How to Create and Use UTM Parameters to Track Campaigns in GA4

What Are UTM Parameters (and Why They Matter)

UTM parameters are short pieces of text you add to a URL so you can track where your traffic is coming from. They help Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tell you which campaign, platform, or ad brought someone to your site. Without them, traffic often shows up as “direct,” which means you won’t know what actually drove the visit.

Example:

https://www.yoursite.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_sale&utm_content=carousel_ad

In this example:

• utm_source=facebook → The platform or source
• utm_medium=social → The type of channel
• utm_campaign=spring_sale → The specific campaign name
• utm_content=carousel_ad → The version or creative type

The 5 Main UTM Parameters

Parameter	What It Does	Example
utm_source	Where traffic comes from	facebook, newsletter, google
utm_medium	The marketing channel	email, social, cpc
utm_campaign	The campaign name	summer_sale, webinar_signup
utm_content	(Optional) Ad or link version	banner1, button_cta, textlink
utm_term	(Optional) Keyword for paid search	women_shoes, crm_tool

You don’t need to use all five — most campaigns use just source, medium, and campaign.

How to Create UTM Links (Using Google’s Tool)

The easiest way to build UTM links is with Google’s Campaign URL Builder:

Step 1:
Go to https://ga-dev-tools.google/campaign-url-builder/

Step 2:
Fill in the fields:

Field	Example
Website URL	https://www.yoursite.com/offer
Campaign Source	facebook
Campaign Medium	paid_social
Campaign Name	new_year_sale
Campaign Content	video_ad1

Your finished link will look like this:

https://www.yoursite.com/offer?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=new_year_sale&utm_content=video_ad1

Step 3:
Click “Copy URL” → Test it in your browser → Share it in your ad or email campaign.

Where to Use UTM Links

Use your UTM-tagged links anywhere you’re sharing URLs that drive traffic to your website:

1. Paid Ads

Paste your tagged link in the ad’s Final URL or Destination URL field.
Example:

utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=holiday_promo

Note: You usually don’t need to manually add UTM parameters for Google Ads, because when Google Ads and GA4 are properly linked, campaign data (source, medium, campaign, ad group, keyword, etc.) is automatically passed through GCLID (Google Click Identifier) tracking. However, if your Google Ads and GA4 accounts aren’t linked, or if auto-tagging is disabled, then GA4 won’t know the source, and you’ll need to use manual UTM parameters to track performance accurately.

2. Email Campaigns

Add UTM links to your email buttons or links.
Example:

utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=october_update

3. Social Media Posts

Use UTMs on organic or influencer posts to see which channels perform best.
Example:

utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=launch2025

4. QR Codes or Print Ads

Add your UTM-tagged link to a shortened URL or QR code for offline tracking.
Example:

utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=grand_opening

How to Check UTM Data in GA4

1. Go to Google Analytics 4
2. Click Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
3. Look for columns like:
   • Session source / medium
   • Session campaign

You’ll now see exactly where your traffic came from and which campaigns perform best.

Tips for Better Tracking

• Keep everything lowercase (facebook, not Facebook)
• Use underscores or dashes instead of spaces
• Stay consistent with naming (e.g., paid_social vs. social_paid)
• Don’t use UTMs for internal links on your own site
• Test every link before launching your campaign

Quick Reference: Example UTM Links

Channel	Example UTM
Facebook Ad	?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=spring_sale
Google Ad	?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product_launch&utm_term=crm_tool
Newsletter	?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=monthly_update
LinkedIn Post	?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=webinar_promo
QR Code	?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=store_opening

In Summary

UTM parameters are one of the simplest ways to improve your campaign reporting in GA4.
They help you answer key questions like:

• Which ads or channels are driving the most traffic?
• Which campaigns are converting best?
• How are users engaging after they click?

Take a few extra seconds to tag every link, and your analytics (and marketing strategy) will be far more accurate.