Facebook UTM Parameters Made Easy for Marketers

Facebook UTM parameters can be a game-changer for marketers. They allow you to track the performance of your paid social media ads and understand which campaigns are driving the most conversions.

UTM parameters are made up of five key components: source, medium, campaign, term, and content. By including these parameters in your ad URLs, you can get a clear picture of where your traffic is coming from and how it's performing.

For example, let's say you're running a Facebook ad campaign for a new product launch. You can include the campaign name, "Product Launch", in the campaign UTM parameter to track the performance of this specific campaign.

UTM parameters are a type of tracking code used in Facebook ads to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Each UTM parameter has a specific function, such as utm_source, which identifies the source of the traffic, like a website or email campaign.

utm_medium indicates the type of ad format, such as social media or email.

utm_campaign is a unique identifier for a specific campaign, like a holiday sale or product launch.

utm_content helps you track which specific ad creative is driving the most conversions, like a particular image or headline.

utm_term is used for tracking paid search ads, like Google Ads.

You can set up UTM parameters manually, but Facebook also offers a UTM parameter builder tool that's specifically designed for their platform. This tool will generate a unique UTM parameter code for you.

To analyze your Facebook Ads performance via UTM tracking, you need to match the recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns. This can be done manually or with the help of ad attribution tools.

A good UTM parameter set for Facebook Ads should include the platform the ad click originated from, as well as the ad's name and ID, along with the name of its parent ad set and campaign. Here's an example of a suitable UTM parameter set:

You can also consider using a more granular UTM parameter set that includes the placement that led to the ad click, rather than just the platform it originated from. This can be useful if you're using ad attribution tools to analyze your ads.

If you're primarily using ad attribution tools for analyzing your ads, you might want to consider using a UTM parameter set that includes IDs instead of names. This is because IDs are easily processible by computers and are not affected by name changes.

You can use four main types of UTM parameters to track your Facebook ad performance: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, and utm_content.

The utm_source parameter is used to track the source of the traffic, and can be set to a specific value like {{site_source_name}}. The utm_medium parameter tracks the medium of the traffic, such as {{placement}}.

Here are the four UTM parameter types with a brief description of each:

To see which variation of an ad is performing better, use the utm_content tag and add a secondary dimension for Ad Content in the Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns report in Analytics.

Facebook offers eight URL dynamic parameters to place on your ads, which can be used to track details related to where your conversions or clicks are coming from.

These parameters include adset_id, campaign_id, ad_id, ad_name, adset_name, campaign_name, placement, and site_source_name.

You can use adset_id to track the specific ad set that was clicked on, and campaign_id to track the campaign that was targeted.

The ad_id parameter is useful for tracking the specific ad that was clicked on, while ad_name and adset_name help you identify the ad and ad set by their names.

Campaign_name allows you to track the campaign that was targeted, and placement helps you understand where the ad appeared.

Here are the eight URL dynamic parameters offered by Facebook:

URL dynamic parameters are a powerful tool for tracking ad performance on Facebook. They allow you to see which ad was clicked on and where it appeared.

Facebook currently offers eight URL dynamic parameters to place on your ads. These include adset_id, campaign_id, ad_id, ad_name, adset_name, campaign_name, placement, and site_source_name.

To set up URL dynamic parameters, you can use the utm_source and {{site_source_name}} tags, utm_medium and {{placement}} tags, utm_campaign and {{adset.name}} or {{campaign.name}}_{adset.name}} tags, and utm_content and {{ad.name}} or {{ad.id}} tags.

Here are the eight URL dynamic parameters supported by Facebook Ads:

To get more out of your data, you can add a Campaign as a secondary dimension if you are looking to get more out of your data. This can be done in the Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns report in Analytics.

Creating UTM parameters can be a tedious task, but there are ways to make it easier. You can use Facebook's in-house UTM parameter builder, which allows you to generate unique UTM parameter codes with more control over your data.

To streamline and optimize UTM creation, consider creating a range of UTM presets. This can save you time and effort when creating new UTMs, especially if you work with multiple platforms or campaigns. UTM presets should contain common parameters, leaving out last-minute details like campaign term and content.

You can store UTM presets in a spreadsheet or word document for easy access and editing. This is especially helpful when working with a team, as it ensures consistency and uniformity in UTM creation.

Facebook's UTM parameter builder is a great tool, but it's not the only way to create UTMs. You can also build them manually, which gives you more control over the code. Knowing both methods can be beneficial, as it allows you to be prepared for any situation.

To avoid common pitfalls in UTM parameter setup for Facebook Ads, make sure to match recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns. You can do this manually or with the help of ad attribution tools.

When setting up URL dynamic parameters, use the following parameters:

Using these parameters allows you to see source/medium data in the Analytics section and adds a secondary dimension for Campaigns. This can help you get more out of your data and see which ad variations are performing better.

If you're using Hootsuite, you can create a campaign preset for multiple posts, which saves UTM codes and eliminates the possibility of inconsistent codes. This feature is available on Hootsuite Team, Business, and Enterprise plans, and can be set up by admins and super admins.

To use UTM parameters in Facebook Ads, you'll need to match the recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns. This can be done manually or with the help of ad attribution tools.

Facebook offers eight URL dynamic parameters to place on your ads, including adset_id, campaign_id, ad_id, ad_name, adset_name, campaign_name, placement, and site_source_name. You can track all the details related to where your conversions or clicks are coming from.

