Creating Marketing Links

Marketing links are specialized URL references stored in the Document Library that partners can use to generate personalized referral links for campaigns, promotions, and lead generation activities. Unlike standard bookmarks that users click to navigate directly to external resources, marketing links serve as templates that generate unique, trackable referral URLs for each partner. When partners access a marketing link through the Pipeline module, the system automatically creates a personalized referral URL that includes partner identification parameters and tracks attribution for all resulting leads.

Marketing links support merge fields for dynamic URL personalization, integrate with UTM parameters for campaign tracking, and work seamlessly with the Referral Links and Attribution module to provide comprehensive partner performance measurement and automated lead attribution across your partner ecosystem.

Requirements

To create and manage marketing links, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:

• Employee Security Role (marketing links are restricted to employee users only)
• Folder (system): Read and Create
• Tab Settings, Documents: On
• App Settings: App with the Documents Tab must be Visible

To enable partners to access and use marketing links, the following additional configuration is required:

• Referral Links and Attribution module must be enabled and properly configured
• PartnerTrack.js script must be deployed to your website landing pages
• Pipeline module must be accessible to partner users
• Partner security roles must have access to Pipeline and Referral Links functionality

Understanding Marketing Links

Marketing Links vs. Bookmarks

The Document Library supports two types of URL references that serve distinct purposes:

Bookmarks are static links designed for direct navigation. Users click a bookmark to immediately open the target URL in their browser. Bookmarks are ideal for quick access to frequently referenced resources like documentation, support portals, or tool websites. They are available to all security roles and do not support personalization or tracking beyond basic access logging.

Marketing Links are dynamic link templates designed for partner distribution and referral tracking. Partners do not click marketing links directly. Instead, they use marketing links to generate unique, personalized referral URLs that they can copy and share with their prospects through email, social media, websites, and other marketing channels. Marketing links are restricted to employee security roles for creation, support merge field personalization, integrate with UTM campaign parameters, and connect to the Referral Links and Attribution system for comprehensive lead tracking.

Key Differences:

How Marketing Links Work

Marketing links function as the foundation for partner-driven referral tracking through a multi-step process:

1. Creation in Document Library: Administrators create marketing links in the Document Library by specifying destination URLs (your landing pages or form pages), adding UTM campaign parameters for tracking, and optionally including merge fields for personalization. Each marketing link represents a specific campaign, product, or initiative that partners can promote.

2. Distribution to Partners: Once created, marketing links are made available to partners through the Pipeline module's Referral Links section. Partners see a list of available campaigns and initiatives they can promote, each represented by a marketing link with descriptive information about the campaign purpose and target audience.

3. Partner Referral Link Generation: When a partner clicks "Get Referral Link" next to a marketing link in their Pipeline interface, the Magentrix system automatically generates a unique referral URL specifically for that partner. This URL includes the partner's unique identification parameters (Partner Contact ID) and session tracking identifiers that enable attribution.

4. Partner Distribution and Sharing: Partners copy their personalized referral URL and distribute it through their marketing channels including email campaigns, social media posts, blog articles, website links, or direct communications with prospects. Each time a prospect clicks the partner's referral link, attribution tracking begins.

5. Attribution Tracking and Lead Creation: When prospects click partner referral links and navigate to your landing pages, the PartnerTrack.js script captures attribution information using privacy-compliant device fingerprinting. When prospects submit forms requesting information, demos, or trials, the system automatically attributes the resulting lead to the correct referring partner and records comprehensive referral data in Referral Reports.

This integrated workflow ensures that marketing links created by administrators become powerful tools for partner engagement, lead generation, and accurate performance measurement without manual tracking or attribution disputes.

Marketing Link Capabilities

Merge Field Support: Marketing links support merge fields that dynamically reference information about the current user viewing the link. When a partner generates their referral URL from a marketing link containing merge fields, the system automatically populates those merge fields with the partner's specific information. This enables personalized tracking parameters, customized landing page experiences, and partner-specific campaign identifiers without creating separate marketing links for each partner.

