What are UTM tags and why are they needed?
UTM parameters are the basis of traffic analytics. We analyze each of the 5 parameters with examples, talk about typical mistakes and best practices.
What are UTM tags?
UTM tags (from Urchin Tracking Module) are parameters that are added to the URL to track traffic sources in web analytics systems: Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica, etc.
Example URL with UTM tags:
https://example.com/sale?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_2026&utm_content=banner_top&utm_term=buy+sneakers Five UTM parameters
| Parameter | Required | Destination | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `utm_source` | ✅ | Traffic source | `google`, `vk`, `telegram` |
| `utm_medium` | ✅ | Channel type | `cpc`, `email`, `social` |
| `utm_campaign` | ✅ | Campaign name | `summer_sale_2026` |
| `utm_term` | ❌ | Keyword | `buy+sneakers` |
| `utm_content` | ❌ | Advertising option | `banner_top`, `text_link` |
Best practices
1. Use lower_case - utm_source=google instead of Google
2. Underscore instead of spaces - summer_sale instead of summer%20sale
3. Unified Conventions - Agree with the team on a naming standard
4. Do not put UTM on internal links - this will reset attribution in GA4
Common mistakes
- Duplicate utm_source and utm_medium (for example, source=google_cpc)
- Cyrillic in UTM values (it is better to use transliteration)
- Spaces instead of underscores
Use our generator
Build a UTM link in 30 seconds with our free tool. Supports all popular sources: Google, Yandex, VKontakte, Facebook, TikTok.