UTM parameters for organic and paid social traffic
How to separate your social media data.
When you look at social media traffic in analytics, it is often lumped together in one bucket. A click from an organic LinkedIn post looks identical to a click from a sponsored post. UTM parameters allow you to divide this traffic so you can see the results of your paid efforts versus your organic reach.
The problem with default social tracking
If you don't use tracking links, analytics platforms like Google Analytics rely on referrers to categorize traffic. If the referrer is "facebook.com", it counts as social. But this system cannot tell if the visitor clicked a paid ad or a viral video.
If you are spending money on PPC campaigns on social platforms, you need to know if that specific channel generated revenue.
The organic vs paid split
The solution is to establish a clear convention for the utm_medium parameter.
- Organic social: Use
utm_medium=socialorutm_medium=organic_socialfor the links you put in your bio or regular posts. Google Analytics often recognizessocialby default. - Paid social: Use
utm_medium=paid_social,utm_medium=cpc, orutm_medium=paidfor all sponsored content.
| Activity | utm_source | utm_medium |
|---|---|---|
| Regular company update | linkedin | social |
| Sponsored post (Ad) | linkedin | paid_social |
| Employee sharing a link | linkedin | employee_advocacy |
Consistency is vital here. If one team member uses "cpc" and another uses "paid_social", it fragments your reporting. See our guide on common errors to learn more.
Tracking different platforms
Different social platforms serve different audiences. Defining the utm_source accurately helps you figure out where to focus your marketing. Use simple names like facebook, twitter, tiktok, or linkedin.
You can also use the utm_campaign parameter to track cross-platform initiatives. For instance, if you launch a summer sale on Instagram and Pinterest, tagging both links with utm_campaign=summer_promo_2024 lets you compare their performance side-by-side.
Social media specific parameters
Sometimes you need more detail than just the platform and the payment type. You might want to know if a click came from a profile link or a story swipe-up.
You can use the utm_content parameter to track the specific placement. E.g., utm_content=bio_link or utm_content=video_description. This helps you figure out which format drives the most clicks.
A: Yes. If a user clicks a tagged link (e.g., from an email), copies that exact URL from their browser, and pastes it into a Facebook post, anyone clicking that Facebook link will be tracked as if they came from the email. This is an unavoidable limitation of URL-based tracking. Focus on capturing the initial click accurately.
Improve your reporting
Separating organic and paid social traffic makes it easier to calculate your return on ad spend. Just remember to be careful about not over-parameterizing your links when it is not needed, in order to prevent an unwanted SEO impact.
Explore our other resources in the How To section to structure tracking for email tracking and more.
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