UTM parameters
Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameters are five variants of URL parameters used by marketers to track the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns across traffic sources and publishing media. They were introduced by Google Analytics' predecessor Urchin and, consequently, are supported out-of-the-box by Google Analytics. The UTM parameters in a URL identify the campaign that refers traffic to a specific website,[1] and attribute the browser's website session and the sessions after that until the campaign attribution window expires to it. The parameters can be parsed by analytics tools and used to populate reports.[2]
This example URL has four of the five UTM parameters highlighted:
- https://www.example.com/page?utm_content=buffercf3b2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=snapchat.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Use
UTM parameters in a URL identify the marketing campaign that refers traffic to a specific website.[1] To define and append the relevant UTM parameters to the appropriate URLs, marketers routinely use simple, spreadsheet-based, or automated UTM builder tools,[3] including the Google Analytics URL Builder for websites.[4] When a hyperlink contains a URL with UTM parameters, the web analytics software of the destination website interprets the parameter information and attributes it to the browser's website session and the sessions after that until the campaign attribution window has expired (by default, six months in Google Analytics).[5]
Metrics
UTM parameters that are passed to URLs can be parsed by analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics, with the data used to populate standard and custom analytics reports.[2] Web analytics software may attribute parameters to the browser's current and subsequent sessions until the campaign window has expired.
UTM parameters
There are five different UTM parameters, which may be used in any order:[1]
| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Identifies which site sent the traffic, and is a required parameter. | utm_source=google |
| utm_medium | Identifies what type of link was used, such as cost per click or email. | utm_medium=cpc |
| utm_campaign | Identifies a specific product promotion or strategic campaign. | utm_campaign=spring_sale |
| utm_term | Identifies search terms. | utm_term=running+shoes |
| utm_content | Identifies what specifically was clicked to bring the user to the site, such as a banner ad or a text link. It is often used for A/B testing and content-targeted ads. | utm_content=logolink or utm_content=textlink |
Conclusion
The Campaign URL Builder is an invaluable tool for marketers seeking to optimize their marketing performance.
By leveraging custom URLs with tracked parameters, you can gain deep insights into the effectiveness of your ad campaigns, accurately attribute conversions, conduct A/B testing easily, and make data-driven decisions to enhance your overall marketing strategy.
References
- ^ a b c "Custom campaigns – Analytics helps". Google Inc. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Using UTM Parameters in Adobe Analytics". Adam Greco. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- ^ "UTM Builders Guide". M. Mitova. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ "Google Analytics URL Builder". Google Analytics. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ Use UTM parameters in Wordpress Rankmath. Retrieved 12 April 2022.