What is UTM code, how to create it and how to use it in SEO?

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A UTM code is a tracking code that you can add to the end of a URL in order to track the source, medium, and campaign name of traffic to your website. UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, and it was originally developed by the company Urchin Software Corporation, which was acquired by Google in 2005.

UTM codes consist of five parameters:

  1. Source (utm_source): This parameter identifies the source of the traffic, such as a search engine or a social media platform.
  2. Medium (utm_medium): This parameter identifies the medium of the traffic, such as organic search or social media advertising.
  3. Campaign (utm_campaign): This parameter identifies the specific campaign that the traffic is part of, such as a product launch or a holiday sale.
  4. Term (utm_term): This parameter is used for paid search campaigns to identify the keywords that were used in the search.
  5. Content (utm_content): This parameter is used to differentiate between different versions of the same ad or link.

To create a UTM code, you can use Google’s Campaign URL Builder tool or any other UTM generator tool available online. You’ll need to enter the parameters for your campaign and the tool will generate a unique URL with the UTM code attached to it.

Using UTM codes in SEO can help you track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and identify which sources and mediums are driving the most traffic to your website. By analyzing the data from your UTM codes, you can make informed decisions about how to allocate your marketing resources and optimize your campaigns for better results.

URL: https://www.example.com/new-product

UTM Parameters:

  • Source: Facebook
  • Medium: Social Media
  • Campaign: New Product Launch

UTM Code: ?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=new-product-launch

When someone clicks on this link, their visit to the website will be tagged with these UTM parameters, allowing you to track the traffic generated by this specific campaign in your Google Analytics or other tracking tools.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a sample UTM code using Google’s Campaign URL Builder tool:

  1. Go to Google’s Campaign URL Builder tool: https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/
  2. In the Website URL field, enter the URL of the page you want to link to, such as your homepage or a landing page for a specific campaign.
  3. In the Campaign Source field, enter the source of your traffic, such as a social media platform, email newsletter, or paid search ad.
  4. In the Campaign Medium field, enter the medium of your traffic, such as social media, email, or cpc (for cost-per-click ads).
  5. In the Campaign Name field, enter a descriptive name for your campaign, such as “summer sale” or “product launch.”
  6. (Optional) In the Campaign Term field, enter the keywords that triggered your paid search ad.
  7. (Optional) In the Campaign Content field, enter any additional information. This will help you differentiate between different versions of the same link. Such as different ad creatives or A/B test variations.
  8. Click the “Generate URL” button.
  9. Copy the generated URL with the UTM parameters.
  10. Use this URL in your marketing campaign to track the traffic generated by that specific source, medium, and campaign.

Here are some sample UTM codes that you could generate using this tool:

Example 1: UTM code for a Facebook post promoting a summer sale:

UTM code: ?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer-sale

Example 2: UTM code for a paid search ad promoting a new product:

UTM code: ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=new-product-launch&utm_term=new%20product&utm_content=ad-1