Many people who are new to URL tracking want to know how to use UTM tracking parameters for Google Analytics. It can be a bit confusing, so we tried to make is a bit easier.
UTM tracking parameters are identifying tags you add to a URL. Once a user clicks the augmented link, the parameters are sent to Google Analytics and tracked within. With UTM parameters, you can tag URLs to assess the efficiency and value of your campaigns to pinpoint the best ways to drive more relevant traffic to your website.
If you're using paid advertising, UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are the perfect way to figure out which ads on which networks performed better, so you can further refine and enhance for your next campaign. This means you can ultimately spend less money to get more traffic.
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While there are many different tutorials online that show you how to use each parameter, we've filled out an example here that you can easily apply to your company. Also, you can bookmark and use our UTM URL Builder again and again for each URL you create.
Here are examples of campaign parameters you can use every day, whether you're using email, paid ads, cost per click ads, or social media. (click image to enlarge).
Things to remember:
Always use lowercase. Google Analytics will create different entries for FaceBook and facebook. Its important to remain consistent.
Use Campaign Content when you're A/B testing 2 different calls to action. Maybe one is a banner header sending potential visitors to your new ebook. Maybe the other is a text link sending potential visitors to your new ebook. Make sure you differentiate to see which ones works better.
Keep a tracking worksheet of all URLs you create throughout the year. This will help you for consistency across the company, and for accurate reporting, as you can be sure you don't use the same URL twice.
Learn more about UTM's and best practices for creating campaigns.