Getting Started with Ads UTM Parameters and Analytics

UTM parameters are a crucial tool for tracking the performance of your online ads. They help you understand which ads are driving traffic to your website and which ones need improvement.

UTM parameters are made up of five key components: source, medium, campaign, term, and content. These components provide valuable information about your ad campaigns.

To get started with UTM parameters and analytics, you need to understand how to create and implement them correctly. This involves setting up a tracking system that captures data from your UTM parameters.

Here are some key things to keep in mind when getting started: you should set up UTM parameters for each ad campaign, and make sure to include the required parameters (source, medium, campaign, term, and content) in your ad URLs.

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UTM parameters are customizable snippets of text added to a URL that enables software to track and optimize campaign traffic. They’re also known as UTM tags or UTM tracking codes.

UTM parameters are added to the end of a URL, like the one above, which enables you to determine a lot about your visitors.

These parameters can help you figure out which campaign your visitors are responding to.

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To set up UTM parameters, you need to separate the parameters from the URL with a question mark. List the parameters and values as pairs separated by an equal sign, and separate each parameter-value pair with an ampersand.

For example, a URL with UTM parameters might look like this: https://www.example.com/?utm_source=email_campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer-sale. You can add parameters to a URL in any order, but be aware that parameter values are case sensitive.

Here are the required parameters for setting up URL parameters for a Universal Analytics site: utm_source and utm_medium. If you're setting up URL parameters for a Google Analytics 4 site, you need to add at least one utm parameter.

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To set up your custom campaigns manually, you need to separate the parameters from the URL with a question mark.

List the parameters and values as pairs separated by an equal sign, and separate each parameter-value pair with an ampersand. For example, https://www.example.com/?utm_source=email_campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer-sale.

You can add parameters to a URL in any order.

Parameter values are case sensitive, so utm_source=google is different from utm_source=Google.

If you're setting up URL parameters for a Universal Analytics site, you must add at least utm_source and utm_medium.

For a Google Analytics 4 site, you need to add at least one utm parameter, but you can add any utm parameter.

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So you're looking to set up UTM parameters for your media campaigns. First, you need to understand how the utm_medium parameter works. It identifies the channel that drove your traffic, like Google or Facebook. For example, if your utm_source is Google, your utm_medium would be "search".

You can use the utm_medium parameter to track traffic from different channels, like social media or email. For instance, Spirit Airlines uses "utm_medium" to identify traffic from email. To track traffic from social media, you can add utm_medium=social to all links you share on any social channel.

Here's a list of common utm_medium values:

You can also use utm_medium to differentiate between paid and organic traffic. For example, if you're running paid campaigns in Facebook Ads, you can add utm_medium=cpc or utm_medium=cpm to your Facebook Ads URL. This way, you can group all paid traffic into one report.

It's also worth noting that you can use utm_medium with offline marketing channels like TV, radio, and print ads. For offline channels, the utm_medium parameter should define the offline medium, like "tv", "radio", or "print".

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UTM Parameter Components are completely customizable, allowing marketers to track and optimize campaigns. They come in five main types, each able to track a different type of information.

Adding UTM parameters to URLs is a straightforward process. Simply create your own and add them to the end of the URLs you want to track.

These extra bits of textual information are used to track and optimize campaigns. They offer all kinds of insights into their performance.

There are five main types of UTM parameters, each able to track a different type of information.

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You can find data on your UTM parameters in Google Analytics by navigating to "Reporting", then "Acquisition", then "All Campaigns." Beneath the line graph of your traffic, you'll see categories of parameters, which you can click on and sort by source, medium, and others.

UTM parameters are added to the URL as query parameters and become visible in the URL of the browser's address bar when the session begins. This allows you to track the source and medium of your traffic without any additional configuration.

Google Analytics automatically attributes the session based on the information from the utm_source and utm_medium query parameters present in the URL. This is known as session-level dimensions, meaning they apply to all hits in that same session.

There are five different UTM parameters: source, medium, campaign, term, and content. The first three are the most used parameters, but you can choose to track all five for additional insights.

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Here's what you can track with each of the five UTM parameters:

UTM parameters can be long and complex, but they don't impact the actual page load or functionality of the website. You can delete the UTM code from the URL, and the page will load normally.

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To set up Facebook Ads effectively, you need to consider a few key things. First, make sure to match the recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns, either manually or with the help of ad attribution tools.

