A Guide to UTM Code Parameters, Creation, & Tracking

What Is a UTM Code?

An Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) codification is simply a snippet of matter added to nan extremity of a URL connected your website. To thief you way your integer trading campaigns and gauge their performance.

It tin look for illustration this:

When a UTM-coded nexus is clicked, it sends information to your site’s analytics package (like Google Analytics). So you tin spot really users who clicked nan nexus behaved. Like whether they completed a conversion.

Once you person this information, you tin analyse it to pass really you’ll optimize your trading strategies. 

Why Should You Use UTM Codes?

UTM codes thief you:

Track Referral Traffic

Using UTM codification makes it easier to way wherever your postulation comes from. So you cognize which campaigns are driving clicks.

And it’s peculiarly useful for search email campaigns. Because email is 1 of nan fewer traffic sources web analytics can’t accurately track. 

UTM codes besides thief you way referral postulation astatine a micro level. 

For example, opportunity you want to create a bid of Facebook posts. 

Without UTM codes, you’d apt spot a study for illustration this successful your analytics:

This study shows you nan full postulation from Facebook. But it doesn't show you which Facebook posts brought nan traffic. 

UTM codes tin springiness you that level of insight. So you tin spot things for illustration which nonstop posts/campaigns thrust traffic. 

Like this:

Understand User Behavior and Customer Journeys

Adding UTM codes to your URLs lets you efficaciously conception your assemblage to way really different groups of users interact pinch your site. And really those users yet move into customers (also known arsenic nan customer journey).

Say you announcement that postulation from email campaigns converts 25% higher than postulation from societal media campaigns.

Knowing this, you mightiness want to promote your societal media followers to motion up to your email list. Where you tin nurture them to go buyers.

To excavation moreover deeper into customer travel accusation you tin usage to amended performance, effort ImpactHero.

Start a free proceedings by entering your domain and clicking “Start your trial.” 

Add nan search codification to your website. (Our tracking codification installation guide tin thief if you get stuck.) 

Click “Complete run setup ” aft adding nan search code.

Allow ImpactHero a time to commencement collecting data. 

Once it’s ready, commencement evaluating really your contented is performing astatine different stages.

The “Explorer” study tells you which pages do nan champion occupation astatine attracting visitors (“Attraction” tab), nurturing them (“Impact” tab), and converting them to leads (“Conversion” tab).

Enhanced Attribution

UTM codes thief you necktie a dollar fig backmost to your marketing campaigns. Because you’ll cognize precisely which campaigns and posts are driving conversions.

Say you determine to tally respective integrated societal media campaigns advertizing products. 

With UTM codes, you tin spot really each run performed. Which tin thief you scheme early run messaging, forecast your imaginable return connected finance (ROI), and allocate your trading fund much appropriately.

Perform A/B Tests

A/B tests impact testing 2 versions of immoderate benignant of contented against 1 another. Which tin beryllium an effective measurement of learning astir your assemblage and knowing what motivates them to buy.

Some examples of A/B tests you tin execute pinch UTM codes include:

• Ad copy: Test different messaging successful your ads and spot which 1 drives nan astir conversions
• Calls to action (CTAs): Create CTAs that alteration successful directions to find which 1 results successful nan astir clicks
• Offer types: Test nan measurement you position your connection (i.e., a dollar discount versus a percent off) to spot which 1 group prefer
• Visual content: Add hyperlinks to merchandise images successful your emails and fig retired which 1 drives nan astir traffic

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM parameters are nan different matter snippets that dress up an full UTM code. To convey accusation astir wherever nan nexus is placed, which run it’s a portion of, etc. 

Each parameter identifies a different facet of nan run it’s associated with. And is separated by an ampersand (&).

You tin spot 3 chopped UTM parameters successful nan illustration below, opening pinch “utm_source”:

And location are 5 standardized UTM parameters that you tin typically usage for your web analytics:

UTM Source Parameter

The root parameter defines nan root sending nan traffic. Examples of values you mightiness usage are “google” (for ads), “facebook” (for societal media posts), aliases “monthly_newsletter” (for an email marketing campaign).

Below, this parameter is utilized to differentiate nan components of an email campaign. So, it uses “utm_source=weekly_sale” to way a play waste email. 

Like this:

And if you want to way postulation from your play newsletter, you could usage thing for illustration “utm_source=weekly_newsletter.”

UTM Medium Parameter

The mean parameter defines nan type of traffic. Like “organic” (unpaid search), “banner” ( a type of paid ad), aliases “email.”

For a play waste campaign, nan UTM parameter could look for illustration this:

The intent of nan mean parameter is to group 1 mean together. To show nan full medium’s capacity astatine a precocious level. And usage it arsenic a benchmark. 

