Five variants of URL parameters used by marketers to track the performance of individual campaigns. UTM was created by Urchin, the predecessor to Google Analytics. You can create UTM parameters for free by visiting Google’s Campaign URL Builder.
https://www.example.com/landing-page?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_content=cta_button&utm_term=shoes
Base URL: https://www.example.com/landing-page
This is the standard URL of the page you want to track visits to. It’s the starting point for adding UTM parameters.
Question Mark (?
):
The ?
symbol separates the base URL from the UTM parameters. It signals the beginning of the query string.
utm_source=facebook:
This parameter identifies the source of the traffic. In this example, the source is Facebook. This helps you understand where your visitors are coming from.
utm_medium=cpc:
The utm_medium
parameter specifies the medium through which the visitor reached the page. In this example, cpc
stands for Cost-Per-Click, indicating it’s a paid ad.
utm_campaign=summer_sale:
The utm_campaign
parameter identifies the specific marketing campaign related to the traffic. In this example, the campaign is a “summer sale.”
utm_content=cta_button:
This parameter is optional and is used to differentiate between multiple links within the same campaign. Here, cta_button
indicates that the click came from a Call-To-Action button.
utm_term=shoes:
Also optional, utm_term
is used to identify the keywords for this specific ad. In this example, the term is “shoes.”
Ampersands (&
):
The &
symbols are used to separate different UTM parameters from each other.
The UTM tracking module is an essential tool for any marketer looking to gain a deeper understanding of their digital campaigns. By adding UTM parameters to URLs, businesses can collect valuable data that can be analyzed to optimize marketing strategies and improve ROI. However, correct implementation and mindful usage are crucial to reaping the benefits of this powerful tracking mechanism.