How do I create a Digital Marketing Link?

This article will explain how to create and use a unique digital marketing link for your special promotional appointments which can be tracked separately to your normal appointment types. Otherwise known as a 'Booking Campaign'. Please refer to the following video which explains how to set this up in your account.

Accessing Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing is located by either clicking the 'Digital Marketing' icon in the left hand navigational bar, or, if you have not used this feature before, click the 'Get Started' link within the Digital Marketing frame on your dashboard as shown.

Creating Your First Link (booking campaign)

On your Digital Marketing screen, click 'Start new booking campaign' top right of your screen

You will have a number of fields to complete, and it may seem complex, but don't worry, let's go through them!

Fields to Complete

Name (Required)

The name field is the name you give to your particular appointment type so you can recognise it.

(Note: This will also be the name of the appointment type that will show on Vetstoria to the client, and what will be booked into you PIMS.)

Appointment Reason (Required)

Here you can set any specific text you want to include on your PMS as the appointment reason.

Link Availability

Link availability allows you to specify if the link is only available for a limited period of time, or indefinitely. Use the switch to set which option you want.

• 'Default' will give you the option to set the start date of availability.
• Limited will give you the option to set a start date and an end date.

Both options are shown below

Slot Availability

Slot availability gives you the option to choose what days the appointment is available.

For instance, you only want clients to book your dental promotion on a Wednesday as this is your quieter day which you want to fill. This can be set to use either specific dates or a recurring range.

Use the switch to choose from Default, Selected Dates, or Range. The options available to you will change for each setting.

Default - will allow the appointment to be booked on any day.

Selected Date - will allow the appointment to only be booked on certain dates. Use the date picker to select which dates.

Range - will allow you to select a date period and the days in that period you wish to allow booking on. This is useful if you want a recurring availability for instance every Tuesday & Wednesday. Click the days to turn off availability on those days. (Highlighted Blue means Available)

Appointment Limit

The appointment limit allows you to specify the maximum total number of appointments that can be booked from this link. Leaving the setting as Zero means there is no limit.

Appointment Duration

Appointment Duration sets the length of the appointment that is booked into your PMS.

Enable Telemedicine

Enabling this setting means that clients will get a link to access their video consultation upon confirmation of the appointment. 

Request Payments

Enabling this setting means that clients will be able to make payments directly through Vetstoria upon completion of the appointment. 

You will also need to define the fee for this appointment type when you turn this setting on. 

Available via Website

This setting when set to No means that the appointment type can only be booked by a customer clicking on your specific link. With the setting set to Yes, then the customer will be able to select this appointment type when selecting appointment type on the widget.

Applicable Branches

Select which Branches you want the Appointment type to be available to. (valid for a multi-branch setup) Select ALL for all branches, or an individual one. The below example shows one branch 'Hogwarts' for which this appointment type is available for.

Included Species (Required)

Included species will allow you to select which species only can book this appointment type. In this example, the appointment type is restricted to only Dogs.

Included Calendars (Required)

This setting will set which booking calendars are available for the client to book on. In this example, the calendars for Dr Amanda Smith and Dr Graham Mulligan are only allowing tis appointment to be booked on.

Slot Exclusions

Slot exclusions work the same as your standard slot exclusions on any appointment type and will allow you to really specify what times on what days you will allow booking of this appointment type.

Click 'Add New Exclusion',

If using 'Selected Dates' on your slot availability, then you and set your weeks, days, and the times.

- You will need to select the day your week starts, and enable which weeks this is applicable to.

If using 'Range' on your slot availability, then your will set your days and times

Active

Toggle this switch to enable, or disable the link.

Test Mode

This setting will allow you to test the link. Enabling this will automatically make the link non-active to customers.

Promotional Code

The promotional code field can be used to track certain campaigns. When the campaign is booked, this will be included in the 'Appointment Note' within your PIMS.

Once you have all your settings in place, click 'Create Campaign' to save it.

Digital Marketing Links

Now let us zoom in at the different aspects of the Digital Marketing page, starting from the left, going right for your created link.

You have your name field, with the name of the Campaign (Appointment Type) you created.

You have your created link, this is the link you would use in your marketing to drive your customers to the correct booking process which adheres to your rules.

The Status of the Booking Link. (This can be filtered by using the 'Show All' switch at the top of the page to include (On), or exclude (Off) your Expired links.

The count of appointments booked for that particular campaign link.

Then you have your tools, from left to right, Edit, Clone (Copy), Delete, and then a shortcut to access the booking page as your customer would see. (Top Tip: hovering your mouse over the buttons will present a tooltip to remind you what each button does!)

Below is a screenshot with the Show All filter off, as you can see, all your previous links would show here.

Clicking on any of the links, will show you a preview of detail as shown.

You will find the Analytics of the performance of your Campaigns on your Dashboard Screen.

Examples of Use

Here are a couple of examples of usage of this feature that other Vetstoria Users have created. Clinics have also utilized these unique URLS for specific links on their website or in marketing.

• Free Dental Check Appointments
• Discounted Neutering (for a limited time, offer must be booked via this process)
• Repeat Prescription Collections
• Hospital Tours

If you have any questions or if you need further help, please login to Vetstoria to chat with our team or use the Contact Support form linked at the top of this page.