# UTM Builder

> Tag any link with utm_source, medium, campaign, term and content. Presets for Product Hunt, X, LinkedIn, Reddit and newsletters, plus how it shows in GA4.

Use it free at https://swipetolaunch.com/tools/utm-builder

## How to use it

1. **Paste the page URL.** Existing query parameters and #anchors are kept.
2. **Pick a preset or fill the source.** Presets set source and medium for common launch channels.
3. **Name the campaign.** One name per push, like launch_2026, reused across every channel.
4. **Copy the link.** Use it wherever you post. GA4 groups the visits under that source and campaign.

## What UTM parameters do

UTM parameters are tags on the end of a link that tell your analytics where a visit came from. When someone clicks `https://example.com/?utm_source=producthunt&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=launch`, Google Analytics 4 records the session under that source, medium and campaign instead of guessing from the referrer, which many apps strip.

## The five parameters

- **utm_source** (required): the specific site or sender. `producthunt`, `x`, `newsletter`.
- **utm_medium**: the type of channel. `social`, `email`, `referral`, `cpc`. GA4 uses this to sort traffic into channels like Organic Social or Email.
- **utm_campaign**: the push. Use the same value on every channel for one launch so you can compare them.
- **utm_content**: tells apart two links in the same place, such as `header_link` and `footer_link`.
- **utm_term**: the paid keyword. Rarely needed outside search ads.

## Naming that keeps reports clean

- **Lowercase everything.** GA4 treats `Newsletter` and `newsletter` as two sources. This tool lowercases by default.
- **No spaces.** Use underscores or hyphens. Spaces become `+` or `%20` and split your data.
- **Write it down.** Keep one list of sources and mediums and reuse it.
- **Never tag internal links.** A UTM link from your own homepage starts a new session and overwrites the real source.

## How it shows in GA4

Open Reports, Acquisition, Traffic acquisition and set the dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign. The tool shows the channel group GA4 is likely to assign, based on Google's default rules: social sources land in Organic Social, `email` in Email, `referral` in Referral. A medium GA4 does not recognise ends up in Unassigned, which is the most common tagging mistake.

## Launch week

Tag every link you post on launch day: your [launch post](/tools/launch-post-generator), the maker comment, the newsletter, each social post. Then you can see which channel sent visitors who stayed, not just who sent the most clicks.

## What you get

- All five UTM parameters
- Presets for Product Hunt, X, LinkedIn, newsletter, Reddit and Hacker News
- Keeps existing query strings and #anchors
- Lowercase and space cleanup
- GA4 source, campaign and channel group preview

## Questions

### Which UTM parameters are required?

Only utm_source is strictly required. In practice also set utm_medium, so GA4 can assign a channel, and utm_campaign, so you can compare pushes.

### Are UTM parameters case sensitive?

Yes. GA4 records Facebook and facebook as different sources. Lowercase every value and keep a shared naming list.

### Do UTM parameters affect SEO?

Not when used on external links you share. Do not put them on internal links, and make sure tagged pages carry a canonical tag pointing at the clean URL.

### Where do I see UTM data in GA4?

Reports, Acquisition, Traffic acquisition. Change the primary dimension to Session source / medium or Session campaign to see your tags.

### Why is my UTM traffic showing as Unassigned?

GA4 could not match the medium to a default channel rule. Use standard mediums like social, email, referral, cpc or affiliate.