Understanding UTMs – How to Track Your Marketing Efforts with Precision
When you’re running multiple marketing campaigns—like social media ads, email blasts, and influencer promotions—it’s crucial to know which ones are actually driving traffic to your direct booking site. That’s where UTM parameters come into play.
What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are short snippets of code added to the end of a URL. They help you track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns in Google Analytics by pinpointing exactly where your traffic is coming from.
For example:https://yourdomain.com/property-page?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_promo
When someone clicks this link, Google Analytics records:
- Source (
utm_source=instagram) – Where the traffic is coming from (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Google). - Medium (
utm_medium=social) – The type of traffic (e.g., social, email, CPC). - Campaign (
utm_campaign=spring_promo) – The name of your campaign for better tracking.
How to Create UTM Links
There are two main ways to build UTM links:
- Manual Method – You can manually add UTM parameters to the end of your URL.
- Google Campaign URL Builder – Google provides a simple tool for building UTM links. You just fill out the form, and it generates the tagged URL for you.
Best Practices for Using UTM Links
- Keep It Consistent – Use consistent naming conventions for source, medium, and campaign names.
- Be Specific – Instead of just “social,” use “instagram_feed” or “facebook_ads.”
- Avoid Overlapping Names – If you run two Instagram campaigns, differentiate them with unique campaign names.
- Shorten the Links – Long URLs can look messy; use Bitly or a similar tool to shorten them.
Where to Use UTM Links
- Email Campaigns – Track which email blasts bring traffic.
- Social Media Posts – Measure which platforms are driving the most clicks.
- Influencer Collaborations – See if your influencer partnerships are converting.
- Paid Ads – Know if your Google or Facebook ads are actually bringing traffic.
Tracking Your UTMs in Google Analytics
To see your UTM data, head to:
- Acquisition → Campaigns → All Campaigns
- You’ll see each campaign, its traffic source, and its medium, along with metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and conversions.
With UTMs, you get a clear view of where your marketing dollars are making the most impact. This is the first step toward optimizing your marketing efforts and maximizing direct bookings.
Want to know why all this tracking actually matters?
👉 Read this: Why Tracking Traffic Sources is Critical for Your Short-Term Rental Marketing Strategy