Add UTM tags to any link so Google Analytics 4 shows exactly which newsletter, post or ad sent each visitor. The builder keeps your naming tidy and warns you when GA4 will file the traffic as “Unassigned”.
Saved links (kept only in this browser)
What UTM parameters do
When someone clicks a link from your newsletter, GA4 often can’t tell where they came from. Email apps, WhatsApp and many social apps strip the referrer, so the visit lands in “Direct” and your newsletter looks like it did nothing. UTM tags fix that by writing the source into the link itself.
The five you will use most:
- utm_source: who sent the visit, for example newsletter, facebook or partner_site. Required.
- utm_medium: the type of channel, for example email, social or cpc. GA4 uses this to sort traffic into channels.
- utm_campaign: the push this link belongs to, for example black_friday_2026.
- utm_content: which link or creative was clicked, handy when one email has three buttons.
- utm_term: the paid keyword. Google Ads fills this in for you when auto-tagging is on, so you rarely need it.
Naming rules that save you a headache later
UTM values are case-sensitive. “Facebook”, “facebook” and “FB” become three separate rows in your reports, and you will spend an afternoon merging them. Pick a convention and stick to it:
- Lowercase everything (the builder does this by default).
- Use underscores instead of spaces.
- Use the mediums GA4 already understands: email, social, paid_social, cpc, display, referral and affiliate. Anything else ends up as “Unassigned” unless you build a custom channel group.
- Keep a list. The “Save to my list” button stores links in your browser and exports them as a CSV for your team.
Where not to use UTM tags
Never put UTM tags on links between pages of your own site. Each tagged click starts a new session in GA4 and overwrites the real source, so a visitor who came from Google suddenly looks like they came from your own menu. Use them only on links that live somewhere else: emails, social posts, bios, ads, QR codes, partner sites and printed material.
For a deeper walk-through, read our practical guide to UTM tagging in GA4. Once your links are tagged, a monthly Looker Studio report makes the results easy to share.
Common questions
Which UTM parameters are required?
Only utm_source is strictly needed for GA4 to read the tags. In practice, always add utm_medium and utm_campaign too, or your traffic ends up poorly sorted.
Do UTM tags hurt SEO?
No. Search engines ignore them on external links. Just keep them off your internal links and make sure your pages have a canonical tag, which WordPress SEO plugins add for you.
Where do I see UTM data in GA4?
Go to Reports, then Acquisition, then Traffic acquisition. Change the main dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign. New links can take a day to show up.
Should I tag my Google Ads links?
Usually not. Turn on auto-tagging in Google Ads and link it to GA4; it passes richer data than manual tags. Use UTM tags for Meta, LinkedIn, email and everything else.