UTM Parameter Integration: Marketing links can include UTM parameters (utm_campaign, utm_source, utm_medium, utm_term, utm_content) that are preserved through the referral link generation process and captured when leads are created. These parameters integrate with your CRM's campaign tracking, enabling multi-dimensional analysis of how partner referrals perform across different campaigns, content types, and promotional strategies.

Partner-Specific URL Generation: Each time a partner accesses a marketing link through the Pipeline module, the system generates a unique referral URL in the format /referral/refer/{unique-id} that automatically redirects to your specified destination URL while appending partner identification parameters (magpk for Partner Contact ID and magkey for session identifier). This automatic parameter appending enables the PartnerTrack.js script to track attribution without requiring partners to manually configure tracking codes.

Campaign Organization: Marketing links are stored in the Document Library's folder structure, enabling logical organization by campaign type, product line, audience segment, or time period. This folder-based organization supports efficient marketing link management, controlled partner access through folder sharing, and historical campaign documentation.

Search and Discovery: Marketing links support the same description and keyword functionality as other Document Library content, enabling administrators to search for and locate specific marketing links efficiently. Descriptive metadata helps communicate marketing link purpose to other administrators and supports ongoing campaign management.

Creating Marketing Links

Basic Marketing Link Creation

Marketing links are created directly within Document Library folders using the following process:

1. Navigate to Content → Document Library in your portal navigation
2. Open the folder where you want to store the marketing link, or create a new folder for campaign organization
3. Click New and select New Marketing Link from the dropdown menu
4. Complete the marketing link configuration fields:
   • Name: Enter a descriptive name that clearly communicates the campaign purpose (e.g., "Q1 Product Launch Campaign" or "Partner Summit 2025 Registration")
   • Path/URL: Enter the complete destination URL where partner referrals should be directed, including the protocol (https:// or http://). This is typically your landing page URL, form page URL, or campaign-specific destination page
   • Description: Provide detailed context about the marketing link purpose, target audience, campaign objectives, and any special instructions for partners using this link
   • Keywords: Add search terms that help administrators find this marketing link through Document Library search functionality
5. Click Save to create the marketing link

The marketing link is now stored in the selected Document Library folder and is ready to be made available to partners through the Pipeline module.

Example Basic Marketing Link:

• Name: Product Demo Request Campaign
• Path/URL: https://www.yourcompany.com/request-demo
• Description: Partners can share this link to direct prospects to our product demo request form. Leads will be automatically attributed to the referring partner.
• Keywords: demo, product, campaign, lead generation

Adding UTM Parameters

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are query string parameters added to URLs that enable detailed campaign tracking and attribution analysis. Marketing links support all standard UTM parameters, which are preserved through the referral link generation process and captured when leads are created in your CRM.

Standard UTM Parameters:

How to Add UTM Parameters:

UTM parameters are added directly to the destination URL in the Path/URL field using standard query string syntax:

• Start UTM parameters after a question mark (?) in the URL
• Separate multiple parameters with ampersands (&)
• Use lowercase for consistency and to avoid case-sensitivity issues
• Avoid spaces in parameter values (use underscores or hyphens instead)

Example Marketing Link with UTM Parameters:

Path/URL:
https://www.yourcompany.com/request-demo?utm_campaign=q1_product_launch&utm_source=partner_referral&utm_medium=email&utm_content=demo_request

When partners generate their referral URLs from this marketing link and prospects click those links, the UTM parameters are preserved and captured in the CRM lead record, enabling you to analyze:

• Which campaigns generate the most partner-driven leads
• Which marketing channels partners use most effectively
• How different content variations perform in partner promotions
• The overall effectiveness of partner referral programs compared to other lead sources

Using Merge Fields

Merge fields enable dynamic URL personalization by automatically inserting partner-specific information into referral URLs. When a partner generates their referral link from a marketing link containing merge fields, the system replaces those merge fields with actual values from the partner's user record, creating customized tracking parameters or landing page experiences unique to each partner.

Merge Field Syntax:

Merge fields use the syntax {!$User.FieldName} where FieldName represents a field on the User object. Merge fields can be placed anywhere in the Path/URL, including within UTM parameters or as separate query string parameters.

