UTM Tracking in Google Analytics Tutorial

Cracking the Code on UTM Parameters

Why UTM Tags Matter

UTM tags, those little snippets you tack onto the end of a URL, are like your marketing campaign’s GPS. They tell you exactly where your website traffic is coming from. Whether it’s a Facebook post or a search engine result, these tags spill the beans on your traffic sources. They’re the unsung heroes that help you figure out if your promotions are hitting the mark or falling flat. With this data, you can tweak your strategies and make your campaigns shine.

UTM codes answer the big questions:

Who’s visiting your site?
Which channels are bringing in the most traffic?
Which campaigns are killing it?

Grasping the importance of UTM tags is a game-changer for using Google Analytics to measure performance. Curious about tracking UTM codes in Google Analytics? Check out how to create a UTM code in Google Analytics.

The Five UTM Parameters You Need to Know

There are five main types of UTM parameters that help you keep tabs on your traffic:

utm_source: Tells you where your traffic is coming from. Think “google,” “facebook,” or “newsletter.”
utm_medium: Shows how the link was shared. Common mediums are “email,” “social,” or “cpc” (cost per click).
utm_campaign: Names the campaign. Handy for tracking specific marketing efforts.
utm_content: Gives you the nitty-gritty details about the content. Perfect for A/B testing and targeted ads.
utm_term: Tracks keywords in paid search campaigns. Essential for PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns to see which keywords are driving traffic.

UTM Parameter	What It Does	Example
utm_source	Tells you where your traffic is coming from	google, facebook
utm_medium	Shows how the link was shared	email, social
utm_campaign	Names the campaign	summersale, productlaunch
utm_content	Gives content details for A/B testing	bannerad, textlink
utm_term	Tracks keywords in paid campaigns	blackfridaydeals, summer_shoes

These parameters are your go-to for detailed tracking and analysis of your marketing efforts. Google Analytics 4 can handle up to 8 UTM parameters, giving you a full picture of your traffic sources and campaign performance (MeasureSchool). Want to dive deeper into Google Analytics? Check out and what is a metric in Google Analytics.

For more tips on setting up and tracking UTM parameters in Google Analytics 4, head over to how to set up Google Analytics 4.

Mastering UTM Parameters

Best Practices for UTM Tags

Want to make sure your UTM codes in Google Analytics are spot-on? Follow these tips to keep your tracking sharp and your data clean.

Be Clear with Tags: Use straightforward names for your UTM parameters. This way, you can easily spot the source, medium, campaign, term, and content.
No Repeats: Don’t repeat info across parameters. If your source is “newsletter,” don’t use “newsletter” again in the medium.
No Spaces: Use hyphens or underscores instead of spaces to keep URLs functional.
Keep It Relevant: Only use parameters that matter for each URL. Too many parameters can clutter your data.
Skip Internal UTM Links: Don’t use UTM parameters on internal links. It can mess up your data by making internal traffic look like new sessions.
Go Lowercase: Stick to lowercase letters for UTM parameters to avoid data discrepancies.
Test Before You Send: Always test your UTM-tagged links to make sure they work and track properly.
Set Naming Rules: Create and stick to a naming convention for your UTM parameters. This keeps things consistent and makes data analysis easier.
Keep It Simple: Use simple, easy-to-understand names for campaigns and keywords. This makes tracking and reporting a breeze.
Add Creator Names: Include the names of content creators or marketers in UTM links. This helps attribute performance to specific people.
Shorten URLs: Long URLs with lots of UTM parameters can be a pain. Use a URL shortener to make links more manageable and user-friendly.

Tools for UTM Tag Generation

Need help generating and managing UTM parameters? These tools have got your back.

Google Campaign URL Builder: This free tool from Google makes it easy to create URLs with custom UTM parameters. It helps you analyze the performance of different campaigns and traffic sources.
UTM Builder Spreadsheet Templates: These templates help you organize and generate UTM-tagged URLs systematically. They’re great for managing multiple campaigns and keeping your UTM tagging consistent.
HubSpot’s Tracking URL Builder: HubSpot offers a tracking URL builder that helps you generate links with custom UTM parameters. This tool is handy for tracking the performance of marketing campaigns and traffic sources (HubSpot).
UTM Tracking Code Generators: Online UTM code generators provide an easy way to create UTM-tagged URLs. These tools often include features for managing and organizing UTM parameters across different campaigns.

By using these tools and following these tips, SEOs and digital marketers can track UTM codes in Google Analytics efficiently, ensuring accurate performance measurement of their marketing strategies. For more detailed guidance, check out our article on how to create a UTM code in Google Analytics.

