Advanced UTM Parameters: Tracking the Details

Most marketers stop at source, medium, and campaign. But if you want to be in the top 1% of data-driven marketers, you need to master the two "forgotten" parameters: utm_content and utm_term.

If you're already familiar with how UTM parameters work, it's time to take the next step. Here is how to use these advanced tags for deep-dive analysis.

1. Precision Tracking with "utm_content"

Think of utm_content as your A/B testing tag. It's designed to differentiate between two links that have the exact same source, medium, and campaign. For example, if you send an email with two buttons, you can't tell which one was clicked using just source and medium.

By using utm_content=red-button and utm_content=blue-button, GA4 can tell you which design actually performed better. This is a vital part of email marketing optimization.

2. Maximizing "utm_term" for Search

While utm_term was originally designed for paid search keywords, it can be used for any "specific" identifier. If you're running ads on a niche platform that doesn't share keyword data with Google, you can manually insert the keyword here.

In GA4, utm_term maps to the "Manual term" dimension. It's extraordinarily useful for identifying which specific "topics" are driving the highest quality leads across different ad sets.

3. Going Custom: Internal UTMs? (Wait!)

As we emphasize in our UTM best practices, you should never use these for links on your own site. However, some advanced marketers use custom query parameters (like ?internal_promo=big_banner) for internal tracking. Just make sure you don't use the letters "utm" in those names, or you'll break your Google Analytics data attribution.

4. Analyzing Advanced Data in GA4

To see these parameters in GA4, you often need to look beyond the basic reports. Go to Explore > Blank and create a custom Exploration. Drag "Session manual term" and "Session manual ad content" into the "Rows" section. Now you're seeing the "hidden" data that your competitors are missing.

The Secret to Scaling: Consistency

The more data you track, the easier it is to get confused. Always reference your team's naming conventions before adding advanced parameters to ensure your custom reports stay readable.