Chirply resources · Reviewed

What are UTM parameters?

UTM parameters are named values added to a link to describe a marketing campaign. Source identifies the referring publisher, medium identifies the channel and campaign identifies the promotion. Analytics systems can use those labels when recording a visit.

A practical example

A newsletter link can use utm_source=newsletter, utm_medium=email and utm_campaign=autumn-demo. A second link in the same email can use a different utm_content value to distinguish its placement while retaining the same campaign labels.

How to use this concept

Choose a naming convention before distributing links. Keep capitalization, separators and campaign names consistent across people and channels. The URL builder preserves case, so Email and email remain different input values.

Start with the real destination URL and preserve any parameters the destination needs. URL encoding represents spaces and punctuation safely inside a query string. Test the resulting address and confirm that the expected page opens with the intended values.

Use descriptive campaign labels that are safe to share publicly. Keep personal information and access credentials out of URLs. Tracking configuration, browser behavior and consent settings determine what is recorded; the presence of a tag alone does not establish a complete attribution history.

When should content and term be used?

Content can distinguish links or creative variations within a campaign. Term can carry a campaign keyword label. Use them when the extra distinction answers a reporting question, and document the convention alongside source, medium and campaign.

Apply it to your workflow

Related terms

References

About these resources

Chirply publishes these explanations and planning tools to help teams define, test and measure their workflows. AI-assisted drafts are checked against the cited product references and documented formulas. Examples are illustrative. Read the review method, explore product capabilities or check current plans.

For a correction, email support@chirply.io with the page address and the specific detail.