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UTM Builder

Build trackable campaign URLs by adding UTM parameters for source, medium, campaign, term, and content.

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UTM Parameter Reference

What each UTM parameter does and when to use it.

ParameterRequiredWhat it tracks
utm_sourceRequiredWhere your traffic comes from (e.g. google, newsletter)
utm_mediumRequiredThe marketing channel (e.g. cpc, email, social)
utm_campaignRequiredThe campaign name (e.g. summer_sale, brand_awareness)
utm_termOptionalPaid search keyword (e.g. running+shoes)
utm_contentOptionalDifferentiates ads or links in the same campaign

Common UTM Naming Conventions

Consistent naming across your team avoids messy analytics reports.

Google Ads

utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand

Email newsletter

utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_digest

Facebook paid social

utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=retargeting&utm_content=carousel_ad

LinkedIn organic

utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thought_leadership

Twitter / X organic

utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product_launch

Affiliate / partner

utm_source=partner_name&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=q2_promo

What Are UTM Parameters and Why Do They Matter?

UTM parameters are query string variables appended to any URL that allow analytics platforms to track the exact source, channel, and campaign behind every visit. When a user clicks a link containing UTM tags, the data is captured by Google Analytics (or any other analytics tool) and attributed to the correct traffic source. Without UTM parameters, analytics can only guess where traffic came from based on HTTP referrer headers, which are frequently stripped, blocked, or incorrect.

The five standard parameters — source, medium, campaign, term, and content — give you granular control over how sessions are grouped in your reports. Source and medium are the most critical: they determine which acquisition channel receives credit for conversions. Campaign groups sessions into named initiatives so you can measure performance across a product launch, seasonal promotion, or ongoing brand awareness effort.

Use lowercase consistently

Analytics treats 'Google', 'google', and 'GOOGLE' as three distinct sources. Agreeing on a lowercase convention across your team prevents fragmented data in your reports.

Replace spaces with underscores

Spaces in UTM values get URL-encoded to %20, which looks messy and can break some tools. Use underscores (summer_sale) or hyphens (summer-sale) for multi-word values.

Never tag internal links

Adding UTM parameters to links within your own website resets the session source and overwrites the original attribution. Only use UTMs on external links pointing to your site.

Keep a UTM tracking spreadsheet

Document every UTM combination your team uses. Consistent naming prevents duplicate entries like 'email' and 'Email' appearing as separate channels in your analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UTM tracking and campaign attribution.

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