For example, opportunity your email postulation usually converts astatine a complaint of 8%. But you announcement a circumstantial run converts astatine only 2%. (We’ll talk nan run parameter next.) 

Knowing your benchmarks helps you spot circumstantial campaigns that underperform (or execute great). So you tin excavation into them to amended early campaigns. 

UTM Campaign Parameter

The run parameter sets nan sanction of nan circumstantial trading campaign. Like “fall_sale” aliases “product_launch”.

A play income email mightiness usage nan day arsenic nan run identifier:

For example:

With this parameter you tin drill down into each campaign’s performance. 

For example, opportunity this is simply a play sale. 

Compare it to past campaigns to spot whether it performed amended aliases worse. Then, effort to understand why by looking astatine what could person impacted this campaign. Like different transcript aliases merchandise images.

UTM Content Parameter

The contented parameter is useful erstwhile you person respective links pointing to nan aforesaid landing page and you want to cognize which nexus group clicked to onshore there.

For example, opportunity you’re moving an influencer trading run pinch aggregate influencers. You tin usage each influencer’s sanction successful nan corresponding contented parameter to cognize who sends nan traffic.

Or usage contented parameters to tally A/B tests.

For an email campaign, you could spot which image results successful much revenue: merchandise shots aliases manner shots.

To do this, you would nonstop half of nan assemblage an email featuring merchandise images. But an email featuring manner images to nan different half. 

And usage “utm_content=product_shots” and “utm_content=lifestyle_shots” to differentiate betwixt nan 2 versions:

UTM Term Parameter

The word parameter sets nan circumstantial keyword aliases phrases that sent visitors—usually only for paid hunt ads. And you apt wouldn’t usage it for thing for illustration an email campaign. 

Take this illustration URL for a Google Ad. 

The UTM word parameter is “utm_term=website_ heatmap_ tool.” Because “website heatmap tool” was apt a keyword utilized for nan campaign. 

With word parameters, you tin comparison really different keywords execute for your hunt campaigns.

How to Create & Use UTM Codes for Google Analytics

Let’s spell complete nan main steps progressive successful creating and utilizing UTM codes successful GA4:

Generate UTM Codes

You tin manually create UTM-coded URLs aliases usage dedicated devices for illustration nan UTM characteristic successful Social Poster (part of Semrush Social).

Open Social Poster and link your societal media accounts. Then click “New post.”

Draft your station and click “UTM” to group nan UTM parameters for your post’s link. And click “Apply to post.”

Social Poster automatically adds nan UTM parameters to your post. So you tin way postulation from different campaigns, mediums, and sources.

This is what nan nexus from nan supra illustration looks like:

If you’re creating UTM codes to usage successful different locations, effort Google’s Campaign URL Builder.

Let’s look astatine really to usage it to make nan beneath URL:

First, spell to nan Campaign URL Builder tool.

Make judge nan toggle is group to “GA4.”

You’ll spot nan disposable fields to capable out. (Three are required, arsenic indicated by asterisks: “website URL,” “campaign source,” and “campaign medium.”)

In astir situations, you’ll want to usage nan run sanction parameter arsenic well.

Fill retired nan “website URL” field. This is nan page you want visitors to onshore connected erstwhile they click your UTM-coded link.

Next, capable retired nan run source.

This is simply a promotional email, truthful you’ll participate “promotional_email.”

Now, participate nan run medium.

And participate nan run name.

The URL builder instrumentality automatically generates nan UTM-coded nexus erstwhile you capable retired nan fields.

This is what your URL will look for illustration pinch nan selected UTM parameters. 

You tin transcript nan URL pinch nan icon to nan correct and usage it successful your promotional email.

Or usage nan built-in URL shortener instrumentality to cleanable up your URL. 

This is useful if you’re utilizing nan nexus successful a spot wherever it will beryllium visible.

Then, erstwhile your assemblage clicks either nan afloat nexus aliases nan shortened link, nan UTM parameters will beryllium passed to Google Analytics. So you tin analyse your link’s performance.

Test UTM Codes

After creating a UTM code, you’ll want to trial it to make judge it useful utilizing nan “Realtime” study successful GA4. 

Just cognize you request to clear your cookies first if you aren't visiting your tract for nan first time. 

This is because nan study is based connected user-scoped dimensions. Meaning you're still considered a azygous personification moreover if you time off and past travel back. 

Only aft you clear your cookies will you beryllium seen arsenic a caller user. And capable to trial your UTM code.

To do this, click nan three-dot icon successful nan apical correct area of your browser and click “Delete browsing data…” 

You’ll spot a paper wherever you tin take which browsing information to delete. Select “Cookies and different tract data” and click “Delete data.”

