Your Google Analytics shows 47 different variations of "Facebook" as a traffic source. Sound familiar? Without standardized UTM naming conventions, your campaign data becomes unusable noise. Let's fix that.
Why UTM Naming Conventions Matter
UTM parameters are only valuable when they're consistent. The moment "facebook", "Facebook", "FB", and "fb-ads" all appear in your analytics as different sources, you've lost the ability to accurately measure Facebook's performance.
Here's what happens without conventions:
- Fragmented data: The same channel appears as multiple sources
- Broken reporting: You can't sum up total channel performance
- Lost attribution: Campaigns become impossible to compare
- Team confusion: Everyone creates UTMs differently
- Wasted time: Manual cleanup becomes a recurring task
The solution isn't complicated. It's documentation plus discipline. Once you establish conventions and share them with your team, clean data becomes the default.
The Five UTM Parameters Explained
Before diving into naming conventions, let's clarify what each parameter does:
Required Parameters
- utm_source: Where traffic comes from (google, facebook, newsletter)
- utm_medium: How traffic arrives (cpc, email, social)
- utm_campaign: Which campaign (spring_sale_2026, product_launch)
Optional Parameters
- utm_content: Which variation (banner_a, cta_button, headline_test)
- utm_term: Which keyword (paid search keyword tracking)
Think of it this way: source is the platform, medium is the channel type, campaign is your initiative, content differentiates variations, and term tracks search keywords.
Core Naming Rules
These rules apply to all UTM parameters. Enforce them religiously.
1. Always Use Lowercase
Google Analytics treats "Facebook" and "facebook" as different sources. This single inconsistency causes more data fragmentation than any other.
Bad: Facebook, GOOGLE, Email
Good: facebook, google, email
2. Use Underscores or Hyphens (Not Spaces)
Spaces become "%20" in URLs and can break tracking. Pick either underscores or hyphens and stick with one.
Bad: spring sale 2026, black friday
Good: spring_sale_2026, black-friday
3. Keep It Short but Descriptive
Long UTM parameters make URLs unwieldy and harder to manage. Aim for clarity with brevity.
Bad: spring_promotional_sale_for_new_customers_2026_quarter_one
Good: 2026q1_spring_promo
4. Avoid Special Characters
Stick to letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens. Avoid &, =, ?, #, and other special characters.
utm_source Naming Conventions
The source identifies the specific platform or website sending traffic. Use the platform's name, simplified.
| Platform | Recommended Source | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Google, adwords, google-ads | |
| Facebook Ads | FB, fb, Facebook, meta | |
| Instagram Ads | IG, ig, insta | |
| LinkedIn Ads | LinkedIn, LI, li | |
| Email Newsletter | newsletter | email, mailchimp, klaviyo |
| Twitter/X | x, X, Tweet | |
| TikTok | tiktok | TikTok, tik-tok |
Pro tip: Don't use the ad platform or email tool as the source. Use "newsletter" instead of "mailchimp"—that way, if you switch tools, your data stays consistent.
utm_medium Naming Conventions
The medium describes the marketing channel type. Google Analytics has default channel groupings based on medium, so stick to recognized values when possible.
| Channel Type | Recommended Medium | GA4 Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Paid Search | cpc | Paid Search |
| Paid Social | paidsocial | Paid Social |
| Display Ads | display | Display |
| Email Marketing | ||
| Organic Social | social | Organic Social |
| Affiliate | affiliate | Affiliates |
| Referral Partner | referral | Referral |
| Video Ads | video | Paid Video |
Note: Using standard mediums helps GA4's default channel groupings work correctly. Custom mediums will appear under "(Other)" unless you configure custom channel groups.
utm_campaign Naming Conventions
Campaign names should tell you what the campaign is at a glance. Include context that helps with filtering and comparison.
Recommended Structure
Use a consistent pattern that includes:
[date/quarter]_[objective]_[audience/product]
Examples:
2026q1_lead_gen_smb202601_blackfriday_all2026q1_brand_awareness_enterpriseevergreen_product_demo
Date Formats
For time-bound campaigns, include the date or quarter:
- Quarterly: 2026q1, 2026q2
- Monthly: 202601, 202602
- Event-based: blackfriday2026, cybermonday2026
Putting the date first makes sorting easier in spreadsheets and reports.
utm_content and utm_term Best Practices
utm_content: Differentiate Variations
Use utm_content to distinguish between different ads, links, or creative variants within the same campaign.
