How to use UTM links to see which launch posts worked
Add UTM tags to the links you share on Product Hunt, X, newsletters and communities, so GA4 shows exactly which post, email or campaign brought each visitor.
UTM tags are labels you add to the end of a link, like ?utm_source=x&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=launch, so Google Analytics knows exactly where a visit came from. Use them on links you share in newsletters, social posts and communities; without them, many of those visits show up as "Direct" or as a vague referrer.
The five tags
| Tag | What it says | Examples |
|---|---|---|
utm_source | Who sent the visit | x, producthunt, newsletter, reddit |
utm_medium | What kind of link | social, email, referral, cpc |
utm_campaign | Which campaign | launch, black-friday, oct-update |
utm_content | Which link or version (optional) | header-link, video-post |
utm_term | A paid keyword (optional) | ga4-dashboard |
utm_source is required for GA4 to use the others. Use lowercase and dashes, and stick to the same words every time: GA4 treats X and x as two sources.
Example: a launch week
Product Hunt: https://mysite.com/?utm_source=producthunt&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=launch
X post: https://mysite.com/?utm_source=x&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=launch
Newsletter: https://mysite.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=launchPick the medium carefully
GA4 sorts visits into channels (Search, Social, Email and so on) using the medium. Use the common values, social, email, referral, cpc, affiliate, or the visit can end up as Unassigned. Why traffic is Unassigned.
Build links without typos
Google's free Campaign URL Builder fills in the tags for you. Keep a small spreadsheet of the links you've used so your naming stays the same.
When not to use UTM tags
Never on links within your own site. A UTM tag starts a new visit with that source, which breaks the original source of the visitor. Use them only on links that point to your site from somewhere else.
Where to see the results
In GA4: Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition, and change the table's first column to Session source / medium or Session campaign.
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