What is a UTM link?
A UTM link is a normal URL with extra tracking parameters on the end, such as ?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer_sale. When someone clicks it, Google Analytics records where the visit came from. Without UTM tags, traffic from emails, WhatsApp messages and many apps often shows up as “direct”, which tells you nothing.
How to build a UTM link
- Paste the page address you want to send people to.
- Fill in source (where the link is placed), medium (the type of channel) and campaign (the promotion name).
- Optionally add term for paid keywords and content to tell two ads or buttons apart.
- Copy the finished campaign URL and use it in your ad, post or email.
UTM parameters explained
- utm_source – google, facebook, newsletter, whatsapp
- utm_medium – cpc, social, email, referral, display
- utm_campaign – spring_sale, black_friday_2026, product_launch
- utm_term – the paid search keyword (optional)
- utm_content – banner_a, footer_link, video_ad (optional)
UTM best practices
Be consistent: “Facebook”, “facebook” and “fb” appear as three different sources in your reports. Keep the lowercase option switched on, use underscores instead of spaces, and write your naming rules down for your team. Never add UTM tags to internal links on your own site, because they reset the visitor’s original source. Long UTM links can look messy on printed material. For posters, flyers and menus, turn them into a scannable code with our QR code generator.
Real examples of UTM links
- Facebook ad:
?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=spring_sale&utm_content=video_a - Newsletter:
?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=october_2026 - Instagram bio link:
?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bio_link - QR code on a flyer:
?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=qr&utm_campaign=local_launch
A simple UTM naming convention
- Always lowercase.
- Use underscores instead of spaces.
- Use a fixed list of mediums: cpc, paid_social, social, email, referral, display, qr, affiliate.
- Name campaigns by goal_month_year or product_offer.
- Keep a shared spreadsheet of every link you create.
Google Analytics 4 groups traffic into channels (such as “Paid Social” or “Email”) based on source and medium. Using standard medium names keeps your channel reports accurate.
Where to see results
In Google Analytics 4, open Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition and switch the primary dimension to Session campaign or Session source / medium. You can also build an exploration report comparing campaigns by conversions and revenue.
Mistakes that ruin tracking
- Adding UTM tags to internal links on your own website. This overwrites the visitor’s real source.
- Mixing capitalisation: “Facebook” and “facebook” appear as two sources.
- Forgetting that Google Ads already tracks clicks automatically through auto-tagging (gclid).
- Sharing tagged links publicly without shortening them. Long URLs look untrustworthy.
For printed materials, turn your tagged link into a scannable code with the QR code generator.
Frequently asked questions
Which UTM parameters are required?
utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign are the core three. utm_term and utm_content are optional.
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
No, as long as you only use them on external links such as ads and emails. Do not use them on internal links.
Where do I see UTM data in Google Analytics 4?
Go to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition and change the dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign.
Are UTM parameters case sensitive?
Yes. "Email" and "email" are counted separately, which is why lowercase values are recommended.