UTM Parameters: The Complete Guide for Content Creators
If you're sharing affiliate links across multiple platforms and want to know which ones actually drive sales, UTM parameters are your secret weapon. Let's break down everything you need to know.
What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags you add to the end of URLs to track where your traffic comes from. They're readable by analytics tools and help you understand which marketing efforts are working.
Example UTM URL:
https://example.com/product?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer_saleThe 5 UTM Parameters
1. utm_source (Required)
Identifies where the traffic is coming from (e.g., instagram, youtube, newsletter, tiktok).
utm_source=instagram2. utm_medium (Required)
Describes the marketing medium (e.g., social, email, bio, video, story).
utm_medium=social3. utm_campaign (Required)
Identifies the specific campaign or promotion (e.g., summer_sale, product_launch, black_friday).
utm_campaign=summer_sale4. utm_term (Optional)
Used for paid search to identify keywords. Useful for A/B testing different messages.
utm_term=best_camera5. utm_content (Optional)
Differentiates similar content or links in the same campaign (e.g., button_blue vs button_red).
utm_content=cta_buttonBest Practices for Content Creators
- Be consistent with naming:
Use lowercase and underscores (instagram_story not Instagram-Story)
- Create UTM templates:
Save time by creating reusable templates for common campaigns
- Track everything:
Add UTMs to all external links, not just paid campaigns
- Keep it simple:
Don't over-complicate your naming - you need to remember what they mean
Common Use Cases
YouTube Video Description
?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=review_seriesInstagram Bio Link
?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio&utm_campaign=evergreenEmail Newsletter
?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_digestTikTok Video Link
?utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=viral_trendUTM Automation with afflo.link
Manually adding UTM parameters to every link is tedious. Tools like afflo.link let you create UTM templates that automatically apply to your links, saving hours of work and ensuring consistency across all your campaigns.
Master UTM parameters, and you'll never wonder which platform drives your best results again.