If you feel clueless when your boss asks about website traffic sources and want to instantly identify your top-performing social network, UTM tags are what you need. Let us break down the basics for you and show you how you can track your marketing metrics easily with UTMs. Swipe to learn more.
What are UTM tags?
UTMs are tiny tags you attach to your website links.They transmit valuable information to your analytics tools (like Google Analytics) about each click.
Let’s say you share a social media post with a link containing a UTM tag. A visitor clicks on it, and voila! UTM reveals not just «social media traffic,» but the specific network (Facebook, Twitter?), the type of content (image, video?), even the exact campaign (that catchy #giveaway?).
For a more in-depth explanation of UTMs, we recommend this Google’s post.
Benefits of UTM Tracking
Whether you’re crafting a public relations strategy or spearheading a B2B PR campaign, effective measurement is key. Tracking empowers you to refine your approach, identify winning tactics, and maximize impact.
1 — Measure Campaign Success
Did your digital marketing campaign generate the desired traffic? UTMs will give you the ultimate answer as they reveal the specific channels (think social media, email marketing) and content driving website visits.
2 — Refine Your Marketing Strategy
Imagine you need to evaluate the effectiveness of a new motion graphic design used in your PR efforts. With UTMs, it becomes possible. Just track which visuals resonate with your target audience to inform your future PR strategy decisions.
3 — Optimize Content Performance
Understanding which blog posts are most successful with your audience allows you to tailor future content for maximum impact. UTMs provide insights into content performance across various channels
4 — Identify High-Converting Sources
UTMs can pinpoint the geographic regions and platforms driving the most valuable traffic, allowing you to optimize your global marketing strategy.
5 — Analyze Influencer Campaigns
Partnering with an influencer? UTMs track the traffic generated by their promotion, helping you measure the campaign’s effectiveness and improve future collaborations.
Constructing UTM tags for Social Media Traffic Analysis
Now that we know the benefits of UTM tagging, let’s move on to the three essential parameters for crafting effective UTM tags.
1 — Source Parameter:
What it does: Identifies the specific source of the traffic (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).
How to add it: &utm_source= followed by the source name (e.g., &utm_source=facebook).
2 — Medium Parameter:
What it does: Categorizes the type of the traffic source (e.g., social media post, email newsletter, blog article).
How to add it: &utm_medium= followed by the relevant medium term (e.g., &utm_medium=social).
3 — Campaign Parameter:
What it does: Points to the specific marketing campaign behind the traffic (e.g., product launch, persona targeting, lead generation).
How to add it: &utm_campaign= followed by a descriptive campaign identifier (e.g., &utm_campaign=launch_[Product Name]).
Make sure to always maintain brevity and consistency in parameter values. It is particularly useful to have templates for different campaign types to ensure uniformity.
Example Link with UTM Tags
Let’s say you’re sharing a blog post about «Social Media Marketing Tips for Startups» on Twitter as part of your «Startup Growth Campaign.»
You start with your base URL: https://thisisyourwebsite.com/blog/marketing-tips/
Then, you add your UTM tags and construct the following link: https://yourwebsite.com/blog/marketing-tips/utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=startup_growth
Breakdown
utm_source=twitter: Indicates the traffic originates from Twitter.
utm_medium=social: Categorizes the traffic as social media interaction.
utm_campaign=startup_growth: Identifies the «Startup Growth Campaign» as the source of the traffic.
Automate the process
Luckily, there is no need to type every UTM tag manually. Instead, you can use special constructors, such as this one to speed up the process. Just make sure your Google Analytics is set up so that it tracks your links.
Remember, crafting effective UTM tags requires attention to detail and consistent application. If you’re seeking support in streamlining this process and maximizing the value of your marketing data, THE REACH. is here to assist.
If you feel clueless when your boss asks about website traffic sources and want to instantly identify your top-performing social network, UTM tags are what you need. Let us break down the basics for you and show you how you can track your marketing metrics easily with UTMs. Swipe to learn more.
What are UTM tags?
UTMs are tiny tags you attach to your website links.They transmit valuable information to your analytics tools (like Google Analytics) about each click.
Let’s say you share a social media post with a link containing a UTM tag. A visitor clicks on it, and voila! UTM reveals not just «social media traffic,» but the specific network (Facebook, Twitter?), the type of content (image, video?), even the exact campaign (that catchy #giveaway?).
For a more in-depth explanation of UTMs, we recommend this Google’s post.
Benefits of UTM Tracking
Whether you’re crafting a public relations strategy or spearheading a B2B PR campaign, effective measurement is key. Tracking empowers you to refine your approach, identify winning tactics, and maximize impact.
1 — Measure Campaign Success
Did your digital marketing campaign generate the desired traffic? UTMs will give you the ultimate answer as they reveal the specific channels (think social media, email marketing) and content driving website visits.
2 — Refine Your Marketing Strategy
Imagine you need to evaluate the effectiveness of a new motion graphic design used in your PR efforts. With UTMs, it becomes possible. Just track which visuals resonate with your target audience to inform your future PR strategy decisions.
3 — Optimize Content Performance
Understanding which blog posts are most successful with your audience allows you to tailor future content for maximum impact. UTMs provide insights into content performance across various channels
4 — Identify High-Converting Sources
UTMs can pinpoint the geographic regions and platforms driving the most valuable traffic, allowing you to optimize your global marketing strategy.
5 — Analyze Influencer Campaigns
Partnering with an influencer? UTMs track the traffic generated by their promotion, helping you measure the campaign’s effectiveness and improve future collaborations.
Constructing UTM tags for Social Media Traffic Analysis
Now that we know the benefits of UTM tagging, let’s move on to the three essential parameters for crafting effective UTM tags.
1 — Source Parameter:
What it does: Identifies the specific source of the traffic (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).
How to add it: &utm_source= followed by the source name (e.g., &utm_source=facebook).
2 — Medium Parameter:
What it does: Categorizes the type of the traffic source (e.g., social media post, email newsletter, blog article).
How to add it: &utm_medium= followed by the relevant medium term (e.g., &utm_medium=social).
3 — Campaign Parameter:
What it does: Points to the specific marketing campaign behind the traffic (e.g., product launch, persona targeting, lead generation).
How to add it: &utm_campaign= followed by a descriptive campaign identifier (e.g., &utm_campaign=launch_[Product Name]).
Make sure to always maintain brevity and consistency in parameter values. It is particularly useful to have templates for different campaign types to ensure uniformity.
Example Link with UTM Tags
Let’s say you’re sharing a blog post about «Social Media Marketing Tips for Startups» on Twitter as part of your «Startup Growth Campaign.»
You start with your base URL: https://thisisyourwebsite.com/blog/marketing-tips/
Then, you add your UTM tags and construct the following link: https://yourwebsite.com/blog/marketing-tips/utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=startup_growth
Breakdown
utm_source=twitter: Indicates the traffic originates from Twitter.
utm_medium=social: Categorizes the traffic as social media interaction.
utm_campaign=startup_growth: Identifies the «Startup Growth Campaign» as the source of the traffic.
Automate the process
Luckily, there is no need to type every UTM tag manually. Instead, you can use special constructors, such as this one to speed up the process. Just make sure your Google Analytics is set up so that it tracks your links.
Remember, crafting effective UTM tags requires attention to detail and consistent application. If you’re seeking support in streamlining this process and maximizing the value of your marketing data, THE REACH. is here to assist.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can help your brand stay ahead
