I use Ian Fenn's MT-Twitter plug-in to tweet whenever I post an new entry and it works great. However in tweeting a post, I'd like the ability to include some additional query parameters on the base URL for the post. The main reason is so that I can check how well my Tweets perform at driving traffic to my site in whatever web analytics tool I use.
For example... Instead creating a tinyURL for the following post URL:
http://www.nickpotter.net/2008/09/pier-ing-into-the-future.php
I'd like to append some extra bits (these would be the same for all posts) like so:
http://www.nickpotter.net/2008/09/pier-ing-into-the-future.php?utmcampaign=blog&utmsource=twitter&utm_medium=micro-blog
This would allow me to track, using Google Analytics in this case, the twitter referrals as a campaign. Essentially all this would need is an option box to allow me to enter my custom query parameter extras in the plug-in setting screen so that they could be added before the URL is made into a TinyURL.
Does anyone know, is this something that is easy to do with the plug-in (i.e. a local tweak I can make) or does anyone have other suggestions on how this could be accomplished?
Reported on Movable Type 4.2
I can't see in the code anywhere that it automatically TinyURLs it... could it be the twitter API that does it for you? What's your twitter id, so i can see some examples of what it normally outputs.
looks line line 110 is the one that actually creates the status line so you could append your extras there.
I can't imagine it would be too much work to add QS parameters to the config, let me know if you'd like this and if you work out where it's getting tinyurl'd!
Just found this: "if you paste in a link that is less than 30 characters, we'll post it in its entirety. If it's longer than 30 characters, we'll convert it to a tiny URL."
So it's Twitter that is converting the URL for you. In a way that makes it easier, because you just have to send it the longer URL. Would you prefer to edit Perl yourself or would you like me to do it?
I may also knock up a modification of the plugin and send it to the author so that they can include it in their next release if they so wish.
I would post a guide here of how to edit the code yourself, but the forums are eating all the code and formatting at the moment. I have your email address now so if you want me to send you a modified version of the plugin I can.
Thanks for your help Richard!
I've managed to update it to allow the user to configure in the plug-in settings, what analytics tracking code they want to use and then amended the file to use whatever was saved in the settings, or a blank string if nothing was saved.
If anyone wants the amended version of this plug-in let me know. I'll also continue to try to get in touch with the original creator to see if they want to add it to the next version.
I was debating using it, but the I realised I had 10 followers, so didn't see the point :D
Put up a link if the author doesn't respond at all.
LOL - I've not got more followers than that but you have to start somewhere!
Nick, has Ian responded?
If not I would be happy to merge the code into the next version of my HashTag plugin. It should not be difficult as it is based of mt-twitter anyway.