What is a UTM link?
A UTM link is a normal link with a few tags added to the end. Analytics tools read the tags and record where the visit came from. The five standard tags are:
| Tag | What it records | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | The site or platform | instagram, newsletter, google |
| utm_medium | The type of channel | social, email, cpc, organic, print |
| utm_campaign | The campaign or purpose | spring-offer, bio-link, gbp |
| utm_content | Which ad, post or button | video-a, button-top |
| utm_term | The keyword, mostly for search ads | kitchen-fitter-galway |
So a link in your Instagram bio might look like https://www.example.com/book?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bio-link. Google's free Campaign URL Builder puts them together for you, and Google explains how Analytics reads them in its help on collecting campaign data with custom URLs.
How should I name my UTM tags?
Consistency matters more than the exact names. "Instagram", "instagram" and "IG" show up as three different sources. Write your rules down once and keep them in a shared note or spreadsheet:
- Lower case only, words joined with hyphens.
- Source is the platform, medium is the channel type, campaign is the reason.
- One row per link in the spreadsheet: where it is used, the full link, and the date.
| Where the link lives | source | medium | campaign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram bio | social | bio-link | |
| Google Business Profile website button | organic | gbp | |
| Monthly email | newsletter | 2026-10 | |
| QR code on a flyer | flyer | autumn-leaflet | |
| Meta ad | paid-social | spring-offer |
How do I capture the source on each enquiry?
Analytics tells you where visits came from. What you really need is where each enquiry came from. The reliable way is to save the source with the enquiry itself:
- When someone first lands on your site, store the landing page, the referring site and any UTM tags for that visit.
- When they send the form, include those values in hidden fields, so they arrive with the name and message.
- Keep them in your inbox, CRM or spreadsheet next to the enquiry, and later next to the sale.
Most form tools and website builders can do this with hidden fields. It is worth asking whoever built your site to set it up.
What about enquiries from phone calls and direct messages?
These leave no digital trail, so ask. Add a "How did you hear about us?" question to your form and ask the same question on every call and in every message thread. Keep a simple tally. Self-reported answers are imperfect, since people forget or name the last thing they saw, but combined with tracked links they give you a fair picture.
Which numbers should I report each month?
| Number | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Enquiries by source | Shows where interest comes from |
| Qualified enquiries by source | Separates real buyers from time wasters |
| Sales by source | The number that pays the bills |
| Cost per enquiry for paid channels | Tells you whether ads pay for themselves (see when to start paid ads) |
| Website visits by source | Context for the numbers above, not a goal on its own |
Likes, reach and followers are useful to the people making content, but they should not decide where your budget goes.
Why do my numbers not match between tools?
Because each tool counts differently. Visitors who refuse cookies or use blockers are missing from some tools. People switch between phone and laptop. Ad platforms credit themselves for people who saw an ad and bought later. And your own records only know what was captured on the form. Pick one source of truth for enquiries and sales (usually your own inbox or CRM) and treat platform numbers as supporting evidence.
Do I need cookie consent to track marketing?
In the EU, storing or reading information on a visitor's device generally needs consent unless it is strictly necessary for the service they asked for (Directive 2002/58/EC, Article 5(3)). In Ireland, the Data Protection Commission publishes guidance on cookies and tracking. UTM tags themselves are just part of a link, but the analytics and ad pixels that read them often set cookies. Cookieless counting and saving the source with the enquiry the visitor chose to send reduce how much you depend on cookies. If in doubt, get advice for your setup.
If you run ads, our ad account check (coming soon) looks at this tracking for you.
Checklist: tracking what brings enquiries
- Written UTM naming rules, lower case, one spreadsheet of links
- Tagged links on bios, profiles, emails, QR codes and ads
- No UTM tags on links between pages of your own site
- Landing page, referrer and UTM tags saved with every form enquiry
- "How did you hear about us?" asked on forms, calls and messages
- Monthly report of enquiries and sales by source
- Cookie consent set up for analytics and ad pixels where the law requires it
Questions people also ask
Do UTM links hurt SEO?
Not when used on links from other channels, such as social posts, emails and ads. Do not add UTM tags to links between pages of your own site: they overwrite the original source of the visit and muddle your reports.
What if someone sees my ad and later searches for my name?
Tracked links will credit the search, not the ad. That is one reason to ask every enquiry how they heard about you and to look at trends in branded searches alongside ad results.
Is Google Analytics enough to track enquiries?
It shows visits and can count form submissions, but it misses visitors who decline cookies and it does not know which enquiries became sales. Saving the source with each enquiry in your own records fills that gap.
How many UTM tags do I need on each link?
Source, medium and campaign are enough for most links. Add content when you want to compare two ads, posts or buttons, and term for search ads.