To set up URL dynamic parameters, you can use the following combinations: utm_source and {{site_source_name}}, utm_medium and {{placement}}, utm_campaign and {{adset.name}} or {{campaign.name}}_{adset.name}}, and utm_content and {{ad.name}} or {{ad.id}}.

Here are the eight URL dynamic parameters you can use in Facebook Ads:

When creating or editing an ad in Facebook's Ads Manager, head to the Tracking section and locate the URL Parameters field. That's where you'll paste your UTM parameters.

Using UTM parameters in Facebook Ads can be a bit overwhelming, especially when it comes to setting up the right parameters. UTM parameter set 1 is ideal for Facebook Ads, featuring the platform the ad click originated from, the ad's name and ID, and the name of its parent ad set and campaign.

This set includes the utm_source parameter, which is essential for tracking the source of ad clicks. You can use the {{site_source_name}} macro to dynamically insert the source name. For example, utm_source={{site_source_name}}.

Another great option is UTM parameter set 2, which includes the placement that led to the ad click, rather than just the platform it originated from. This set is identical to the first one, except for the utm_source parameter.

Here are the three suitable UTM parameter sets for Facebook Ads:

Each of these sets has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it's essential to choose the one that best fits your needs. With the right UTM parameter set, you can gain valuable insights into your ad performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.

Using the Placement parameter in Facebook Ads can give you valuable insights into where your ads are performing best. The Placement parameter has several possible values, including Desktop News Feed, Instagram Mobile Feed, and Facebook Marketplace home page or app.

You can track which placement yields the best CTR in your UTM code if you enable it in the Facebook UTM Parameter builder. This is especially useful if you're running multiple ad campaigns and want to see which placement is driving the most engagement.

Here are some possible values for the Placement parameter:

To avoid data tracking issues, always write UTM parameters in lowercase. This is because UTM codes are case-sensitive, so "facebook" and "Facebook" will be tracked separately.

Use consistent separators when adding multiple words within a parameter, such as a dash (-), underscore (_), or no space. Whichever one you choose, document it in your UTM style guide to keep things consistent.

Here are some key things to keep in mind when creating UTM parameters:

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your UTM parameters are accurate and easy to analyze, making it easier to track the performance of your Facebook ads.

Use lowercase for your UTM codes, as they are case-sensitive and will be tracked separately. This means facebook, Facebook, and FACEBOOK will all be treated as different links.

Always use consistent separators when adding multiple words within a parameter. You can use a dash (organic-social), underscore (organic_social), or no space (organicsocial). Whichever one you choose, document it in your UTM style guide to keep things consistent.

Here are some formatting and styling best practices to follow:

By following these guidelines, you'll make it easier to analyze your UTM parameters in analytics tools and ensure that your colleagues can understand them too.

Content modifying parameters are used to store or pass information in the URL that is relevant to the displayed content.

Let's say you're buying shoes online and filtering for size 10 shoes, many websites use content modifying parameters to store the filter selection in the URL. Search queries and date range selections are common examples.

Content modifying parameters are also referred to as active URL parameters due to their influence on the displayed content on the page.

Tracking parameters, on the other hand, are their passive counterparts and can be extracted by the website owner or integrated tracking tools like Google Analytics or Shopify.

UTM parameters are the most widely used subtype of tracking parameters, and there are a total of five UTM parameters.

UTMs aren't the only way to track marketing campaigns. You have a few other options to consider.

Google Analytics offers a method to track marketing campaigns, but it's not as widely used as UTMs.

UTMs are specifically designed for tracking marketing campaigns between marketing tools, but other methods can be used in certain situations.

You need to match recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns to analyze Facebook Ads performance.

Manual matching can be time-consuming, but ad attribution tools like AdWhatCost can help streamline the process.

UTM parameters should be formatted and styled correctly to ensure accurate tracking.

Following formatting and styling best practices can help avoid common pitfalls in UTM parameter setup.

UTM parameters are used to track the effectiveness of Facebook ads by adding them to the end of a URL. For example, if you're running a campaign for a new product, you can use UTM parameters to see which ads are driving the most sales.

The utm_source parameter is used to identify the source of the traffic, such as a Facebook ad or a blog post. This helps you understand where your customers are coming from.

You can use utm_medium to specify the type of ad, like a video ad or a photo ad. This information is crucial in determining the ad's performance.

UTM parameters can be used to track the performance of multiple ads at once, making it easier to compare their effectiveness.

To analyze your Facebook Ads performance via UTM tracking, you need to match the recorded UTM parameter data to your ads, ad sets, and campaigns. This can either be done manually or with the help of ad attribution tools.

Use the utm_source parameter consistently, just like {{site_source_name}}, to track the source of your traffic. This will help you understand where your visitors are coming from.

The utm_medium parameter should be set to {{placement}} to track the medium through which your traffic is coming. This is essential for getting a clear picture of your campaign performance.

For campaigns, use the utm_campaign parameter consistently, either with {{adset.name}} or {{campaign.name}}_{adset.name}}, to track the campaign name. This will help you understand which campaigns are performing well.

To test two different variations of an ad, use the utm_content tag to see which variation is performing better.

Here's a quick rundown of the essential UTM parameters to use:

Remember to use values for Medium and Source consistently to avoid fragmented data in your reports.