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Urchin Tracking Module (UTM)
Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) is a method used to track and analyze the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns. It is a code that can be added to the end of a URL, allowing businesses to gather valuable data about the source of their website traffic.
The Urchin Tracking Module was originally developed by Urchin Software Corporation, a web analytics company founded in 1997. Google acquired Urchin in 2005 and incorporated its technology into Google Analytics, making UTM widely available to website owners.
UTM parameters are added to the end of a URL, typically in the form of key-value pairs. There are five different UTM parameters, which may be used in any order:
| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Specifies the source of the traffic, such as a search engine, social media platform, or email newsletter. | utm_source=google |
| utm_medium | Identifies the medium through which the traffic is generated, such as organic search, paid search, or referral. | utm_medium=ppc |
| utm_campaign | Identifies a specific product promotion or strategic campaign. | utm_campaign=spring_sale |
| utm_term | Used to track keywords associated with paid search campaigns. | utm_term=running+shoes |
| utm_content | Differentiate between different versions or elements of an ad or link. It is often used for A/B testing and content-targeted ads. | utm_content=logolink or utm_content=textlink |
The first three UTM parameters listed above are required in Google Analytics 4, with the last two being optional.
You can generate a UTM URL from Google Analytics Campaign URL Builder.