What UTM tags are
UTM tags are short labels added to the end of a link, such as ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio&utm_campaign=eid_sale. They do not change the page; they tell your website analytics where the visitor came from. Without them, a click from a WhatsApp broadcast often shows up as "direct" traffic, and you never learn that the broadcast worked.
Google Analytics recognises these parameters, according to its help page on campaign URLs, and says utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign should always be set:
| Parameter | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Where the click came from | instagram, whatsapp |
| utm_medium | The kind of link | bio, story, broadcast |
| utm_campaign | The campaign, product or offer | eid_sale_2026 |
| utm_content | Tells two links in one campaign apart | red_banner |
| utm_term | A paid search keyword | lawn_suits |
| utm_id | Your own campaign ID | eid26 |
Naming rules that keep reports clean
- Use lower case everywhere. Google says values are case sensitive, so Instagram and instagram become two sources.
- Pick one word per network and stick to it: always instagram, never ig in one link and insta in another.
- Use underscores, not spaces: eid_sale_2026.
- Keep a short list of mediums your whole team uses, such as bio, story, post, broadcast, chat and ad.
- Put the year or month in campaign names so next year's sale does not merge with this one.
Where social sellers use tagged links
Short links read better in a WhatsApp message. Karobar's composer can shorten links with your Bitly account and add UTM tags for you; see Create and schedule a social media post.
- The link in your Instagram and TikTok bio.
- Link stickers in Instagram Stories.
- Links in WhatsApp broadcasts and in replies to customers.
- The button on Google Business Profile updates.
- YouTube descriptions and LinkedIn posts.
Where to see the results
In Google Analytics, open the traffic acquisition report and look at session source, medium and campaign. Compare campaigns by visits, sales and revenue, and keep the links that bring buyers, not just clicks.
Sources
- Google Analytics Help: Collect campaign data with custom URLs (checked 2026-10-15)
Tag every post automatically
In Karobar the composer can add UTM tags to every link in a post, and campaign links are tagged with the campaign name. See Social Content.