Simple UTM Builder + Google UTM Alternatives | Terminus Blog

UTM builders are tools that add custom campaign parameters to your URL so you can track these campaigns in Google Analytics. They are essential to you being ... Skiptocontent Terminus Features Overview UTMBuilder URLShortener Conventions ChromeExtension ProductOverviewSlides Demo Plans Blog UTMparameters URLBuilders Analytics EmailMarketing OnlineMarketing Social Other Signin Menu Features Overview UTMBuilder URLShortener Conventions ChromeExtension ProductOverviewSlides Demo Plans Blog UTMparameters URLBuilders Analytics EmailMarketing OnlineMarketing Social Other Signin TerminusBlog TryTerminus WatchaQuickDemo Search Close UTMparameters URLBuilders Analytics EmailMarketing OnlineMarketing Social Other Menu UTMparameters URLBuilders Analytics EmailMarketing OnlineMarketing Social Other Blog/OnlineMarketing/SimpleUTMBuilder+GoogleUTMAlternatives SimpleUTMBuilder+GoogleUTMAlternatives PuruChoudharyFounder&CEO ShareonTwitter ShareonFacebook ShareonReddit ShareonHackerNews UTMbuildersaretoolsthataddcustomcampaignparameterstoyourURLsoyoucantrackthesecampaignsinGoogleAnalytics.Theyareessentialtoyoubeingabletotrackthesuccessofyourcampaigns.  YoucanusetheseURLsinyourFacebook,retargeting,andemailcampaigns,andthat’sjusttonameafew. But,youalreadyknowthis,whichiswhyyou’rehere.  AtTerminusApp,we’vedesignedthisURLBuildertoolbelowtohelpyou.It’ssupereasy,andonlytakesthreesteps: STEP1:ENTERURL WebsiteURL* STEP2:SPECIFYUTMPARAMETERS UTMSource*  (utm_source) UTMMedium*  (utm_medium) e.g.email,social,cpc,etc.  UTMCampaign*  (utm_campaign) e.g.promotion,sale,etc UTMContent  (utm_content) Anycall-to-actionorheadline,e.g.buy-now  UTMTerm (utm_term) Keywordsforyourpaidsearchcampaign  STEP3:GETYOURUTMURL CopyURL   Toolslikethisaresuperhelpfulifyou’dliketogetanideaofhowyourUTMscouldlook,orevenifyou’dliketorunyourfirstcampaign.However,ifyou’reaseriousmarketerandneedtotestmultiplecampaignsacrossmultiplechannels,we’dhighlyrecommendamoreadvancedoption.  HerearesomeotheroptionsforbuildingandtrackingyourUTMs. MostPopularURLBuilders–ProsandCons 1.Manualtagging WhentalkingaboutUTMcampaigntagging,mostblogsonlymentionGoogle’sURLbuilder,thisismostlikelybecausecreatingyourownUTMcodesinevitablyresultsinmakingmistakes,andwastingyourtime.That’swhyit’sworthexploringafewothertools,someofwhichnotonlyhelpyoubuild,butalsomanageyourUTMtrackingURLs.Youcanthenchoosethebesttoolforyourmarketingcampaignsconsideringyouranalyticsrequirements,teamsize,risktolerance,andbudget. However,forthesakeofthistutorial,let’strybuildingaURLtogetfamiliarwithitsformat.Let’ssayyouneedtotrack visitstoyoursiteat www.yoursite.comforyoursummer_launch campaignthatyoupromoteonTwitter.Soyouhave, URL =www.yoursite.com utm_source=twitter utm_medium=social utm_campaign=summer_launch ThetaggedURLwillbe: www.yoursite.com/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer_launch Youwillnoticethataquestionmark(?)separatestheactualURLand thefirstparameterwhileampersand(&)separatestheotherparameters. ProsofManualTagging: Nosoftwareorwebsiteneeded ConsofManualTagging: Extremelyerror-prone YourmemoryandknowledgeofURLformatsisallyouhave Verydifficulttobeconsistent 2.GoogleURLBuilderTool ThisisthemostpopularURLbuildertooloutthere.It’sthefirsttoappearinthesearchenginesandbecauseit’screatedbyGoogle,ithastheimpressionthatitmustbemorecorrectthanothers.SomebelievethatithelpsGoogleAnalyticsrecognizetheircampaignparameters. However,that’snottrue.TheGoogleURLbuildertoolisgoodforone-offURLcreation,butit’snotidealifyouwanttotrackentirecampaignsacrossyoursite.Here’swhatitlookslikeifyouhaven’tseenitalready: ProsofGoogleUTMGenerator:    •Simpletouse    •Free ConsofGoogleUTMGenerator:    • DoesnotrememberyourcampaigntagsoryourURL.    • Nowayforyoutoforceconsistencyintagging.    • DoesnotautomaticallyshortenURLs. 3.URLBuilderSpreadsheets AsyoustarttotagmorethanahandfulofURLs,it’sbettertostartsavingthemalongwiththeircampaignparameters.Forthispurpose,spreadsheetsareanobviouschoice.YoucaneithergowithMicrosoftExcelorGoogleSpreadsheets(whichiswhatIprefer). Ifyouareaseriousmarketer,youshouldkeeptrackofyourURLs.  