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UTM and Source Tracking

Accurately attribute traffic, conversions, and revenue by tagging your links with simple parameters (ref, source) or standardized UTM tags. Proper tagging reduces “Direct” traffic and powers the Sources dashboard (Channels, Sources, UTM tabs).

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1
What we capture automatically

  • ref
  • source
  • utm_source
  • utm_medium
  • utm_campaign
  • utm_term
  • utm_content

2
How your source is resolved (precedence)

1. If utm_source is present, it is preferred. We normalize common platforms/domains and synonyms to canonical names.

2. If utm_source is missing, we try source or ref from the URL.

3. Otherwise, we use the external HTTP referrer host when available, mapping it to a canonical source when possible.

4. Final fallback: Direct.

Paid/email detection

  • Marked as Paid if utm_medium includes values such as cpc, ppc, cpm, ads, or if known ad click IDs (e.g., gclid, msclkid) appear in the URL.
  • Marked as Email if utm_medium or utm_source indicates email/newsletter.
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3
Channels vs Sources in the dashboard

  • Channels: Aggregated marketing channels computed from the derived source and utm_medium (e.g., Organic Search, Paid Search, Organic Social, Paid Social, Email, Paid Other, Referral, Direct ).
  • Sources: Canonical platforms/sites (e.g., Google, Facebook, Reddit) derived from utm_source, source/ref, and/or the referrer host.
  • UTM tabs: Dedicated breakdowns for each tag:
    • UTM Sources, UTM Mediums, UTM Campaigns, UTM Contents, UTM Terms
    • Each tab aggregates by that exact tag and supports filtering by other tags, channels, or sources.

4
Quick start: simple campaign tracking

Use ref or source for a lightweight setup, especially for partners/affiliates.

  • https://phroneos.com?ref=twitter
  • https://phroneos.com?source=reddit

Tip: If UTMs are present as well, utm_source takes precedence over ref/source.

5
Go deeper: Full UTM tracking

Use standardized UTM tags for richer analytics and revenue attribution.

Required

  • utm_source: the advertiser/site/platform (e.g., google, facebook)
  • utm_medium: the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, social, display)

Optional

  • utm_campaign: the campaign name or code (e.g., spring_promo, product_launch_q3)
  • utm_content: the variant or placement (e.g., cta_button, video_ad)
  • utm_term: keyword for paid search (e.g., running+shoes)

Examples

  • https://phroneos.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_promo&utm_content=video_ad
  • https://phroneos.com?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sept_launch
  • https://phroneos.com?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand&utm_term=track+analytics

6
Best practices

  • Use lowercase values; avoid spaces (prefer hyphens or underscores).
  • Tag all external links from email, social posts, ads, partner posts, and influencer shares.
  • Be consistent:
    • utm_source = platform or sender (e.g., google, facebook)
    • utm_medium = marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, social, display)
    • utm_campaign = durable campaign key (e.g., 2025-q3-launch)
  • Prefer UTMs over only ref/source; keep ref/source as a simple fallback for partners.
  • For paid media, set utm_medium=cpc (or equivalent) and keep auto-added click IDs (e.g., gclid) to ensure paid classification.
  • For email, use utm_medium=email or newsletter to ensure proper Email channel attribution.

7
Optimization workflow (using the Sources grid card)

  1. Start on Channels to compare macro performance (e.g., Paid Social vs Organic Search vs Email).
  2. Switch to Sources to identify top-performing platforms within a channel.
  3. Drill into UTM tabs:
    • UTM Campaigns: compare ROI and retention across campaigns.
    • UTM Contents: evaluate creative and link placement performance.
    • UTM Terms: assess keyword quality for paid search.
  4. Combine filters (e.g., Channel = Paid Social AND utm_campaign = spring_promo) to isolate performance and refine bids, budgets, and creatives.