This article will share how UTM tracking works with Google Analytics and your event marketing campaign.
UTM parameters in Google Analytics are short text codes added to a URL to track important data about website traffic and user behavior. UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, originating from Urchin Software Corporation which was acquired by Google. These parameters are now widely used in Google Analytics for tracking the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns across traffic sources and publishing media.
Components of UTM Parameters
There are five types of UTM parameters you can attach to a URL:
utm_source: Identifies the source of traffic (e.g., Google, newsletter, or a specific domain).
utm_medium: Specifies the medium the link was used on (e.g., email, CPC, social).
utm_campaign: Names the specific campaign or promotion (e.g., spring_sale).
utm_term: Notes the keywords for this ad (used primarily in paid search).
utm_content: Used to differentiate similar content, or links within the same ad (e.g., text link vs. image link).
How UTM Parameters Work
When a user clicks a link that includes UTM parameters, those parameters are sent to Google Analytics, where they are recorded along with the associated website activity. This allows marketers and webmasters to track the effectiveness of each specific campaign, source, and medium in their marketing efforts.
Example of UTM Tracking
Consider a scenario where a company is running a promotional campaign via multiple channels. They could set up a URL to include UTM parameters like so:
Example of URL with UTM
https://reg.eventnook.com/event/smartcitygreendemo/home?utm_source=member-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=earlybird&utm_id=earlybird-campaign
Here is the URL builder that you can use to create the URL with UTM parameters:
Example of URL Builder
In Google Analytics, this data appears under the Acquisition section, helping users to analyze the traffic based on these specified dimensions. This enables clear visibility into which channels drive the most traffic, which campaigns are most effective, and how different content performs.
By utilizing UTM parameters, businesses can fine-tune their marketing strategies based on precise, actionable data gathered directly from their digital campaigns.