Irepeat…Ifyouareaseriousmarketer,youshouldkeeptrackofyourURLs. Combinedwithagoodtaggingstrategy,keepingtrackofURLscanenableyoutogetaccurateanalytics reports.You canthencompareyour trafficandconversionnumbersacrossdifferentmediums,sourcesandevenyear-over-year.Youcangainalotofinsightfromsuchcomparisons.Withoutsavingyourcampaignparameters,youcannotimplementanytaggingstrategyconsistently. Therearemanyspreadsheetstemplatesavailableonlineforcampaigntagging.Ifyoudecide togowith thespreadsheetoption,youcouldtrythis freeGoogleAnalyticsURLBuilderSpreadsheet. ProsofURLBuilderSpreadsheets:    • RemembersyourpastURLsandcampaignparameters    • YourteamhasacentralplacetogotoforbuildingURLs    • Helpsachieveconsistencyforyour taggingguidelines    • It’sfree ConsofURLBuilderSpreadsheets:    • Cannothandleanchortags becauseof URLparsinglimitationsofaspreadsheet.    • CannotURLencodearbitraryUTMvalues.ThiscanresultininvalidURLs.    • Easytooverwritethe formulasandbreakthe spreadsheet    • DifficulttotagURLsinbulk    • CannotautomaticallyshortentaggedURLs     (possiblewithsomeadvancedspreadsheetvoodoo)    • Cannotseeclickson shortenedURLs 4.Terminusapp Terminus,likespreadsheets,helpsyoubuildandmanageUTMtrackingURLsandhasseveral otherconvenientfeatures.Italsohidesthenitty-grittydetailsofmaintainingaspreadsheet. TobuildatrackingURLinTerminus,enteroneormoredestinationURLs.Youcantheneither selectfrom pre-existingUTM parametersorenternewones.Here’swhattheTerminusURLBuilderlookslike:   https://www.terminusapp.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/utm-builder.mp4 YoucanalsosavethecombinationofUTMparametersinapreset.ItcanthenbeusedtoquicklytagnewURLswiththesamesetofparameters. IfyouneedtoaddmultiplesetsofUTMtagstoaURL,sayyouarepublishinganewblogpost,youcandoitinaslittleastwoclicks.   YoucanevenquicklyaddUTMtrackingtoalltheURLsinyouremailsandgenerateafullyUTMtrackedemailinseconds. WithTerminus,it’spossibletomakeyourUTMconventionspartofyourURLbuilder.Defineasmanyconventionsasyoulike.Noneedtorememberthemanymore.   AfteryousavetheURLs,Terminusautomaticallyshortensallofthem.Ifyoulike,youcanconfigureyourowncustomdomain,useTerminusshortener,orconnectyourownBitlyaccount.YoucanthencopyshortenedURLswithasingleclickanduseitforyourvariousmarketingcampaigns.AtypicallistofURLslookslikethis: ProsofTerminusapp: RemembersyourpastURLsandUTMparameters YourteamhasacentralplacetogotoforbuildingURLs (eachteammembercanhavefine-grainedpermissions) AutomaticallyshortensUTMtaggedURLs KeepstrackofclicksonshortenedURLs CantagURLsinbulk Manyotherfeatureslikecustomparameters,presets,presetgroups, redirectcodes,clicksreports,audits,etc. ConsofTerminusapp: It’snotfree Startyour21-dayfreetrialtofindoutifitworksforyouandyourteam.Cancelwithone-click.There’szerorisks. FinalThoughts: I’msuretherearemoresuchtoolsoutthere.Onceyouunderstandyourneedsandthecapabilitiesofthesetools,youwillbeabletochooseonewithconfidence. Havingsaidthat,alloftheabovetoolsarejustthat.Tools.RememberthatcreatingacoherentandconsistentstrategyisneededtohaveyourUTMtagsremainintact.Withanadhesiveplan,yourtrafficreportswilldodgeanymishaps. Similararticlesyoumightbeinterestedin OnlineMarketing|Jul31,2020 Remarketingvs.Retargeting:TheCompleteRundown OnlineMarketing|May08,2020 WhatIsRetargeting,AndWhyShouldIUseIt? EmailMarketing|Apr03,2020 EmailMarketingBenchmarks:AComprehensiveGuide TerminushelpsyouandyourteambeconsistentinUTMtracking TryTerminusrisk-freefor21days.Cancelanytimewith1click. TryTerminus Requestapersonalizeddemo Terminus ©2020Terminus Plans Features UTMBuilder URLShortener Conventions ChromeExtension Menu Plans Features UTMBuilder URLShortener Conventions ChromeExtension ProductOverviewSlides Documentation Blog Demo FreeUTMemailcourse FreeGoogleURLBuilder Menu ProductOverviewSlides Documentation Blog Demo FreeUTMemailcourse FreeGoogleURLBuilder ContactUs PrivacyPolicy TermsandConditions EUGDPR Menu ContactUs PrivacyPolicy TermsandConditions EUGDPR