Free UTM Builder
Tag the links you share in emails, posts, bios, ads and QR codes so Google Analytics shows exactly which ones bring visitors and sales. Fill in three fields, copy the link. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent to us.
At a glance
- Always use source, medium and campaign. Google Analytics recommends all three on every tagged link.
- Use lowercase and hyphens. UTM values are case sensitive, so Instagram and instagram become two rows in your reports.
- Tag links that point to your site from elsewhere, never links between your own pages.
- Read the results in GA4 under Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition, by Session source / medium or Session campaign.
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a link that tell Google Analytics where a visit came from. The link still opens the same page; the tags simply ride along. Without them, a visit from your newsletter, a WhatsApp message or a creator's bio often shows up as "direct" traffic, and you can't tell which effort worked.
| Parameter | Status | What it records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Required | Where the visit comes from | newsletter, instagram, linkedin, partner-name |
| utm_medium | Required | The type of channel | email, social, paid_social, affiliate, qr |
| utm_campaign | Required | The campaign or promotion | spring-sale, product-launch, webinar-oct |
| utm_content | Optional | Which link or creative was clicked | header-button, video-a, story-2 |
| utm_term | Optional | The paid keyword | running-shoes |
| utm_id | Optional | A campaign ID you also use elsewhere | cmp-2026-10 |
Google Analytics also accepts utm_source_platform, utm_creative_format and utm_marketing_tactic, mostly for ad platforms. Google notes that the last two aren't currently reported, so this builder leaves them out.
How to build a UTM link
- Paste the page address people should land on: a specific product, offer or article usually beats your homepage.
- Pick a preset if one fits; it fills source and medium with consistent values.
- Name the campaign the same way everywhere you run it, such as
winter-sale. - Add content if you'll share more than one link in the same place (two buttons in one email, two stories).
- Copy the link and use it exactly as built. Click it once yourself to check it opens the right page.
- Keep a list of the names you use. The builder keeps your recent links in this browser to make that easier.
A naming convention that keeps reports clean
Most messy analytics come from the same source being spelled three ways. Decide your values once and reuse them. Here's a simple set that works with Google Analytics' channel grouping: it puts visits with a medium of email into the Email channel and social into Organic Social, for example.
| Where the link goes | utm_source | utm_medium | utm_campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email newsletter | newsletter | october-issue | |
| Instagram bio | social | bio-link | |
| LinkedIn post | social | product-launch | |
| Facebook or Instagram ad | paid_social | winter-sale | |
| Influencer post | creator-name | influencer | winter-collection |
| Printed flyer QR code | flyer | qr | open-day |
Google's own guidance says to use one unique source per platform, one medium per channel, and lowercase throughout, because "Meta" and "meta" are treated as different values.
Worked example: tracking three creators
In our guide to finding influencers, a candle shop pays two creators for one Reel each and seeds products to a third. To see which one actually drove sales, it gives each creator their own link to the same winter collection page:
https://example-candles.com/winter/?utm_source=creator-a&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=winter-collection
https://example-candles.com/winter/?utm_source=creator-b&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=winter-collection
https://example-candles.com/winter/?utm_source=creator-c&utm_medium=influencer&utm_campaign=winter-collectionIn Traffic acquisition, filtered to the campaign winter-collection, each creator becomes its own row with visits, engagement and purchases. Pair the links with personal discount codes and you can compare creators on sales, not likes.
Common UTM mistakes
- Tagging internal links. A UTM on a link between your own pages restarts attribution, so the original source is lost.
- Inconsistent capitals and spelling: facebook, Facebook and fb split one source into three.
- Spaces and special characters that get encoded into unreadable values.
- Tagging Google Ads by hand when auto-tagging already passes campaign data to Analytics.
- Sending every link to the homepage, which makes it harder to see what people came for.
- Forgetting to test. Open each link once and check Realtime in Google Analytics to see it arrive.
What the UTM builder doesn't do
- It doesn't shorten links or make QR codes. Use your preferred shortener, then check the short link with the Link Safety Checker to confirm where it lands.
- It doesn't store your links on our servers. Your recent links stay in this browser, and clearing your browser data removes them.
- It can't fix tracking that isn't installed. The page you link to needs Google Analytics (or another analytics tool that reads UTMs) for the tags to be recorded.
A UTM link on one map
Sharing the link on social? Check how its preview looks with the Open Graph Checker, and make sure the landing page is ready with the SEO Page Checker. To plan when each campaign goes out, see our guide to building a content calendar.
Plan the campaigns these links belong to
Scheduler Owl keeps your content calendar across every channel, and Game Plan Owl builds the monthly plan from your real search data.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UTM link?
A normal web address with extra tags on the end, such as ?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring-sale. Google Analytics reads them when someone arrives, so you can see which campaign, post or email sent each visit.
Which UTM parameters are required?
Google Analytics recommends always using utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. utm_content, utm_term and utm_id are optional and help you tell apart creatives, keywords or campaign IDs.
Are UTM parameters case sensitive?
Yes. Google Analytics treats Facebook and facebook as two different sources, which splits your reports. Use lowercase everywhere; the builder does it for you.
Can UTM parameters have spaces?
They can, but spaces turn into %20 or + in the address and are easy to mistype. Use hyphens or underscores instead; the builder can replace spaces automatically.
Where do I see UTM data in GA4?
In Reports, open Acquisition, then Traffic acquisition. Change the table's main dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign to see each tagged link's visits and conversions.
Should I add UTMs to links on my own website?
No. Tagging internal links makes Google Analytics treat the click as a new visit from that "campaign", which overwrites where the visitor really came from. Use UTMs only on links that point to your site from elsewhere.
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
Not as a ranking factor. Google generally treats tagged addresses as the same page, especially when the page has a canonical tag, which most sites do. Just don't put UTM links in your sitemap or internal navigation.
Should I use UTMs on Google Ads?
Usually not needed. Google Ads auto-tagging already passes campaign data to a linked Google Analytics property. Use UTMs for everything else: email, social, influencers, QR codes and other ad platforms.
Can I shorten a UTM link?
Yes. Short links keep the UTM tags when they redirect, which tidies long addresses in posts and printed QR codes. Check the short link with our Link Safety Checker to confirm it lands on the tagged address.
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