UTM parameters are crucial for tracking your marketing campaigns. They help you see which sources bring traffic and sales to your Shopify store. Use UTM tags correctly, and you will maximise the impact of your marketing efforts. This guide shares best practices on setting up UTM parameters that report correctly into Shopify.
Understanding UTM Parameters
UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. These are small snippets added to your URLs. They help tracking tools like Shopify Analytics or Google Analytics track campaign performance. A typical UTM parameter includes five components:
- utm_source: The origin of your traffic, such as a search engine or newsletter.
- utm_medium: The marketing channel, like email or social media.
- utm_campaign: The specific campaign name, like “spring_sale” or “newsletter_signup.”
- utm_term: (Optional) The paid search keyword.
- utm_content: (Optional) Differentiates similar ads or links.
For example, an email newsletter URL that points towards a Shopify store can have the structure ...?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale.
Channels Automatically Covered by Shopify
Shopify automatically tracks certain traffic sources without needing UTM parameters. Here are the key referring channels that you do not need to set up manually:
- Organic Search: Traffic from search engines like Google or Bing is tracked automatically. There’s no need to add UTM parameters here.
- Direct Traffic: Visitors who type your website URL directly into their browser are captured automatically.
- Referral Traffic: If someone clicks on a link from another website that directs them to your store, Shopify records this as referral traffic. No manual UTM setup is necessary unless you want to override the default to track performance on specific campaigns or sources.
- Email Traffic (with specific settings): If you are using Shopify email campaigns or integrated email services, they often track traffic automatically, provided you are not adding conflicting UTM parameters. Tools like Klaviyo have built-in features that allow you to append UTM parameters to the links in your email campaigns without requiring manual setup for each individual link.
Best Practices for UTM Tags in Shopify
If you still want to set up UTM parameters to gain deeper insights into your marketing efforts, following best practices is essential. Properly configured UTM tags can enhance your tracking abilities and give you clear data on how specific campaigns perform, even when using automated tools like Klaviyo. Here are some best practices to follow when setting up UTM parameters for Shopify:
1. Be Consistent
Use the same naming conventions for all your UTM tags. This includes lowercase letters, hyphens instead of spaces, and avoiding special characters. For instance, use utm_medium=email instead of utm_medium=Email.
2. Avoid Including Years
Do not use years in your campaign names. This practice can result in fragmented data. Instead, use descriptive names like utm_campaign=yearly_summary.
3. Add Medium Prefix
Prefix your utm_campaign with the utm_medium to make filtering easier. For example, use utm_campaign=email-newsletter instead of just utm_campaign=newsletter. This helps you to identify campaigns easily and catch tagging errors.
4. Don’t Use UTM for Organic Sources
Organic search traffic automatically tracks in Shopify. Avoid using UTM parameters for sources like Google or Bing. This way, your data remains clean and avoids redundancy.
5. Remove Non-Existing Channels
Regularly review your UTM parameters and remove any that no longer exist. For example, if your utm_source shows “start.att.net,” but it is no longer relevant, it is best to remove it.
6. Document Your UTM Usage
Keep a clear record of all UTM parameters and their intended uses. This will help your team maintain consistency across all marketing efforts.
Conclusion
Setting up your UTM parameters correctly can improve your marketing tracking significantly. By following these simple best practices, you will ensure that you capture accurate data in Shopify. Always keep your UTM parameters updated. As your marketing evolves, so should your tracking methods. This enables you to stay on top of your marketing performance and make informed decisions for future campaigns. Happy tracking!