Now, paste nan UTM-coded URL into your browser and sojourn nan page.

Next, unfastened GA4 successful different browser model and click “Reports.”

Now, click “Real-time.”

Look for nan paper that shows “Users by First personification source.” And click nan drop-down arrow.

Change nan magnitude to “First personification campaign.”

If you’ve group up your run parameter correctly, you should spot your run sanction here. If you’re nan only personification testing, you should spot a worth of “1” successful nan “Users” column. 

For example, if you utilized “utm_campaign=thanksgiving_sale,” you should spot this:

If you don’t spot nan sanction of your run aft respective minutes, double-check nan building of your UTM-coded nexus successful your browser. And make judge that thing was accidentally changed aft copying it from nan instrumentality utilized to create it. 

View UTM Code Tracking Data

The “Traffic acquisition” study is nan champion spot to spot your UTM-tagged postulation successful GA4. Here’s really to do that.

After you’ve logged successful to GA4, click “Reports.”

In nan “Life cycle” menu, click “Acquisition” > “Traffic acquisition.”

You’ll spot a study that shows nan past 28 days’ worthy of information by default. But you tin customize nan day scope by clicking nan day section successful nan apical correct area and past choosing nan clip play you want to evaluate.

The “Traffic acquisition” study shows your site’s postulation grouped astatine nan transmission level. But you tin alteration that by clicking nan mini achromatic arrow arsenic shown below.

Then, prime “Session campaign” from nan database of disposable dimensions.

This will alteration nan superior magnitude to show each nan postulation you’ve tagged utilizing nan “utm_campaign” parameter:

Now, click nan bluish “+” motion to nan correct of “Session campaign” to adhd a secondary magnitude to your analysis.

You’ll beryllium capable to hunt for a secondary magnitude to adhd to your run data. Begin typing “session root / medium” successful nan hunt section and click connected it.

This will show nan specifications for some nan “utm_source” and “utm_medium” parameters.

Here’s what nan study looks for illustration now:

You tin only position 2 dimensions simultaneously successful GA4 modular reports. You’ll request to adhd filters to position much dimensions.

Here’s how:

Apply a select by clicking “Add filter” astatine nan apical near of nan report.

On nan correct broadside of your screen, you tin now create your select conditions.

Begin typing “session medium” successful nan “Dimension” field. Then click “Session medium” erstwhile you spot it.

To create a select to position your email traffic, prime “exactly matches” beneath “Match Type.” 

Then, click into nan section beneath “Value” and cheque nan container adjacent to “email”:

Finally, click nan “Apply” fastener astatine nan bottom.

You now person a filtered study of only your email traffic. 

UTM Code Best Practices

To successfully and accurately way your campaigns, you must support your information cleanable and orderly.

Stick to these guidelines, and your UTM information will beryllium easier to manage.

Keep Track of Your UTM codes

Keep way of nan UTM codes you usage successful a shared spreadsheet everyone connected your squad tin access. 

Google Sheets useful good for this. 

Whenever personification successful your statement creates a UTM code, they tin participate it successful nan spreadsheet to guarantee nan naming conventions are followed. And that codes aren’t duplicated.

Use Lowercase Letters

UTM codes are case-sensitive. Meaning that analytics devices will dainty “email” and “Email” arsenic 2 abstracted values. 

So, instrumentality pinch lowercase letters for your UTM codes to support your parameters consistent. 

Avoid UTM Codes for Internal Links

Internal links are links that constituent from 1 page connected your tract to different page connected your site. And utilizing UTM-coded links arsenic soul links tin skew your analytics. 

That’s because Google Analytics will restart a user’s convention (the activities and actions users do connected your site) erstwhile they click a UTM-coded link. 

If this happens, you won’t get nan afloat image of what personification did connected your tract during their session.

So, debar UTM-coded URLs for soul links. 

Use Short and Descriptive Identifiers

Concise and descriptive UTM codes make it easier to reappraisal and analyse your data.

You request capable accusation to place what nan UTM codification is telling you. But you don’t request due grammar aliases syntax. 

Harness UTM Codes to Drive Marketing Success

You’ll person much actionable information pinch nan further penetration coming from your UTM codes.

And that other penetration gives you a deeper knowing of your customers’ journeys. So you tin optimize and amended conversions.

Semrush Social lets you adhd UTM links to each station truthful you tin easy way each your societal media traffic. 

Ready to get deeper penetration into your campaigns?

Try Semrush Social today.

This station was updated successful 2024. Excerpts from nan original article by Zack Duncan whitethorn remain.