UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a URL (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign and others) that tell analytics tools where a visit came from. Google Analytics recommends always setting utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign, and their values are case sensitive.
What are UTM parameters?
Google Analytics lists the campaign parameters it reads from custom URLs: utm_id, utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_source_platform, utm_term, utm_content, utm_creative_format and utm_marketing_tactic.1Source 1 · Google Analytics HelpURL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLssupport.google.com It says you should always use source, medium and campaign, strongly recommends adding utm_id and utm_source_platform, notes that missing parameters show up as “(not set)” in reports, and warns that values are case sensitive, recommending lowercase as a standard.1Source 1 · Google Analytics HelpURL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLssupport.google.com
| Parameter | Answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Who sent the visit? | linkedin, newsletter, google |
| utm_medium | Through what kind of channel? | paid_social, email, cpc |
| utm_campaign | Which initiative? | 2026-q4-board-pack-launch |
| utm_content | Which ad or link variant? | carousel-v2 |
| utm_term | Which keyword or audience? | saas-metrics |
| utm_id | Which campaign ID (for cost imports)? | cmp_4821 |
Worked example
https://getkimo.com/templates/board-deck?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=2026-q4-board-pack-launch&utm_content=carousel-v2&utm_id=cmp_4821In GA4 this session appears with session source “linkedin” and medium “paid_social.” If a colleague tags another ad utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Paid-Social, reports show a second, separate row. Neither is wrong on its own; together they break every channel total.
Common mistakes
- Mixed case and spelling (Facebook, facebook, fb). Pick one value per source and enforce it.
- Tagging internal links on your own site, which starts a new campaign attribution mid-visit and overwrites the real source.
- Putting the campaign name in utm_source, so you can no longer group by platform.
- Mediums GA4 does not recognize in its default channel groupings, which sends traffic to “Unassigned.”
- Personal data in UTMs such as email addresses; URLs end up in logs and analytics tools.
How to manage UTMs in Kimo
Kimo normalizes UTM values from GA4, Matomo or Plausible through a mapping table in your data model, so “LinkedIn,” “linkedin” and “li” roll up to one source, and flags new, unmapped values in Alerts. Our UTM taxonomy guide includes a naming convention and a ready-to-copy mapping.
Frequently asked questions
Which UTM parameters are required?
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
Should UTM values be lowercase?
Sources
1 reference- URL builders: Collect campaign data with custom URLs (opens in a new tab)Google Analytics Helpsupport.google.com
List of UTM parameters; always use source, medium and campaign; values are case sensitive.
External sources were accessed at the time of writing. Kimo product details, customers and figures in examples are illustrative unless a source is cited.
