How to Track UTM Links in Google Analytics 4

Adding UTM parameters to your URLs is the single best way to know exactly which marketing efforts are driving traffic and conversions to your website. But with the shift to Google Analytics 4, finding and analyzing that valuable campaign data has become a new challenge. This tutorial breaks down exactly how to build your links correctly and where to find your UTM campaign data in GA4, step-by-step.

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are simple tags you add to the end of a URL. When someone clicks a link with these tags, the parameters are sent to Google Analytics, giving you a crystal-clear picture of where that user came from and which campaign sent them.

Instead of seeing a generic "direct" or "referral" source, you get detailed insights into what’s actually working. For example, you can tell the difference between traffic from your monthly email newsletter versus a one-off promotional email, even if both go to the same landing page.

There are five standard UTM parameters you can use:

• utm_source: This identifies the specific source of your traffic, like a search engine, newsletter name, or other platform. Example: utm_source=facebook, utm_source=monthly-newsletter
• utm_medium: This explains the marketing medium or channel. Example: utm_medium=cpc, utm_medium=social, utm_medium=email
• utm_campaign: This identifies the specific campaign, promotion, or strategic initiative. Example: utm_campaign=summer-sale-2024, utm_campaign=new-product-launch
• utm_term: This is typically used for paid search to identify specific keywords you're targeting. Example: utm_term=data-analytics-software
• utm_content: This specifies a particular ad or link within the same campaign, which is great for A/B testing. Example: utm_content=blue-button-link vs. utm_content=header-image-link

The first three - source, medium, and campaign - are the most important and are required in most URL builders. The other two are optional but incredibly useful for getting more granular data.

How to Build UTM Links for Your Campaigns

Manually typing out UTM parameters is a recipe for typos and inconsistent data. Luckily, there are easier ways to create properly formatted URLs that guarantee clean tracking.

Method 1: Google's Campaign URL Builder

Google offers a free, easy-to-use tool specifically for this purpose. It’s perfect for generating a one-off link quickly.

1. Navigate to Google’s GA4 Campaign URL Builder.
2. Enter your website URL (e.g., https://www.yourstore.com/new-product).
3. Fill in the campaign parameters. As you type, the tool will generate the full campaign URL for you at the bottom of the page.
4. Copy the generated URL. It will look something like this: https://www.yourstore.com/new-product?utm_source=monthly-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=july_product_launch&utm_content=main-cta-button

You can now use this link in your email newsletter’s call-to-action button. When someone clicks it, GA4 will know they came from the July product launch CTA in your monthly newsletter.

Method 2: Use a Shared Spreadsheet

For teams running multiple campaigns across different channels, a spreadsheet is the best way to maintain organization and consistency. Using a simple formula, you can standardize your link creation process.

Create a Google Sheet or Excel file with columns for your base URL and each UTM parameter. Then, use a formula to combine them automatically.

Here’s a sample formula you can use in your "Final URL" column (assuming your data starts in row 2): =A2&"?utm_source="&B2&"&utm_medium="&C2&"&utm_campaign="&D2

This approach helps prevent typos and ensures everyone on your team uses the same naming convention (e.g., always using "social" for utm_medium instead of "social-media" or "sm").

Where to Find Your UTM Data in Google Analytics 4

You’ve built your links and your campaigns are live. Now, where do you see the results in GA4? All your UTM-tagged traffic is funneled into the Traffic acquisition report.

Here's how to navigate to it and find exactly what you're looking for:

1. Go to the Traffic Acquisition Report: In the left-hand navigation menu of GA4, go to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition.
2. Change the Primary Dimension to "Session Campaign": By default, this report usually shows data grouped by "Session default channel group." Click the small dropdown arrow next to the primary dimension title and select Session campaign. Now, the report will list all of your campaign names.
3. Add a Secondary Dimension for More Detail: Sometimes you need to see more than just the campaign name. To see the source and medium, click the "+" button next to the primary dimension dropdown.
4. Filter for Your Campaign: If you have a lot of campaigns running, use the search/filter box at the top of the report. Type the name of the campaign you’re looking for (e.g., july_product_launch) and the report will update to show only data from that specific campaign.

From here, you can analyze all the standard GA4 metrics for your campaigns, such as Users, Sessions, Engaged sessions, and most importantly, Conversions and Total revenue. This tells you which campaigns aren't just driving clicks, but are actually leading to valuable actions on your site.

Creating a Saved UTM Performance Report in GA4

Navigating to the traffic acquisition report and applying dimensions every time can be a hassle. To save time, you can create a custom, saved report specifically for monitoring your UTM campaigns that appears right in your main navigation.

Step 1: Create a New Detail Report

• In the left-hand menu, navigate to the Library section at the very bottom.
• Click the + Create new report button, and then select Create detail report.

Step 2: Start with a Template

• Choose the Traffic acquisition report as your starting template. This will load a familiar report that already contains most of the dimensions and metrics you'll need.

Step 3: Customize Your Dimensions

• On the right side of the screen, click on Dimensions.
• To make this report a dedicated UTM hub, click "Set as default" next to Session campaign. Click Apply.
• You can also click Add dimension to ensure all your UTM-related dimensions are readily available in the dropdown, like Session manual term and Session manual ad content.

Step 4: Customize Your Metrics

• Next, click on Metrics. The default metrics are useful, but you can add or reorder them. Make sure you have important ones like Conversions and Total revenue visible at a glance. Click Apply.

Step 5: Save the Report and Add It to Your Navigation

• Click the Save button in the top right, and give your report a descriptive name, like "UTM Campaign Performance."
• Go back to the Library main page. Find the "Life cycle" collection and click Edit collection.
• Find your new "UTM Campaign Performance" report and drag it into the Acquisition topic.
• Click Save. Your new report will now show up directly under the Acquisition section in your main "Reports" tab for easy, one-click access.

A Few Best Practices to Keep in Mind

To get the most out of your UTM tracking, here are a few simple rules that will save you from major headaches down the road:

• Consistency is Everything. Decide on a universal naming convention and stick to it. Always use lowercase letters, dashes or underscores consistently, and avoid spaces. For example, facebook and Facebook will show up as two separate sources in GA4.
• Never Use UTMs for Internal Links. Do not tag links that point from one page on your website to another. If a visitor who arrived from an organic search result clicks an internal UTM-tagged link, their original source information will be overwritten. Your analytics will mistakenly attribute their entire session (and any conversions) to the internal link.
• Keep a Master Spreadsheet. We mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. The best way to maintain consistency, especially with a team, is to have a centralized document where all campaigns and links are logged.
• Use a URL Shortener for Clean Links. Fully-tagged URLs are long and look messy, especially on social media. After creating your UTM URL, use a service like Bitly to shorten and make it more user-friendly before posting.

Final Thoughts

Tracking your UTM campaigns in Google Analytics 4 is straightforward once you know where to look. By consistently tagging your URLs and using the traffic acquisition report - or better yet, a custom saved report - you can get a precise view of which campaigns are successfully driving engagement and revenue. This data is no longer just a guess, it's a clear guide for optimizing your marketing budget and strategy.

Of course, true performance analysis often requires connecting the dots between your campaigns and other platforms, like your CRM or e-commerce store. That’s why we built Graphed. It lets you instantly connect data from services like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, Shopify, and Salesforce. Instead of piecing together reports, you can just ask in plain English - like, "Compare my Facebook Ads spend vs. Shopify revenue from our summer sale campaign" - and get a real-time dashboard in seconds, helping you understand your full funnel ROI without the manual reporting busywork.