Marketing glossary: What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a link, such as ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=black_friday, so analytics tools like Google Analytics know where a visit came from.
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a link, such as?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=black_friday, so analytics tools like Google Analytics know where a visit came from. There are five: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term and utm_content. The name comes from Urchin, the analytics company Google acquired in 2005.
Why does UTM parameters matter?
Without UTMs, a visit from an email, a bio link or a partner's post often shows up as "direct" traffic, and you can't tell which campaign worked. Consistent tagging turns your reports into decisions.
How to tag links with UTM parameters
- 1
Step 1
Decide your naming
Use lowercase and the same words every time, for example instagram, email, newsletter.
- 2
Step 2
Tag every link you control
Bio links, emails, ads, QR codes and partner posts all get UTMs.
- 3
Step 3
Read the report
In Google Analytics, compare sessions and conversions by source, medium and campaign.
What does a UTM-tagged link look like in practice?
https://example.com/menu?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=brunch_launch shows exactly how many visits the brunch launch reel brought.
UTM parameters: frequently asked questions
Still have questions? Talk to a human
Should I use UTM parameters on internal links?
No. UTM parameters on links within your own site start a new session and overwrite the original source of the visit, so a visitor from Google can be reported as coming from your banner. Use UTMs only on links from outside channels, such as ads, emails and social posts.
Is there a free UTM builder?
Yes. Marketing Studio's free UTM builder creates consistently tagged links from your URL, source, medium and campaign and lets you copy the result in one click. It runs in your browser, so no data is sent anywhere, and no account is needed.
