marketing campaigns

UTM Codes: How to Create and Track UTM URLs

Why make your marketing campaigns complicated? Check out our UTM Generator Tool here.

Daniel Alcanja

17 Jan 2025 — 4 min read

Tracking the success of your marketing companies should not be complicated or time-consuming. This is where our UTM Generator tool can help streamline the process to save you time and ensure accuracy, providing you with UTM codes.

Adding customizable tags to your URLs can provide detailed insights into where your traffic comes from and which campaigns drive the best results. In this guide, we will walk you through using the app.

How To Use Our UTM Generator to Track Links

The UTM Generator offers a fast and easy way to build URLs using UTM codes. Complete the provided fields, and the tool will automatically generate a link with a UTM for your campaign tracking.

Generating UTM Codes

Follow these simple steps using the UTM Generator:

Add the URL of your landing page, blog post, or website in the first empty parameter.
Please complete the remaining areas with the values specified for your source, medium, name, content, term, and ID.
While adding the information, the microapp will create a UTM code you can use.
Click the COPY button to use the UTM code in your campaign.

The UTM Code will look as follows:

https://microapp.io?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Summer_Sale&utm_content=cta_buy_now&utm_term=utm_content

Once the codes are generated, you can use them in your emails, social media, and more. While you can build a link manually, you can easily make mistakes, which can be costly. So, the micro app will help avoid these costly mistakes.

Each UTM Parameter Function

In our microapp, you have seven fields to complete; understanding each will help you complete them. However, you may also be wondering how you name these parameters. We will answer both questions here. There are five fields you must complete.

UTM Parameter	Description
URL	It identifies the website running the campaign
Source	Helps to identify the website or platform for the campaign
Medium	It helps to identify the type of traffic
Name	This is the specific name you have designated for your commerce promotion. You must use it across all the channels. For instance, if you run a summer sale, all links built for the campaign must have the same utm_campaign parameters.
Content	You use this to differentiate or add links on the same page. It is usually used for A/B Testing ads or copy placement. It is also helpful for tracking various ads pointing to one URL.
Term	It helps to identify the keywords used for your paid ads or content. (utm_term or utm_content)
Campaign ID	If you need authorization for the campaign, you can add it here.

How Do You Name Your UTM Parameter

Here are examples to help inspire you when naming your UTM parameters:

Source:

Fill in the recommended name of your third-party platform or website where you will use the link. If you use it for email tracking, we recommend using the platform as the campaign name.
For example utm_source=linkedin, utm_source=sendgrid

Medium:

We recommend using a name that easily distinguishes the traffic type, such as paid social, ad, email, or organic social.
For example utm_medium=organic-social, utm_medium=ad

Name:

We recommend using a name that allows you to connect your campaign across different channels. So, for summer sales, the name parameter is identical for all external links you use in the campaign, whether in a newsletter email, organic social post, or Facebook. You can also use the link for the campaign type you want to run.

For example:

utm_campaign=winter-sale-december-2024,utm_campaign=retargeting-2025

Content:

Please use this section to help you differentiate between posts or ads on the same platform. It is also helpful for A/B Testing your different ad copies and formats and tracking your link placements.
For example, utm_content=ad-version-2b

Term:

The sections are created for your Google Ads. They display which paid search keywords helped trigger the ad. You can use them to show ad headlines on different platforms, subject lines, emails, etc.
For example utm_term=best-hiking-boot, utm_term=danner

Best Practices For Formatting UTM Tags

For accurate and reliable data when naming UTM tags, follow these principles:

Specify a UTM naming convention that allows everyone on the team to follow the same practices when building UTM parameters.
The UTM fields are case-sensitive, so ensure you do not have capitalization inconsistencies (e.g., "Email" vs. "email"). Capitalization inconsistencies can cause problems in a report when using analytics tools. Stick to using lowercase, as it makes everyone's life easier.
Avoid using special characters or punctuation in any of the UTM parameters.
Instead of using spaces, use dashes while using the underscore to keep words together.
Only use the UTM tag on external content; using it on your internal links will result in inaccurate reporting.

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To learn more about how to use UTM codes to track your website traffic, we have a detailed guide here.

Why Are UTM Parameters Useful?

Tagging is helpful because UTMs can improve analytic reports. Without UTMs, you will not know whether a Facebook click is from a paid ad or an organic post.

You can access this information in all your analytics tools by setting up UTM parameters. Furthermore, you can get more detailed data, such as which ad type your traffic came from.

Focusing on the small details helps identify which campaigns to invest in further, which ads to increase funding for, and which messages genuinely connect with customers.

Wrap-Up: Are You Ready to Track Smarter?

Mastering UTM codes allows you to track the success of your marketing campaign. This information provides valuable insights into where your traffic comes from and what strategies you must plan to achieve the best results.

Still, you do not need to create your UTM codes manually. Instead, use our UTM Generator to save time, avoid errors, and generate accurate tracking URLs tailored to your needs. Start using our tool today to take control of your campaign tracking.