Email marketing can drive website visits, leads, registrations and sales, but knowing that someone came from an email is only the beginning.

To understand which newsletter, promotion, campaign or link generated that visit, marketers can use UTM parameters.

For example:

https://example.com/sale?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer_sale

This URL gives Google Analytics additional campaign information that can be used in traffic-source and campaign reporting.

With the GetToolara UTM Builder, you can create these trackable campaign URLs without manually assembling every parameter.

What Is UTM Tracking for Email Marketing?

UTM tracking is the practice of adding campaign parameters to URLs so analytics platforms can identify the marketing source, medium and campaign associated with website traffic.

For email marketing, a basic tagged URL could look like:

https://example.com/product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch

In this example:

• utm_source=mailchimp identifies the email platform or source
• utm_medium=email identifies the marketing channel
• utm_campaign=product_launch identifies the campaign

Google Analytics processes these UTM parameters into traffic-source and campaign dimensions. Google recommends using consistent campaign parameters so marketing data remains meaningful and easier to analyse.

The GetToolara UTM Builder can simplify the URL creation process by generating the tagged link for you.

Why Is Email UTM Tracking Important?

A normal URL such as:

https://example.com/pricing

doesn't tell your analytics system which email campaign you intended to associate with the click.

A tagged URL can provide additional campaign context:

https://example.com/pricing?utm_source=weekly_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=september_offer

This allows marketers to analyse campaign traffic using dimensions such as source, medium and campaign.

Email UTM tracking can help you:

• Identify traffic generated by email campaigns
• Compare different newsletters
• Distinguish different promotions
• Track campaign-specific landing pages
• Compare campaign traffic in GA4
• Differentiate links within the same email
• Maintain consistent marketing attribution
• Build cleaner campaign reports

The 3 Core UTM Parameters for Email

For most email campaigns, three parameters provide a solid starting point:

utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign

Let's examine each one.

1. utm_source

The source identifies the specific platform, website, app or online location associated with the traffic.

Google's current traffic-source documentation gives examples such as google, facebook.com, and spring_newsletter as source values.

For email marketing, useful source values might include:

utm_source=mailchimp

or:

utm_source=klaviyo

or:

utm_source=weekly_newsletter

The best choice depends on what you want your reports to communicate.

A useful rule

Source = Where specifically did the traffic come from?

Medium = What type of marketing channel was it?

So:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email

is often more informative than:

utm_source=email utm_medium=email

However, utm_source=email&utm_medium=email is not automatically invalid in GA4. Google's current Default Channel Grouping can classify traffic into Email when either the source or medium matches its email rules. The recommendation here is about better campaign organisation and reporting, not a claim that GA4 will automatically classify source=email as Unassigned.

2. utm_medium

The medium identifies the broader marketing channel.

For email campaigns, use:

utm_medium=email

This is particularly important because GA4's default Email channel includes traffic where the medium is email (along with several equivalent source/medium values).

Recommended email structure

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale

Think of it this way:

Source: Mailchimp
Medium: Email
Campaign: Summer Sale

That gives your reporting a much clearer hierarchy.

3. utm_campaign

Campaign identifies the specific marketing initiative.

Examples:

utm_campaign=summer_sale

utm_campaign=product_launch

utm_campaign=black_friday

utm_campaign=september_newsletter

Campaign names are your organisation's naming choice. The important thing is to create a system that your team can apply consistently.

What About utm_content?

utm_content is useful when you want to distinguish different links or creative elements within the same campaign.

Imagine an email contains:

• Hero image
• Shop Now button
• Text link

You could use:

utm_content=hero_image

utm_content=shop_now

utm_content=text_link

The other parameters can remain identical:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale

Only the content value changes.

Google maps campaign content into its campaign-content traffic-source dimension, so it can be useful for analysing different tagged links or creative variations.

What About utm_term?

utm_term is traditionally associated with paid search keywords, but it is also available as a campaign parameter.

For a normal newsletter, you generally don't need utm_term unless you have a specific reporting reason to use it.

Don't add parameters simply because a UTM builder provides them.

A good tracking system is not the one with the most parameters.

It's the one with the most useful and consistently maintained parameters.

Email UTM URL Example

Suppose you're promoting a new product through Mailchimp.

Your destination URL is:

https://example.com/new-product

Your campaign structure is:

Parameter

Value

Source

mailchimp

Medium

email

Campaign

product_launch

Content

hero_button

Your final URL becomes:

https://example.com/new-product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch&utm_content=hero_button

You can create this URL using the GetToolara UTM Builder instead of manually typing each parameter.

How to Create a UTM Link for Email Marketing

You can manually build UTM URLs, but using a dedicated UTM builder makes the process easier and more repeatable.

Here's a practical workflow using the GetToolara UTM Builder.

Step 1: Enter Your Destination URL

Start with the page you want subscribers to visit.

For example:

https://example.com/summer-sale

This could be:

• Product page
• Landing page
• Pricing page
• Blog article
• Event registration page
• Contact page
• Special offer page

Step 2: Choose Your Source

Identify the specific source.