Tracking UTM Codes in Google Analytics

UTM Parameters in Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) makes tracking UTM codes a breeze, giving marketers a clear view of their campaigns. The main UTM parameters you need to know are Source, Medium, and Campaign. You can also use Term and Content for more detailed insights.

GA4 has added some new parameters like Source Platform, Creative Format, and Marketing Tactic, which help you dig even deeper into your marketing efforts.

UTM Parameter	What It Does
Source	Shows where the traffic is coming from (e.g., Google, Facebook)
Medium	Tells you the type of marketing channel (e.g., CPC, email, social)
Campaign	Names the campaign to separate different efforts
Term	Used in paid search to identify keywords
Content	Differentiates ads or links pointing to the same URL
Source Platform	Identifies the platform (e.g., web, mobile app)
Creative Format	Specifies the format of the creative (e.g., banner, video)
Marketing Tactic	Indicates the marketing tactic used (e.g., retargeting, prospecting)

In GA4, the “page location” dimension shows the full URL, including UTM parameters. If you want a cleaner look, switch the primary dimension to “page path and screen class” (Root & Branch Group).

Using UTM Data in GA4 Reports

To make the most of UTM data, you need to know where to find and how to read these parameters in GA4. You can find UTM campaign parameters in several key reports, mainly within the Acquisition Reports, which include the User Acquisition Report, Traffic Acquisition Report, and Acquisition Overview Report (CampaignTrackly).

In the User Acquisition Report, you can see UTM parameters under “Session Campaign” or “First User Campaign.” This makes it easy to pick out campaign, medium, and source options. Similarly, in the Traffic Acquisition Report, UTM campaign parameters are visible with just a few clicks.

Report Type	Where to Find UTM Parameters
User Acquisition Report	Session Campaign, First User Campaign
Traffic Acquisition Report	Campaign, Medium, Source
Acquisition Overview Report	Comprehensive view of all acquisition parameters

To analyze campaign performance, GA4 lets you compare UTM campaign conversion strength against other channels. By going to the Engagement reports and navigating to Conversions: Event Name, you can replace the Default Channel Group with “Session Campaign.” This allows for a detailed look at specific conversions like “addtocart” or “generated_lead”.

For more details on setting up GA4, check out our guide on how to set up google analytics 4. Mastering UTM tracking and analysis in GA4 will boost your ability to measure and optimize your digital campaigns like a pro.

Cracking the UTM Code: Making Sense of Your Campaign Data

If you’re an SEO or digital marketer, knowing how to analyze UTM campaign data is a game-changer. Let’s break down how to find those UTM parameters in Google Analytics and make sense of the data.

Finding Your UTM Campaign Parameters

Tracking UTM codes in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is like finding treasure. You’ll need to dig into three main Acquisition reports: Overview, User Acquisition, and Traffic Acquisition.

Acquisition Overview Report: Head over to analytics.google.com » Reports » Acquisition » Overview. Here, you can see campaign data through session medium and campaign cards. You can switch between session data and engaged session data for a fuller picture.
User Acquisition Report: This report shows how new users find your site. Click the dropdown above the first report column and select First user campaign. This will display UTM parameters for first-time visitors.
Traffic Acquisition Report: This one dives into all traffic sources. Click the dropdown above the first report column and select Session campaign. This will show UTM parameters for all user sessions.

Making Sense of UTM Data in Google Analytics

Once you’ve got your UTM parameters, it’s time to decode the data and see what’s working. Here are the key metrics and dimensions to keep an eye on:

Sessions: Total number of sessions from the campaign. This shows how much traffic your UTM tag is driving.
Users: Unique visitors who came through the UTM campaign. This helps gauge your campaign’s reach.
Engaged Sessions: Sessions that lasted over 10 seconds, had at least one conversion event, or two or more page views. This metric shows user engagement.
Conversions: Number of times users completed a desired action (like a form submission or purchase). This is crucial for measuring campaign success.

Metric	Description
Sessions	Total sessions from the campaign.
Users	Unique visitors from the campaign.
Engaged Sessions	Sessions lasting over 10 seconds, with conversions or multiple page views.
Conversions	Completed desired actions by users.

For more on these metrics and dimensions, check out our articles on and metrics in Google Analytics.

By analyzing these data points, you can see which campaigns are killing it and which need a little TLC. For instance, if you have a ton of sessions but not many conversions, it might be time to tweak your landing page or call-to-action.

For more tips on interpreting UTM campaign data, see our guides on sessions in Google Analytics and events in Google Analytics.

By mastering the art of finding and interpreting UTM campaign data, SEOs and digital marketers can make smarter, data-driven decisions to boost their marketing game.