Common use cases:
- A/B test variants:
headline_a,headline_b - Ad formats:
carousel,single_image,video - Link placement:
header_cta,footer_link,inline_text - Creative theme:
testimonial,product_shot,lifestyle
utm_term: Track Paid Keywords
Originally designed for paid search keyword tracking. Google Ads auto-tags handle this, but utm_term is useful for:
- Manual keyword tracking in non-Google platforms
- Bing Ads keyword tracking
- Tracking specific topics or themes in non-search campaigns
For Google Ads, rely on auto-tagging (gclid) rather than manual utm_term values.
UTM Documentation Template
Create a shared document that your entire team references. Here's a minimal template:
# UTM Naming Convention Guide
## General Rules
- Always lowercase
- Use underscores to separate words
- No spaces or special characters
- Keep parameters under 50 characters
## Approved Sources
| Platform | utm_source |
|---------------|------------|
| Google Ads | google |
| Facebook Ads | facebook |
| Instagram Ads | instagram |
| LinkedIn Ads | linkedin |
| Newsletter | newsletter |
| Twitter | twitter |
## Approved Mediums
| Channel Type | utm_medium |
|---------------|-------------|
| Paid Search | cpc |
| Paid Social | paidsocial |
| Display | display |
| Email | email |
| Organic Social| social |
## Campaign Naming Pattern
[date]_[objective]_[audience]
Examples:
- 2026q1_lead_gen_smb
- 202601_brand_enterprise
- evergreen_retargeting_allStore this in a shared location (Google Docs, Notion, Confluence) where everyone can access it. Link to it from your UTM builder tool. Reference it in onboarding docs.
Want to automate UTM creation with these conventions built in? marketingOS UTM Tag Organizer enforces your naming rules and prevents inconsistent tagging.
Common UTM Naming Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using Ad Platform as Source
Using "mailchimp" as a source instead of "newsletter". If you switch email providers, your historical data becomes inconsistent.
Fix: Use the channel type ("newsletter") not the tool ("mailchimp")
Mistake 2: Inconsistent Capitalization
"Facebook" and "facebook" appearing as separate sources in your reports.
Fix: Always use lowercase, enforce with a UTM builder
Mistake 3: Overly Long Campaign Names
"spring_promotional_sale_for_new_customers_first_time_buyers_march_2026" is too long and hard to work with.
Fix: Use abbreviations and keep it under 50 characters
Mistake 4: Using Spaces
Spaces become "%20" in URLs, making them ugly and potentially causing tracking issues.
Fix: Use underscores or hyphens instead of spaces
Mistake 5: No Documentation
Each team member creates UTMs differently because there's no shared standard.
Fix: Create and share a UTM convention doc (template above)
Frequently Asked Questions
Should UTM parameters be lowercase or uppercase?
Always use lowercase for UTM parameters. Google Analytics treats "Facebook" and "facebook" as different sources, which fragments your data. Establish lowercase as your standard and enforce it across your team.
What character should I use to separate words in UTM parameters?
Use underscores (_) or hyphens (-) to separate words, and pick one consistently. For example: "spring_sale_2026" or "spring-sale-2026". Never use spaces, as they become "%20" in URLs and can cause tracking issues.
What's the difference between utm_source and utm_medium?
utm_source identifies where traffic comes from (the platform or website), like "google", "facebook", or "newsletter". utm_medium identifies how it arrives (the marketing channel type), like "cpc", "email", or "social". Together they answer "where from" and "how".
How should I name utm_campaign parameters?
Include the date or quarter, campaign objective, and target audience in your campaign names. For example: "2026q1_lead_gen_smb" or "202601_blackfriday_ecommerce". This makes it easy to filter and compare campaigns over time.
Do I need to use all five UTM parameters?
No, only utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign are required for proper tracking. utm_content and utm_term are optional but valuable for A/B testing ads and tracking paid search keywords respectively.
Related Resources
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