Quick answer: A UTM link is a normal web address with labels added after a question mark, such as ?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale. Analytics tools read those labels to show which campaign brought each visit. Source is required here, and medium and campaign are strongly recommended.
When you share a link in a newsletter, an ad, a social post or a QR code, analytics tools cannot always tell where the visitors came from. UTM tags fix that. They are small labels added to the end of a web address, and Google Analytics reads them to show which campaign, source and medium each visit came from.
Enter your page address and fill in the labels. The finished link appears at once. It keeps any parameters already in your address, replaces older UTM tags, encodes spaces and special characters properly, and puts a #section anchor in the right place at the end.
The UTM parameters
- utm_source (required): where the traffic comes from, such as
google,newsletterorfacebook. - utm_medium: the type of channel, such as
cpc(paid clicks),email,socialorbanner. - utm_campaign: the name of the promotion, such as
spring_sale. - utm_id, utm_term and utm_content (optional): a campaign ID, the paid keyword, and a label to tell apart two links in the same campaign (for A/B tests).
Good habits
Names are case-sensitive in analytics, so Email and email count as different mediums. That is why the tool lowercases everything by default. Use the same names every time, use underscores instead of spaces, and keep a simple record of your naming. Never put UTM tags on links between pages of your own site, because it splits visits into new sessions and hides the real source.
A worked example
Example. For the page https://example.com/shoes shared in a spring email, with source newsletter, medium email and campaign spring_sale, the link becomes https://example.com/shoes?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale. In Google Analytics, visits from that link are grouped under the newsletter source and the spring_sale campaign.
UTM parameters at a glance
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Where the traffic comes from (required here) | newsletter, google, facebook |
| utm_medium | The type of channel | email, cpc, social |
| utm_campaign | The promotion or campaign name | spring_sale |
| utm_id | A campaign ID from your ad platform | abc123 |
| utm_term | The paid keyword | running_shoes |
| utm_content | Tells two links in the same campaign apart | logo_link, text_link |
Example result: https://example.com/shoes?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using different spellings for the same source, such as “Facebook”, “facebook” and “fb”. Analytics treats them as separate sources, so use lowercase and one naming rule.
- Putting UTM tags on links between pages of your own site. It starts a new session and overwrites the real source of the visit.
- Forgetting that the link shows the labels to visitors. Do not put private or personal information in a UTM tag.
Go deeper: read our guide UTM Parameters Explained: Track Every Campaign.
Go deeper: read our guide robots.txt and Meta Tags: A Practical SEO Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UTM link?
It is a normal web address with extra labels (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and others) added after a question mark. Analytics tools read those labels to attribute each visit to a campaign.
Which UTM fields are required?
Source is the one this tool requires. Google Analytics works best when you also set medium and campaign, so the tool reminds you if they are empty.
Should I use UTM tags on internal links?
No. Tagging links inside your own website starts a new session and overwrites the real source of the visit, which makes your reports wrong.
Does adding UTM tags change my page?
No. Visitors see the same page. The tags only travel in the address and are read by analytics. You can shorten the link with a link shortener afterwards.
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Sources and further reading
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