Glossary · MeasurementTOFU
UTM parameters
The short answer
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a URL that tell your analytics tool where a visit came from. When someone clicks a link tagged ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=diwali_2026, GA4 records that visit as coming from Instagram paid social, Diwali campaign.
The five parameters
- utm_source — the platform or site:
google,facebook,newsletter - utm_medium — the channel type:
cpc,paid_social,email,referral - utm_campaign — the campaign name:
diwali_2026,launch_serum - utm_content — the specific ad or link:
ugc_v2,banner_top - utm_term — the keyword, mainly for paid search
Naming rules that save your reports
- Always lowercase — "Facebook" and "facebook" become two rows
- Underscores instead of spaces
- A written convention everyone follows
- Consistent medium values that map to GA4's channel groupings
- Never tag internal links on your own site
Use our free UTM builder to generate consistent links.
UTM example
https://example.com/offer/?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=crm&utm_campaign=diwali-2026&utm_content=broadcast-1
| Parameter | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Where traffic came from | |
| utm_medium | crm | Channel type |
| utm_campaign | diwali-2026 | Campaign name |
| utm_content | broadcast-1 | Specific message or creative |
Build links with the UTM builder.
UTMs in practice
A link in a WhatsApp broadcast uses utm_source=whatsapp, utm_medium=broadcast and utm_campaign=diwali_sale, so the resulting visits appear correctly in analytics. Build links with our UTM builder.
Common UTM mistakes
- Inconsistent capitalisation
- UTMs on internal links
- No naming convention
Frequently asked questions
Do Google Ads links need UTMs?
Not if auto-tagging is on — Google Ads uses its own click identifier. Most other channels need UTMs.
Can UTMs break tracking?
If redirects strip them, or internal links overwrite them, yes. Test every campaign link.
Should UTMs be used on internal links?
No — they overwrite the original source in analytics.
What's the difference between utm_source and utm_medium?
Source is the specific origin (whatsapp, newsletter); medium is the channel type (crm, email, social).
Are UTM parameters case-sensitive?
Yes — keep a consistent lowercase convention.
Which UTM parameters are required?
Source, medium and campaign are the core three.
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