A quick guide to UTM's

Meaning of UTM explained.

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Meaning of UTMs.

UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, it is a convention of adding analytics parameters to a web link. Those parameters provide detailed information about the source, medium, campaign, and other aspects of the traffic coming via link containing UTM.

Eg.

https://cutdown.link?utm_source=post&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=free_accoutn_promo

Use of a link containing UTM lets us understand the source of the traffic and other data. The same result can be achieved without using UTM convention if you plan to manually analyse the data. Following the standard, makes it accessible for countless analytics tools that can directly understand UTM parameters.

Components of UTM Parameters

  • Source (utm_source): Identifies the platform or source where the link is shared (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, email).
  • Medium (utm_medium): Describes the type of medium or channel through which the link is shared (e.g., social, email, CPC).
  • Campaign (utm_campaign): Specifies the name of the marketing campaign associated with the link.
  • Term (utm_term): Typically used for paid search to identify the keywords associated with the ad.
  • Content (utm_content): Used to differentiate similar content within the same campaign. This is often used in A/B testing scenarios.

UTM Parameters and Link Shortening: An Effective Duo

  • Short and effective: by combining UTM parameters with link shortening, you gain a more easy to share, short link.
  • Versatile: usable in any medium. When characters count matters, eg. twitter. For non digital media: imagine using a long link with UTM on a printed leaflet. In QR codes, the shorter QR data, the more readable it is.

Getting Started: Creating Short Links with UTM Parameters

  1. Generate Your UTM Parameters: Use Google's Campaign URL Builder or your preferred UTM parameter generator to create the tags for your link.
  2. Append UTM Parameters: Add the UTM parameters to your URL before shortening it.
  3. Shorten Your Link: Head over to your favorite link shortening service and paste your long URL.
  4. Share and Analyze: Distribute your shortened link across platforms and campaigns. Monitor its performance using the analytics provided by both the link shortening service and your chosen analytics tools.

Ready to harness the power of concise links with detailed tracking? Try our service CutDown.link and create a short link that contains all UTM parameters.

Michal S

Michael Sx

Experienced Marketer and Technologist

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In the dynamic realm of digital marketing, A/B testing stands as the tried-and-true method for determining which ideas yield the most favorable results. As marketers strive for precision in their campaigns, the integration of advanced link shortening services emerges as a game-changer in the A/B testing arena.