Campaign URL Builder

What is UTM tracking code?

A UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) are parameters that are attached to the end of a link, that directs to your website and allows you to easily track website traffic or performance of any ad or affiliate campaign. There are 5 UTM parameters, each one covering a different data segment.

Why should I use a UTM code?

Using these parameters can be an essential tool for your digital marketing process. The data received, teaches you more about where your traffic comes from including specific platforms.

For example, if you are running a Facebook campaign and have included specific content for customers to click-through, you are able to track the traffic through that UTM link which allows you to know how well the campaign is performing. Of course this applies to all social media platforms!

Additionally, with website banners, blogs, paid ads and social media being only a small part of a brand promotion campaign, using UTMs helps you pinpoint the key performers of your campaign and alternatively the aspects of your campaign that are underperforming.

How do I create an UTM code?

There are two simple ways to create a UTM code. The easiest way is to use our UTM builder which will instantly generate a ready-to-use URL based on your needs. All you need to do is fill in the blanks in the generator, add some campaign details and then your URL is generated in seconds!

The second option is to create the URL manually, by adding each UTM parameter at the end of your link, attached with the “?” symbol after the main part of your URL and then followed by “&” symbol between all parameters.

What should a proper UTM URL look like?

Here is an example of how this current page would look like for Instagram: https://mention.com/en/campaign-url-builder/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=utm-builder-launch

“https://mention.com/en/campaign-url-builder/”: The website url.

“?”: The question mark signals to your analytics software that there will be more UTM parameters to follow in the URL.

“&”: This shows that another UTM parameter will follow.

The utm_source=instagram tells you that the person came to your website from an Instagram link.

The utm_medium=social parameter indicates that the traffic to the website came from a social media channel.

The utm_campaign=utm-builder-launch means that the campaign is called "utm-builder-launch".

Are UTM URLs case-sensitive?

Yes, UTM codes are case sensitive so the best practice to do is use lower case and be very consistent with the naming scheme in your campaign. Our UTM Builder tool can help you with switching between upper and lower case seamlessly. Additionally, we have implemented a feature within the tool to remove spaces and replace them with a dash.

Can I track Google Ads campaigns?

Yes you can track a Google Ads campaign however you do not have to use UTMs to see the Ads performance in your Google Analytics tracking property. You can simply link both accounts to send the data with a GCLID (Google Click ID) parameter of the ad.

This allows you to make an internal link between the click and the session automatically and then import everything both ways without having any additional setup. It is definitely an easier, more convenient and accurate way than using a UTM for Google Ads tracking.

What are Custom UTM Parameters?

A custom UTM parameter is a subset of custom URL parameters that are outside the main five parameters. It is an advanced feature that can be used for tracking a source, channel or campaign beyond what the normal parameters are able to do. To customise the values within the parameters you simply add hyphens between them.

The five main parameters of a code usually includes: Campaign (name or ID), Medium, Source, Term and Content.

UTM Builder: What is it and why you need it?

A UTM builder is a tool that helps you create and manage UTM parameters for your marketing campaigns. UTM parameters are special code snippets that can be added to a link in order to track the performance of marketing campaigns and to understand how visitors are arriving at a website.

You might use a UTM builder if you are running marketing campaigns and want to track the performance of those campaigns in your analytics tool. By adding UTM parameters to the links used in your campaigns, you can see how much traffic those campaigns are generating, where that traffic is coming from, and how it is interacting with your website. This information can be useful in evaluating the campaign performance and making data-driven decisions about your campaigns. Overall, a UTM builder is a useful tool for campaign tracking.

Using our UTM Builder is your safest bet to ensure that your UTM codes are specific to your campaign, accurate, and functioning. It cuts down the process in a simple and efficient manner so you can focus on the other aspects of your campaign. You can also try using Google's campaign url builder.

When should I use UTM parameters?

There are many different reasons to use UTM parameters and it is a very useful tool for marketers when gathering data and tracking the effectiveness of published media and online marketing campaigns. Some examples of when to use them are:

1. When you are running an advertising campaign on Google or social networks and would like to know website traffic and where your users are coming from.

2. You have been using other ways to attract readers and potential customers from various channels and want to know more about where they come from.

3. You send newsletters to your subscribers using e-marketing services, and want to track their success rates.

Who detects these UTM parameters?

URLs with UTM parameters can be automatically detected by many analytics tools, including Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, and Kissmetrics.

What are the five UTM parameters?

There are five UTM parameters you can add to your URLs:

1. Campaign Source (utm_source): This parameter is used to identify the platform or channel where the link was shared, such as "Facebook" or “Email.”

2. Campaign Medium (utm_medium): This parameter is used to identify the medium or method through which the link was shared, such as "Social" or “Banner Ad.”

3. Campaign Name (utm_campaign): This parameter is used to identify the specific marketing campaign that the link is associated with, such as "Product Launch" or "Summer Sale."

4. Campaign Term (utm_term): This parameter is used to identify any keywords associated with the link, such as "Running Shoes" or “Vacation Deals.”

5. Campaign Content (utm_content): This parameter is used to differentiate links that point to the same URL but have different content or context, such as "Top Navigation" or "Sidebar Ad."

What is the Campaign Source?

The UTM source parameter is the website, platform or channel that the visit is coming from. For example if you are running a Facebook campaign you could add the example below to every link that you post on your Facebook page. That way you are able to track all the specific traffic that comes from Facebook.

Example: utm_source=facebook

What is the Campaign Medium?

The medium tracking tag informs you of the type of marketing channel that your visitor came from. You can use words like social, email, display, cpc or similar which repurposes the default channel categories in Google Analytics.

Example: utm_medium=social-cpc

What is the Campaign Name?

It is a shared name of the campaign that the link was a part of. We say “shared” because a good campaign is one that includes the same name across multiple channels. Using a campaign-based tracking tag allows you to group together all of the content from one campaign in your analytics. It’s a good idea to use a product name or description so you can track what the URL is being used for.

Example: utm_campaign=product-launch

What is the Campaign Term?

The UTM term or keyword tracking code identifies the terms that you have paid for in a PPC ad. If you have paid for a Google Ad, this keyword will trigger the ad containing the link and you can add the code to the end of your link that you will submit to Google to run the ad. It’s best to use this UTM parameter to track varieties in copy.

Additionally, feel free to be unique and get creative with the keywords you create! You can use these terms to indicate your Facebook ad headline or email subject line.

Example: utm_term=best-headline-since-sliced-bread

What is the Campaign Content?

The utm content part of the code allows you to differentiate between ads or posts that are on the same platform. It is used to track the specific types of content that come from the same destination and from a common source and medium. When it comes to A/B testing, this code comes in handy especially with images or ad copy or for PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns. Additionally, you can use this parameter to indicate link placement - headline vs. body vs. image vs. footer. Or to make your own advanced UTM parameters.

Example: utm_content=ad-version-2b

What are the mandatory UTM parameters?

It is the UTM parameter that is required, for example: utm_source. However, adding the utm_medium, and utm_campaign is considered the best practice when creating your URL. The last two parameters, term and content, are option fields but they add further context when tracking your campaign so it’s recommended to add as many parameters as you can and be as specific and unique as possible.

How can I avoid making mistakes when using a UTM code generator?

1. Make sure the URL contains only one question mark (?).

2. Check if each parameter starts with an ampersand (&).

3. Try to avoid special characters that can interfere with analytics, such as #, &, and =.

4. Don’t forget to include http or https in your URL.

5. Make sure to convert your parameters to lower case.