A UTM link builder adds tracking tags to a web address so your analytics can show where each visitor came from. You type your website link and a few labels, and the tool gives you one tagged link to share. The free Hawaa Hub UTM Link Builder runs fully in your browser, so nothing is sent or saved. This guide explains what UTM tags are, how to fill in each field, and how to keep your campaign links clean.
What Is a UTM Link?
A UTM link is a normal web address with extra parameters added at the end. UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module, a name from the early days of web analytics. The parameters do not change the page that opens. They only tell your analytics tool how the visitor arrived.
For example, a plain link such as https://example.com/page becomes a tagged link when the builder adds a question mark and then the tags: utm_source set to newsletter, utm_medium set to email, and utm_campaign set to spring_sale. Each tag is joined to the next with a joining symbol. The builder adds all of that for you, so you never type it yourself.
What Do the UTM Fields Mean?
There are five UTM parameters. Three are the core ones, and two are optional.
- Source (utm_source). Where the visitor came from. Examples: facebook, newsletter, linkedin.
- Medium (utm_medium). The type of channel. Examples: social, email, cpc.
- Campaign (utm_campaign). The name of the promotion. Examples: spring_sale, product_launch.
- Term (utm_term). Optional. Often used for the keyword in a paid search ad.
- Content (utm_content). Optional. Helps you tell apart two links in the same campaign, such as a button and a text link.
Google Analytics expects source, medium and campaign. If you leave one out, your data may be incomplete. The builder shows a notice when one of these three is missing.
How to Use the UTM Link Builder
Open the UTM Link Builder and follow these steps:
- Paste your website link into the website link field. This one is required.
- Fill in source, medium and campaign. Or press a quick preset to fill source and medium for you.
- Add term and content only if you need them.
- Check the two options: make values lowercase, and replace spaces with underscores. Both are on by default.
- Press Copy link and paste the tagged link into your post, email or ad.
Quick presets
The builder has presets for common places: Facebook post, Instagram bio, Email newsletter, Google Ads, X / Twitter and LinkedIn. A preset fills in the source and medium. You still add the campaign name yourself, because only you know what the campaign is.
What happens to links that already have parameters?
The builder keeps any existing query parameters and any part after a hash symbol, called the fragment. If the link already has utm_ values, it replaces them with the new ones. You will not end up with two copies of the same tag.
Why Are Lowercase and Underscores the Default?
Analytics tools treat values as text. The words Facebook, facebook and FACEBOOK can show up as three separate sources in your reports. Spaces turn into odd characters in a link. By making values lowercase and replacing spaces with underscores, the builder keeps your names consistent. Leave both options on unless you have a clear reason to change them.
Example: Tag a Newsletter Link
Say you send an email newsletter about a spring sale and want to know how many visitors it brings. You paste your sale page into the website link field. You press the Email newsletter preset, which fills in the source and medium. Then you type spring_sale as the campaign. The builder gives you one tagged link. You use that link on the button in your newsletter. Later, your analytics tool can show visits from that source, medium and campaign.
If your newsletter has two links to the same page, add a different content value to each, such as header_button and footer_link. Then you can see which one people click more.
How Do You See the Results?
After people click your tagged links, open Google Analytics and look at the reports that show traffic by source, medium and campaign. Your tagged names will appear there exactly as you typed them. This is why consistent names matter. If you spelled a campaign two different ways, you will see two rows instead of one. New data can take a while to appear, so check again later if you see nothing at first.
Common UTM Mistakes to Avoid
- Missing campaign name. Without it, your data is harder to group.
- Different spellings. Facebook, facebook and fb will be counted separately.
- Tagging a link twice. Paste the clean website link, not one that is already tagged. If it is already tagged, the builder replaces the old utm_ values, but it is cleaner to start fresh.
- Using tags on your own site. This can hide the real source of a visit.
Best Practices for Tracking Campaign Links
- Use lowercase. This avoids split reports.
- Pick one naming style and keep it. If you call a channel email once, do not call it newsletter or e-mail later.
- Do not tag internal links. Tags on links between pages of your own site can overwrite the real source of a visit.
- Keep personal data out of the values. Never put names, email addresses or other private details in a tag. The values can be seen in the link.
- Keep a simple list. A small spreadsheet of the names you use helps your team stay consistent.
Should You Shorten a Tagged Link?
Tagged links can get long. For social posts, bios and printed material, shorten the link after you tag it. Tag first, then paste the finished link into the URL Shortener. The short link keeps the tags. Keep in mind that the shortener does not show click counts, so your analytics tool is where you check results.
Step by step instructions are also in our article How to Add UTM Parameters to a URL for Google Analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UTM Link Builder free?
Yes. It is free and needs no sign-up.
Is my link sent to a server?
No. The builder runs fully in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or saved.
Which UTM fields are required?
The website link is required to build a link. Google Analytics expects source, medium and campaign. Term and content are optional.
No. The page opens as usual. The tags only help your analytics tool record where the visit came from.
Use them on links you share outside your website, such as social posts, emails and ads. Avoid tagging links between your own pages.
More Free Tools
Build your first tagged link with the free UTM Link Builder. Then make it compact with the URL Shortener, and see all of our tools on the free tools page.