Track number of times a PDF link has been clicked

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to track how many times a PDF has been viewed from a webpage?

After a client fills out a Marketo form, we take them to a landing page which has a number of links, each opening a different PDF. I need to be able to track who has viewed each particular PDF to provide stats back to the business.

I have tried using the 'clicks on link' trigger, but Marketo won't recognise the link and tells me I'm entering an 'Invalid value for Link Name'. I've also tried using the 'Web Page Activity' report, but I get the same error message.

Is there another way to track this? I don't understand why Marketo recognises a PDF as a link when it's in an email, but not on a webpage...

[Anonymous]

I am looking to track link clicks on a PDF uploaded to Marketo, that isn't hosted on a web or landing page. I want to be able to share the URL with my sales team so they can use it in their own email correspondence, without having to send people to a form or page to download. Is this doable?

[Dan_Stevens_]

Use Sanford Whiteman's redirector page technique: http://blog.teknkl.com/stop-using-direct-download-links-unless-you-like-losing-tracking/ .  This even works in standalone emails (email sent outside of Marketo).  Of course, only known/cookied users will be tracked - but I assume you're just referring to existing/known users anyway since there wouldn't be a record to associate this click activity to.

[SanfordWhiteman]

I want to be able to share the URL with my sales team so they can use it in their own email correspondence, without having to send people to a form or page to download. Is this doable?

You can only track direct asset links sent outside of Mkto if you attach special tracking information, as I explored here: http://blog.teknkl.com/tracking-clicks-non-marketo-emails/ and use a redirector page.

Otherwise, the link can't be tracked to the lead, since it doesn't carry any identifying information.  And PDFs don't run Munchkin, thus the requirement of a redirector page (always better all around).

[Anonymous]

I ended up figuring it out... Still wouldn't let me use the PDF link for whatever reason, but if I use a shortened Google URL, it will pick it up and track the clicks in the Trigger.

Not sure why this is the case, might submit it as an idea in the Community, but for now have solved my problem.

Thanks everyone for their assistance.

[SanfordWhiteman]

What is the URL that appears in the Clicked Link activity in the Activity Log?

There shouldn't be any need for an idea -- tracking and triggering clicked links already works.  Sample screenshot of ActLog entry: 2015-07-01_0018 - swhiteman's library

[Anonymous]

Hi Casey,

If the link is hosted on a marketo landing page, and the pdf is stored on our server it should register - you may need to type the the first few letters in and find it in the list.

If its on a non marketo page, you need to modify munchkin on the page to track the activity.

You'll find the info under "click link" on this page:

Lead Tracking (Munchkin) » Marketo Developers

[Anonymous]

Thanks Oisin. I have hosted the PDF in the Marketo Design Studio and am trying to link from a Marketo page but still doesn't seem to be working. This is the trigger I'm trying to use:

Not sure what else I could try... I've tried removing the and also using the 'link name contains' parameter instead of 'link name is'. This doesn't come up with an error but doesn't capture the leads in the trigger either...

[SanfordWhiteman]

Look in the Activity Log for a test lead after following the link.  That'll show you how the system identifies the clicked link and the hosting web page.

[SanfordWhiteman]

Munchkin will track clicks on non-Marketo pages without modification.  There are some links (such as document.location changes only in JS) that it can't hook automatically, but a regular <A> will be fine.

And whether the asset is in Marketo or not doesn't matter in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the correction! Was convinced it didn't for some reason.

[SanfordWhiteman]

If the page with the clickable link is running the Munchkin tracking code (Marketo-hosted LPs load Munchkin by default) then the click will be recorded as a Click Link activity.

When searching for the activity by URL, use a 'Contains' restriction (rather than 'Is') and don't include the domain name.