Glossary Term
What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM parameters are name-value pairs in a URL that help analytics tools group traffic by source, medium, and campaign.
UTM parameters are query parameters added to a URL to describe where traffic came from and the campaign context. When someone opens the link, an analytics tool installed on the destination page can read those values and group the visit in acquisition reports.
Example URL with UTM Parameters
text
https://example.com/promo?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product_launchCommon Parameters
| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
utm_source | Traffic source | instagram, newsletter |
utm_medium | Channel type | social, email, cpc |
utm_campaign | Campaign name | product_launch |
utm_content | Distinguishes creative or CTA | video_a, header_button |
utm_term | Paid keyword | url_shortener |
utm_id | Campaign ID | cmp_2026_08 |
Recommended Practices
- Define a naming convention and use it consistently
- Prefer lowercase because UTM values are case-sensitive
- Never put names, email addresses, phone numbers, or other personal data in a URL
- Document values so one campaign is not split across accidental variations
- Test the final URL and confirm redirects preserve the parameters
A tagged URL can become long. After checking the UTM values, use the s.id URL shortener to create a compact address without removing the parameters from its destination.