Definition:
UTM code is code that is included in a custom URL with the goal of tracking the origin, medium, and name of the campaign. They are small text codes that are added to the end of the URL. The UTM code is very useful in web analytics, as it allows Google Analytics to offer complete traceability of the campaigns from which the visits come, as well as to identify the source of the conversions. Thanks to UTM codes we can know numerous factors that will allow us to optimize our digital marketing campaigns in the future.
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Origin of the UTM
UTM comes from the term Urchin Traffic Monitor. Urchin was a company created in 1995 that created a measurement software with the same name, and that was acquired in 2005 by Google to create Google Analytics.
How to create UTM codes
It is best to create a unique URL for each campaign. The URL can be assigned to any campaign you make through, for example, Facebook Ads. It also allows not only traffic, but conversions for each campaign source.
We can create UTM codes manually and completely customized, or use a tool that facilitates this task. Google has a publicly available UTM code generator that allows, by filling in the corresponding fields, to generate a URL with its corresponding parameters that can be correctly interpreted by Google Analytics
UTM Code Types
There are numerous types of code depending on the information we want to obtain. The most important are:
- _term:through this code we can know the keywords by which they have searched us. This is very useful information to improve our positioning.
- _source:through this code we can know which are the sources through which users come to our website, whether it is a search engine, social networks or another web page.
- _campaign:This code gives us information about the marketing campaigns that are attracting the most users to our website. Very important to know the success of them.
- _content:with it we can know what content is attracting more users to our website.
- _medium: to know the medium through which the campaigns arrive.
UTM Example
If we publish a post on Facebook to promote this digital glossary, we can tag as follows
https://www.arimetrics.com.com/glosario-digital?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socia&utm_campaign=promocion_glosario
Frequently asked questions about UTM
What does UTM mean in digital marketing?
UTM refers to the concept described in this glossary entry: Definition: UTM code is code that is included in a custom URL with the goal of tracking the origin, medium, and name of the campaign. The UTM code is very useful in web analytics , as it allows Google Analytics to offer complete traceability of the campaigns from which the visits come, as well as to identify the source of the conversions. It gives teams a shared vocabulary for analysing digital projects.
When should teams pay attention to UTM?
Teams should review UTM when it affects acquisition, measurement, user experience, content, automation or campaign performance. The important step is to connect the definition with a real decision.
How is UTM used in a digital strategy?
UTM is used by translating the concept into practical checks: where it appears in the funnel, which data or channel is involved and whether it needs optimisation, monitoring or documentation.
What is a common mistake when interpreting UTM?
A common mistake is using UTM too broadly. It is better to verify the context, the tool or the metric involved before making strategic or technical conclusions.