> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hockeystack.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hockeystack.com/technical-details/utm-best-practices.md). # UTM Best Practices ## Overview UTM parameters are the foundation for accurate campaign tracking in HockeyStack. Every campaign, ad, and link should use UTMs so that traffic, conversions, and engagement can be attributed correctly to their source. This guide outlines best practices for structuring and maintaining UTMs across all marketing and GTM activities. ### 1. Always UTM Everything Every campaign, link, or creative that goes live should include properly formatted UTMs.\ Without UTMs, traffic from your campaigns may appear as “direct” or “unattributed” in analytics, making it impossible to measure true ROI. ### 2. UTM Structure Each UTM combination must be **unique to one ad**. No two ads should share the same full combination of parameters. Additionally, each URL should contain **only one instance of each UTM parameter** (for example, `utm_campaign` should appear only once).
ParameterPurposeExampleNotes
utm_sourceIdentifies the traffic source or platformgoogle, meta, linkedin, x, newsletter, partner-hubspot, event-dreamforce, creator-alexbUse partner-, event-, or creator- prefixes for clarity
utm_mediumDescribes the marketing channelcpc, paid_social, email, display, affiliate, referral, organic_social, qr, smsKeep channel naming consistent
utm_campaignGroups related ads or assets under one initiative2025-10-ai_launch-leadgen-prospecting-us-01Follow this naming convention
utm_contentDistinguishes between creatives or ad variantsimage-a-1080x1080, video-15s-v2, lpa-headerctaUse for A/B testing or multiple formats
utm_termCaptures keyword or audience segmentmarketing-analytics-software, c-suite-listOptional; primarily used for paid search or segmented audiences
*** ### 3. UTM Campaign Naming Convention To ensure consistency across teams and reporting tools, use the following pattern for `utm_campaign`: ``` YYYY-MM----- ``` #### Examples | Field | Example | Description | | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | | **YYYY-MM** | `2025-10` | Month of launch | | **product-or-offer** | `ai_launch` or `ebook_analytics` | Campaign focus | | **objective** | `traffic`, `leadgen`, `retarget`, `webinar`, `promo` | Primary goal | | **audience** | `prospecting`, `customers`, `csm-list`, `lookalike` | Target group | | **region** | `us`, `emea`, `apac`, `global` | Target geography | | **seq** | `01`, `02`, `03` | Sequence number for iteration | > **Example:**\ > `2025-10-ai_launch-leadgen-prospecting-us-01` If you change anything mid-campaign (like offer, copy, or audience), create a **new sequence** (`02`, `03`, etc.) instead of renaming the existing one. *** ### 4. Formatting Rules * Use **lowercase only** * Use **hyphens (-)** instead of spaces or underscores * Avoid special characters (`&`, `%`, `$`, etc.) * Don’t reuse UTM strings across campaigns * Don’t modify existing UTMs mid-flight—create a new version instead * Ensure no duplicate UTM keys in a single URL *** ### 5. Example Full URL ``` https://hockeystack.com/demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=2025-10-ai_launch-leadgen-prospecting-us-01&utm_content=video-15s-v2&utm_term=marketing-analytics-software ``` *** ### 6. Quick Checklist Before Launch ✅ Every live link contains a full UTM string\ ✅ UTM combination is unique to the specific ad or asset\ ✅ Each UTM parameter appears only once in the URL\ ✅ Campaign name follows standard naming pattern\ ✅ Parameters are lowercase and hyphenated\ ✅ No reused or renamed UTMs mid-campaign *** ### 7. Why This Matters Proper UTM hygiene ensures: * Accurate multi-touch attribution inside Atlas * Cleaner reporting in dashboards and data syncs * Better segmentation in audience workflows * More reliable AI insights and intent scoring --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.hockeystack.com/technical-details/utm-best-practices.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.