Example Marketing Link with Merge Fields:

Path/URL:
https://www.yourcompany.com/request-demo?utm_campaign=partner_program&partner_email={!$User.Email}&partner_id={!$User.Id}&company={!$User.Account.Name}

When Partner John Doe (email: john.doe@partnercompany.com, account: "Acme Resellers") generates a referral link, the system produces:

https://www.yourcompany.com/request-demo?utm_campaign=partner_program&partner_email=john.doe@partnercompany.com&partner_id=abc123&company=Acme%20Resellers

Available Merge Fields:

Common Merge Field Use Cases:

1. Partner Email Tracking:
https://landing.example.com/offer?ref_email={!$User.Email}
Captures partner email in your custom analytics for detailed performance tracking beyond standard attribution.

2. Partner and Account Identification:
https://portal.example.com/campaign?partner={!$User.Id}&account={!$User.AccountId}
Passes partner and account identifiers for custom CRM workflows or personalized landing page experiences.

3. Co-branded Landing Pages:
https://landing.example.com/offer?partner_name={!$User.FirstName}&company={!$User.Account.Name}
Enables dynamic co-branded landing pages that display partner and company information for enhanced trust and relevance.

4. Multi-dimensional Campaign Tracking:
https://campaign.example.com/register?utm_campaign=webinar&utm_source=partner&partner_id={!$User.Id}&partner_company={!$User.Account.Name}
Combines standard UTM parameters with partner-specific merge fields for comprehensive campaign attribution.

Distributing Marketing Links to Partners

Making Links Available in Pipeline

Once marketing links are created in the Document Library, they must be added to the Pipeline module's Referral Links section to make them accessible to partners. This distribution process controls which partners can access specific marketing links and ensures that only appropriate campaigns are visible to each partner community.

Adding Marketing Links to Pipeline:

1. Navigate to Partner Management → Dashboard or access the partner-facing portal view to understand the partner experience
2. Ensure the Pipeline module is enabled and accessible to partner users through appropriate security role permissions
3. Access the Referral Links configuration within the Pipeline interface (specific navigation may vary based on your portal configuration)
4. Add the desired marketing links from the Document Library to the Referral Links section, making them visible to partners
5. Configure any access controls or sharing restrictions to limit which partners can see specific marketing links based on partner tier, territory, product focus, or other segmentation criteria

Access Control Considerations:

Marketing links can be made available to different partner audiences using Document Library folder sharing in combination with Pipeline access controls:

• All Partners: Store marketing links in folders shared with all partner security roles to make campaigns universally accessible
• Segmented Distribution: Store marketing links in different folders with targeted sharing to specific partner groups, enabling territory-specific campaigns, product-specific initiatives, or tier-based access
• Time-Limited Campaigns: Add marketing links to Pipeline at campaign start and remove them at campaign end while preserving the marketing link in the Document Library for historical reference

Partner Referral Link Generation

From the partner perspective, accessing and using marketing links through the Pipeline module is straightforward:

Partner Workflow:

1. Partner logs into the portal and navigates to Pipeline → Referral Links
2. Partner sees a list of available marketing links with campaign names, descriptions, and any instructions provided by administrators
3. Partner clicks "Get Referral Link" next to the desired marketing link
4. The system generates a unique referral URL in the format /referral/refer/{unique-id} specific to that partner
5. Partner copies the referral URL using the copy button or by selecting and copying the displayed link
6. Partner distributes the referral URL through their marketing channels including:
   • Email campaigns to their customer base
   • Social media posts and updates
   • Website links and blog articles
   • Direct communications with prospects
   • Paid advertising or sponsored content

Example Referral Link Flow:

1. Marketing Link (created by administrator):
https://www.yourcompany.com/demo?utm_campaign=q1_launch&utm_source=partner

2. Partner Clicks "Get Referral Link" and Receives:
https://yourportal.magentrix.com/referral/refer/abc123def456

3. Prospect Clicks Partner's Referral Link and is Redirected to:
https://www.yourcompany.com/demo?utm_campaign=q1_launch&utm_source=partner&magpk=contact-id-789&magkey=session-xyz123

4. PartnerTrack.js Captures Attribution:
The tracking script reads the magpk and magkey parameters, creates a privacy-compliant device fingerprint, and stores the partner attribution context that persists across pages until the prospect submits a form.