You should also avoid missing references to campaign, ad set, and ad level in your UTM parameters. This can cause difficulties when trying to match the data to your Facebook Ads. For example, if you only use {{campaign.name}} and {{ad.name}}, but not {{ad.set.name}}, you won't be able to track the performance of the child ad sets and ads.

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To avoid this issue, include references to all three levels of your ad: campaign, ad set, and ad level. Alternatively, you can include the ad ID in your UTM parameters, either manually or by using Facebook's {{ad.id}} URL macro. IDs are unique, making it easy to find the ad's parent ad set and parent campaign if needed.

For tracking traffic for different campaigns, use the utm_campaign parameter. This parameter can help you determine which marketing campaigns are driving your current results. For example, if you were running a new 20% off discount campaign, you could organize all your links like this:

This way, you can track the performance of each campaign separately.

Tracking performance and data with UTM parameters is a game-changer for advertisers. By adding UTM parameters to your URLs, you can track the source, medium, campaign, term, and content of your traffic in Google Analytics.

To view UTM code performance in Google Analytics, navigate to the "Acquisition" report, then select "Traffic acquisition". This report showcases user engagement metrics by source, medium, and campaign. You can also create a custom report under "Customization" > "Custom Reports" to add Medium, Campaign, or Source as a dimension and the metrics you want to view.

UTM parameters can be used to track specific links within a campaign, such as separate utm_content codes for individual banners in a banner ad campaign or a custom code to track the total clicks of an email signature link.

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To view the performance of your campaigns, you can use Google Analytics. Specifically, you can create a custom report under "Customization" > "Custom Reports" and add Medium, Campaign, or Source as a dimension, along with the metrics you want to view.

You can also go to Acquisition → Overview → All Traffic → Source/Medium to view traffic, or go to Acquisition → Campaigns → All Campaigns to view traffic based on your custom campaign names.

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In Google Analytics 4, you can navigate to the 'Acquisition' report, then select 'Traffic acquisition' to view user engagement metrics by source, medium, and campaign. This allows for a more granular view of user interactions, making it essential to adjust filter settings accordingly.

Here are the fundamental differences in how UTM parameters are used and analyzed in Universal Analytics and GA4:

By using the utm_content parameter, you can track the number of clicks on specific links in your campaigns, such as different links in a newsletter. For example, you can add utm_content=shoes and utm_content=jackets to separate links in a shopping newsletter.

To track traffic for different campaigns, you can use the utm_campaign parameter. For instance, if you were running a new 20% off discount campaign, you could organize all your links like this: utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=facebook and utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=googleplus.

Channel Grouping is a powerful feature that allows you to create your own categories and rules for traffic sources, beyond the default groups in Google Analytics.

Custom channel groups give you flexibility to categorize traffic using UTM parameters however you want.

You can make a "Social Campaigns" group and customize channels within it using UTM parameters like utm_source and utm_medium.

The UTM values will show up as part of the custom channel group and channels you created.

With custom channel groups, you can track the performance of your social campaigns more accurately.

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HubSpot Forms make it easy to create UTM codes by navigating to Analytics Tools, opening the Tracking URL Builder, and filling in each attribute.

To maintain consistency, it's crucial to keep UTM codes concise, descriptive, and uniformly capitalized.

You should also keep a running list of your UTM links for easy reference later on, as this will save you time and effort in the long run.

Consistency in UTM codes is key to tracking performance and data accurately.

Establishing a consistent naming convention is crucial for accurate tracking. You should agree on a set of rules with your team before starting a campaign, including the use of underscores or dashes in campaign names.

Consistency is key, so it's best to use all lowercase in your UTM tracking links. This will help prevent messy data from splitting the same campaigns into two due to different conventions.

To streamline your workflow, consider using ad attribution tools like AdWhatCost, which can help match UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns.

Develop consistent naming conventions for UTM parameters to avoid confusion and make analysis easier. This means establishing rules for common parameters, such as medium and traffic sources, to ensure everyone on your team is using the same terminology.

Use all lowercase letters when creating UTM tags to avoid issues with capitalization. For example, "utm_source=Facebook" and "utm_source=facebook" will register as two different sources in Google Analytics.

Be as descriptive as possible with UTM parameters without repeating yourself. This means using unique information in each parameter to avoid superfluous data. For instance, using "utm_source=Facebook" and "utm_medium=Facebook" doesn't provide any additional value.

