How to Use UTM Parameters for Affiliate Link Tracking
Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate passive income online, but to succeed, you need to track the performance of your affiliate links. One of the best ways to do this is by using UTM parameters. UTM parameters, or Urchin Tracking Module parameters, are tags that you add to your URLs to track specific details about your traffic, such as where it’s coming from, which campaign it’s associated with, and more.
In this article, we’ll walk you through what UTM parameters are, how to use them for affiliate link tracking, and how to analyze the data in Google Analytics.
1. What Are UTM Parameters?
UTM parameters are small pieces of text added to the end of a URL. They help you track where your visitors are coming from and how they’re interacting with your affiliate links. UTM parameters are tracked by Google Analytics, allowing you to categorize traffic and measure the success of your marketing campaigns.
Here’s an example of a URL with UTM parameters:
In this example:
utm_source= affiliate: This tells you that the traffic is coming from an affiliate.utm_medium= link: This tells you the traffic is coming from a specific type of link (e.g., a banner, text link, etc.).utm_campaign= summer_sale: This identifies the campaign related to this link.
2. Why Use UTM Parameters for Affiliate Link Tracking?
Using UTM parameters allows you to track and analyze affiliate link performance in great detail. Here’s why you should use them:
Track Campaign Performance: UTM parameters allow you to see which campaigns are driving the most traffic and conversions. This enables you to focus your efforts on the most successful campaigns.
Detailed Source Analysis: By tagging your affiliate links with UTM parameters, you can easily identify the exact sources of your traffic. This can help you determine which platforms or websites are performing best for affiliate marketing.
Measure Conversions: With UTM parameters, you can set up goals in Google Analytics to track conversions, whether that’s a product purchase, email signup, or any other desired action.
Without UTM parameters, you would only know the basic source of your traffic (such as direct visits or organic search) without any further details on the performance of individual campaigns or affiliate links.
3. How to Set Up UTM Parameters for Affiliate Links
Setting up UTM parameters for your affiliate links is simple. You’ll need to append them to your affiliate URLs. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
a. Identify Your Affiliate Link
Start by finding the affiliate link you want to track. This is the link you’ll be promoting on your website, blog, social media, or emails. Here’s an example:
b. Use Google’s URL Builder
To add UTM parameters to your link, you can use Google’s Campaign URL Builder. This free tool makes it easy to add UTM parameters to your URLs.
In the URL Builder, you’ll need to fill out the following fields:
Website URL: Your affiliate link (e.g.,
https://www.example.com/product-affiliate).Campaign Source: Where the traffic is coming from (e.g., “facebook”, “newsletter”).
Campaign Medium: The type of link or ad (e.g., “social”, “email”, “banner”).
Campaign Name: The name of the campaign (e.g., “summer_sale”, “new_product_launch”).
Campaign Term: Optional (can be used for paid ads).
Campaign Content: Optional (can be used for split testing).
After filling out the details, Google’s URL Builder will generate a unique URL with UTM parameters. For example:
c. Replace the Regular Affiliate Link
Now, replace your regular affiliate link with the UTM-tagged link wherever you’re promoting it. Whether it’s in a blog post, email, or social media post, the UTM parameters will help you track the link’s performance.
4. Tracking UTM Parameters in Google Analytics
Once you’ve added UTM parameters to your affiliate links, it’s time to track the performance in Google Analytics.
a. Go to Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns
To see how your affiliate links are performing, navigate to the Acquisition section in Google Analytics. From there, go to:
Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns
This will show you a list of all the campaigns you've tracked with UTM parameters. You can filter and analyze the results based on source, medium, or campaign name.
b. View Performance Metrics
In Google Analytics, you can view a variety of performance metrics, including:
Sessions: The number of visits to your site from your affiliate links.
Users: The number of unique visitors who clicked on your affiliate links.
Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who left your site after viewing only one page.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who completed a goal (e.g., making a purchase or signing up).
Revenue: If you have eCommerce tracking set up, you can track the revenue generated from affiliate sales.
5. Best Practices for Using UTM Parameters
To get the most out of your UTM parameters, follow these best practices:
a. Use Consistent Naming Conventions
When setting up UTM parameters, it’s important to use consistent naming conventions. This will help you easily track and categorize your campaigns. For example, always use the same source names like “facebook” or “email”, and avoid using variations like “FB” or “fb”.
b. Keep UTM Parameters Short and Clear
Although UTM parameters can be as long as you like, it’s best to keep them short and clear. This will make it easier to read and understand the data in Google Analytics. For example:
This is clear and easy to read, making it simple to analyze in Google Analytics.
c. Test Your Links
Before using UTM-tagged affiliate links in your campaigns, always test them to ensure they’re working properly. Click on the link yourself and make sure it leads to the correct landing page with the UTM parameters intact.
6. Conclusion
Using UTM parameters for affiliate link tracking is one of the most effective ways to monitor your affiliate marketing campaigns. By tagging your affiliate links with UTM parameters, you can track traffic, conversions, and other important metrics in Google Analytics.
With this information, you can make data-driven decisions to optimize your affiliate marketing strategies and boost conversions. Whether you’re promoting products on your blog, social media, or through email, UTM parameters will provide the insights you need to succeed.