What UTM tags are
UTM tags are five short labels you add to the end of a link. When someone clicks it, your analytics, like Google Analytics or Shopify, reads the labels and knows where the visit came from. Without them, a click from your Instagram bio, a text message or a poster often shows up as Direct, which tells you nothing.
The three you need:
- utm_source: where the link is. instagram, newsletter, qr.
- utm_medium: what kind of link it is. social, email, print, cpc for a paid click.
- utm_campaign: why you shared it. fall-sale, open-house, black-friday.
Two more are there when you need them. utm_term is the keyword you paid for in a search ad. utm_content tells two links in the same place apart, like the button and the photo in one email.
How to use the builder
- Pick a starting point, like Instagram bio or QR code on a poster. It fills in the source and the medium.
- Paste the address of your page and type the campaign.
- Copy the link, or download the QR code as a PNG for print or an SVG for a designer.
The builder checks as you type. It adds https:// when it is missing, warns about capital letters and spaces, and tells you when the address already has a tag of its own. That tag stays as it is, the same way Postfjord treats the links it tags.
Keep your tags tidy
- Use lower case. Analytics counts Instagram and instagram as two different sources.
- Use dashes, not spaces. A space turns into %20 in the link.
- Pick one word for each place and keep it. If the bio link is instagram today and ig next month, your report splits in two.
- Never tag links between pages on your own site. Google Analytics then credits the visit to your own tag, and you lose where the person came from.
The QR code
The QR code opens the tagged link. Print it on a poster, a menu or a flyer with the source set to qr and the medium to print, and every scan shows up in your analytics as a visit from the poster. Use a separate campaign or content tag for each poster to see which one works.
Test the code with your phone before you print. It needs a white edge around it, so leave the margin in the file as it is.
FAQ
Do UTM tags change where the link goes?
No. The page opens as before. The tags sit after a question mark at the end of the address, and only analytics tools read them.
Which tags does Google Analytics need?
It needs utm_source to use the tags at all. With utm_medium and utm_campaign as well, your reports say where the visit came from, what kind of link it was and why you shared it.
Should I use UTM tags in my Instagram bio?
Yes. Without them, most clicks from Instagram's app show up as Direct or as a plain referral. With a tagged bio link, the visits show up under the source and campaign you picked.
Does the QR code stop working?
No. The code holds the whole link, so it works for as long as your page is online. Nothing goes through Postfjord.
Does the builder save my links?
No. It runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Postfjord or saved.