What is UTM Parameters?
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are standardized tags appended to URLs to track the source, medium, and campaign of web and app traffic. Originally developed by Urchin Software (later acquired by Google to create Google Analytics), UTM parameters are the industry standard for campaign-level traffic attribution.
A typical UTM-tagged URL looks like: `https://yoursite.com/page?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_content=blue_banner&utm_term=running_shoes`
How it works
UTM parameters are key-value pairs added to the query string of any URL. The five standard parameters are:
utm_source — Identifies which site or platform sent the traffic (e.g., google, facebook, newsletter)
utm_medium — Identifies the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, social, organic)
utm_campaign — Identifies the specific campaign name (e.g., summer_sale_2026, product_launch)
utm_content (optional) — Differentiates similar content or links within the same campaign (e.g., hero_banner vs sidebar_link)
utm_term (optional) — Identifies paid search keywords (e.g., running+shoes)
When a user clicks a UTM-tagged link, analytics tools (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.) capture these parameters and associate them with the user's session, allowing you to attribute conversions back to specific campaigns.
UTM for mobile apps — When combined with deep linking, UTM parameters can pass through the install process via deferred deep linking, enabling campaign attribution for app installs — not just web visits.
Why it matters
UTM parameters are essential for any data-driven marketing strategy:
- Campaign measurement — Know exactly which campaigns drive traffic, installs, and revenue - Channel comparison — Compare performance across email, social, paid ads, and other channels - Budget optimization — Allocate spend to the highest-performing campaigns and channels - A/B testing — Use utm_content to compare different creatives, copy, or landing pages - Universal standard — Supported by virtually every analytics tool, making data portable and consistent
Best practices
- 1Use lowercase consistently (utm_source=Facebook vs utm_source=facebook creates duplicate entries)
- 2Create a UTM naming convention document and share it with your team
- 3Never use UTM parameters on internal links — they overwrite the original traffic source
- 4Keep campaign names descriptive but concise (e.g., summer_sale_2026 not ss26)
- 5Use a UTM builder tool to ensure consistency and avoid typos
Frequently asked questions
Do UTM parameters work with mobile deep links?
Yes. UTM parameters can be added to deep links just like any URL. When used with a deferred deep linking platform like Redirectly, UTM parameters are preserved through the app install process, allowing you to attribute app installs to specific campaigns. Use Redirectly's UTM Builder tool to generate properly tagged deep links.
How many UTM parameters should I use?
At minimum, always use utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign — these three provide the core campaign tracking data. Add utm_content when you have multiple links in the same campaign (e.g., different ad creatives), and utm_term for paid search keyword tracking.
Related terms
Mobile Attribution
The process of identifying which marketing channel, campaign, or touchpoint led a user to install or engage with a mobile app.
Deep Linking
A technique that uses URIs to link directly to a specific screen or piece of content within a mobile app, rather than simply launching the app's home screen.
Contextual Deep Linking
Deep linking that carries metadata (context) about the user's pre-click journey, enabling personalized in-app experiences based on the source, campaign, or content that brought them.