What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM parameters are small pieces of text you add to the end of a URL to track where traffic comes from. When someone clicks a link with UTM parameters, your analytics tool (Google Analytics, your CRM, or a tool like SourceTag) can see exactly which campaign, channel, and ad sent that visitor.
UTM stands for “Urchin Tracking Module”, named after Urchin, the web analytics tool that Google acquired in 2005 and turned into Google Analytics. The format has been an industry standard ever since.
The Five UTM Parameters
| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
utm_source | Where the traffic comes from | google, facebook, newsletter |
utm_medium | The marketing channel type | cpc, email, social, organic |
utm_campaign | The specific campaign name | spring-sale, brand-awareness |
utm_term | The keyword (paid search) | plumber+auckland |
utm_content | Which ad or link variation | banner-v2, sidebar-link |
Only utm_source and utm_medium are essential. The others are optional but useful.
What a UTM-Tagged URL Looks Like
Here’s a normal URL:
https://example.com/contactHere’s the same URL with UTM parameters:
https://example.com/contact?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring-sale&utm_term=plumber+aucklandEverything after the ? is a query parameter. The page loads exactly the same. The UTM tags are invisible to the visitor but readable by analytics tools.
When to Use UTM Parameters
Use them on:
- Google Ads URLs (though Google also adds
gclidautomatically) - Facebook/Instagram ad URLs
- LinkedIn ad URLs
- Email newsletter links
- Social media post links
- Partner or affiliate links
- QR codes on print materials
Don’t use them on:
- Internal links within your own site (this breaks your analytics)
- Organic search results (Google Analytics handles this automatically)
- Links where you don’t control the URL
Common Mistakes
Inconsistent naming. If one campaign uses utm_source=Facebook and another uses utm_source=facebook, they show up as two separate sources. Pick a convention (lowercase is safest) and stick to it.
Using UTMs on internal links. If you tag a link from your blog to your contact page with UTMs, it overwrites the visitor’s original source. That blog reader who came from Google Ads now looks like they came from “internal-blog”.
Forgetting medium. Without utm_medium, your analytics tool can’t categorise the traffic into a channel (Paid Search, Email, Social, etc.). Always include at least source and medium.
How UTM Data Gets Into Your CRM
UTM parameters are in the URL, but they don’t automatically end up in your form submissions or CRM. You need something to capture them.
The typical approach: a tracking script reads the UTM values from the URL, stores them in a cookie (so they persist across page views), and then populates hidden form fields when the visitor submits a form. The hidden field values flow into your email notification and CRM alongside the lead’s contact details.
This is exactly what SourceTag does. It captures UTMs, categorises the visit into a channel, and populates your existing forms with the attribution data.
UTM Builder Tools
Google offers a free Campaign URL Builder for creating UTM-tagged URLs. Most ad platforms also have built-in UTM template fields.
For consistent naming across a team, create a simple spreadsheet with your agreed conventions for source, medium, and campaign names.