Making sure event participants get where they need to go
The Grip smart marketing link is a simple but powerful feature that enables an organiser to provide a smooth user experience to event participants looking to access the Grip platform. This article explains how Smart Marketing Links work.
Why do I need a Smart Link?
We want to make sure that event participants are directed to the right destination when they open a link to your event within an email, on your website or any of the other locations a link to the Grip platform might be communicated. For example, when an event participant is on their desktop computer and follows the link in a welcome email, we want it to open the web platform. However when it is pressed on an Android phone we want it to open the Google Play Store or the existing installed app on the participant's cellphone.
The Smart Marketing Link is a dynamic route to your event that is automatically configured when you create an event. Its purpose is twofold:
- Ensure that mobile users are directed to the mobile app instead of the web platform (if your Grip application includes a mobile app).
- Ensure that desktop users are directed to the correct custom domain on the web (if your event is using a custom domain).
Even if you haven't purchased a mobile app or custom domain for your Grip events, Smart Marketing Links will be created, though in this case they will always lead your participants to your event's fixed URL.
How do smart links work?
Grip uses a service called Branch.io to power its smart linking system. This saves us time and increases the stability of the service. For event organisers, it means that we can provide an improved service with a higher level of customization.
Smart linking works as follows:
What do I need to do as an Event Organiser?
Initially you just need to speak to your Grip contacts when you start working with us regarding what you've purchased and what you want to happen - specifically regarding your Custom Domain for web and your Mobile Apps.
If you're not using either of these for any of your events, you don't need to do anything.
Email Links
The standard email templates in Campaign emails contain the Smart Marketing Link to your event by default, and the same is true for any Automated emails that your participants receive. If you are creating a link within a campaign email yourself, just make sure to use the 'special links' dropdown for the link to make sure it's using the proper Smart Marketing Link.
Mobile Apps
Once your mobile app has been released on the Play and App stores, your Grip contact will update your Smart Marketing Link for your entire Grip application, so that by default all mobile users are directed to the appropriate app. Once this is done, just make sure that your event has 'Mobile' selected as an option under Event Details > Event Setup > Platforms:
This is also how you might disable mobile routing for a single event. If you remove Mobile from the platforms field for a given event, that will modify the Smart Marketing Link to only point to the web URL, so all users will be directed there, even if they have the app installed.
Custom Domains
Once your custom domain has been set up and tested, you can add this to the Smart Marketing Link for any events where you'd like to use it.
To do this, again visit Event Details > Event Setup and this time click on the edit button (pencil icon) next to the Smart Marketing Link.
In the dialogue that opens, you can modify the Desktop link, and replace Grip's default domain (matchmaking.grip.events) with your own custom domain.
You should end up with something like "https://your.custom.domain/YourEventName".
Hit Save changes, then you can test the link by clicking on it in directly in the dashboard or by following a login link in a welcome email.
I already sent out my emails but now I need to edit the link!
Anyone that follows the link will be redirected according to its current settings. So if you've made a change to the Desktop link URL, or added a mobile app to your event, anyone that clicks on the Smart Marketing Link in your welcome emails will be redirected according to your current settings, even if you sent the emails out previously.
The only thing you cannot change is the URL of the Smart Marketing Link itself - although this shouldn't need to be changed, because as you can see, you have control over where it leads.
My event isn't ready yet and I've accidentally sent out emails to my participants!
In this scenario you can use the Smart Marketing Link to your advantage, and redirect your users away from the event to another website instead - for example a page on your website explaining that the event is not Live yet.
To do this, first remove Mobile from Event Details > Event Setup > Platforms so that all participants are directed to the Desktop URL (if applicable). Then edit the Smart Marketing Link and change the Desktop URL to wherever you want to take them - even if it's away from Grip completely!
Later, once you're ready to start directing participants back to the login page, re-enable Mobile (if applicable), copy the direct event URL which sits just above the Smart Marketing Link, and then change the Desktop link again to route to that instead. Just make sure to add your Custom Domain to the URL again (as above), if you're using one.
