A UTM naming convention your whole team can follow
A naming convention is useful when it helps people answer two questions quickly: where did this visit come from, and which specific effort generated it? Agree on a small set of rules before campaign links spread across ads, email, and partner placements.
Choose a standard before building links
Use lowercase values, a consistent separator such as underscores, and descriptive words that remain understandable months later. Avoid inventing a new format for every campaign.
Example convention
| Parameter | Example value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Platform or publisher | |
| utm_medium | paid_social | Traffic channel type |
| utm_campaign | 2026_q4_product_launch | Campaign or initiative |
| utm_content | video_a | Creative variation |
Rules worth documenting
- Use a short approved list for medium values.
- Use the same spelling and case every time.
- Do not put names, email addresses, or other personal data in URLs.
- Keep a shared worksheet of active campaign names.
- Define how to label tests and creative variants.
Before sharing a link
- Check the destination URL.
- Confirm all required parameters are present.
- Open the final link in a private browser window.
- Record the campaign in your naming worksheet.
Worked example: fix reporting before the campaign goes live
Imagine the same paid social campaign is tagged as “PaidSocial”, “paid-social” and “paid_social” by three teammates. Those values can split reporting into separate labels. Choose one format—such as lowercase paid_social—write it in a shared worksheet and use it for every new link.
Build a tagged URL with the UTM Link Builder and record the naming rule in the UTM naming worksheet.
Editorial note: Platform specifications and analytics interfaces change. Confirm current requirements in the channel or analytics product you use before launching a campaign.