URLTO GUIDE
A marketing link should preserve where traffic came from and still be easy to share.
A useful campaign link does more than look short. First define the tracking labels that distinguish the channel and campaign, then shorten the finished destination for distribution.
1. Define the campaign before building the URL
- Final landing page
- Traffic channel such as paid search, social, email, or messaging
- A campaign name that identifies the initiative or period
- Optional creative or placement identifiers
2. Start with source, medium, and campaign
- utm_source: the platform or source
- utm_medium: the channel type
- utm_campaign: the shared campaign label
- utm_content: optional creative or placement detail
3. Build the tagged URL, then shorten it
Create the campaign URL in the UTM Builder first. Shortening it afterward keeps the tracking parameters in the destination while showing people a much cleaner URL.
4. Separate links when channels differ
Instagram, paid search, and email can use separate source and medium values even when they land on the same page. Use utm_content only when comparing variants inside the same campaign is useful.
Pre-launch checklist
- Avoid duplicate UTM parameters
- Preserve any existing query string
- Open the short link and verify the final URL
- Test on mobile before buying ads or printing materials
- Reuse the same naming rules in future campaigns