Track Marketing Campaigns with Short URLs & UTM Tags

UTM parameters are the standard way to track traffic sources in analytics platforms (Google Analytics, GA4, Mixpanel). When you add UTMs to the destination URL and then shorten it, you keep analytics intact while making a tidy, clickable link for your audience.

What are UTM Parameters?

UTMs are query parameters you append to a URL to identify traffic source, medium, campaign, and more. The common UTM keys:

• utm_source — the referrer (e.g., google, newsletter)
• utm_medium — the channel (e.g., email, social)
• utm_campaign — campaign name (e.g., spring_sale)
• utm_term — paid search keyword (optional)
• utm_content — used to differentiate creatives / A/B tests

Why Shorten After Adding UTMs?

• Keeps links clean: Long UTM-rich URLs look ugly in messages and hurt CTR.
• Preserves tracking: Shortening doesn’t strip UTMs if done correctly — BlinkURL preserves the full destination including UTMs.
• Enables analytics: Your analytics will show exact channel/source data while users click a neat short link.

Step-by-Step: Build a Tracked Short Link

1. Start with your destination: https://example.com/landing-page
2. Add UTMs:
   https://example.com/landing-page?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale
3. Optionally encode characters if needed (BlinkURL handles most cases).
4. Shorten the full URL on BlinkURL.
5. Share the short link in your channel and monitor performance in your analytics dashboard and BlinkURL analytics.

Example URL

Full (tracked) URL:
https://example.com/landing-page?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale&utm_content=cta1

Shortened (shareable) URL: https://blinkurl.in/spring123

How to Read Results (Basics)

In Google Analytics / GA4, look under Acquisition → Campaigns (or the equivalent) to see data broken down by your UTM values. Key metrics to monitor:

• Clicks / Sessions — volume of traffic from the short link
• Bounce rate & engagement — quality of traffic
• Conversions — goal completions or purchases tied to the campaign
• UTM content — which creative performed better

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Forgetting UTMs: Shortening without UTMs leaves campaign traffic un-attributed. Always add UTMs first.
• Inconsistent naming: Use a consistent convention (lowercase, dashes, no spaces). Example: utm_campaign=spring_sale_2025.
• Overusing UTMs: Add only what's useful; too many parameters make links messy before shortening.
• Shortening then adding UTMs: Avoid — the shortener may not preserve later changes. Always add UTMs to the final destination before shortening.

Tracking in BlinkURL

BlinkURL’s dashboard shows click counts, top referrers, device breakdown, and country-level data for each short link. Combine that with your analytics platform for full-funnel measurement.

Workflow Checklist for Marketers

• 1) Define campaign naming conventions (source, medium, campaign).
• 2) Build destination URL with UTMs.
• 3) Shorten using BlinkURL and optionally set expiry/slug.
• 4) Share link and monitor BlinkURL + analytics.
• 5) Iterate: tweak creatives and UTM content for A/B testing.