What is a UTM?
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are simple tags added to the end of your URLs. When someone clicks that link, Google Analytics reads the tags and organizes the traffic accordingly. Without UTMs, traffic from an email newsletter or a Facebook post might just show up as vague "Direct" or "Referral" traffic.
The 5 Standard UTM Parameters
- utm_source (Required): Where is the traffic from? (e.g., google, facebook, newsletter, linkedin)
- utm_medium (Required): How did they get here? (e.g., cpc, email, social, referral)
- utm_campaign (Required): Why are you doing this? (e.g., spring_sale, product_launch, retargeting)
- utm_term (Optional): Used mainly for paid search keywords. (e.g., it_support_services)
- utm_content (Optional): What exact element was clicked? (e.g., header_button, sidebar_banner, link_1)
Best Practices
- Always use lowercase: Google Analytics sees Email and email as two completely different mediums.
- Use underscores: Avoid spaces. Use underscores (_) or hyphens (-) to separate words.
- Keep a master spreadsheet: If multiple people are generating links, keep a strict naming convention documented in a shared spreadsheet.