What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are short tags added to the end of a link. When someone clicks the tagged link, the tags are sent to the analytics tool, which records where the visitor came from. Google explains it this way: "By adding utm campaign parameters to the destination URLs you use in referral links and ad campaigns, you can view which campaigns refer traffic."
A tagged link looks like this:
https://www.example.com/?utm_source=summer-mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer-sale
The visitor lands on the same page either way. The tags only change what Google Analytics records.
Which UTM parameters does Google Analytics use?
Google lists these parameters:
| Parameter | What it identifies | Google's examples |
|---|---|---|
utm_source | The referrer | google, newsletter4, billboard |
utm_medium | The marketing medium | cpc, banner, email |
utm_campaign | The campaign | spring_sale |
utm_term | The paid keyword | |
utm_content | The creative or link, to tell versions apart | two links in one email |
utm_id | The campaign ID |
Google says: "When you add parameters to a URL, you should always use utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign." It also lists utm_source_platform, utm_creative_format, and utm_marketing_tactic, and notes that the last two "isn't currently reported in Google Analytics properties."
Where would a moving company use UTM parameters?
On links the business controls that analytics would otherwise lump together or misclassify:
- Email campaigns to past customers or realtors.
- Social media posts and paid social ads, such as Facebook or Instagram.
- QR codes on trucks, yard signs, door hangers, and printed mailers, which would otherwise show up as direct traffic.
- Links in partner directories or referral sites.
- The website link on a Google Business Profile, so visits from the profile can be told apart from other Google traffic.
For example, a QR code on a mailer could point to https://www.example.com/?utm_source=mailer&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=spring-mailer.
What are the best practices for UTM parameters?
Google's recommendations focus on consistency:
- Use lowercase. Google says naming is case sensitive: "Keywords with different capitalization, such as Meta and meta, are treated as different values. Use lowercase as a standard practice."
- One value per platform. "Use only one unique utm_source for each distinct platform."
- One value per channel. "Use only one unique utm_medium for each distinct channel."
- Match campaign names to the campaign's real name, so one campaign doesn't split into several rows.
- Use the URL builder to avoid typos. Google offers a Campaign URL Builder for website links.
A shared spreadsheet of approved source, medium, and campaign values keeps everyone who creates links consistent.
How do UTM parameters work with Google Ads auto-tagging?
Google Ads tags its own clicks automatically when auto-tagging is on, and Google Analytics prefers those values. Google says: "If you use manual tagging and auto tagging together, Google analytics uses the auto-tagged values for source, medium, and other traffic-classification dimensions." You can still add utm_content and utm_term manually.
Google also warns that if the auto-tagged click ID can't be used, "Google Analytics will derive all cross-channel traffic source dimension values from UTM parameters, exclusively." Adding a stray UTM parameter to an ad link can therefore change how its traffic is classified. Auto-tagging also supplies the click ID used for offline conversion tracking.
Do any platforms add UTM parameters automatically?
Some do. OpenAI says ChatGPT "automatically includes the UTM parameter utm_source=chatgpt.com in referral URLs," so visits from ChatGPT search show up as their own source in Google Analytics. See how businesses get recommended by ChatGPT.
UTM parameters track website visits, not phone calls. Calls need call tracking.