Defining target pages

When configuring campaign targeting, you must specify the page(s) for which the changes made via the variation editor will be seen by your visitors. In order to do this, you need to specify the URL of the page(s) to be modified.

Targeting definition is step 4 of the test campaign configuration process and step 2 of the personalization campaign configuration process (for more information, refer to the post on Defining campaign targeting).

It is possible to simply define one or more target pages.

In this case, you won’t define a specific segment and all your visitors without distinction will see the changes applied to the website.

You may also configure a segment, i.e. add targeting criteria in order for your changes to be seen by a specific section of your visitors  and one or several triggers.

Displaying the targeting configuration screen

Test campaigns

• From the dashboard, click , then 4 Targeting.

• From the variation editor, display the left-hand pane of the campaign and click 4 Targeting.
  

Personalization campaigns

• From the dashboard, click , then 2 Targeting.
  
• From the variation editor, display the left-hand pane of the campaign and click 2 Targeting.
  

Main settings of the target pages

Include/Exclude operators

When configuring the URL of a target page, you need to select one of two Boolean operators: Include or Exclude.

The Include operator enables you to trigger the campaign on the web page(s) for which the URL has been specified on the AB Tasty platform, thus excluding all pages that do not match the URLs defined here.

The Exclude operator enables you to not apply the planned changes to the campaign for which the URL has been specified on the AB Tasty platform.

For more information, refer to the Targeting examples.

URL options

The Corresponds exactly, URL ignoring parameters, Contains and Regular expression options enable you to specify the page URL(s).  

For more information, refer to the Targeting examples.

Targeting all pages

This option enables you to display changes on all the pages that match the domain name of the website and on which the AB Tasty tag has been implemented.

Other settings

Event-based targeting

This options enables you to display changes on the pages of a website once the user has performed a certain action. This option must be combined with the ABTastyStartTest JavaScript function and implemented in the Global Code of your account. For more information, refer to Condition a test on an event.

Code-based targeting

This option enables you to insert JavaScript code in order to trigger a test as a function of the presence of a specific JS instruction. 

ID/Class/Element-based targeting

This option enables you to display changes on the pages of the website containing an element linked to a specific ID or class. It is useful for targeting a set of pages that don't share a structure. For more information, refer to Target a test according to the presence of a specific CSS class or ID.

Apply when targeting conditions are met (Ajax)

This option enables you to display changes applied to elements loaded in AJAX on pages of the website. For more information, refer to When are the targeting criteria assessed?

Implementation

By default, a URL is already defined for your test or personalization and coincides with the URL configured during step 1 Main information according to the following model:

Operator	URL options	Full URL
Include	URL ignoring parameters	http://mydomain.com

You can change this default configuration depending on whether you want to apply your changes to one or more pages.

You can also edit or exclude an existing URL, or add an additional URL condition to it.

Changing the URL of an existing target page

To change an existing URL, apply the following steps:

1. Display the targeting configuration screen,
2. Select the Include or Exclude operator,
3. Select the Corresponds exactly, URL ignoring parameters, Contains or Regular expression option,
4. Change the existing URL,
5. Click Save step to save your settings.

Adding a URL condition

To add a URL condition to an existing URL, apply the following steps:

1. Depending on your version, click Add a target page or ,
2. Select the Include or Exclude operator,
3. Select the Corresponds exactly, URL ignoring parameters, Contains or Regular expression option,
4. Enter the full URL of the page,
5. Click Save step to save your settings.

If you configure several inclusions, the OR operator is used by default between each inclusion.

Example: adding a condition

To target two specific pages, add a condition and configure the target pages as follows:

Excluding the URL of a target page

To exclude the URL of a target page, apply the following steps:

1. Select the Exclude operator,
2. Select the Corresponds exactly, URL ignoring parameters, Contains or Regular expression option,
3. Enter the full URL of the page,
4. Click Save step to save your settings.

