Definition
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) codes are snippets of text added to the end of a URL to track the performance of campaigns and content. These codes can track information about where website traffic comes from, which marketing campaigns drive the most traffic, and which campaigns lead to the most conversions.
Components
There are five different parameters you can track with UTM codes:
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Source (utm_source): Identifies which site sent the traffic, such as Google, Facebook, or your newsletter.
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Medium (utm_medium): Identifies the marketing medium, such as email, social media, or cost-per-click.
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Campaign (utm_campaign): Identifies the specific campaign or strategic initiative, such as a sale or product launch.
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Term (utm_term): Identifies the paid search keywords for your ad. This is used primarily for tracking keywords during a paid AdWords campaign.
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Content (utm_content): Identifies what specifically was clicked to bring the user to the site, such as a banner ad or a text link. It is often used for A/B testing and content-targeted ads.
Usage
When a user clicks on a URL with UTM parameters, those tags are sent back to your Google Analytics for tracking. For example, if you wanted to track traffic from a specific campaign in your newsletter, you might add the following UTM code to your URL: www.yourwebsite.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale.
Benefits
UTM codes are beneficial because they allow you to understand where your traffic is coming from and which marketing efforts are effective. By analyzing the data, you can make more informed decisions about where to invest your marketing efforts.
