Question: PDF e-book link in Aweber newsletter

angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL

I am adding an ebook in my newsletter for my subscribers this month however I don't think I took the right steps to do it although it does work.

Here's the deal...I have the ebook in PDF format on my computer, I uploaded it to my my host, Host Gator, took the link it gave me there as a PDF and plugged it into my XSitePro software as a redirect however that changed it to a html page. When I plug that info in to Aweber in my template, it works but the link at the very top of the ebook is really long and is the original link with my main website (Americas Party Connection) which is the main account in Host Gator.

Ok, I'm already losing myself but I'm wondering if there is a better way so the link the subscriber sees is actually a PDF link and NOT html because it's an ebook. When I tested my newsletter, the link worked and the ebook opened but it just doesn't feel right. Gosh I wish I knew all this techie stuff Wink

Any tips? suggestions? Am I going crazy? Razz

Other than that, it's ready to be sent out so I would appreciate any input as soon as possible. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!
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Anita · Posted: September 7, 2007, 4:17 pm Post subject:

Okay, maybe it's too early here but you've totally lost me, lol!

pattygale · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 698 Location: Colorado Springs

Hi Angie,

The path to the ebook is something like this... http://www.yoursite.com/yourpdf.pdf

In Xsitepro, just place your cursor on the page in the Design tab, and type in something like, "Click Here To Download > > "

Then, drag your mouse over that text, and right click. Then select "insert link - other "

A box will appear on your screen asking you for the url you want to link to, then just type in the url of the pdf.

If you want to add this to Aweber, then just do the same thing in the html editor box in Aweber, except you can type
http://www.yoursite.com/yourpdf.pdf , this way people see that it's a pdf when then open their email.

Patty
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angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL

I think I did confuse you ladies.

The link that Host Gator gives me after uploading it goes something like this

www.americaspartyconnection.com/losingitandlovingit/ebook name.pdf

(that's not exactly how it goes but very close and what I'm trying to do is get it to look like the link you posted, Patty http://www.losingitandlovingit.com/ebookname.pdf but when I do the redirect it comes up .html not .pdf)

Once I click on the linkto the ebook in my newsletter, it takes me to the ebook but the string at the top, www.americaspartyconnection.com/losingitandlovingit/ebook name.pdf and I don't want that. LOL

I'm so confused ladies, I'm sorry I can't explain it well.

Kev says to keep it the way it is since it works but I really want to know what I'm doing wrong Wink

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pattygale · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 698 Location: Colorado Springs

Hi Angie,

Hmm.. Yes, I guess I am confused. Why are you trying to do a redirect?

Patty
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angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL

Patty,
I'm not sure Laughing

I guess because the string for the PDF that Host Gator gives me looks weird with my main account website name on it. How in the world do I get it to look normal like http://www.losingitandlovingit.com/ebookname.pdf?

Aweber doesn't recommend attaching anything to newsletters so I'm not sure what my next step is.

Thanks
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~Angie~
My Weight Loss Journal/Blog

My personal blog
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Anita · Posted: September 7, 2007, 10:03 pm Post subject:

First of ... no, I would certainly take Aweber's advice and don't attach anything to your newsletter.

Honey, I don't know that you are doing anything wrong. I'm not anywhere that I can test it, not sure if I've had to do it in the past to see if that's just the way it does happen when you do a redirect. Normally, I would say yeah, make sure it's a pretty link but to be honest with you, it ends up being a yucky link anyway because of Aweber's tracking system.

I can test it later at home for you but, I'll be honest with you, I'm going to guess that it has something to do with the way Host Gator does it and you're not doing anything wrong. Patty could clarify that for me some maybe.

I'm not sure why I'm following the fact that you don't want people to see the HTML vs seeing the PDF.

May I be upfront? I think you're a little more worried than you need to be??? Maybe?? LOL Wink

And you know what? Come to think about it ... after all that. If you turn the link into an HTML code (text), no one is going to see the actual link anyway. Aweber will change it. Know what I mean?

For example, put this into your Aweber page:

<a href="http://www.yoursite/your-ebook-link.php">Your text here</a>

Now, send yourself a test copy. I bet you don't see anything more than Aweber's tracking link anyway??

Take care,
Anita Razz

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angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL

I'm going to go ahead and send it out as it is but Anita will you take a peek at the link and watch how it all unfolds when you click on it? It will be in the "In the Kitchen" section of my newsletter. I just wish I could figure it all out because I have never seen a link that looks like this to download a PDF. No biggie though (if it in fact works for others LOL).

I'll check in later! Thanks for your help.
_________________
~Angie~
My Weight Loss Journal/Blog

My personal blog
Angie Rambles

Anita · Posted: September 7, 2007, 11:12 pm Post subject:

Yup! Sure will. I was already coming over to do just that anyway Wink

You didn't even have to put (PDF file) there. Believe it or not ... depending on who your readers are, that itself may confuse them.

And just like I thought, once you get past the Aweber tracking link, it goes straight to a PDF file. If it said .HTML in there ... it happened way to fast that I couldn't see it and I was specifically looking for it.

Honestly, maybe I'm missing something here but you really had nothing to worry about Wink

I think you put way more thought into it than you really needed Wink

I guess I'm just not understanding why you're so concerned with the extension??

Take care,
Anita Razz

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P.S. You have to check this out:
COMPLETE Business For Sale - All Ready to Go!

DDays · Posted: September 8, 2007, 1:57 am Post subject:

Hi Angie,

I got my newsletter this morning with the link. What a great idea. Thank you so much. It worked beautifully.
Very Happy

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angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL

Thank you so much for your feedback, Anita. I'm not sure why I was totally stressing over it but I would just really like to know how everyone can get their links to look normal LOL. I guess the part that bugs me the most is when you click on that link within my newsletter and it goes to the actual PDF at the top the file name is so long and has my Americas Party Connection link attached to it. I just wish that wasn't there Wink

Other than that, that's the only reason.

Thanks again!

Angie

angienewton · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 1638 Location: IL