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Tracking Links for Organic Social: Understanding URL Parameters and UTMs

5 min read
Digital MarketingURL ParamsUTMTracking LinksOrganic SocialAnalyticsCampaigns
Demystify URL parameters and UTMs to enhance your digital marketing strategy. This guide covers how URLs work, the essentials of UTMs, and best practices for crafting tracking links for organic social media.

If you are sharing links to a website where you want users to take an action and you are not using tracking links, you're losing out on valuable insights, time, and possible revenue. Without proper tracking link hygiene, every click may be a missed opportunity to understand your marketing efforts and optimize your strategy.

How do URLs work?

Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) are the backbone of the internet, serving as unique addresses for every resource on the web. They're like digital street addresses, guiding users and browsers to specific locations online. Let’s break down the URL https://www.example.com/resource?key=value:

  • Scheme (https://): Indicates the protocol used to access the resource (s means “secure”)
  • Domain (www.example.com): The website's address, stored in the internet's address book - DNS servers
  • Path (/resource): Specifies the exact location of the page or file
  • Parameters (?key=value): Additional information passed to the web server
URL Structure

Understanding these components is crucial as we delve deeper into the world of URL parameters and UTMs. Now, let's explore how we can leverage these elements to gain valuable insights about our web traffic.

What are URL Parameters?

URL parameters are powerful tools that allow us to customize and track web pages without creating multiple versions of the same content. They're the secret sauce that makes dynamic web experiences possible.

  • Start with a question mark after the domain and path
  • Have key value pairs separated by equals sign
  • Key value pairs are separated by ampersand
Parameter Definition

These versatile additions to URLs set the stage for more advanced tracking capabilities. Speaking of which, let's dive into a specific type of parameter that's revolutionized digital marketing: UTMs.

What are UTMs?

UTM parameters are URL parameters that follow a specific convention for tracking marketing efforts. They're like a barcode that lets you track how much a link is being used and how users who click that link are using the website that the link is for.

  • UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module
  • Developed by Urchin Software Corporation (later acquired by Google)
  • Used to track the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns
  • Integrated with all analytics platforms like Google Analytics

How Should UTMs Be Used?

UTMs have become indispensable tools in the digital marketer's arsenal, offering precise tracking capabilities that inform strategy and drive results. They're the key to understanding which marketing efforts are paying off and which need refinement. There are 5 different, common UTM parameters that most analytics tools use.

  • utm_source:

    Identify the platform or origin of the traffic (e.g., facebook, newsletter, google).

    Best Practice: Be specific about the source to clearly track where your traffic originates.

  • utm_medium:

    Specify the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, social).

    Best Practice: Use standard names for mediums and avoid mixing terms like “paid” and “cpc” if they refer to the same channel.

  • utm_campaign:

    Name your campaign with a concise, descriptive title (e.g., spring_sale_2025).

    Best Practice: Include essential identifiers such as season, promotion type, or year to distinguish campaigns over time.

  • utm_term (Optional):

    Use this parameter primarily for paid search campaigns to track keywords (e.g., running+shoes).

    Best Practice: Ensure terms are consistent with your keyword strategy; avoid using generic terms that could confuse reporting.

  • utm_content (Optional):

    Differentiate similar content or links within the same campaign (e.g., header_link, sidebar_ad).

    Best Practice: Use this parameter for A/B testing like different creatives or call-to-action placements.

UTM Pillars

How to Create Tracking Links for Organic Social

Creating UTMs doesn't have to be complicated. There are several user-friendly tools available that can help you generate these tracking parameters quickly and consistently.

  • Google's Campaign URL Builder:
    • Simple web-based tool for creating UTM links
    • Easy to mess up your convention
    • Does not save your links
    • No collaboration with your team
  • Spreadsheets or Notion:
    • Create templates for bulk UTM generation
    • Easy to mess up your convention
    • Very manual and takes effort to organize
    • No easy sharing or exporting
  • Xylem:
    • Links always follow best practices
    • Team collaboration
    • QR code generator

UTM Best Practices

Implementing UTMs consistently and strategically is key to deriving meaningful insights from your tracking efforts. Follow these best practices to maximize the value of your UTM parameters.

  • Always include source, medium, and campaign for every tracked link
  • Use lowercase letters and underscores for consistency
  • Create descriptive campaign names (include season, promotion type, year, etc.)
  • Utilize utm_content for A/B testing and specific placement information
  • Maintain a consistent naming convention across your organization
UTM Best Practices

In conclusion, URL parameters and UTMs are essential tools for your digital marketing strategies. By understanding how they work and implementing them effectively, you can gain crucial insights into your audience's behavior and the performance of your marketing campaigns. Stop guessiung which channels and content convert and start using UTM's

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