If you configure an inclusion followed by an exclusion, the AND operator is used by default between the exclusion and the inclusion which precedes it.

Example: excluding a condition

To target all the pages of your website except for product pages, add a condition, then exclude it as follows:

Deleting the URL of a target page

To delete the URL of a target page, apply the following steps:

1. Place your cursor on the page you want to delete, then click ,
2. Click Save step to save your settings.

You cannot delete all URLs. It is mandatory to have either at least one target page URL configured, or to select the All pages option and to add any necessary conditions using the ID/Class/Element or the Code options.

Targeting examples

During the targeting configuration step, you may choose from several options:

• Targeting a single page,
• Targeting a set of pages,
• Targeting all pages.

Targeting a single page

To target a specific page or the home page of your website, use one of the two configurations below:

Operator	Include
URL options	URL ignoring parameters
Full URL	http://mydomain.com
Result	The modified page will be seen by your visitors, including those being redirected from partner websites or having clicked on sponsored links. In this case, the URL displayed in their browser is followed by UTM or other tracking parameters. However, AB Tasty recognizes the URL regardless of the parameters linked to it and displays changes to the relevant visitors.
Example of a URL	You will target the http://mydomain.com page, as well as http://www.mydomain.com/?utm_medium=email and even http://www.mydomain.com/?utm_medium=cpc.

Or

Operator	Include
URL options	Corresponds exactly
Full URL	http://mydomain.com
Result	The modified page will be seen by your visitors if the URL displayed in their browser is identical to the URL configured on the AB Tasty platform. Those for which URL parameters exist will be excluded automatically.
Example of a URL	You will target the http://mydomain.com page only

Targeting a set of pages

To target a set of the same types of pages (all product pages or category pages of your website, for instance), you can choose from the two configurations below:

Operator	Include
URL options	Contains
Full URL	http://mydomain.com/category/
Result	The changes are applied to all pages for which the AB Tasty platform has identified a common section of URL. You must make sure non-desired pages aren't included by mistake because they contain the same section of URL: as a safety precaution, you may use a regular expression.
Example of a URL	You will target the http://mydomain.com/category/page1 page, but also http://mydomain.com/category/page1/article.html.

If some of your pages are secure and use the HTTPS protocol, you will need to configure targeting using the Contains option and www.mydomain.com/category as the full URL.

Or

Operator	Include
URL options	Regular expression
Full URL	http://www.example.com/products/(.*)--([0-9]{5}) (For example if your URLs match the following format: http://www.example.com/products/product-name--12345, where 12345 coincides with a 5-digit product ID)
Result	A regular expression enables you to use a strict writing rule to define the pages to be targeted. This guarantees that you will include only the pages that need to be, particularly if your pages share a structure and include a set of digits and letters. Refer to the http://rubular.com/ page to test your regular expressions, or contact your CSM if you need help writing them.
Example of a URL	You will target the http://www.example.com/products/shoes-children--96753.html or http://www.example.com/products/garden-furniture--13082 pages.

The AB Tasty platform operates with MySQL. MySQL uses Henry Spencer's implementation of regular expressions, which is aimed at conformance with the POSIX 1003.2 standard. MySQL uses the extended version to support pattern-matching operations performed with the REGEXP operator in SQL statements. Some regular expressions are not supported by MySQL. Therefore, you will not be able to use these expressions with AB Tasty. For more information, refer to Using regular expressions .

Targeting all pages

To target all the pages of your website, use one of the two configurations below:

Operator	Include
URL options	Contains
Full URL	http://mydomain.com
Result	The changes will be applied to all the pages of the website on which the tag is implemented.
Example of a URL	You will target the http://mydomain.com page, as well as http://www.mydomain.com/category/page1/article.html and even http://www.mydomain.com/cart.

Or

Select the Target all pages option.

When you select this option, all previous configurations are deleted in favor of this targeting.

Related articles

Defining campaign targeting

Defining your audience

Managing targeting criteria

Using regular expressions