Getting Started with UTMs
UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. UTMs are small text snippets added to the end of a URL to track where website traffic comes from. They were first introduced with Google Analytics’ predecessor, Urchin, and are now supported by nearly all analytics tools, including Spectacle.
When someone clicks a link with UTM parameters, the information is passed along so you can see which campaign, ad, or channel drove that visit.
The 5 Standard UTM Parameters
Parameter | Purpose | Example |
utm_source | Where the traffic came from (platform, site) |
|
utm_medium | The type of channel |
|
utm_campaign | The campaign name |
|
utm_term | Paid search keyword |
|
utm_content | Distinguishes different links/creatives |
|
Example:
https://www.example.com/page?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=spring_sale&utm_content=video_ad
FAQ
Do I need all five parameters?
No. Most campaigns only need source, medium, and campaign.
Do UTMs work across tools? Yes. They are a standard. Any analytics platform (Google Analytics, Spectacle, Adobe, etc.) can read them.
Can I use UTMs on internal links? No. UTMs should only be used for external campaigns.
Do’s and Don’ts
✅ Do keep names short and consistent (utm_medium=paid_social, not utm_medium=facebook_paid_social_ads_v2).
✅ Do set naming conventions in advance to avoid messy data.
✅ Do test your links before publishing.
❌ Don’t use UTMs on links within your own site (breaks attribution).
❌ Don’t mix inconsistent casing (Email, email, eMail). Stick to lowercase.
❌ Don’t use personal data like email addresses in UTMs.
👉 UTMs are the foundation of reliable marketing measurement. By tagging your campaigns correctly, you’ll know exactly which ads, posts, and emails bring in results.
With Spectacle, you don’t have to change a thing: we automatically respect your existing UTM structure and make sure every click, ad, and campaign is tracked back to real revenue.