Glossary · Traffic · also UTM tags, campaign parameters
What is UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are query-string tags added to a link (source, medium, campaign, content and term) that tell analytics where a visit came from. They only work when whoever created the link added them, which is why word of mouth, taps from apps and AI assistant referrals usually arrive untagged.
- Reviewed 6 October 2026
In more detail
The common failure is inconsistent capitalisation and naming, which splits one channel into several rows and makes reporting quietly wrong. A written convention, enforced when links are created, prevents more analytics trouble than any tool.
The structural limit is that UTMs describe intent, not reality: they record what the person building the link claimed, not what happened.
Key points
- Only present when the link creator added them.
- Inconsistent capitalisation silently splits channels.
- Cannot capture untagged sources: word of mouth, app taps, assistants.
Related terms
Guides that go deeper
Last reviewed against the product on 6 October 2026.
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