UTM tags: marking traffic sources
UTM tags are parameters in the link address that analytics use to understand where the visitor came from. They look like this: ?utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=autumn. Without them, some transitions end up as "direct visits" and the source is lost forever.
Five parameters
| Parameter | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Specific source | telegram, newsletter |
| utm_medium | Type of channel | cpc, email, social |
| utm_campaign | Campaign | autumn-sale |
| utm_content | Ad variant or placement | banner-top, post-15 |
| utm_term | Keyword | for paid search |
Rules that save months
- One case for all. Telegram and telegram are two different sources in the report.
- Unified value dictionary. Create a list of acceptable source and medium values and stick to it.
- No personal data in parameters: the address goes into analytics, logs, and sometimes into search results.
- Tag all external: posts, newsletters, banners, signatures in messengers.
UTM and SEO
There is no need to tag links that you use for promotion: tags create duplicate addresses and dilute the link signal. If tagging is still required for accounting, close the parameterized addresses with a canonical address to the clean version — see canonical address.
Why this is needed in practice
We analyzed a case where advertising went to a site without tags: 492 clicks appeared as direct visits, and it became impossible to understand which ad group was bringing people — we had to restart the accounting. The tag takes one minute at the link publication stage, while its absence costs the entire channel's analytics.
Link shorteners
A long address with tags looks messy in a post or message, so it is often hidden behind a shortener. This is acceptable with two caveats: the shortener must provide a permanent redirect, not open an intermediate page, and the service itself must be reliable — if it shuts down, all published links will stop working at once.
Checking before publication
Before sending out the link, open it and make sure that the tags have not been lost during the redirect and that the page opens immediately, without intermediate transitions. Lost parameters during redirecting are the most common reason for empty campaign statistics.