Best Practices

URL Structure

Use Complete, Valid URLs: Always include the protocol (https:// or http://) in marketing link URLs. The system requires properly formatted URLs to function correctly.

Good:https://www.yourcompany.com/landing-page
Bad:www.yourcompany.com/landing-page (missing protocol)
Bad:yourcompany.com/landing-page (missing protocol)

Test Destination URLs Before Distribution: Verify that destination URLs are accessible, load correctly, and display the expected landing page content before making marketing links available to partners. Broken or incorrect URLs result in poor partner experience and lost referral opportunities.

Ensure Landing Pages Include PartnerTrack.js: The destination URL specified in your marketing link must point to a page where the PartnerTrack.js script is deployed. Without the tracking script, attribution will not function even if referral links are properly generated and clicked.

Use Stable, Permanent URLs: Avoid using temporary URLs, campaign-specific subdomains that may be decommissioned, or pages that redirect multiple times. Stable URLs ensure long-term marketing link functionality and prevent partner frustration from broken links.

Verify Domain Whitelisting: Ensure that the domain of your destination URL is included in Setup → Security → Whitelisted URLs. The PartnerTrack.js script will only operate on whitelisted domains, so forgetting this step prevents attribution tracking entirely.

UTM Parameter Management

Establish Naming Conventions: Develop and document consistent naming conventions for UTM parameters across all marketing links. Use lowercase, underscores or hyphens instead of spaces, and descriptive values that clearly communicate campaign purpose.

Good Naming Examples:

• utm_campaign=q1_2025_product_launch
• utm_source=partner_referral
• utm_medium=email
• utm_content=demo_cta

Poor Naming Examples:

• utm_campaign=Campaign1 (not descriptive)
• utm_source=Partners (inconsistent capitalization)
• utm_medium=Email Marketing Campaign (spaces, inconsistent format)

Align utm_campaign with CRM Campaigns: If you want leads to automatically associate with CRM campaigns, ensure that your utm_campaign parameter values exactly match CRM campaign names or IDs. This matching is case-sensitive and requires exact string matching for automatic association.

Document UTM Strategy: Create internal documentation explaining your UTM parameter naming conventions, approved values for each parameter, and the business logic behind campaign structure. Share this documentation with all team members who create marketing links to maintain consistency.

Avoid Overly Complex Parameters: While UTM parameters are flexible, avoid creating excessively complex or lengthy parameter values that make URLs difficult to read or manage. Balance specificity with practicality.

Merge Field Usage

Understand When Merge Fields Are Needed: With the modern Referral Links and Attribution system, merge fields are typically unnecessary for tracking purposes since magpk and magkey parameters provide comprehensive attribution automatically. Use merge fields primarily when:

• You need partner information displayed on landing pages for personalization or co-branding
• Your custom tracking or analytics systems require partner identification beyond standard Magentrix attribution
• You are integrating with third-party systems that benefit from partner-specific URL parameters

Verify User Profile Data Completeness: Merge fields only populate if the referenced user fields contain data. Before using merge fields extensively, verify that partner user profiles have complete information in the fields you plan to reference. Empty fields result in empty parameter values.

Test with Actual Partner Accounts: Always test marketing links containing merge fields by logging in as a partner user (or using test partner accounts) and generating referral links to verify that:

• Merge fields resolve correctly with expected values
• URL encoding handles special characters appropriately
• Landing pages function correctly with personalized parameters
• Tracking systems capture and use the merge field data as intended

Consider Privacy Implications: Merge fields expose partner information in URL parameters visible in browser address bars, link previews, and shared URLs. Avoid using merge fields for sensitive information unless your landing pages are secure and you have verified privacy compliance with relevant regulations.

