What Is a UTM Parameter?
A UTM parameter is a small piece of text tacked onto the end of a URL. It doesn't change where the link goes — the page that opens is identical — but it tells an analytics tool something about where the click came from.
A tagged link looks like this:
Everything after the ? is the UTM tag. Google Analytics (and most other analytics tools) reads those values automatically and groups your traffic by them.
The Three Parameters You'll Actually Use
utm_source
Where the click came from — instagram, tiktok, newsletter.
utm_medium
The type of channel — bio, story, email.
utm_campaign
What you're promoting — summer_launch, black_friday.
How to Create a UTM Link
- Start with the destination URL you'd normally share
- Add a
?followed byutm_source=,utm_medium=, andutm_campaign=, joined with& - Use lowercase and underscores consistently, so "instagram" and "Instagram" don't split into two rows in your reports
- Paste the finished link wherever you'd normally put the plain one
You don't have to build these by hand — Google's free Campaign URL Builder generates a correctly formatted link from a short form, which is worth using until the pattern is second nature.
Do You Need This If Your Bio Page Already Has Analytics?
Not always. A link-in-bio tool like soc.bio's built-in analytics already tells you how many people viewed your page and clicked each link — no tagging required, no separate dashboard to check.
UTM tracking earns its place on top of that in two situations: when you want that traffic to show up correctly inside a separate tool like Google Analytics alongside your other channels, or when a single bio-link click needs to be traced through to a conversion that happens somewhere else, like a purchase on your store. For most creators just trying to see which platform sends the most traffic, the built-in numbers are usually enough on their own.
UTM Tracking: FAQ
What is a UTM parameter?
A short snippet added to the end of a URL that tells your analytics tool where a click came from, without changing what the link opens.
What does UTM tracking actually mean?
Attaching those parameters to your links so the source, medium, and campaign are recorded automatically when someone clicks, instead of seeing just a generic total.
How do I create a UTM link?
Append utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign to your URL, or use Google's free Campaign URL Builder to generate it for you.
Do I need UTM parameters if my link in bio tool already has analytics?
Not necessarily for basic click counts — soc.bio already tracks views and clicks per link. UTM parameters help when you want that traffic attributed inside a separate tool like Google Analytics.
See Your Clicks Without Any Tagging
soc.bio's Starter plan tracks views and link clicks automatically — no UTM parameters required to get started.
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