Understanding UTM parameters for email campaigns

Explore how UTM tracking can enhance your Stack email marketing by providing insights into your campaign performance.

What is UTM Tracking?

UTM parameters are small snippets of text added to the end of URLs. They help analytics tools, like Google Analytics, determine the origin of your website traffic. By incorporating UTM parameters into your Stack email campaigns, you can evaluate how your messages influence website traffic and conversions.

Default UTM Parameters in Stack

Stack supports three UTM parameters by default:

• utm_source = email: This is a required parameter, preset to “email” for internal tracking.
• utm_medium = email marketing: Another required parameter, though you can customize its value. It defaults to “email marketing.”
• utm_campaign = Campaign Name (Send Date): This optional parameter can be selected from dropdown options.

You can add up to five additional custom parameters by specifying their values as text.

Best Practices for UTM Parameters

• Avoid PII: Never use personally identifiable information (like social security numbers or addresses) as this is restricted by analytics platforms.
• Use Essential Parameters: Stick with utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign for clarity and effective analysis.
• Consistent Case: UTM parameters are case-sensitive. Choose a capitalization style and use it consistently.
• Prefer Underscores: Use underscores (_) instead of spaces to prevent encoding issues.

Where UTM Parameters May Not Work

1. Trigger Links: UTM parameters are not supported for links under trigger links in this version.
2. Incorrect Syntax: Ensure links have the correct prefixes like https:// and are accurately formatted, especially if saved under a custom value.
3. Test Emails: It’s recommended to send test campaigns to verify UTM parameters.

Steps to Use UTM Parameters

1. Navigate to Email Marketing: Access the Email Marketing section in your Stack platform.
2. Access Settings: Click on the Settings page within the Email Campaign section.
3. Review Tracking Options: Select the Tracking option to view the default UTM parameters.
4. Enable Default UTM Parameters: Toggle the enable switch to apply UTM parameters to all campaigns by default.
5. Edit Default Values: Adjust the values for utm_medium or utm_campaign as needed.
6. Add Custom Parameters: Click on Add Custom Parameter to define additional parameters and their values.
7. Select Parameters: Check the boxes next to the UTM parameters you wish to include in your campaigns.
8. Save Changes: Click Save to apply your settings.
9. Disable for Specific Campaigns: To turn off UTM parameters for a specific campaign, disable the tracking option on the Send or Schedule page.

By following these guidelines, you can effectively use UTM parameters in your Stack email campaigns to gain valuable insights into your marketing efforts.