What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are short tags added to the end of a URL, like ?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=diwali_sale. When someone clicks the link, Google Analytics reads the tags and records exactly where the visit came from. Without them, clicks from Instagram bios, WhatsApp messages, emails and QR codes often show up as “direct” or “(not set)”, and you can’t tell which campaigns are paying off.
| Parameter | Answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
utm_source required | Who sent the traffic? | google, facebook, newsletter |
utm_medium required | What kind of channel? | cpc, paid_social, email |
utm_campaign required | Which campaign or promotion? | diwali_sale_2026 |
utm_content | Which ad, link or creative? | video_ad_1, header_button |
utm_term | Which paid keyword? | running_shoes |
utm_id | Campaign ID (for GA4 cost data import) | summer24_001 |
Avoid the “Unassigned” trap in GA4
GA4 groups traffic into default channels (Paid Social, Email, Organic Search and so on) using your source and medium. If you use a medium GA4 doesn’t recognise, like utm_medium=insta-post, the visits land in “Unassigned” and never appear in your channel reports. Stick to recognised mediums:
- Paid ads on social:
paid_social(orcpcwith a social source) - Organic social posts:
social - Google/Bing ads:
cpc - Newsletters:
email - Banners:
display. Partners:referraloraffiliate
Our builder warns you whenever a medium won’t map to a default channel.
5 UTM rules that keep your reports clean
- Always lowercase. GA4 is case-sensitive, so “Facebook” and “facebook” become two separate sources. We lowercase automatically.
- No spaces. Use underscores or hyphens so links don’t break when shared.
- Never tag internal links. UTMs on links within your own site overwrite the original source and start a new session.
- Agree on a naming convention with your team and write it down, for example
season_product_year. - Google Ads doesn’t need UTMs if auto-tagging (gclid) is on. Only add them if you also use other analytics tools.
Tagging an Instagram bio or WhatsApp link? Long UTM links look messy. Build the link here, then point a short, branded redirect to it, or turn it into a QR code for print. The tracking still works.