phpAdsNew help.

[fishboy]

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I currently use the above program to manage all my campaigns and it works great. I'd like to integrate it into my newsletters too and set up some sort of click tracking.

I've set up my campaign as normal, embedded my image into my newsletter but for some reason it wont track the clicks. If you click on the banner url domian.com/ads/adclick.php?bannerid=22 etc etc it takes you to the merchant page but no tracking.

Any ideas? Has anybody done this or actually know if it's possible?

[lakrasia]

I haven't tried this, so I can't help, but have you tried the phpadsnewforum, as they are the experts. I'd sure be interested to know, if you do find out.

[fishboy]

Well i managed to do it. Not quite as i thought it would work but it's seems to be working fine. Just sent a mail out to approx 7000 peeps and eagerly awaiting the response.

To start with I've created a new client called newsletter then set up a simple 468x60 campaign. Using the remote invocation option you can insert the javascript into your newsletter html.

It might be a crude method but you can now monitor how many people open/recieve your email by checking your banner impressions.

So far so good, it's generating a very nice click through level to boot

The only problem i did notice was trying to link to a text ad and an image ad for the same campaign. There's some kind of conflict going on that i don't understand. Not sure if this is me being stupid but i'm half way there and pleased with the results so far.

[lakrasia]

Hi,
Glad to know you managed it. Also, it's nice to hear people read their newsletters - I want to create one for a new site I'm doing. I was thinking of offering a prize draw to encourage people to sign up, but I'm worried people will just sign up for the draw and not read it. Did you have an incentive to get so many members on your list, aside from the newsletter itself? Hope you don't mind my asking - need all the help I can get at this stage!

Linda

[fishboy]

I don't mind you asking.

First of all, the website in question is an entertainment website that i produce about 2-3 articles a day for. It has a real loyal following who like to keep up to date with what's going on on the site at all times. Those that don't subscribe actaully visit the site around 3-6 times a day anyway if only to read other peoples comments.

I like to think of the newsletter as a "remixed" version of this site. Basically providing both my own original content backed up with related links on the web for "further reading". I don't offer competitions of my own but i do hunt down and find related ones on the web and place them in my newsletter. I aslo have a section in the newletter that is jsut for fun, amusing flash games or wacky websites etc and a section linking to hot topics or interesting debates within the forums.

My normal structure is to have 1-2 full articles, with around 15-20 additional leading paragraphs to other main news stories currently on the site. Aff links placed both in the newsletter and in the article residing on the website.

So for example it might go like...


----------------------
Logo and header

banner (paid inclusion or affiliate)
supporting banner text

Full article 1
link
link
link

Full article 2
link
link
link

Category 1
leading paragragh to story 1
link

leading paragragh to story 2
link

leading paragragh to story 3
link

leading paragragh to story 4
link

leading paragragh to story 5
link

Category 2
leading paragragh to story 6
link

leading paragragh to story 7
link

leading paragragh to story 8
link

leading paragragh to story 9
link

leading paragragh to story 10
link

Category 3
leading paragragh to story 11
link

leading paragragh to story 12
link

leading paragragh to story 13
link

leading paragragh to story 14
link

leading paragragh to story 15
link

outro,

-------------------

If there is the demand i also get advertisers to sponsor the individual categories too.

[lakrasia]

Sounds like a lot of good content, so well done.

My site will be a humorous one, so I guess I'll mainly be recommending other sites plus add a bit of content from my site and try and sell humorous items at the same time - not very rich content, but it should be fairly easy to put together and hopefully enjoyable enough to read.