Lead Capture Override Query Parameters – Vepple

These query parameters enable an easy switch between volume and engagement and behaviour tracking modes by selectively overriding the default lead capture modes set in the CMS and gating modes without altering global settings.

Default Mode.

When no parameters are present in the URL, the site operates under the default lead capture settings configured in the CMS.

Override Query Parameters.

The following URL parameters can be used to override the default settings:

Behaviour Tracking & Volume and Engagement Modes

?cpt=1 - Activates behaviour tracking.
?cpt=2 - Activates volume and engagement tracking.

Gating Modes

?gat=1 - Sets the gating mode to flexible.
?gat=2 - Sets the gating mode to fully gated.
?gat=3&cnt=x - Sets the gating mode to activate after x interactions.

Homepage Display Control (Used with Flexible Gating Mode)

?gat=1&hom=0 - Do not show the gate on the homepage.
?gat=1&hom=1 - Show the gate on the homepage.

How can I use them?

You can use ?cpt=1 and ?cpt=2 individually.
For the rest of the parameters, they will always have to be used in combination with the lead capture modes.

Here are the example URLs with the specified parameters appended to https://demo.vepple.co.uk showing how the other parameters should be used in combination with `cpt=1` and `cpt=2`:

Behavior Tracking Mode (cpt=1)

Flexible gating: https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=1
Fully gated: https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=2
Interaction count gating (after `x` interactions, replace `x` with the desired number e.g., 5): https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=3&cnt=5
- Each new page or piece of content viewed counts as an interaction including the homepage so we recommend a count greater than 5 to give the user time to see some of the site before being served the login modal.
Do not show gate on the homepage (used with flexible gating): https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=1&hom=0
Show gate on the homepage (used with flexible gating):
https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=1&hom=1

Volume and Engagement Mode (cpt=2)

Flexible gating:https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=1
Fully gated: https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=2
Interaction count gating (after `5` interactions, replace `5` with the desired number): https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=3&cnt=5
- Each new page or piece of content viewed counts as an interaction including the homepage so we recommend a count greater than 5 to give the user time to see some of the site before being served the login modal.
Do not show gate on the homepage (used with flexible gating):
https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=1&hom=0
Show gate on the homepage (used with flexible gating):
https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=1&hom=1

These URLs demonstrate how to use query parameters to customise the behaviour tracking, engagement tracking, and gating modes on the site, ensuring that `cpt=1` or `cpt=2` is always included in combination with the other parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will the data that is captured with the different lead capture modes be displayed separately?

Yes, it will be. Volume and engagement data will be stored as leads and behaviour tracking mode data will be stored as users in your looker studio.

Messaging: How do you encourage the students to sign up?

Consider displaying a special message to encourage students to sign up or register after previewing your site. This might come in handy, especially in cases of deep linking your prospective students and most importantly in the case of the interaction counter.

Use the following prompt override in your CMS to achieve this:

Flexible lead capture based on context

Scenario	Objective	Approach	URL
Default experience	We want to capture leads straight away for users who find our site organically.	Enable fully gated lead capture optimised for volume and engagement	https://experience.university.ac.uk (No extra parameters are required as the defaults are set in the CMS)
TikTok Ad	We want to capture leads but soften it slightly by only locking the experience once users have had a chance to engage with 5 pages of content.	Enable the interaction counter-optimised for volume and engagement	https://experience.university.ac.uk?cpt=2&gat=3&cnt=5
CRM email	We want this user to have unrestricted access to everything with no barriers to entry as we already have their data and our CRM isn’t sophisticated enough to track their behaviour.	Disable all lead capture	https://experience.university.ac.uk?hide_leads=1
Join event link	We want to track attendance at a virtual event which we’re hosting through the platform.	Enable flexible gating with behaviour tracking so that users are forced to sign in to access gated content (which the events are)	https://experience.university.ac.uk/events/event/student-support-services?cpt=1&gat=1

Other use cases.

Running targeting marketing campaigns.

If you are running a marketing campaign targeting a specific segment of students for example postgraduate students. You would like them to explore your experience before they are served with a lead capture form. All while keeping your site gated for the rest of your prospects. You can keep your current lead capture settings and employ the above query parameters. You can use the volume and engagement plus interaction counter option.

As opposed to directing them to https://demo.vepple.co.uk/ you will direct them to https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=3&cnt=5 . This means that after they have interacted with five pieces of content on your platform, they will get the lead capture form. While all your other students will not be impacted.

Event Targeting for Specific Student Groups
If you are running events targeting a specific group of students, such as undergraduates, you might want to avoid putting them off with an immediate gate. However, you still want to capture postgraduate leads. You can direct undergraduate students to a URL with a query parameter appended, such as:

https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=1&gat=1&hom=0

Volume and Engagement Tracking with Flexible Gating

If you have volume and engagement tracking turned on but still want to capture event data, you can use a URL with an appended query parameter for flexible gating that does not show on the homepage. All events are gated by default, so students will be prompted to sign in once they visit the events page. For example:

https://demo.vepple.co.uk/?cpt=2&gat=1&hom=0

By using these parameters, you can tailor the user experience to match your specific lead capture and engagement strategies.

Importance of Clearing Cache and Cookies When Using Query Parameters

When using query parameters to override default settings, it's crucial to understand the role of cache and cookies. This especially applies to staff (university team) that is constantly accessing the site.

Ensuring Updated Settings Take Effect

Web browsers often store cache and cookies to speed up load times and remember user preferences. However, these stored elements can interfere with the correct application of new query parameters.

Cache: If a user has previously visited the site, their browser might load an older version of the page from the cache. This could prevent the new query parameters from being recognized and applied correctly.
Cookies: Cookies store session data and user preferences. If cookies contain previous settings, they might conflict with the new parameters, causing unexpected behaviour or preventing the new settings from taking effect.

We therefore advise you to clear your cache when testing the query parameters out. While it may not impact first-time visitors, if you are testing out or checking multiple query parameters, it might affect you.