Examples:

mailchimp

klaviyo

weekly_newsletter

Choose the value that makes the most sense for your reporting system.

Step 3: Set Medium to email

For an email campaign:

utm_medium=email

Using email consistently makes the channel easier to classify and analyse.

Step 4: Add the Campaign Name

For example:

utm_campaign=summer_sale

Keep the campaign name descriptive.

Step 5: Add utm_content When Needed

If you're tracking different links within the same email:

utm_content=hero_button

or:

utm_content=product_image

Step 6: Generate the URL

Enter the values into the GetToolara UTM Builder and generate your campaign URL.

Then test the resulting URL before putting it into your email.

UTM Naming Convention for Email Marketing

A consistent naming convention is one of the most important parts of campaign tracking.

You can choose different conventions, but choose one system and stick to it.

For example:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale utm_content=hero_button

Another organisation might use:

utm_source=weekly_newsletter utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale utm_content=hero_button

Both can work if they are consistently implemented.

Snake_case vs Hyphens

There is no universal GA4 rule requiring snake_case.

Both of these are technically possible:

summer_sale

and:

summer-sale

The more important rule is consistency.

For example, if your brand chooses lowercase snake_case:

summer_sale product_launch hero_button black_friday

then use that convention consistently across your campaigns.

If you choose lowercase hyphens:

summer-sale product-launch hero-button black-friday

stick with that instead.

What should you avoid?

Avoid spaces and inconsistent variations such as:

Summer Sale summer sale summer_sale summer-sale

all representing the same campaign.

UTM values are case-sensitive, so inconsistent naming can create fragmented values in your reports.

Email UTM Examples

Weekly Newsletter

https://example.com/blog?utm_source=weekly_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=september_newsletter

Product Launch

https://example.com/product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch

Summer Sale

https://example.com/sale?utm_source=klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=summer_sale

Black Friday

https://example.com/black-friday?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=black_friday

Multiple CTAs

https://example.com/product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch&utm_content=hero_button

Another link in the same email:

https://example.com/product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch&utm_content=text_link

How to Track Multiple Links in One Email

Suppose you send one campaign with three links.

You can keep:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=product_launch

the same across all three links.

Then change:

utm_content

For example:

Email element

utm_content

Hero button

hero_button

Product image

product_image

Text CTA

text_link

This creates a consistent campaign structure while allowing you to distinguish individual links.

How Email UTM Tracking Works in GA4

Once someone clicks a UTM-tagged link and reaches your website, Google Analytics can process the campaign information from the URL.

For example:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=product_launch

can populate corresponding traffic-source and campaign dimensions.

GA4's Traffic acquisition reporting includes dimensions such as Session campaign and Session default channel group. Email is one of GA4's default channel groups.

You can therefore analyse questions such as:

• How much traffic came from email?
• Which campaign generated the sessions?
• Which source generated campaign traffic?
• Which campaigns generated key events?

Advanced GA4: utm_content and utm_term

This is where technically experienced marketers need a little more nuance.

UTM parameters are processed into predefined traffic-source and campaign dimensions. Google documents campaign content and campaign term as available campaign dimensions. You do not automatically need to create a custom dimension just because you're using utm_content or utm_term.

However, advanced teams may use Explorations, custom reports or other reporting configurations when they need a specific analysis that isn't convenient in the standard reports.

Custom dimensions are primarily for custom data that isn't already available through Google's predefined dimensions.

ADVANCED GA4 NOTE
Before creating a custom dimension, check whether GA4 already provides the campaign dimension you need. Creating unnecessary custom dimensions can make an analytics implementation more complicated.
For advanced campaign analysis, Explorations and custom reporting can be useful when standard acquisition reports aren't sufficient.

Email UTM Tracking and Privacy: GDPR, UK GDPR and PII

Privacy is particularly important when building campaign URLs for audiences in the European Economic Area or the UK.

Never put personally identifiable information (PII) into UTM parameters.

For example, do not create:

utm_content=jane@email.com

or:

utm_source=john_smith

if those values identify an individual.

Google explicitly states that PII such as email addresses must not be sent to Google Analytics and specifically warns against including PII in campaign parameters including:

• utm_source
• utm_medium
• utm_term
• utm_campaign
• utm_content

A safer approach is to use non-identifying campaign values such as:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=customer_reactivation

rather than subscriber-specific identifiers.

Do UTM Parameters Affect GDPR Consent?

UTM parameters and consent are related to analytics implementation, but they are not the same thing.

Adding:

utm_source=mailchimp

to a URL does not by itself make an organisation GDPR-compliant or non-compliant.

Organisations operating in the EEA need to consider their applicable consent and privacy requirements when using Google Analytics and related Google services. Google provides specific guidance on consent settings for users in the European Economic Area.

Your UTM strategy should therefore be designed alongside your wider analytics and privacy implementation.

UTM Tracking for Email Marketing Platforms

Businesses use many different email marketing platforms, including:

• Mailchimp
• Klaviyo
• Brevo
• HubSpot
• ActiveCampaign
• Other email service providers

The interface will vary between platforms, but the basic tracking principle remains the same.

