What is a UTM parameter?

An Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameter is a short code you add to the end of URLs to track how your audience discovers and engages with your content.

You can use one or more of the following UTM parameters to your digital marketing strategy:

  1. utm_source: This tracks the specific source that directs someone to your website, such as Google or TikTok.
  2. utm_medium: This shows the overarching medium that brought someone to your website, like an email or social media post. 
  3. utm_campaign: This shows the specific marketing initiative that drove traffic, like a Black Friday promotional message.
  4. utm_term: This monitors the keywords that drive people to click on your ads and visit your website.
  5. utm_content: This tracks how your audience engages with different asset types of the same marketing initiatives during A/B testing.

How to effectively use UTM parameters

To effectively use UTM parameters, follow these steps:

  1. Select a UTM tracking platform: Choose a marketing automation platform like Klaviyo that helps you track UTM parameters, integrates with all your marketing tools, and makes reporting easy to understand. Choose a platform that allows you to create custom UTM parameters.
  2. Decide on specific UTM parameters: Focus on the UTM parameters that align with your marketing initiatives, whether they are default parameters or custom ones.
  3. Add your UTM parameters: With consistent naming conventions to streamline reporting, add your UTM parameters to track metrics like unique clicks and return on investment (ROI) across your marketing campaigns.
  4. Test your link: After adding UTM parameters, test the links to see if they redirect correctly so you can accurately track audience engagement.

With Klaviyo, you can monitor your campaigns and flows with embedded UTM parameters. Klaviyo’s customizable dashboards give you a comprehensive view of your UTM parameter performance, so you know exactly what’s working and what’s not.

Ready to better understand your marketing performance? Sign up for Klaviyo and start tracking your success and improving your approach.

Additional resources