How to build and check UTM campaign links

Start with the destination

A campaign link should reach the right page and make the visit distinguishable in your reporting. Begin with the final page you want to share. The example below uses a fictional offer: replace example.invalid with your own domain before using it.

WikiURL builds the campaign address in your browser. Creating that address does not install analytics on the destination or prove that a campaign produced sales. Results must be checked in your own reporting system.

Choose a naming convention

Google Analytics uses utm_source for the source, utm_medium for the channel and utm_campaign for the initiative. Values are case-sensitive. Record your choices so that the same campaign is named consistently.

This original example uses newsletter, email and oferta_octubre. WikiURL also provides optional term and content fields. Leave them empty when your campaign does not need those distinctions.

Generate the URL

Open the UTM builder, paste the full destination and enter Source, Medium and Campaign. Press Generate and read Your link before copying it.

Here ref=boletin was already present and #precio points to a section. Both are retained by the generator; this behavior was verified in the tool tests.

https://example.invalid/oferta?ref=boletin&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=oferta_octubre#precio

Test before sharing

Replace the fictional domain with your real page and open the result. Confirm the correct offer loads and that any fragment points to an existing section. If there are intermediate redirects, inspect the final address as well.

With analytics configured on your destination, make a test visit and inspect how the platform handles the campaign. Tags alone are not evidence that visits have been recorded.

Keep the final version

Keep a small campaign record with its date, destination and chosen labels. This makes accidental variations easier to spot.

If you reuse an already tagged URL, check the newly generated result for labels from an earlier campaign. Keep a final copy and share that version across the intended placements.

A complete case: replace an old campaign without losing the destination

An offer URL already contains ref=boletin and the fragment #precio, but also carries an old utm_term. Load the tool example, leave Term empty and use newsletter, email and oferta_octubre in the required fields. Set Content to boton_principal. The example.org address is illustrative, not a WikiURL offer.

The result keeps ref and #precio, replaces the tags you enter and removes utm_term when its field is empty. The same rule applies to Content. This matters when reusing links: an old term can associate a visit with a variant you no longer use. Check the URL values rather than treating successful generation as campaign validation.

Entrada: https://example.org/oferta?ref=boletin&utm_term=anterior#precio
Fuente: newsletter
Medio: email
Campaña: oferta_octubre
Término: [vacío]
Contenido: boton_principal

Salida: https://example.org/oferta?ref=boletin&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=oferta_octubre&utm_content=boton_principal#precio

Two buttons in one newsletter: change one dimension

Keep the same source, medium and campaign for both newsletter buttons. Use boton_principal and enlace_pie as content values to distinguish their positions. Save both final URLs before shortening them, and preserve the mapping between variant and short link when you update a destination.

This comparison concerns links from a newsletter to your website. For buttons within the website, use interaction events in your analytics instead of marking internal navigation as a new campaign. Tags on someone else’s website do not give you access to its analytics.

campaña,fuente,medio,contenido,destino
oferta_octubre,newsletter,email,boton_principal,https://example.org/oferta
oferta_octubre,newsletter,email,enlace_pie,https://example.org/oferta

Missing data: check the journey in order

First open the long URL and confirm the destination and tags. Then test the short link and compare the final address. If the page loads but tags disappear, inspect destination redirects. If tags remain but data is absent, check the destination’s analytics installation, consent and report period.

Spaces and punctuation may be encoded, for example as + or %20. Compare decoded parameter values rather than requiring an identical visual string. Do not use personal information to identify recipients: URLs can remain in histories, logs and forwarded messages.