UTM Builder

What are UTM Parameters?

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are special tags you add to the end of your URLs to track your marketing campaign performance. When someone clicks a link with UTM parameters, analytics tools like Rybbit, Google Analytics, and others automatically capture that data and organize it for you.

Instead of wondering which campaigns drive the most traffic, UTM parameters let you see exactly how many visitors came from each campaign, where they came from, and how they behaved on your site.

How UTM Parameters Work with Google Analytics

The Five UTM Parameters

• utm_source - Where the traffic comes from (google, newsletter, facebook)
• utm_medium - How they got there (cpc, email, social, organic)
• utm_campaign - Which campaign it belongs to (summer_sale, product_launch)
• utm_term - Paid search keywords (optional)
• utm_content - Which ad or link was clicked (optional)

Example URL:

https://example.com?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_term=running_shoes

Google Analytics automatically parses these parameters and shows them in your reports, making it easy to compare campaign performance.

UTM Naming Conventions & Best Practices

• Use Consistent Formatting: Always use lowercase letters and underscores instead of spaces. This ensures consistent data grouping in your analytics. Good: summer_sale, facebook_ads, email_newsletter | Bad: Summer Sale, Facebook Ads, Email Newsletter
• Be Descriptive but Concise: Use names that clearly identify the campaign or source without being overly long. Short, specific names are easier to remember and less prone to typos.
• Establish a Naming Convention: Create a standard UTM naming scheme for your organization and document it. This prevents duplicate or conflicting parameter values. Example scheme: campaign = [season]_[product], source = [channel], medium = [type]
• Never Use Spaces or Special Characters: Spaces and special characters can cause encoding issues. Stick to alphanumeric characters and underscores.

Common UTM Use Cases

• Email Marketing: Track which emails drive the most traffic. Use utm_source=newsletter, utm_medium=email, and create unique campaign names for each send.
• Social Media Campaigns: Measure performance across platforms. Use utm_source=facebook/twitter/linkedin, utm_medium=social, and track A/B tests with utm_content.
• Paid Search Ads: Track Google Ads and Bing campaigns. Use utm_source=google, utm_medium=cpc, and utm_term for your keywords to optimize bidding.
• Affiliate & Referral Programs: Monitor performance by partner. Use utm_source=[partner_name], utm_medium=affiliate, and utm_content=[unique_id] per partner.
• Offline to Online Tracking: Include UTM parameters in offline marketing materials. QR codes, print ads, and events can all drive trackable traffic.
• A/B Testing Ads: Compare different ad creatives or messaging. Use utm_content to differentiate versions and measure which performs better.

Common UTM Mistakes to Avoid

• Inconsistent Parameter Values: Using "Facebook" sometimes and "facebook" other times causes data to be split into separate analytics rows. Always use consistent casing and formatting.
• Omitting Required Parameters: While technically you can have partial UTM parameters, missing utm_source, utm_medium, or utm_campaign reduces your tracking insight. Always fill at least these three.
• Using Spaces and Special Characters: Spaces become %20 in URLs, and special characters can cause encoding issues. Stick to letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.
• Forgetting to Tag All Links: If you only tag some of your marketing links, you'll get incomplete data. Create a process to tag every single campaign link.
• Not Documenting Your Scheme: Without documented naming conventions, your team will create inconsistent UTM parameters. Create and share a style guide.

How to Use the UTM Builder

1. Enter Your Website URL: Start with your base URL (e.g., https://example.com/products)
2. Fill Required Fields: Set your utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. These three are essential for proper tracking.
3. Add Optional Parameters: Use utm_term for keywords and utm_content to differentiate ads within the same campaign.
4. Copy Your UTM URL: Click the Copy button to copy your fully formed URL with all parameters included.
5. Use in Your Campaigns: Paste the URL in your marketing channels (emails, ads, social posts, etc.) and track the results.