Data
UTM Parameters
Tags added to destination URLs to track traffic sources in analytics tools. The five standard parameters: utm_source (platform), utm_medium (channel type), utm_campaign (campaign name), utm_content (ad variation), and utm_term (keyword). Inconsistent UTM naming is the number one cause of messy attribution data. Establish a naming convention upfront and enforce it with templates. Missing or incorrect UTMs create 'direct/none' traffic in analytics that makes attribution impossible.
Why it matters
They are the only attribution input you fully control, and they are the most common source of unattributable traffic when applied inconsistently.
In practice
Enforce a naming convention centrally rather than per campaign. utm_source of facebook, Facebook and FB are three channels in every report that reads them.
Related terms