UTM links, in short: add tags to the end of a link, such as ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_sale, so your analytics shows which post, ad or email sent each visit and sale. Always use source, medium and campaign; add content, term and id when you need them. Our free UTM builder adds all six tags in your browser.
More on this topic: Selling online, every guide in one place.
Without tags, a sale from your Instagram bio, a TikTok video and a newsletter can all show up as “direct” or a vague “referral”, and you can't tell which one is worth your time. This guide covers what each parameter means, a naming system that keeps reports clean, ready-made examples for the channels sellers actually use, and where UTM tags do and don't work.
- Required in practice: utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. Google Analytics says to always use these three.
- Optional: utm_content (tell two ads or links apart), utm_term (paid keyword) and utm_id (campaign ID).
- Lowercase everything. Values are case-sensitive in Google Analytics reports, so “Instagram” and “instagram” become two sources.
- Use mediums GA4 recognizes: social, paid_social, email, cpc, so visits land in the right channel.
- Tag links to your own site. UTMs are read by the analytics on the page the link opens, so they work on your store, not inside Amazon or Etsy listings.
How do I create a UTM link?
Paste the page address into a UTM builder, fill in source, medium and campaign, and copy the tagged link.
- Open the UTM builder and paste a product, collection or landing page link.
- Pick a channel preset: Facebook ad, Instagram ad, Instagram bio or post link, TikTok ad, Pinterest pin, email newsletter or Google Ads (manual tagging). The preset fills source and medium.
- Name the campaign, for example spring_sale. Add content, term or a campaign ID if you need them.
- Leave Make tags lowercase on. The builder also replaces spaces, keeps any parameters and #anchors the link already has, and swaps out old UTM tags instead of doubling them.
- Copy the link and use it in your bio, post, ad or email. The builder warns you if source, medium or campaign is missing.
Everything is built in your browser with no sign-up, and your links aren't sent or saved anywhere. You can also type tags by hand: start with ? after the address (or & if it already has a ?), and join each tag with &.
What are the UTM parameters?
There are five classic UTM parameters (source, medium, campaign, term and content), and Google Analytics 4 also reads utm_id plus a few newer ones.
| Parameter | What it means | Seller example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Where the click came from (site, app or list) | instagram, tiktok, newsletter |
| utm_medium | The type of traffic | social, paid_social, email, cpc |
| utm_campaign | Your name for the promotion or product push | spring_sale, candle_launch |
| utm_content | Which creative or link, when several share a campaign | video_a, bio_link, header_button |
| utm_term | The paid keyword | soy_candles |
| utm_id | A campaign ID, handy if you also track costs elsewhere | fb_0412 |
| utm_source_platform | The platform that sent the traffic (for example a buying platform) | Rarely needed by small sellers |
| utm_creative_format, utm_marketing_tactic | Creative type; targeting such as remarketing | Not currently shown in GA4 reports |
Google Analytics UTM parameter names and channel rules were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.
Google Analytics shows missing tags as (not set). It recommends source, medium and campaign on every tagged link. The builder covers the six tags sellers use: source, medium, campaign, campaign ID, term and content.
What naming convention should I use for UTM tags?
Use lowercase, underscores instead of spaces, short platform names for source, and only mediums that Google Analytics 4 maps to a channel.
| Rule | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| Case | Instagram, INSTAGRAM | |
| Spaces | spring_sale | Spring Sale, spring%20sale |
| Source = the place | tiktok, pinterest, newsletter | tiktok_video_3 (put that in content) |
| Medium = the type | social, paid_social, email, cpc | post, story, ig (GA4 won't recognize them) |
| Campaign = the reason | black_friday_2026, mug_launch | campaign1, test |
| Content = the variant | video_hook_a, carousel, bio_link | Left blank when you run two ads |
Mediums matter because GA4 sorts visits into channels by source and medium. In its default channel groups, email goes to Email; a social source with social (or no paid medium) goes to Organic Social; a social source with a medium starting with paid, containing cp, or equal to ppc goes to Paid Social; affiliate goes to Affiliates; and referral goes to Referral. A made-up medium such as qr still shows in source/medium reports but can fall into “Unassigned” in the channel report. Write your rules in a shared sheet so everyone who posts uses the same words.
