Track where your customers come from with UTM links

"How did you hear about us?" is a good question, and most customers can't really answer it. They saw you somewhere. Maybe a directory, maybe a search, maybe a fridge magnet. If you're paying for any kind of advertising, that fuzziness costs you money, because you can't tell which spend is working.

UTM links are a free, simple fix for the part of your marketing that happens online. If you use Google Analytics on your website, a few extra words on the end of a link tell you exactly where each visitor came from.

What a UTM link is

A UTM link is a normal web address with labels added after a question mark. Google's own example looks like this:

https://www.example.com/?utm_source=summer-mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer-sale

When someone clicks that link, Google Analytics reads those labels and records them with the visit. You can then see the results in Analytics under Acquisition, in the Traffic acquisition report, which shows session source, medium and campaign.

The link still goes to the same page. The labels just ride along.

The labels that matter

Google Analytics recognizes several UTM parameters. For a small business, these are the ones you'll actually use:

• utm_source: where the traffic comes from. Google's examples are things like a newsletter name, "google" or "billboard." For you, it might be the name of a directory or a partner site.
• utm_medium: the type of channel, like email, banner, referral or cpc (paid clicks).
• utm_campaign: the specific promotion or effort, like spring-tuneup or a featured listing.
• utm_content: optional, for telling apart two links in the same place. Google's example is two call-to-action links in one email.
• utm_term: for paid search keywords. Most small businesses can skip it.

Google says that when you add parameters, you should always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. If you set one UTM parameter and leave others out, the missing ones show up as "(not set)" in reports.

Three rules that save headaches

Google's best-practice notes come down to consistency:

1. Use lowercase, always. Values are case-sensitive. To Analytics, "Google" and "google" are different sources, and "SpringSale" and "Spring_Sale" are different campaigns. Pick lowercase and stick with it.
2. One name per thing. Use one source name per platform and one medium per channel, every time. Otherwise one campaign splits into several rows and the numbers look smaller than they are.
3. Write your names down. Keep a short list somewhere your whole team can see, so everyone tags links the same way.

A simple naming plan for a local business

Here's a plan you could start with today. Change the names to fit you, but keep them consistent.

Where the link lives	utm_source	utm_medium	utm_campaign
A paid directory listing	the directory's name, like radonbyzip	referral	featured-listing
Your monthly email	newsletter	email	the month, like 2026-10
A QR code on a flyer	flyer	print	the promotion name
Facebook posts	facebook	social	the promotion name

Google's help page points to its Campaign URL Builder, which fills in the parameters for you, so you don't have to type them by hand.

A worked example

Say you pay for a featured listing on a radon directory and also send a fall email to past customers. You'd tag the listing link with utm_source=radonbyzip, utm_medium=referral and utm_campaign=featured-listing. You'd tag the email button with utm_source=newsletter, utm_medium=email and utm_campaign=2026-10.

A month later, the Traffic acquisition report shows two separate rows, one for each. If you've set up a conversion for your contact form, you can see how many form submissions came from each row. Now "the listing seems to be working" becomes a number you can compare against what you paid.

Where to use UTM links (and where not to)

Use them on links you control in places outside your website: directory listings that let you add a website link, emails, social posts, QR codes on print materials, and partner sites.

Don't add them to links between pages on your own website. Internal UTM links overwrite the original source of the visit, which muddles exactly the data you're trying to collect.

For your Google Business Profile, keep the website field pointing to your real business website. Google's guidelines say the website and phone number shouldn't redirect people to landing pages other than the actual business. If you choose to add tags there, check that the link still lands on your own site's page for that location.

Reading the results

After a few weeks, open Google Analytics and look at the Traffic acquisition report. You'll be able to see how many sessions came from each source and campaign. If you've set up conversions in Analytics, like contact form submissions or clicks on your phone number, you can see which sources led to those too.

That's the real payoff. You stop guessing which listing or flyer is pulling its weight. Our guide on whether a directory listing is worth paying for shows how to turn these numbers into a simple cost-per-lead check.

What UTM links can't do

They only track clicks that land on your website. They won't tell you about someone who saw your listing and called you directly from it, or drove past your truck. For phone calls, a few simple habits help:

• ask "where did you find us?" and write it down every time;
• use a separate phone number on a specific ad if your phone system allows it, as long as the number is under your control;
• compare call volume before and after you start or stop an ad.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use UTM links on printed materials?

Yes, through a QR code. Build the tagged link first, then turn that link into the QR code, so every scan shows up in Analytics under the source and campaign you chose, like flyer and print. Use a different campaign name for each flyer or mailer you want to compare.

Do I need Google Analytics to use UTM links?

The tags themselves are just text in a link. To read them, you need an analytics tool that understands them, and Google Analytics does.

Our directory listing already adds its own tags. Should I add mine?

If the directory lets you edit your website link, adding your own source, medium and campaign keeps your reports consistent with your other channels. If it already tags links clearly, you may be able to use its labels instead.

Analytics tools change over time. Google Analytics Help has the current instructions for UTM parameters and reports.