UTM Parameters
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags added to the end of a URL that allow analytics tools like Google Analytics to track exactly where your traffic is coming from. FWURL includes a built-in UTM builder to make this process easy and error-free.
Why Use UTM Parameters?
Without UTM parameters, all traffic from social media might just show up as "Direct" or "Social" in your analytics. With UTMs, you can see exactly which post, ad, or email generated the click.
Example:
- Without UTM:
https://your-site.com - With UTM:
https://your-site.com?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer-sale
The 5 Standard Parameters
FWURL supports all 5 standard UTM parameters:
1. Source (utm_source) - Required
Identifies the advertiser, site, publication, etc. that is sending traffic.
- Examples:
google,newsletter,twitter,facebook
2. Medium (utm_medium) - Required
The advertising or marketing medium.
- Examples:
cpc,banner,email,social,referral
3. Campaign (utm_campaign) - Required
The individual campaign name, slogan, promo code, etc.
- Examples:
summer_sale,product_launch,black_friday
4. Term (utm_term) - Optional
Identify paid search keywords. If you're manually tagging paid keyword campaigns, you should also use utm_term to specify the keyword.
- Examples:
running+shoes,marketing+software
5. Content (utm_content) - Optional
Used to differentiate similar content, or links within the same ad. For example, if you have two call-to-action links in the same email message, you can use utm_content and set different values for each so you can tell which version is more effective.
- Examples:
logolink,textlink,header_button,footer_link
Using the UTM Builder
When creating a link in Advanced Create:
- Scroll down to the UTM Parameters section.
- Fill in the fields for Source, Medium, and Campaign (required for effective tracking).
- Add Term and Content if needed.
- FWURL will automatically append these parameters to your Destination URL.
Note: You do not need to manually type
?utm_source=...in the Destination URL field. Use the builder fields instead.
Best Practices
1. Be Consistent
Stick to a naming convention. If you use facebook for one link and Facebook for another, they will show up as two different sources in Google Analytics.
2. Use Lowercase
Always use lowercase letters to avoid fragmentation (e.g., email vs Email).
3. Use Hyphens or Underscores
Avoid spaces in your parameters. Use hyphens (summer-sale) or underscores (summer_sale) instead.
4. Keep it Simple
Don't overcomplicate your tags. Use clear, simple terms that you and your team will understand later.
Example Scenarios
Email Newsletter
- Source:
newsletter - Medium:
email - Campaign:
weekly-digest-nov-24 - Content:
main-button
Facebook Ad
- Source:
facebook - Medium:
cpc - Campaign:
holiday-promo - Content:
carousel-ad-variant-a
Twitter Post
- Source:
twitter - Medium:
social - Campaign:
blog-promotion - Content:
thread-link