How Can You Check UTMs in Google Analytics?

Understanding how to check UTMs in Google Analytics is crucial for tracking the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. This guide will explain step-by-step how to locate and analyze UTM parameters in both Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4. Why is it important to monitor these parameters? Let's find out.

Locating UTM Parameters in Google Analytics Reports

To check UTMs in Google Analytics, you need to know where to look. The location of UTM data varies depending on whether you're using Universal Analytics or Google Analytics 4:

Universal Analytics: Navigate to the "Acquisition" section, then click on "Campaigns" and "All Campaigns". Here, you'll find a report showing the performance of your UTM-tagged campaigns.
Google Analytics 4: Go to the "Acquisition" section and click on "Traffic acquisition". Look for the "Session campaign" dimension, which displays the UTM campaign names.

For example, if you tagged a link with utm_campaign=spring_sale, you would see "spring_sale" as the campaign name in these reports.

To dive deeper into UTM data in GA4, use the dimensions and metrics explorer. Search for dimensions like "Session source", "Session medium", and "Session campaign" to analyze your UTM performance.

It's crucial to verify your UTM implementation to ensure data accuracy. Use the GA4 DebugView or check the "Real-Time" report in Universal Analytics to confirm that UTM parameters are being captured correctly.

By regularly checking UTMs in Google Analytics, you can assess the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing efforts.

How to View UTM Parameters in Universal Analytics

To access your UTM data in Universal Analytics, follow these steps:

Log in to your Google Analytics account and select the desired property.
In the left-hand navigation menu, click on "Acquisition".
Expand the "Campaigns" submenu and click on "All Campaigns".

The "All Campaigns" report provides a comprehensive view of your UTM-tagged traffic sources. Each row in the report represents a unique combination of UTM parameters, such as campaign, source, and medium.

Understanding the Data

The "All Campaigns" report includes several columns that offer valuable insights into your traffic sources:

Campaign: The name of your marketing campaign, as defined by the utm_campaign parameter.
Source: The origin of your traffic, such as a specific website or newsletter, as specified by the utm_source parameter.
Medium: The marketing channel or vehicle, like email or CPC, as indicated by the utm_medium parameter.
Sessions: The number of sessions (visits) attributed to each UTM-tagged campaign.
Bounce Rate: The percentage of single-page sessions with no interaction.
Pages/Session: The average number of pages viewed per session for each campaign.
Avg. Session Duration: The average length of sessions for each campaign.
Goal Conversion Rate: The percentage of sessions that resulted in a conversion, based on your defined goals.

By analyzing these metrics, you can gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns and identify which traffic sources drive the most engagement and conversions.

For instance, if you notice that a particular campaign has a high bounce rate and low pages/session, it may indicate that the landing page content doesn't match the expectations set by the UTM-tagged link. In this case, consider revising your ad copy or landing page to improve relevance and engagement.

How to Check UTMs in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

Google Analytics 4 introduces a new way to access and analyze UTM data. To find your UTM parameters in GA4, follow these steps:

Open your GA4 property and navigate to the "Reports" section in the left-hand menu.
Click on the "Acquisition" tab to expand the submenu.
Select the "Traffic acquisition" report.

In the "Traffic acquisition" report, you'll see a table displaying various dimensions and metrics related to your traffic sources. Look for the "Session campaign" dimension, which represents the utm_campaign parameter value.

To add other UTM dimensions to the report, click the "Plus" icon next to the existing dimensions and search for "Session source" (utm_source) and "Session medium" (utm_medium). This will give you a more comprehensive view of your UTM data in GA4.

Key Differences Between Universal Analytics and GA4

While both Universal Analytics and GA4 allow you to track UTM parameters, there are some notable differences in how they handle and display this data:

Reporting Interface: GA4 has a streamlined reporting interface, with UTM data found in the "Traffic acquisition" report under the "Acquisition" section. In Universal Analytics, UTM data is located in the "Campaigns" submenu within the "Acquisition" section.
Dimension Names: GA4 uses different naming conventions for UTM dimensions. For example, "Session campaign" in GA4 corresponds to "Campaign" in Universal Analytics.
Default Channel Grouping: GA4 automatically assigns traffic to default channel groupings based on the utm_medium parameter. Universal Analytics relies on a combination of UTM parameters and default rules to determine channel groupings.
Custom Dimensions: GA4 allows you to create custom dimensions for UTM parameters, providing more flexibility in tracking and analyzing campaign data.

Despite these differences, the core purpose of UTM tracking remains the same in both platforms: to help you understand the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and optimize your efforts accordingly.

UTM parameters are invaluable tools for marketers to understand where traffic comes from and how it converts. By tagging your links with these parameters and regularly checking their performance in Google Analytics, you can gain deep insights into the success of your campaigns.

Analyzing UTM data helps you identify which traffic sources, campaigns, and content pieces drive the most engagement and conversions. This information allows you to refine your marketing strategies, allocate resources more effectively, and optimize your ad spend for maximum ROI.