What are UTM Parameters?
UTM Parameters
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UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module) are tags added to the end of a URL that help you track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. They tell your analytics tool where traffic came from, which campaign it belongs to, and what content drove the click.
The Five UTM Parameters
There are five standard UTM parameters. Three are required for proper tracking, and two are optional but recommended for granular analysis.
utm_source Required
Identifies which platform or site sent the traffic.
Example: utm_source=google, utm_source=newsletter, utm_source=twitter
utm_medium Required
Identifies the marketing channel or type of traffic.
Example: utm_medium=cpc, utm_medium=email, utm_medium=social
utm_campaign Required
Identifies the specific campaign or promotion.
Example: utm_campaign=spring-sale, utm_campaign=product-launch-2026
utm_term Optional
Identifies the paid search keyword that triggered the ad.
Example: utm_term=analytics+tool, utm_term=privacy+analytics
utm_content Optional
Differentiates between similar content or links within the same campaign.
Example: utm_content=header-cta, utm_content=sidebar-banner
How to Build a UTM URL
UTM parameters are appended to your URL after a question mark (?), with each parameter separated by an ampersand (&). Here is an example:
https://zenovay.com/pricing
?utm_source=twitter
&utm_medium=social
&utm_campaign=spring-launch
&utm_content=hero-ctaWhen a visitor clicks this link, your analytics tool captures these parameters and attributes the visit to your Twitter social campaign.
Best Practices
- Use lowercase consistently: UTM parameters are case-sensitive. “Google” and “google” will appear as different sources. Standardize on lowercase
- Use hyphens, not spaces: Separate words with hyphens (spring-sale) rather than spaces or underscores for cleaner URLs
- Be descriptive but concise: Use clear names that your team will understand months from now
- Document your conventions: Create a shared spreadsheet of UTM naming conventions so your entire team uses consistent values
- Never use UTMs for internal links: UTM parameters should only be used for external links pointing to your site. Using them for internal links overwrites the original source
- Keep URLs clean for users: Use a URL shortener or redirect for social sharing so users do not see long, parameter-filled URLs
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Inconsistent naming: Using “facebook”, “Facebook”, and “fb” for the same source splits your data
- Overcomplicating campaigns: Do not create a unique campaign name for every single post. Group related activities under broader campaigns
- Forgetting to track: If half your campaigns use UTMs and half do not, your attribution data will be incomplete
- Using UTMs in emails sent to existing users: For logged-in users, session tracking is often more accurate than UTM-based attribution
How Zenovay Works with UTM Parameters
Zenovay automatically captures and displays UTM parameters in your traffic reports. You can filter and segment all your analytics data by source, medium, campaign, term, and content — making it easy to see which campaigns drive the best results.
Automatic UTM capture — No additional setup required, UTM data is captured by default
Campaign dashboard — Dedicated view showing performance by campaign, source, and medium
Revenue by UTM — Connect campaigns to revenue with Stripe integration
Real-time campaign tracking — See UTM-tagged traffic arrive on your 3D globe as it happens
Track Your Campaigns with UTM Analytics
See exactly which campaigns drive traffic, conversions, and revenue.
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