Use Descriptive Parameter Names: When adding merge fields as query string parameters, use clear, descriptive parameter names that communicate the data purpose:

Good:?partner_email={!$User.Email}&partner_company={!$User.Account.Name}
Less Clear:?pe={!$User.Email}&pc={!$User.Account.Name}

Partner Communication and Enablement

Provide Clear Access Instructions: Create simple, step-by-step documentation explaining how partners access marketing links through Pipeline → Referral Links, generate their unique referral URLs, and copy links for distribution. Include screenshots or videos demonstrating the process to minimize confusion.

Explain Attribution and Recognition: Communicate transparently about how referral tracking works, which attribution model your organization uses (First-Click or Last-Click), and how partner performance connects to recognition, rewards, commissions, or other incentive programs. Clear expectations build trust and encourage partner engagement.

Set Realistic Performance Expectations: Help partners understand realistic conversion rates, lead qualification criteria, and the typical sales cycle for partner-driven leads. Clarify how your organization follows up on partner referrals and what partners can expect in terms of feedback and outcome reporting.

Offer Ongoing Support: Make yourself or your partner team available to answer partner questions about marketing links, referral tracking, and campaign participation. Prompt, helpful responses to partner inquiries build confidence in the program and encourage continued participation.

Celebrate Partner Success: Recognize partners who generate successful referrals through program communications, performance reports, or recognition programs. Highlighting partner success stories encourages broader program participation and demonstrates the value of engaging with marketing links.

Common Use Cases

Campaign-Specific Referral Links

Create dedicated marketing links for specific marketing campaigns, each with unique UTM parameters and destination pages tailored to campaign objectives.

Example: Q1 Product Launch Campaign

• Marketing Link Name: "Q1 2025 Product Launch - Request Demo"
• Destination URL:https://www.yourcompany.com/product-launch-demo?utm_campaign=q1_product_launch&utm_source=partner_referral&utm_medium=campaign
• Description: "Partners can share this link to direct prospects to our Q1 product launch demo request page. This campaign runs January-March 2025 and highlights our newest platform features."
• Partner Benefit: Partners promote a time-limited campaign with fresh messaging and receive attribution for all resulting leads

Product Launch Promotions

Support product launches with marketing links that direct prospects to product-specific landing pages with launch messaging, promotional pricing, or early access offers.

Example: New Feature Announcement

• Marketing Link Name: "AI Feature Launch - Early Access Signup"
• Destination URL:https://www.yourcompany.com/ai-feature-early-access?utm_campaign=ai_launch&utm_source=partner&utm_medium=referral
• Description: "Direct your customers to sign up for early access to our new AI-powered features. Early adopters receive exclusive training and priority support."
• Partner Benefit: Partners can offer their customers exclusive early access, positioning themselves as trusted advisors with inside access to new capabilities

Event-Based Marketing

Create marketing links for webinars, conferences, user events, or training sessions where partner-driven registrations should be tracked and attributed.

Example: Partner Summit Registration

• Marketing Link Name: "Annual Partner Summit 2025 - Registration"
• Destination URL:https://events.yourcompany.com/summit-registration?utm_campaign=partner_summit_2025&utm_source=partner_invite&utm_medium=referral
• Description: "Share this link with partners in your network who would benefit from attending our annual partner summit. Track which partners help drive event attendance."
• Partner Benefit: Partners can invite peers and customers to valuable events while receiving recognition for driving event attendance

Territory or Segment-Specific Links

Create marketing links targeting specific geographic territories, industry verticals, or customer segments, enabling segmented tracking and personalized landing page experiences.

Example: Healthcare Vertical Campaign

• Marketing Link Name: "Healthcare Industry Solution - Demo Request"
• Destination URL:https://www.yourcompany.com/healthcare-demo?utm_campaign=healthcare_vertical&utm_source=partner&utm_term=healthcare
• Description: "Direct healthcare prospects to our industry-specific demo page featuring healthcare use cases, compliance information, and relevant customer stories."
• Partner Benefit: Partners specializing in healthcare can promote industry-specific content that resonates with their audience while benefiting from attribution for vertical-focused leads

Tiered Partner Programs

Create different marketing links for different partner tiers with varied messaging, offers, or landing page experiences reflecting the partner relationship level.

