UTM tracking guide
Build campaign URLs that stay useful in GA4
A clean URL is only part of good campaign measurement. The names inside it also need to be clear, consistent, and understandable to everyone who uses your reports.
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are short pieces of campaign information added to the query string of a destination URL. When someone clicks a tagged link, analytics tools can use those values to identify where the visit came from and which campaign produced it.
The three core parameters are utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. Optional parameters add more detail when the campaign needs it.
- utm_source
- Identifies the specific platform, publisher, or referrer.
- Example: linkedin
- utm_medium
- Identifies the broader marketing channel or traffic type.
- Example: paid_social
- utm_campaign
- Groups links that belong to the same promotion or initiative.
- Example: summer_launch
- utm_id
- Adds a stable campaign identifier for reporting or data imports.
- Example: summer_2026
- utm_term
- Usually identifies a paid-search keyword or audience term.
- Example: analytics_tools
- utm_content
- Distinguishes links, ads, placements, or creative variations.
- Example: blue_cta
UTM source vs medium
Source answers “where did the click come from?” Medium answers “what type of marketing channel delivered it?” Keeping those jobs separate makes source/medium combinations easier to understand.
| Question | Source | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| What it describes | The specific platform or referrer | The channel or traffic type |
| Paid LinkedIn example | paid_social | |
| Email example | june_newsletter |
These are recommended conventions, not universal requirements. If your organization already has a documented taxonomy, use it consistently.
UTM naming best practices
A small naming system prevents one campaign from turning into several nearly identical rows.
- 01
Use a controlled vocabulary
Choose one source name and one medium name for each platform and channel. Document them so everyone reuses the same values.
- 02
Prefer lowercase values
Lowercase avoids capitalization variants such as LinkedIn, Linkedin, and linkedin.
- 03
Choose a separator
Use underscores or hyphens consistently in campaign-style names instead of mixing spaces and separators.
- 04
Make campaign names specific
Names such as summer_launch_2026 are easier to recognize than generic values such as campaign_1.
- 05
Use content for variations
Use utm_content to distinguish creative, placement, or call-to-action variants within the same campaign.
- 06
Keep personal data out
UTM values are visible in the URL. Do not put email addresses, names, or other sensitive information in them.
Should UTMs be lowercase?
Usually, yes. Lowercase is a naming convention rather than a URL requirement, but UTM values are case-sensitive. That means LinkedIn and linkedin can appear as different values and fragment reporting.
Pick lowercase as the default unless an existing, documented system requires something else. Consistency matters more than the exact separator you choose.
Where do UTMs appear in GA4?
In Google Analytics 4, manually tagged campaign values appear as traffic-source dimensions. Open Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition and use dimensions such as Session source / medium, Session source, Session medium, and Session campaign.
GA4 also provides manual campaign dimensions such as Session manual source, Session manual medium, Session manual campaign name, Manual ad content, and Manual term. Report availability can vary when a property’s report navigation has been customized.
UTM examples
These examples use readable, lowercase values and make the relationship between source, medium, and campaign explicit.
Paid social
example.com/product?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=summer_launch
Attributes a LinkedIn paid-social click to the summer launch campaign.
Email newsletter
example.com/product?utm_source=june_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer_launch&utm_content=hero_button
Identifies the newsletter and the specific call-to-action that was clicked.
Organic social
example.com/guide?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=analytics_education
Separates an unpaid Instagram post from paid-social campaign traffic.