A UTM naming convention that keeps reports clean

A UTM naming convention is a short written rule for how everyone on a team fills in utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign: lowercase, hyphens instead of spaces, a fixed list of mediums and a campaign pattern. Google Analytics treats UTM values as case sensitive, so without that rule one campaign splits across several report rows.

What are UTM parameters?

UTM parameters are labels added to the end of a URL, such as ?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=autumn-launch, that analytics tools read to attribute traffic. There are five: source (where the click came from), medium (the type of channel), campaign (which push), and the optional term and content (the variant). Google says you should always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign (Google Analytics Help).

A CTAurl short link keeps the tags intact. Every link answers with a 302 to the destination exactly as you saved it, UTM tags included, and CTAurl's own click record keeps utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign as well. When you add UTM tags in CTAurl's create form, CTAurl lowercases the values. Campaign tracking on CTAurl shows how the two fit together.

What rules make a UTM naming convention work?

A UTM naming convention works when it is short enough to remember and strict enough to enforce. Lowercase matters most: Google's own help page says "parameter values are case sensitive" and recommends a strict naming convention for every field (Google Analytics Help). Six rules cover the rest:

1. Always lowercase. Reports treat "Email" and "email" as different values.
2. Hyphens, never spaces or underscores in values.
3. One fixed list of mediums, for example email, social, cpc, qr, referral, that nobody extends without agreement.
4. Campaign names follow a pattern, such as season-product-year.
5. One owner for the master list.
6. Tags only on links from outside, never on links between pages of your own website.

What does a good set of UTM parameters look like?

A good set of UTM parameters follows the same pattern on every link, so anyone on the team could predict a value without asking. Here is one workable pattern for each parameter, with examples:

What are the most common UTM mistakes?

The most common UTM mistakes are capitalised values, campaign names in the wrong field, tags on internal links and a new medium for every campaign. The rules above prevent all four, and a builder that normalises values for you handles the first one automatically:

• Capitalised values, which create duplicate rows such as "Instagram" and "instagram".
• Campaign names put in the medium field.
• Tags on links inside your own website, which reset the visit's original source.
• A new medium invented for each campaign.

How do I apply a UTM naming convention quickly?

Apply a UTM naming convention with a builder that normalises values, so the tool enforces the rules instead of everyone's memory. Our free UTM builder runs in your browser, lowercases and hyphenates every value, and stores nothing.

Questions people ask

Are UTM parameters case sensitive?

Yes. Google Analytics help states that parameter values are case sensitive, so "Instagram" and "instagram" are reported as different sources. Pick lowercase for every parameter and enforce it, or one source splits into several report rows. Our UTM builder lowercases values for you.

Should I put UTM parameters on QR code links?

Yes. Tag the destination with a medium such as qr, so web analytics can separate print traffic from everything else. A CTAurl QR code encodes a short redirect address, so the tags do not make the printed pattern denser. Expect CTAurl's scan count and your analytics to differ: CTAurl counts requests, including bots, while Google Analytics removes known bot traffic and does not show how much (Google Analytics Help).

Which UTM parameters are required?

Google says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign; term and content are optional. A tagged link that leaves one of the three empty shows "(not set)" for that field in reports, so set all three together on every tagged link.