Example: Enterprise Partner Exclusive Offer

• Marketing Link Name: "Enterprise Partner Exclusive - Premium Trial"
• Destination URL:https://www.yourcompany.com/premium-trial?utm_campaign=enterprise_partner&utm_source=partner_exclusive&partner_tier=enterprise
• Description: "Enterprise partners can offer their customers 60-day premium trials (vs. standard 30-day trials). This exclusive offer is available only to top-tier partners."
• Partner Benefit: Premium partners receive access to enhanced offers that differentiate them in the market and provide additional value to their customers

Integration with Document Library Features

Folder Sharing and Permissions

Marketing links respect Document Library folder sharing permissions, enabling controlled access to campaign materials:

• Private Storage: By default, folders are private to the owner. Marketing links stored in private folders are only visible to the creator and administrators.
• Selective Sharing: Share folders containing marketing links with specific partner groups, security roles, or individual users to control which partners can access specific campaigns.
• Tiered Access: Create separate folders for different partner tiers (Enterprise, Standard, Associate) with appropriate sharing settings to provide tier-specific marketing links and exclusive campaign access.
• Full Control Permissions: Partners with Full Control permission on folders can view and potentially edit marketing links. Consider using Can View permission for partner-facing folders to prevent unintended modifications.

Search and Keywords

Marketing links are fully searchable through the Document Library search functionality:

• Name Search: Marketing link names are indexed and searchable, enabling administrators to locate campaigns by name.
• Keyword Search: Keywords added during marketing link creation enable discovery through campaign-specific, product-specific, or audience-specific search terms.
• Description Search: Marketing link descriptions are searchable, allowing administrators to find campaigns based on detailed context and objectives described in the Description field.
• Efficient Campaign Management: Comprehensive search capabilities support efficient management of large numbers of marketing links across multiple campaigns, time periods, and product lines.

Version Control

Marketing links do not support version control in the same way that file-based documents do. Since marketing links are URL references rather than files, they do not create version history when edited. Best practices for managing marketing link changes include:

• Create New Marketing Links: When campaign parameters change significantly, consider creating new marketing links with updated names and deprecating old links rather than editing existing links in place.
• Document Changes: Use the Description field to document when marketing links are updated and why, providing context for historical reference.
• Preserve Historical Links: When campaigns end, move marketing links to an "Archived Campaigns" folder rather than deleting them to preserve historical records of campaign structure and performance.
• Communicate Updates: If you edit an active marketing link's URL or parameters, communicate the change to partners who may have already copied and distributed referral links from the previous version.

Social Collaboration

Marketing links do not support social collaboration features (comments, following, ratings) that are available for file-based documents. Marketing links are functional URL references intended for operational use rather than collaborative content development. Coordination and communication about marketing links should occur through:

• Partner Communications: Email, portal announcements, or partner program communications explaining new marketing links and campaign objectives.
• Campaign Documentation: Comprehensive descriptions in the marketing link Description field providing context and instructions for partners.
• Administrative Coordination: Direct communication among marketing, partner management, and administrative teams responsible for campaign planning and marketing link creation.

Related Topics

Referral Links and Attribution:

• About Referral Links and Attribution – Comprehensive overview of the attribution system, tracking mechanism, and integration features
• Referral Links and Attribution Checklist – Step-by-step configuration guide for enabling referral tracking and deploying PartnerTrack.js
• Understanding Attribution Models – Detailed explanation of First-Click vs. Last-Click attribution and selection guidance
• Referral Link Management Best Practices – Ongoing management strategies and optimization techniques
• Troubleshooting Referral Links and Attribution – Common issues and solutions for attribution tracking

Document Library:

• About the Document Library Module – Complete overview of Document Library capabilities and features
• Document Library Checklist – Essential Document Library configuration tasks
• Uploading Files in the Document Library – File upload procedures including bookmarks and other content types
• Creating Folders in the Document Library – Folder organization and management
• Sharing Folders in the Document Library – Folder permission and sharing configuration

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