How to use UTM parameters to track your Scratcher campaigns
How to use UTM parameters to track your Scratcher campaigns
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are tags you add to your URLs to track where your traffic comes from and how your campaigns perform. Each parameter captures a different piece of information about the visitor's journey.
Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
utm_source | Identifies the traffic source — e.g. facebook, google, newsletter |
utm_medium | Defines the marketing channel — e.g. social, email, cpc, display |
utm_campaign | Names the campaign — e.g. summer2025 |
utm_content | Distinguishes between ads or links — e.g. banner-top, text-link |
utm_term | Used for keywords in paid campaigns — optional |
Naming conventions
Always use lowercase and hyphens instead of spaces. Some analytics tools treat Facebook and facebook as two separate sources, which splits your data and makes reporting unreliable.
✅ Recommended: utm_source=facebook, utm_campaign=summer-sale-2025 ❌ Avoid: utm_source=Facebook, utm_campaign=summer sale 2025
Examples of correct and incorrect URL usage
❌ Incorrect — multiple question marks https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_source=facebook?channel=social
What's wrong:
- There are two ? in the URL
- Only the first parameter will be recognised
- The rest may be ignored or misread
✅ Correct — one question mark, & between parameters https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_source=facebook&channel=social
Why it works:
- Only one ? begins the query string
- All additional parameters are separated with &
✅ Correct — standard UTM parameters https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=springlaunch
Use case:
- Standard traffic tracking in Google Analytics, Matomo, and similar tools
- Segments campaign performance by source, medium, and campaign name
✅ Correct — UTM parameters combined with a custom tracking parameter https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer2025&channel=instagram
Use case:
- utm_* parameters handle web analytics
- The custom parameter handles internal tracking in a lead system, form, or gamification platform
✅ Correct — single custom parameter https://www.example.com/landingpage/?ref=affiliatepartner1
Use case:
- Simple referral tracking without a full UTM structure
✅ Correct — utm_content to distinguish placements https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer2025&utm_content=banner-top
Use case:
- Distinguish between two links in the same email or two placements of the same campaign
- Useful when A/B testing different creative or link positions
❌ Incorrect — spaces in parameter values https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_campaign=summer sale
What's wrong:
- Spaces in URLs must be encoded as + or %20
- Without encoding, the URL may break or the parameter won't be read correctly
✅ Correct version: https://www.example.com/landingpage/?utm_campaign=summer+sale
Quick reference
Problem | Correct approach |
|---|---|
More than one ? in a URL | Use only one ?, then & between parameters |
Spaces in parameter values | Encode spaces as + or %20 — e.g. summer+sale |
Inconsistent casing | Always use lowercase — facebook not Facebook |
Vague or inconsistent campaign names | Use a clear naming convention — e.g. summer-sale-2025 |
Updated on: 11/06/2026
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