This will not define if they registered or not.


Another thought is adding a participant attribute to the event registration form, "How did you hear about this event." You can make this required if you wish. Keep in mind that this is per participant. If I registered both myself and my spouse, I would need to fill this in twice.


Not sure if this is helpful, but I thought I share.