A personalized URL is a URL with a landing page that is customized to a specific individual — Everything from the contents of the landing page to the URL itself.  The value of personalized URLs lies in not only increasing engagement between a potential customer and a brand, but also the precise ability to track what a specific member of your target audience is interested — or not interested — and follow up with relevant messages based on their likes and interests.

pURLs help to add a sense of uniqueness and personalized attention on a brand’s direct mail communication.  According to Lima Consulting, a recipient will be more likely to visit a personalized URL over a generic website URL that is sent to them via direct mail.  Once the recipient is on their unique landing page you’re able to track their movement through the site and build your database to create more relevant messages in the future.

Additionally,  including personalized URLs enables a marketer to track and measure precisely who in your target audience visited their pURL and what they clicked on when they were browsing within the pURL.  With this information a salesman or customer service rep can follow up with each individual in your target audience with more relevant communication — based on what they showed the most interest in when they visited their unique URL.

Finally, new technology allows you to interact with your customers and potential customers in a whole new way.  It generates a sense on personalized attention and increases the amount a time a person is willing to spend engaging with your brand and its message.  In addition to people being more likely to visit their pURL, they are also more likely to be converted into paying customers.

Timothy Freeman
President
Print & Graphic Communications Association