Source: https://datafa.st/docs/utm-tracking
Markdown source: https://datafa.st/docs/utm-tracking.md
Description: Accurately attribute traffic sources and avoid 'Direct/None' data by using URL parameters like ?ref= or UTM tags for clearer marketing insights.

# Get better analytics with URL tracking parameters

Accurately attribute traffic sources and **avoid `Direct/None` data** by using URL parameters like `?ref=` or UTM tags for clearer marketing insights.

![DataFast tracking traffic sources](/blog-tracking-traffic.jpg)

List of parameters DataFast automatically picks up:
- `ref`
- `source`
- `via`
- `utm_source`
- `utm_medium`
- `utm_campaign`
- `utm_term`
- `utm_content`

When someone visits your website with a URL like `yourwebsite.com?via=affiliate`, DataFast will automatically pick up the `via` parameter and record it as the referral source.

![DataFast tracking traffic sources with ref parameter](/blog-tracking-traffic-ref.jpg)

## Start simple: Campaign tracking

The easiest way to see where traffic and revenue originate is by using the `ref` parameter. For example, if you share a link to your site on Twitter, you can add `?ref=twitter` to the end of the URL:

`yourwebsite.com?ref=twitter`

When someone clicks this link, DataFast will record "twitter" as the referral source.

**What you'll see in DataFast:**

*   In your **Campaign tab**, "twitter" will appear as a referrer.
*   You can see how many visitors, pageviews, and conversions came from links tagged with `?ref=twitter`.
*   If you've added a [revenue attribution](/docs/revenue-attribution-guide), you'll see the revenue attributed to the traffic from Twitter.

Other simple parameters DataFast automatically picks up include:
-   **`source`**: Similar to `ref`, can be used to name the traffic source (e.g., `?source=google`).
-   **`via`**: Useful if your link is shared by another platform or publication (e.g., `?via=tech-news-digest`).

## Go deeper: Tracking campaigns with UTM parameters

For more detailed campaign tracking, especially for paid ads or complex marketing efforts, you can use UTM parameters. These are a standardized set of parameters that provide richer information.

DataFast automatically tracks the following UTM parameters:

-   **`utm_source`**: Identifies the advertiser, site, publication, etc. that is sending traffic to your property (e.g., `google`, `newsletter42`, `facebook`).
-   **`utm_medium`**: The advertising or marketing medium (e.g., `cpc`, `banner`, `email_newsletter`).
-   **`utm_campaign`**: The individual campaign name, slogan, promo code, etc. for a product (e.g., `summer_sale`, `product_launch_q3`).
-   **`utm_term`**: Identify paid search keywords. If you're manually tagging paid keyword campaigns, you should also use `utm_term` to specify the keyword.
-   **`utm_content`**: Used to differentiate similar content, or links within the same ad. For example, if you have two call-to-action links within the same email message, you can use `utm_content` and set different values for each so you can tell which version is more effective.

**Example of a UTM-tagged URL:**

`yourwebsite.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_promo&utm_content=video_ad`

**What you'll see in DataFast:**

*   Detailed breakdowns in your **UTM tab** by campaign, source, medium, term, and content.
*   Clearer attribution of signups, sales, and other goals to specific marketing activities.
*   Better understanding of your advertising ROI.

## Best practices for URL parameters

-   **Track all important links**: Use parameters on links from email campaigns, social media posts, advertisements, and even internal links if you want to track specific promotions within your site.
-   **Use a URL builder for UTMs**: For UTM parameters, tools like [Google's Campaign URL Builder](https://ga-dev-tools.web.app/campaign-url-builder/) can help you create properly formatted and consistent URLs.