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Only use UTM parameters with outbound content, such as social media posts, email campaigns, and paid advertising. Using them internally can lead to false reports in Google Analytics.

To track traffic for different campaigns, use the utm_campaign parameter to identify specific campaigns. For example, "utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=facebook" and "utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=googleplus" can help you track traffic from different sources.

Here are some common UTM parameters to keep in mind:

Remember to use utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign parameters in every campaign to ensure accurate tracking.

To store your UTM parameters, you'll want to head to the Tracking section in Facebook's Ads Manager.

The URL Parameters field is where you'll paste your UTM parameters, and this content will be copied along on duplication of an ad.

Keep in mind that editing the UTM parameters of existing ads can trigger an ad being resubmitted for review and potentially restart the learning phase.

Google Analytics 4 introduces automatic event tracking, simplifying the process compared to Universal Analytics. This change reduces the reliance on manual UTM tagging.

The new model in GA4 adds some new parameters, which can be compared to the UTM code used in Universal Analytics.

Automatic event tracking in GA4 eliminates the need for manual UTM tagging, making it easier to track data.

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Creating URLs is a crucial step in setting up your ads with UTM parameters. You can add UTM parameters to your destination URLs to track the performance of your campaigns.

To add UTM parameters, you need to pair each parameter with a value that you assign. For example, you might use the following parameter-value pairs for your Summer Sale campaign: utm_source = summer-mailer, utm_medium = email, and utm_campaign = summer-sale.

Each parameter must be paired with a value, and each parameter-value pair contains campaign-related information. For example, your custom campaign URL would be: https://www.example.com/?utm_source=summer-mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer-sale.

You can use a platform-specific URL-builder tool to create your URLs and append the parameters. For example, you can use the Campaign URL Builder for links to websites.

Here are the standard UTM parameters you can track:

You can also use a tool like Bit.ly or Rebrandly to shorten your URLs and make them more shareable. The shortened link will still keep the UTM parameters intact.

Traffic and campaign tracking is a crucial aspect of using UTM parameters. You can use UTM parameters to know exactly where your website traffic comes from, which can be achieved by using the campaign, source, and medium parameters. For instance, if you want to know which post on Quora generated traffic, you can add &utm_campaign=name-of-post to the end of your link.

UTM parameters can also help you group traffic by medium, making it easier to conduct macro-level traffic pattern analysis. By adding utm_medium=social to all links you share on any social channel, you can track your performance across all social networks. This is particularly useful for differentiating paid traffic, such as Facebook Ads, from organic social traffic.

Here are some common UTM parameters used for traffic and campaign tracking:

These UTM parameters can be added to the end of a URL to track the performance of specific campaigns and content. For example, if you're running a new 20% off discount campaign, you could organize all your links like this: utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=facebookutm_campaign=20off&utm_source=googleplus&utm_content=first-link

Traffic by Medium is an essential aspect of tracking your website traffic and understanding where it's coming from. By using the utm_medium parameter, you can identify the marketing medium that drove the traffic to your website.

The utm_medium parameter specifies the marketing medium, such as email, banner, CPC (Cost Per Click) or newsletter. This helps differentiate between different ways of how the source generated traffic for you.

To measure traffic over time, you can group all links into a few broad mediums – social, CPC, search, email, referral, etc. The utm_medium parameter is especially helpful for conducting a macro-level traffic pattern analysis.

Here's a breakdown of the default channel groups in Google Analytics:

By using the utm_medium parameter, you can ensure that your traffic is grouped correctly and make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.

Tracking traffic by campaign is a crucial aspect of understanding your website's performance. You can use the utm_campaign parameter to identify a specific campaign name, such as a spring sale, and distinguish between campaigns to compare their individual performance.

The utm_campaign parameter allows you to track traffic for different campaigns, making it easier to determine which marketing efforts are driving your current results. For example, if you ran a new 20% off discount campaign, you could organize all your links like this: utm_campaign=20off&utm_source=facebook.

You can also use the utm_campaign parameter to track marketing performance for different customer personas. For instance, you could organize all personas into different campaigns, like this: utm_campaign=persona1 and utm_campaign=persona2.

Here's an example of how to use the utm_campaign parameter effectively:

By using the utm_campaign parameter, you can track traffic for different campaigns and make data-driven decisions to improve your marketing strategy.