UTM (Urchin Tracking Module)
What Is a UTM Parameter?
UTM parameters, also called UTM codes, are specific text strings that you can append to URLs.
In other words, UTM gives the possibility to track those URLs when they get clicked on… The resulting data is visible in Google Analytics. Indeed, the substantial difference (or upgrade) that you get by using UTM is that UTM let you change standard Google tracking with your own custom tracking. The wonderful thing about UTM codes is that you can change the code and its parameters whenever you like.
Why should I use them?
This simple technique can link your digital marketing practices to Google Analytics and give you the data you need to support a marketing idea or a campaign you are proposing. Thanks to this practice you can track traffic in terms of, for example, “where it came from?” “which medium(s) is driving me traffic?”
How to “customise” an URL?
In order to customise an URL, you have to set its parameters.
There are five UTM parameters that you can append to your website links divided in two categories: Required parameters and Optional parameters.
Three required UTM parameters:
1) Campaign name (CPC, social, email, display etc)
2) Campaign source (Google Adwords, Facebook, LinkedIn etc)
3) Campaign medium (identifies the campaign title as it exists in the ad platform)
Two optional UTM parameters. They are called optional because these parameters are not required to make the UTM work but, if added can give better level of analysis to your reporting:
1) Campaign Term is used for paid search to identify the keywords you’re targeting
2) Campaign Content is used for tracking additional details for example the dimensions of the CTA button
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UTM best practices
While it’s clear what tracking parameters do, we get a lot of questions on how to properly use them.
- Consistency in naming conventions is the number one rule. It will allow UTM parameters to be reportable without confusion.
- To differentiate between paid social and organic social parameter values, you can add additional organic or paid designations to the utm_medium parameter
- Each parameter answers a specific question:
- What campaign is this (name)?
- Where was the URL clicked (source)?
- How was the URL displayed (medium)?
4. Create a naming convention guide for your marketing team. This easy . practice practice eliminates confusion linked to different team members creating tagged URLs.
Some examples
1. Newsletter link
Always use UTM tracking parameters in your newsletters! You can name each newsletter as an individual campaign and you can also use them as part of biggest campaign too
2. Website banner
If you don’t tag your banner link, those visits will appear as Referrals, so you will not be able to determine which exact banner or article generated clicks. In this case you’ll use Banner or Display for Utm_Medium parameter
3. Social network post
Same as the previous, if you don’t track your social links their Medium will appear in your ad platform as generic Referrals. In the end, without UTM, you won’t be able to know which exact post brought you visits.
In a nutshell
Using UTM you can create personalised URLs in order to define and track the digital experience of your users.
The goal of building different URLs, is to make your traffic analysis better understandable and make your life easier.
Hope this article helps.
If you have more to share please comment below.
