How to use UTM Parameters – AB Commerce Online Help

UTM parameters are short text codes that you add to the end of a destination URL to help you track the performance of a webpage or campaign.

These codes help tell Analytics platforms like Google Analytics where the traffic has come from, to your website. You need this information, if you are to understand what is working in your digital marketing mix

There are 5 UTM Parameter types as per the diagram below. The first 3 are essential, while the last 2 are optional.

Parameter	Purpose	Code:	Example
1. Campaign source	Essential: Tells GA what specific source has sent the traffic - e.g. which social network, search engine, newsletter etc	utm_source	utm_source=facebook
	Example: Facebook, Twitter, Blog etc

2. Campaign medium	Essential: Tells GA what type of traffic this source belongs to. Groups the source referrals into Mediums for easy analysis of how a complete Channel is performing - eg. Social	utm_medium	Sample code: utm_medium=paid_social
	Examples: cpc, organic_social

3. Campaign name	Essential: Helps you keep track of your individual campaigns, posts and content pieces.	utm_campaign	Sample code: utm_campaign=summer_sale
	Examples: summer_sale, free_trial

4. Campaign term	Optional: Use this UTM tag to track paid search keywords or key phrases.	utm_term	Sample code: utm_term=mens_shirts
	Examples: mens_shirts
5. Campaign content	Optional: This parameter allows you to track different ads/ content types/ AB Tests within a campaign.	utm_content	Sample code: utm_content=video_ad
	Examples: video_ad

Tracking Click Throughs from 3rd Parties

For organic social posts, PR referrals or Live Chat click throughs, you can create UTMs using the Google UTM generator, then paste the links into your social media posts.

Make this easier for yourself by using the Google Analytics Campaign URL builder
Enter the URL of the page you want to link to, then enter the values for the parameters you want to track.
This will give you your URL with the full string of UTM parameters applied. Copy & paste and off you go.

You can always shorten the link using a link shortener link bit.ly, if this link is too long for your creative/ you don't like the appearance.

Paid Social

ALWAYS add UTM parameters to your Facebook paid ads so you can see their effectiveness in GA and your ROAS tracking is not being lost between Social apps and your website.
This can be done easily in Facebook Business > Ads Manager when you’re setting up the actual Ad Creative itself.
Simply select Build a URL Parameter (see below)

This will open a popup (see below) and in here, you need to populate what are called ‘UTM Tracking Parameters’ and populate at a minimum, the ones I have below in yellow.
My advice would be Source=Social, Medium=Facebook or Medium=Instagram and Name=Campaign

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