A UTM builder is a tool that helps you add tracking parameters to your URLs so you can measure where your traffic comes from and which campaigns perform best in your analytics.
We built the UTM builder directly into Linkbreakers because tracking matters. You're investing time and money into campaigns. You need to know what's working.
UTM parameters are tiny bits of text you add to the end of a URL. They tell analytics tools like Google Analytics exactly where your visitors came from. Without them, all your traffic looks the same in your reports. With them, you can see which Facebook ad drove sales, which email campaign flopped, or which influencer actually delivered results.
The parameters look like this: ?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_sale
They don't change where users land. They just add context for your analytics.
Source (utm_source): This identifies where the traffic originates. Think Facebook, Google, your newsletter, or a specific partner site. We use this to answer "which platform sent this visitor?"
Medium (utm_medium): This describes the marketing channel type. Common values include social, email, cpc (cost per click), banner, or qr. It groups sources into broader categories.
Campaign (utm_campaign): This names your specific campaign. Maybe it's "spring_sale_2025" or "product_launch_shoes". Use this to track individual marketing initiatives across multiple channels.
Term (utm_term): Originally designed for paid search keywords, this tracks which search terms triggered your ad. Most people only use this for Google Ads or Bing Ads campaigns.
Content (utm_content): This differentiates between similar content in the same campaign. If you're A/B testing two different ad creatives or email CTAs, this parameter shows which one got clicked.
Our UTM builder streamlines the entire process. Here's how it works:
Start with your base URL: Enter the destination where you want people to land. This could be a product page, landing page, or any URL. Don't include any existing parameters yet.
Fill in your UTM parameters: You'll see fields for each parameter. Only Source, Medium, and Campaign are essential. Term and Content are optional and mainly useful for specific scenarios like paid search or A/B testing.
Preview your URL: As you type, we show you the complete URL with all parameters attached. This lets you verify everything looks correct before deploying.
Clear when needed: Made a mistake? Hit "Clear all UTM parameters" to start fresh without touching your base URL.
The builder handles all the technical formatting automatically. You don't need to worry about question marks, ampersands, or encoding special characters. We take care of that.
Let's say you're running a summer sale across multiple channels. Here's how you'd tag each one:
Instagram post:
Email newsletter:
Google Ads:
Notice how the campaign name stays consistent? This lets you compare performance across channels while still knowing exactly where each visitor came from.
Be consistent: Decide on your naming conventions early. If you use "facebook" as a source once and "Facebook" another time, analytics treats them as different sources. Stick to lowercase and underscores.
Keep it readable: You'll see these parameters in reports constantly. "fb_spring_promo" is clearer than "campaign_1_v2_final". Future you will appreciate descriptive names.
Don't over-complicate: You don't need to fill every parameter every time. Source, Medium, and Campaign cover most tracking needs. Add Term and Content only when they provide actual value.
Document your system: Create a spreadsheet listing your standard sources, mediums, and campaign names. This helps maintain consistency across your team.
Test before launching: Click your tagged URL to verify it works. Check that it appears correctly in your analytics. Broken tracking is worse than no tracking.
Never use UTMs for internal links: Only tag external traffic sources. If you add UTMs to links within your own site, you'll mess up your analytics by creating fake new sessions.
QR codes present a unique tracking challenge. When someone scans your code, analytics typically shows the traffic as "direct" with no source information. That's useless data.
By building UTM parameters into your Linkbreakers QR codes, you solve this problem. Now you can track:
This transforms QR codes from a black box into a measurable marketing channel.
Q: Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
A: No. Search engines ignore UTM parameters when indexing pages. Your SEO won't suffer from using them.
Q: Can I edit UTM parameters after creating a QR code?
A: In Linkbreakers, yes. Since your QR code points to a Linkbreakers short URL, you can update the destination and its parameters without reprinting codes.
Q: What if my URL already has parameters?
A: The UTM builder handles this automatically. It adds UTMs correctly whether your base URL is clean or already contains parameters.
Q: How do I see UTM data in Google Analytics?
A: Go to Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition in GA4. You'll see your source, medium, and campaign data broken down. You can also create custom reports focusing on specific UTM values.
Q: Should I use the same campaign name for online and offline efforts?
A: Only if they're truly part of the same campaign. The campaign parameter groups related efforts. If your QR code poster and Instagram ads support the same product launch, use the same campaign name with different sources.
Q: Can users see my UTM parameters?
A: Yes, they appear in the browser address bar. Don't put anything sensitive in them. Keep names professional since technically anyone can read them.
Q: Do UTM parameters slow down page load?
A: Not at all. They're just text in the URL. Your page loads at exactly the same speed regardless of UTM parameters.
Q: What's the difference between source and medium?
A: Source is specific (facebook, twitter, partner_site). Medium is the category (social, email, referral). Think of medium as the "how" and source as the "where."
Q: Can I track QR code scans without UTM parameters?
A: Linkbreakers tracks scans automatically in your dashboard. UTMs add a second layer by feeding data into your existing analytics platform, giving you more context and integration with other marketing data.
Q: How long should my UTM values be?
A: Keep them concise but descriptive. Aim for 15-30 characters max. Remember, people might see these in their address bar.
Q: Should I create a new campaign parameter for each marketing push?
A: Yes, if you want to measure them separately. Think of campaigns as distinct initiatives you want to analyze independently. Monthly newsletter sends might all use one campaign name, while a specific product launch gets its own.
Q: Can I use spaces in UTM parameters?
A: The builder will encode them properly, but it's better to use underscores or hyphens instead. It keeps URLs cleaner and more readable.
Q: What happens if I forget to add UTM parameters to a live campaign?
A: That traffic will show as direct or referral traffic without campaign attribution. You can't retroactively add UTMs to traffic that already happened, so always build them before launching.
Q: Are there UTM parameters beyond these five?
A: Google only recognizes these five official ones. You can add custom parameters for your own tracking, but they won't appear in standard Google Analytics reports.
Q: How do UTMs work with link shorteners?
A: Linkbreakers is a link shortener with built-in UTM support. The short URL redirects to your full destination URL with all parameters intact. Your analytics sees the complete tagged URL.
