UTM Codes – Use Them to Track All of Your Marketing Campaigns!

Successful marketers are using many tools for measuring and analyzing their efforts with real numbers. Urchin Tracking Module (UTM codes) is one such tool that can take good marketing analytics to the next level.

What is a UTM Code?

In marketing, UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module.

It is a set of parameters (or UTM code) added to URLs to identify and track website traffic generated by marketing campaigns (social media marketing, pay-per-click ad campaigns, email, etc.). 

As a result of implementing UTM to URLs, Google Analytics can tell you where searchers came from and which campaigns led them to you.

What Does a UTM Code Look Like?

Here is how a UTM code looks:

http://yourwebsite.com/your-post-title/?utm_source=google

Why are UTMs important?

You might be publishing hundreds of links per day if you spend a lot of time on social media.

With UTM codes, you can monitor the performance of each link, so you can see where your traffic comes from.

What can you track with UTM codes?

UTM parameters consist of five different types. The first three (Source, Medium, Campaign) are by far the most popular, but for additional insights, you can also track all five. 

Below are the specifics of what each can help you with:

1. Traffic Source

You can track the source of traffic using the source parameter. To add it, use the utm_source variable. Some sources you could track are Facebook, google, bing, inbound.org, or the name of an email list.

Example: &utm_source=twitter

2. Medium

The medium parameter tracks the source of the visitor’s traffic – pay per click, email, social, referral, display, etc. 

Its parameter is utm_medium.

Example: &utm_medium=cpc

3. Campaign Name

Using the campaign name parameter, you can track the performance of a specific campaign. A campaign parameter, for example, can be used to differentiate traffic from Facebook ads or email campaigns. 

Its parameter is utm_campaign.

Example: &utm_campaign=example-campaign

4. Content

You can use this code to track which link was clicked if you have more than one link pointing to the same URL (for example, two CTA buttons in an email). 

Its parameter is utm_content.

Example: &utm_content=navlink

5. Keyword Term

Tracking the keyword term from which a website visitor came is possible with the keyword parameter. This parameter is only used in paid search ads. 

Its parameter is utm_term.

Example: &utm_term=growth+hacking+tactics

How to Create Your Own UTM Codes?

It is possible to enter UTM codes manually without any assistance. Google, however, offers the Campaign URL Builder tool, which walks you through creating a customized tracking URL. In case you need a refresher, the Google UTM builder also defines each UTM parameter.

Since UTM codes can make your URL unappealing to click, we recommend shortening it before sharing it across your digital marketing platforms. Campaign URL Builder users can integrate Bitly with the tool.

Make Better Decisions With UTM Tracking

You can use UTM tracking to determine which of your digital marketing campaigns are successful. You can then build on successful campaigns and stop wasting time on ineffective ones.

Although UTM tracking is not an exact science, it is still useful. However, it is important to maintain consistency. Creating too many UTM codes or repetitive ones can be overwhelming. Try to keep it simple!

Contact the Experts in UTM Tracking and Analytics

Looking for UTM tracking and analytics experts? PLYXIO digital marketing agency provides exceptional digital marketing services, including UTM tracking and analytics. 

Get in touch with PLYXIO to learn how our UTM tracking and analytics experts can help you!