Tracking

UTM Parameters

Tags added to URLs to track the source, medium, and campaign of website traffic in analytics tools.

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags added to URLs that allow analytics tools like Google Analytics to identify where traffic came from. The five UTM parameters are: utm_source (traffic source), utm_medium (marketing medium), utm_campaign (campaign name), utm_term (paid keywords), and utm_content (ad variation). For example: yoursite.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale Proper UTM tagging is essential for accurate attribution. Without UTMs, traffic from social media, email, and other sources often appears as "direct" or "(none)" in analytics, creating attribution blind spots. This is the source of the "(No Name)" problem many Shopify merchants face. Best practices include using consistent naming conventions, tagging all external links (including bio links and organic social posts), and using lowercase to avoid duplication. Many businesses lose 20-40% of attribution visibility simply due to poor UTM coverage.

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Related Terms

External Resources

Google UTM Builder

Frequently Asked Questions

What are UTM parameters?

UTM parameters are tags added to URLs to track the source, medium, and campaign of website traffic in analytics tools. For example: yoursite.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale. They help identify which marketing channels drive traffic and conversions.

What are the 5 UTM parameters?

The 5 UTM parameters are: utm_source (traffic source like 'facebook'), utm_medium (marketing medium like 'cpc'), utm_campaign (campaign name like 'spring_sale'), utm_term (paid keyword), and utm_content (ad variation for A/B testing).

Why is my traffic showing as Direct or (not set)?

Traffic shows as Direct or (not set) when UTM parameters are missing from your marketing URLs. This 'dark traffic' makes it impossible to attribute conversions to specific campaigns. Proper UTM tagging on all paid ads, emails, and social posts is essential for accurate attribution.

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