UTM Parameters

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are query string tags you append to URLs so that when someone clicks a link, your analytics tools know exactly how they found you. They were originally created for Google Analytics but are now the universal standard for tracking marketing campaigns.

A tagged URL looks like this:

https://yourstore.com/products/candle?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring-sale

When a customer clicks that link and lands on your Shopify store, the UTM parameters tell you: this visitor came from Facebook, through a paid ad, as part of your spring sale campaign.

The Five UTM Parameters

There are five standard UTM parameters, three required and two optional:

Required Parameters

• utm_source: The platform or publisher sending the traffic (e.g., facebook, google, newsletter)
• utm_medium: The marketing channel type (e.g., cpc, email, social, organic)
• utm_campaign: The specific campaign name (e.g., spring-sale-2026, bfcm-retargeting)

Optional Parameters

• utm_content: Differentiates ad variations or links within the same campaign (e.g., hero-image, sidebar-link)
• utm_term: Identifies the paid search keyword (e.g., buy+candles+online)

UTM Best Practices for Shopify

Follow these conventions to keep your data clean:

1. Use lowercase only: utm_source=Facebook and utm_source=facebook will show as two different sources. Always use lowercase.
2. Use hyphens, not spaces: Replace spaces with hyphens in campaign names (spring-sale not spring sale or spring%20sale).
3. Be consistent with source names: Decide once whether you use meta or facebook or fb and stick with it everywhere.
4. Document your naming conventions: Keep a shared spreadsheet or use a UTM builder tool so your whole team follows the same system.
5. Never use UTMs on internal links: Only tag links from external sources. UTMs on internal links overwrite the original traffic source.

Why UTMs Matter for Shopify Attribution

Ad platforms like Meta and Google track conversions using their own pixels, but these systems have significant blind spots:

• They cannot see what happens on other platforms, leading to double-counted conversions
• iOS privacy restrictions block much of their tracking
• They use attribution windows that may not match your purchase cycle

UTM parameters solve this because they are first-party data captured directly on your site. When a customer arrives with UTM tags and later places a Shopify order, you have a direct, tamper-proof connection between the marketing source and the sale.

UTMs in Detectly

Detectly automatically captures UTM parameters from every visitor session and ties them to Shopify orders. You do not need to manually parse query strings or set up custom reports. Just tag your links with UTMs, and Detectly handles the rest, showing you exactly which campaigns drive revenue in your ROAS dashboard.

For a step-by-step setup guide, see how to track UTMs on Shopify orders.