The five UTM parameters
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
utm_source | Where the visit comes from | newsletter, facebook, whatsapp |
utm_medium | Type of channel | email, cpc, social, qr |
utm_campaign | Campaign name | winter_sale_2026 |
utm_term | Paid keyword (optional) | running_shoes |
utm_content | Which link or creative (optional) | header_button |
Source, medium and campaign are the three you should always fill in.
Build a link step by step
- Open the UTM Link Builder and paste the page address people should land on. Existing parameters and
#anchorsare kept. - Fill in source, medium and campaign.
- Optionally add a term or content value, for example to tell apart two buttons in the same email.
- Keep Convert values to lower case ticked.
- Select Build link and copy it. Every link you build is added to a table you can download as CSV.
A finished link looks like this:
https://example.com/sale/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=winter_sale_2026A naming convention that keeps reports clean
Analytics tools treat Facebook, facebook and fb as three different sources, which splits your numbers. Agree a short list and stick to it:
- Always lower case, with underscores instead of spaces.
- Use standard mediums that analytics tools recognise for channel grouping, such as
email,cpc,social,paid_social,referralanddisplay. - Put the date or season in the campaign name, such as
eid_offer_2026, so campaigns do not merge year to year. - Keep the downloaded CSV as your campaign log.
Examples for common channels
- Email newsletter: source
newsletter, mediumemail. - WhatsApp broadcast: source
whatsapp, mediumsocial(ormessagingif you prefer a separate channel). - Organic Facebook post: source
facebook, mediumsocial. - Paid Facebook or Instagram ad: source
facebookorinstagram, mediumpaid_social. - Printed flyer QR code: source
flyer, mediumqr— then turn the link into a code with the QR Code Generator.
Mistakes to avoid
- Never tag internal links (links from one page of your site to another). It starts a new session and overwrites the real source.
- Test the final link. Some redirects and link shorteners strip parameters. Click the link once and check that the tags are still in the address bar.
- Remember links are public. Do not put private information in UTM values.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I see UTM data in Google Analytics 4?
In GA4, open Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition and change the primary dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign.
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
Not when used on external links such as emails and ads. Avoid using them on internal links, and make sure your pages have canonical tags so tagged URLs are not indexed separately.
Is the list of links saved?
No. The table exists only while the page is open, so download the CSV before closing it.