UTM link examples for sellers
Here are ready-to-copy patterns for the channels small brands use most. Replace the domain and campaign with your own.
| Where the link goes | utm_source | utm_medium | utm_campaign / utm_content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram bio link | social | evergreen / bio_link | |
| TikTok video (organic, link in bio or profile) | tiktok | social | mug_launch / packing_video |
| TikTok ad | tiktok | paid_social | mug_launch / hook_a |
| Pinterest pin | social | holiday_gifts / pin_flatlay | |
| Email newsletter | newsletter | black_friday_2026 / header_button | |
| Facebook ad | paid_social | spring_sale / carousel | |
| QR code on an insert card or packaging | qr | insert | repeat_order / thank_you_card |
| Influencer post | social | creator_collab / jane_doe |
A full link looks like this: https://yourstore.com/products/mug?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=holiday_gifts&utm_content=pin_flatlay.
Instagram and TikTok bio links
A bio holds one link, so tag it once with utm_content=bio_link and leave it. If you use a link-in-bio page, tag each button on that page instead, so you see which product people chose.
QR codes on packaging and insert cards
A printed QR code can't tell you it was scanned, but a tagged link can: add UTM tags to the address first, then make the code with the free QR code generator. It makes static codes with no redirect or scan tracking, so the UTM tags are how you count visits. Use a different utm_content for each card or box design. Our guide to making a QR code for business covers print size and testing.
Influencers and creators
Give each creator their own link with their name in utm_content (or campaign), plus a discount code. The link catches clicks; the code catches people who saw the post, then typed your address later. Counting both gives a fairer picture than either alone.
Running ads to those tagged links? Make the creative too: turn one product photo into a short moving clip for TikTok, Reels or a Facebook ad.
Make a product clip7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardDo UTM links work on Amazon and Etsy?
Not in a way you can rely on: UTM tags are read by the analytics on the site the link opens, so they work best on links to your own store or website.
- Your own store (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace and similar): tagged visits show in Google Analytics and in most store dashboards' traffic reports.
- Amazon: you can't see UTM data in Seller Central. Amazon has its own tool for measuring off-Amazon traffic, Amazon Attribution; check whether your account is eligible in Seller Central.
- Etsy: use Etsy's own shop stats and traffic sources. Etsy doesn't give you a Google Analytics view of UTM tags on listings.
- Google Ads: with auto-tagging on and Ads linked to Analytics, clicks are tracked without UTM tags; use manual tags only if auto-tagging is off or you track in another tool.
How do I use UTM data to measure ROAS?
Filter your analytics by campaign to get the revenue each tagged link brought in, then divide by what you spent on it.
In GA4, open the traffic or user acquisition report, switch the dimension to session source/medium or session campaign, and read purchases and revenue next to each row. Divide revenue by ad spend and you have ROAS; the free ROAS calculator does the maths and compares it with your break-even point. Our guide to calculating ROAS explains why analytics numbers and ad-platform numbers rarely match.
Tagging links between pages of your own site (it restarts the visit and overwrites the real source); mixing Facebook, facebook and fb; putting the post name in source instead of content; forgetting the medium; and pasting a tagged link into a URL shortener without checking the tags survive. Click every link once before you publish.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UTM builder?
A tool that adds UTM tags to a link for you. You paste the address, fill in source, medium and campaign, and copy the tagged link. AiArter's UTM builder is free, runs in your browser and has presets for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, email and Google Ads.
What are the 5 UTM parameters?
utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term and utm_content. Google Analytics 4 also reads utm_id (campaign ID) and utm_source_platform, plus two newer ones it doesn't currently report.
Which UTM parameters are required?
None are technically required, but Google Analytics says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. Without a source, most analytics tools ignore the other tags.
Are UTM tags case-sensitive?
Yes, the values are. utm_source=google and utm_source=Google show as two sources in Google Analytics reports, so keep everything lowercase.
What UTM medium should I use for Instagram?
Use social for organic posts, stories and your bio link, and paid_social for ads. Both match Google Analytics 4's channel rules, so visits land in Organic Social or Paid Social.
Can I add UTM tags to a QR code?
Yes. Add the tags to the link first, then turn that tagged link into a QR code. Scans then show up in your website analytics under the source and medium you chose.
Do UTM links affect SEO?
Not when used as intended, on links from other places to your site. Don't use them on internal links between your own pages, which splits visits in your reports.
Can I use UTM links on Etsy or Amazon listings?
UTM tags work best on links to your own store. Etsy and Amazon don't show UTM data to sellers; use Etsy's shop stats or Amazon Attribution instead.
Once your links show what's working, AiArter turns your product photos into fresh ad images and short clips for the channels that convert.
Start free trialBuild a UTM link free7 days free · 50 credits · No credit card. Trial images carry a small “Made with aiarter” mark; paid plans export clean files you can use commercially.
