UTM Builder Guide

Create trackable URLs with standardized UTM parameters

Overview

PVTLNK’s UTM Builder helps you:

Standardize tracking - Use consistent UTM parameters across campaigns
Improve analytics - See exactly where traffic comes from
Optimize campaigns - Identify best-performing sources

Requirements

Plan	Availability
Starter	❌ Not available
Pro	✅ Available
Enterprise	✅ Available

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM parameters are tags you add to URLs to track marketing campaigns. They appear after a ? or & in the URL.

Standard Parameters

Parameter	Required?	Purpose	Example
`utm_source`	✅ Yes	Where the traffic comes from	`google`, `facebook`, `newsletter`
`utm_medium`	✅ Yes	Marketing medium	`cpc`, `email`, `social`
`utm_campaign`	❌ No	Campaign name	`spring_sale`, `product_launch`
`utm_term`	❌ No	Paid search keywords	`running+shoes`
`utm_content`	❌ No	Link content variation	`logolink`, `textlink`

Example

https://yoursite.com/page?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=winter_sale&utm_term=running+shoes&utm_content=blue_button

Using the UTM Builder

Step 1: Access the UTM Builder

Log in to your dashboard
Click UTM Builder in the sidebar

Step 2: Enter Base URL

Enter the destination URL you want to track:

Base URL: https://yoursite.com/landing-page

Step 3: Add UTM Parameters

Fill in the required and optional parameters:

Field	Your Value
UTM Source	facebook
UTM Medium	cpc
UTM Campaign	spring_sale_2026
UTM Term	running shoes
UTM Content	blue_hero_ad

Step 4: Preview & Copy

The preview shows your final URL:

https://yoursite.com/landing-page?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale_2026&utm_term=running+shoes&utm_content=blue_hero_ad

Click Copy to copy the URL.

Step 5: Create Link

Click Create Link with UTM Parameters to create a shortened version.

Quick Templates

The UTM Builder includes pre-built templates for common use cases:

Template	Pre-filled Values
Google Ads	source=google, medium=cpc
Facebook Ads	source=facebook, medium=cpc
Email Campaign	source=newsletter, medium=email
Social Media	source=twitter, medium=social
Newsletter	source=newsletter, medium=email

Best Practices

1. Use Consistent Naming

Establish naming conventions and stick to them:

Parameter	Convention	Example
`utm_source`	Platform name	`google`, `facebook`, `newsletter`
`utm_medium`	Full name	`cost-per-click`, `email`, `social`
`utm_campaign`	snake_case	`spring_sale_2026`, `product_launch_v2`

2. Always Include Source & Medium

At minimum, every tracked link should have:

?utm_source=...
&utm_medium=...

3. Use Specific Campaign Names

Good:

utm_campaign=winter_sale_2026_north_america

Bad:

utm_campaign=sale

4. Track Email Links

?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_digest&utm_content=week_12

?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product_announcement

Common Use Cases

1. Email Marketing

Track newsletter performance:

?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_digest&utm_content=header_link

2. Paid Advertising

Track PPC campaigns:

?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_terms&utm_term=your_brand

Track social posts:

?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=webinar_promo

4. Affiliate Tracking

Track affiliate links:

?utm_source=partner_name&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=summer_promo

UTM vs. PVTLNK Analytics

Aspect	UTM Parameters	PVTLNK Analytics
Scope	Marketing attribution	Click tracking & conversion
Data	Stored in your analytics	Stored in PVTLNK
Purpose	Campaign optimization	Link performance
Granularity	By campaign source	By individual link

Best Practice: Use both together. UTMs tell you WHICH campaign works; PVTLNK tells you WHICH specific link drives clicks.

Integration with A/B Testing

Combine UTMs with A/B testing:

# Variant A
https://yoursite.com?utm_source=ab_test&utm_medium=test_a

# Variant B  
https://yoursite.com?utm_source=ab_test&utm_medium=test_b

API Integration

Create UTM-tracked links via API:

# Create link with UTM parameters
POST /api/v1/links
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "link": {
    "destination_url": "https://yoursite.com/landing-page",
    "title": "UTM Tracked Link",
    "utm_params": {
      "utm_source": "newsletter",
      "utm_medium": "email",
      "utm_campaign": "weekly_digest",
      "utm_term": "spring_collection",
      "utm_content": "hero_banner"
    }
  }
}

# Response includes short URL with UTM parameters
{
  "success": true,
  "link": {
    "short_url": "https://pvtlnk.com/abc123",
    "destination_url": "https://yoursite.com/landing-page?utm_source=...",
    "utm_params": {
      "utm_source": "newsletter",
      "utm_medium": "email",
      "utm_campaign": "weekly_digest"
    }
  }
}

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Parameters not showing in analytics	Check spelling - UTM parameters are case-sensitive
Links not tracked	Verify URL is properly encoded
Spaces turning into `%20`	Use `+` for spaces in `utm_term`
Duplicate parameters	Remove existing UTM params from base URL

UTM Parameter Checklist

Before launching a campaign, verify:

utm_source is specific (not just “social”)
utm_medium uses standard values
utm_campaign follows naming convention
Parameters are consistent across all links
Links were tested before launch

FAQ

Q: Are UTM parameters case-sensitive?
A: Yes. utm_source=Facebook and utm_source=facebook will show as different sources.

Q: How long do UTM parameters last?
A: They persist indefinitely, but analytics platforms may have data retention limits.

Q: Can I use UTM parameters on social media?
A: Yes, most platforms support UTM parameters.

Q: What’s the maximum URL length with UTM parameters?
A: Most browsers support 2,000+ characters. Keep your total URL under 2,000 characters.

Q: Can I use UTM parameters with custom domains?
A: Yes, UTM parameters work with any domain.

A/B Testing Guide - Combine with UTMs
Conversion Tracking Guide - Track downstream actions
Analytics Overview - View UTM performance data

Confirm Action