UTM parameters, also known as UTM tags or UTM codes, are tracking parameters added to URLs to help track and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, and it was initially developed by Urchin Software Corporation, which was acquired by Google in 2005 and became the foundation of Google Analytics.

UTM parameters consist of specific query string parameters appended to the end of a URL, typically used in the following format:

https://www.example.com/page?utm_source=source&utm_medium=medium&utm_campaign=campaign&utm_term=keyword&utm_content=content

Let’s break down the individual UTM parameters:

utm_source: This parameter indicates the source of the traffic, such as the website or platform where the link is placed. For example, if you’re running a campaign on Facebook, the utm_source can be set to “facebook” or “fbads.”

utm_medium: This parameter represents the marketing medium or channel used to drive traffic to your website. It specifies the type of campaign, such as email, social media, CPC (cost-per-click), banner ads, or other marketing channels. Examples include “email”, “social”, “cpc”, “banner”, etc.

utm_campaign: The utm_campaign parameter is used to identify a specific marketing campaign or promotion. It allows you to differentiate between different initiatives or variations within the same medium. For example, if you’re running a summer sale, you might set the utm_campaign as “summer_sale”.

utm_term: This parameter is primarily used for tracking keywords associated with paid search campaigns. It is typically used to track the specific search terms or keywords that triggered an ad to be displayed. For example, if you’re running a Google Ads campaign, you can set utm_term to the keyword triggering the ad.

utm_content: The utm_content parameter is used to differentiate between different versions or elements within the same campaign. It can be used for A/B testing or to track specific links within an email or advertisement. For instance, if you have multiple links in an email newsletter, you can use utm_content to distinguish them.

These UTM parameters are added to the URLs of your marketing campaigns, and when a user clicks on a link containing these parameters, the information is captured by Google Analytics.

It enables you to track and analyze the performance of each campaign, source, medium, and more within your Google Analytics reports.

It’s worth noting that while UTM parameters are commonly associated with Google Analytics, they can be used with other analytics platforms and tools as well.

Using consistent and meaningful UTM parameter values allows you to better understand the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns.