Measurement glossary

What Is UTM Parameters?

Definition

UTM parameters are standardized tags added to a URL so analytics tools can identify the source, medium, campaign and other details of referred traffic.

How UTM Parameters Works

Common parameters include utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term and utm_content. Their values are passed in the landing-page URL and appear in analytics acquisition reporting.

A Simple Example

A Meta ad URL might use utm_source=facebook, utm_medium=paid_social and utm_campaign=summer_sale.

Why UTM Parameters Matters

Consistent UTMs make cross-channel reporting and campaign comparison more reliable.

Common Misreading

UTM values are case-sensitive and inconsistent naming fragments data. They also describe the tagged link; they do not independently prove which channel caused the conversion.