Marketing
UTM Builder
Create campaign links with UTM parameters so Google Analytics shows exactly where your visitors came from. The tool also checks which GA4 channel the link will be counted in, before you share it.
Quick start
What UTM parameters are
UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a link, like ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social. When someone clicks the link, Google Analytics and most other analytics tools read the tags and record where the visit came from. Without them, visits from email, WhatsApp, apps and many social posts show up as “direct” traffic, and you cannot tell which campaign worked.
The five parameters
| Parameter | What it records | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source (required) | Where the traffic comes from | facebook, google, newsletter, whatsapp |
| utm_medium (required) | The type of traffic | cpc, paid_social, social, email, affiliate |
| utm_campaign (required) | The campaign or promotion | diwali_sale_2026, spring_launch |
| utm_term | The paid keyword | running shoes |
| utm_content | Which ad, link or button | video_ad_a, header_link |
| utm_id | A campaign ID, used for GA4 cost imports | cmp_0425 |
Why the GA4 channel check matters
Google Analytics 4 sorts every visit into a channel (Paid Social, Email, Organic Search and so on) using fixed rules based on source and medium. A medium GA4 does not recognise, such as print, poster or instagram_story, puts the traffic in Unassigned, where it is easy to miss. The tool shows the channel your link will land in before you share it.
| Medium to use | With a source like | GA4 channel |
|---|---|---|
| cpc or paid_social | facebook, instagram, linkedin | Paid Social |
| cpc | google, bing | Paid Search |
| social | facebook, instagram, whatsapp | Organic Social |
| newsletter, mailchimp | ||
| affiliate | the partner’s name | Affiliates |
| referral | the website’s name | Referral |
| display | the ad network | Display |
Offline sources such as printed QR codes have no GA4 channel of their own. Either accept Unassigned and filter by source, or create a custom channel group in GA4 for them. Make the QR code from your tagged link with the QR code generator.
Naming rules that keep reports clean
- Use lowercase everywhere. GA4 is case-sensitive: “Facebook” and “facebook” become two sources. The tool lowercases values by default.
- Use hyphens or underscores, not spaces. Spaces become
%20in links and are easy to mistype; the tool replaces them. - Agree a naming list with your team (for example a shared sheet of sources and mediums) and stick to it.
- Keep campaign names readable: what and when, such as
summer_sale_2026.
Common mistakes
Adding UTMs to links on your own website
Internal links with UTM tags start a new session and overwrite the real source of the visit. Only tag links that point to your site from somewhere else.
Tagging Google Ads links by hand
Google Ads auto-tagging (gclid) already tells GA4 everything, in more detail. Manual UTMs on Google Ads can conflict with it; use them only if auto-tagging is off.
Inventing a new medium for every campaign
Mediums like "insta_story" or "influencer_post" land in Unassigned. Keep mediums standard (social, paid_social, email, cpc, affiliate) and put the detail in the campaign or content field.
Frequently asked questions
Which UTM parameters are required?
Why is my campaign traffic showing as Unassigned in GA4?
Should UTM values be lowercase?
Do I need UTMs on Google Ads?
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
Last reviewed 2 October 2026. This tool runs in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent to Boostlix.