How to Check UTM in Google Analytics

Setting up your campaigns with UTM parameters is only half the battle, the real value comes from knowing exactly where to find and analyze that data in Google Analytics. If you've felt a little lost looking for your campaign data in GA4, you're not alone. This guide will walk you through precisely how to check your UTM data in Google Analytics 4, build useful reports, and finally get the clear attribution you've been looking for.

A Quick Refresher: What UTMs Are and Why They Matter

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are simple tags you add to the end of a URL to track the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns across different traffic sources and media. Tracking this data is the foundation of data-driven marketing, allowing you to prove ROI, understand which channels work best, and optimize your spending.

There are five standard UTM parameters:

• utm_source: Identifies where the traffic is coming from, like 'google,' 'facebook,' or a specific newsletter name like 'monthly_newsletter_january.'
• utm_medium: Explains how the traffic got to you, such as 'cpc,' 'social,' 'email,' or 'affiliate.'
• utm_campaign: Names the specific campaign you are running, like 'spring_sale_2024' or 'new_feature_launch.'
• utm_term: Used to track specific keywords, typically for paid search campaigns.
• utm_content: Differentiates between links within the same ad or promotion, such as 'blue_button' vs. 'header_link.'

When a user clicks on a URL tagged with these parameters, Google Analytics automatically captures that information and ties their entire session and any conversions to your specific campaign efforts. Without them, traffic from an email newsletter and a paid social ad might both be bucketed into the unhelpful category of "Direct" or "Referral" traffic, robbing you of crucial insights.

Where to Find Your UTM Campaign Data in GA4

In Google Analytics 4, most of your campaign analysis will happen in the "Traffic acquisition" report. It’s a bit different from how Universal Analytics worked, but it's powerful once you know your way around. Here's the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Navigate to the Traffic Acquisition Report

From your GA4 property, follow this path from the left-hand menu:

1. Click on Reports.
2. Expand the Acquisition section.
3. Click on Traffic acquisition.

You’ll land on a default report that probably shows "Session default channel group" as the primary dimension. This is a good starting point, but it's too high-level for our UTM analysis.

Step 2: Change the Primary Dimension to View Campaign Data

This is the most important step. To see your UTM-tagged campaign information, you need to change the primary dimension of the report.

1. At the top of the data table, click the dropdown arrow next to the current primary dimension (e.g., "Session default channel group").
2. A list of available dimensions will appear. You want to look for the dimensions related to "Session."

Here’s how the UTM parameters you use map to the dimensions in GA4:

• utm_source → Select Session source
• utm_medium → Select Session medium
• utm_campaign → Select Session campaign
• utm_term → Select Session manual term
• utm_content → Select Session manual ad content

Start by selecting Session campaign. The report will now update to show a list of all your campaign names, along with key metrics like Users, Sessions, Engaged sessions, and Conversions.

Step 3: Add a Secondary Dimension for Deeper Analysis

Often, you need to analyze more than just one UTM parameter at a time. For instance, you might want to see the performance of a specific campaign broken down by its source and medium. This is where secondary dimensions come in handy.

1. Click the blue "+" icon next to the primary dimension dropdown menu.
2. Search for and select the dimension you want to add. A common and useful combination is to use Session campaign as the primary dimension and add Session source / medium as the secondary dimension.
3. The table will now show your campaign data with an extra column, allowing you to see which sources are driving the best performance for each campaign.

How to Build a Custom UTM Campaign Report in GA4

The standard "Traffic acquisition" report is great for quick checks, but building a custom report in the "Explore" section gives you more flexibility and creates a reusable asset for ongoing campaign monitoring. This process lets you pick and choose an exact combination of dimensions and metrics relevant to your business.

Step 1: Go to the "Explore" Section

In the left-hand navigation menu in GA4, click on Explore. Then, click on the Blank template to create a new report from scratch.

Step 2: Name Your Report and Set the Date Range

Give your new exploration a descriptive name like "Detailed Campaign Performance." You can also adjust the date range in the top right corner to reflect the period you want to analyze.

Step 3: Add Your UTM Dimensions

In the first column, labeled "Variables," you’ll see sections for Dimensions and Metrics.

1. Click the "+" icon next to Dimensions.
2. Search for and select all the relevant UTM-related dimensions you might want to use. Check the box for each of these:
3. Click the blue Import button in the top right.

Step 4: Add Your Desired Metrics

Now, do the same for your key performance indicators (KPIs).

1. In the "Variables" column, click the "+" icon next to Metrics.
2. Search for and select the metrics that matter most for measuring campaign success. A good starting set often includes:
3. Click the blue Import button.

Step 5: Build a Report Table

With your dimensions and metrics imported, all that's left is to assemble them in the report itself.

1. Look at the second column, "Tab Settings."
2. Under the Rows section, click "Drop or select dimension." Choose Session campaign from the list. You can even drag and drop it from the variables column to the rows section. Add additional dimensions such as Session source / medium to create multiple grouped data points in your table.
3. Under the Values section, do the same for your metrics. Select or drag Users, Sessions, Conversions, and Total revenue here, a good place to start.

Your report table will automatically fill with your customized UTM data. This view is now saved and available whenever you click on Explore, saving you time in the future without having to recreate it again.

Common Pitfalls When Tracking UTM Data

Analyzing your campaign data isn't always smooth sailing. Here are a couple of common issues and their solutions to avoid:

1. Data Showing as "(not set)" or "(unassigned)"

If you're seeing lines in your reports with "(not set)," it usually indicates that your UTM parameters were not configured properly. Review your UTM setup to ensure parameters are present and consistently used.

2. Mistaking Data Due to Case Sensitivities

Google Analytics treats inputs in a case-sensitive manner: "Facebook," "facebook," and "FACEBOOK" are considered different inputs. It's critical to establish a company standard using lowercase letters to maintain clean data.

3. Accidentally Tracking Internal Links

Only use UTMs for external traffic sources like email marketing and advertising links. Using them internally can potentially skew your site's GA data and interfere with tracking new incoming traffic sources.

Final Thoughts

Checking your campaign performance with UTM parameters in Google Analytics 4 is a straightforward process once you know the correct locations. Whether you're doing a quick check inside the traffic acquisition reports or building a custom dashboard in Explore, both methods unlock valuable insights into your marketing investments.

While GA4 offers invaluable tools, manually combining data across other channels like Facebook ads or Shopify can be time-consuming. Consider using Graphed to streamline this process. Connecting your Analytics accounts through an intuitive dashboard provides live visualizations and insights, making it easier to get all your marketing data in one place.