You can create a URL such as:

https://example.com/product?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=product_launch

and place it behind a CTA or other link.

Always check whether your email platform automatically adds or modifies campaign parameters before manually adding your own. Otherwise, you could unintentionally create inconsistent tracking.

Email UTM Tracking for Small Businesses

UTM tracking isn't only for enterprise marketing departments.

Small businesses can use it to organise campaign traffic from:

• Weekly newsletters
• Seasonal promotions
• Product announcements
• Appointment campaigns
• Event invitations
• Ecommerce campaigns
• Special offers
• Customer re-engagement emails

For example:

utm_source=monthly_newsletter utm_medium=email utm_campaign=october_offer

This provides a simple and understandable campaign structure.

The GetToolara UTM Builder can make creating these URLs easier for businesses that don't want to manually construct every campaign URL.

Email UTM Tracking vs Social Media UTM Tracking

UTM parameters can be used across multiple acquisition channels.

For example:

Email

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email

Organic Social

utm_source=instagram utm_medium=social

Paid Social

utm_source=facebook utm_medium=paid_social

The important principle is that the medium should describe the marketing channel, while the source identifies the specific platform or source.

For more information about social campaigns, read:

UTM Tracking for Social Media: How to Track Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn Campaigns

And for the broader UTM workflow:

Free UTM Builder: Create Trackable Campaign URLs for GA4

10 Common Email UTM Tracking Mistakes

1. Using inconsistent naming

Avoid mixing:

Summer Sale summer-sale summer_sale

for the same campaign.

Choose one convention.

2. Forgetting the medium

For a normal email campaign, use:

utm_medium=email

3. Using meaningless source values

Instead of repeatedly using:

utm_source=email

consider whether a more descriptive source would provide better reporting:

utm_source=mailchimp

or:

utm_source=weekly_newsletter

Again, utm_source=email is not automatically invalid in GA4; the issue is that it may provide less useful source-level information.

4. Using spaces and inconsistent formats

Prefer a documented convention such as:

summer_sale

or:

summer-sale

and apply it consistently.

5. Adding unnecessary parameters

You don't need every UTM parameter for every campaign.

Start with:

utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign

Add:

utm_content

when you need link-level differentiation.

Use other parameters only when they serve a clear reporting purpose.

6. Assuming UTMs track email opens

UTMs primarily help analyse click-through traffic to your website.

Email opens are measured separately by your email marketing platform and may be affected by privacy features, tracking limitations and email-client behaviour.

7. Not testing the final URL

Always click important campaign links yourself before sending the email.

Check:

• The destination works.
• The URL parameters are present.
• The page loads correctly.
• The CTA points to the intended page.

8. Accidentally overwriting campaign parameters

Some email platforms may have their own campaign-tagging functionality.

Check your platform's settings before combining automatic and manually created UTMs.

9. Putting PII in campaign parameters

Never use:

utm_content=user@email.com

or other personally identifying values.

Google explicitly prohibits sending PII to Analytics.

10. Changing the naming system every campaign

Your UTM strategy becomes much more useful when everyone on the marketing team follows the same conventions.

Document your naming system and use it consistently.

Email UTM Tracking Checklist

Before sending your next campaign:

☐ Destination URL is correct
☐ utm_source identifies the source
☐ utm_medium=email is used for email campaigns
☐ utm_campaign identifies the campaign
☐ utm_content is added when multiple links need differentiation
☐ Naming convention is consistent
☐ No spaces or inconsistent formatting
☐ No PII is included
☐ Final URL has been tested
☐ Email platform isn't overwriting your UTMs
☐ Analytics implementation and privacy requirements have been considered

Create Your Email Campaign URLs with GetToolara UTM Builder

Building campaign URLs manually can become repetitive, particularly when you're managing multiple newsletters, promotions and CTAs.

The GetToolara UTM Builder provides a simple way to generate trackable campaign URLs from your destination URL and campaign parameters.

You can use it for:

• Email campaigns
• Newsletters
• Product launches
• Promotional campaigns
• Social media
• Paid campaigns
• Other marketing channels

For email marketing, a straightforward structure might be:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale utm_content=hero_button

The goal isn't to make URLs complicated.

The goal is to create consistent, meaningful campaign data that your analytics team can actually use.

Create your next campaign URL with the GetToolara UTM Builder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Takeaway

Effective email UTM tracking isn't about adding as many parameters as possible.

It's about creating a consistent and meaningful campaign taxonomy.

For a typical email campaign, start with:

utm_source=mailchimp utm_medium=email utm_campaign=summer_sale

Then add utm_content when you need to distinguish different links or creative elements.

Keep your naming convention consistent, avoid spaces, never send PII through UTM parameters, and test campaign URLs before sending them.

For marketers working across the US, UK, Europe and other markets, a technically sound UTM structure also makes campaign reporting easier to maintain as the marketing operation grows.

And when you need to generate those links quickly, the GetToolara UTM Builder provides a simple workflow for creating trackable campaign URLs.

Create your next email campaign URL with GetToolara.

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