Understanding Traffic Sources and UTM Parameters

Learn how to properly track and analyze your traffic sources using UTM parameters to optimize your Traffic Creator campaigns.

UTM Parameters Analytics

Tracking with UTM Parameters

Tracking your traffic sources accurately is essential for understanding which marketing channels are delivering results. UTM parameters are a powerful tool that allow you to identify exactly where your website visitors are coming from and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns, including those generated through Traffic Creator.

Definition: UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags you add to a URL. When someone clicks on a URL with UTM parameters, those tags are sent to your analytics platform, enabling you to track the effectiveness of your online marketing campaigns.

The Five Standard UTM Parameters

There are five standard UTM parameters you can use to track your traffic sources:

Parameter Purpose Example
utm_sourceIdentifies the source (e.g., search engine, newsletter)utm_source=facebook
utm_mediumIdentifies the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, social, email)utm_medium=social
utm_campaignIdentifies a specific campaign nameutm_campaign=summer_sale
utm_termIdentifies paid search keywordsutm_term=traffic+generation
utm_contentDifferentiates similar content/links within the same adutm_content=top_banner

Important: Only utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign are required for basic tracking. utm_term and utm_content are optional for more detail.

How to Create URLs with UTM Parameters

You can add UTM parameters using Google's tool or manually:

Method 1: Google's Campaign URL Builder

  1. Visit the Google Campaign URL Builder.
  2. Enter your website URL.
  3. Fill in required parameters (Source, Medium, Name).
  4. Add optional parameters (Term, Content) if needed.
  5. Copy the generated URL.

Method 2: Manual Creation

Manually add parameters like this:

https://example.com/page?utm_source=source_name&utm_medium=medium_name&utm_campaign=campaign_name

Tip: Use lowercase, avoid spaces (use underscores), and be consistent with naming.

UTM Parameters Best Practices

Do:
  • Be consistent with naming
  • Keep parameters short & descriptive
  • Use lowercase
  • Document your strategy
  • Test tagged URLs
Don't:
  • Use spaces (use underscores)
  • Include personal info
  • Use special characters (%, $, @)
  • Create overly long values
  • Forget to track tagged URLs

Using UTM Parameters with Traffic Creator

Follow these steps to track Traffic Creator campaigns:

Step 1: Plan Your UTM Strategy

Recommended structure:

  • utm_source=traffic_creator
  • utm_medium= (direct, social, organic, referral, serp)
  • utm_campaign= (your campaign name)
  • utm_content= (page/content promoted)

Step 2: Create UTM-Tagged URLs

Use the builder or create manually, e.g.:

https://yourwebsite.com/landing?utm_source=traffic_creator&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=summer_promo

Step 3: Configure Traffic Creator Campaign

  1. Go to "Project Settings" in Traffic Creator.
  2. Enter UTM-tagged URLs in the "URLs" section (Entry, Inner, Exit).
  3. Save settings.

Step 4: Monitor and Analyze Results

  1. Open your analytics platform (e.g., Google Analytics).
  2. Go to Acquisition reports.
  3. Look for "traffic_creator" source.
  4. Analyze performance metrics for this segment.

Pro Tip: Create custom reports in analytics to track and compare Traffic Creator campaigns based on UTMs.

Common UTM Parameter Mistakes

Inconsistent Naming

Using "facebook", "fb", "Facebook" fragments data. Stick to one convention (e.g., lowercase "facebook").

Using Spaces/Special Characters

Replace spaces with underscores: summer_sale not Summer Sale.

Forgetting to Tag URLs

Untagged URLs lead to incomplete data. Tag all campaign URLs consistently.

FAQ: UTM Parameters

No, search engines generally ignore UTMs. Use rel="canonical" on your pages to indicate the preferred URL version (without UTMs) to avoid potential duplicate content concerns.

Go to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition. Analyze dimensions like "Session source/medium" or "Session campaign". Create custom reports for deeper analysis.

Not mandatory, but highly recommended. They let you clearly distinguish Traffic Creator traffic, measure campaign effectiveness, and optimize based on data. Without them, attribution is difficult.

Integrating UTM Data

UTM data can be integrated with:

  • CRM Systems (track lead sources)
  • Email Marketing Platforms (track subscriber engagement)
  • E-commerce Platforms (attribute sales)
  • Heat Mapping Tools (visualize behavior by source)

Created on

April 11, 2025

Last updated

April 23, 2025

Related Articles

Need More Help?

Can't find what you're looking for? Our support team is here to help.

Contact Support