What are UTM parameters?

Definition: UTM parameters are short tags added to the end of a URL (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and more) that tell analytics tools like Google Analytics where a visit came from.

Also called: UTM tags, UTM codes

Updated October 10, 2026

Tagged link
https://example.com/menu?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=autumn-menu

The five parameters

  • utm_source: the site or app (instagram, linkedin, newsletter).
  • utm_medium: the channel type (social, paid-social, email).
  • utm_campaign: the campaign name (autumn-menu).
  • utm_content: which post or creative, to compare versions.
  • utm_term: paid keywords; rarely needed on social.

Keep a naming convention

Use lowercase and hyphens, and always the same source names. “LinkedIn”, “linkedin” and “li” show up as three different sources in analytics.

Example

The same blog post is shared on LinkedIn and X with utm_source set to linkedin and x. Analytics then shows LinkedIn sent 340 visits and X sent 90.

Tools and guides

Related terms

  • Click-through rate (CTR)

    Click-through rate is the percentage of people who clicked a link in a post out of everyone who saw it.

  • First comment

    The first comment is a comment the author posts on their own post straight after publishing, usually to hold a link, extra hashtags or a call to action.

Frequently asked questions

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