UTM Fields
UTM fields (Urchin Tracking Module) are URL parameters that convey information about a traffic source. In LightLead attribution, UTM tags are the primary mechanism for matching ad and CRM data.
The five standard UTM fields
| Field | Purpose | Example | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
utm_source | Traffic source | google, facebook, yandex | Yes |
utm_medium | Traffic type | cpc, cpm, email, social | Recommended |
utm_campaign | Campaign name | brand_search, retargeting | Recommended |
utm_content | Ad identifier | banner_728x90, video_15s | Optional |
utm_term | Keyword | lightlead+attribution | Optional |
URL format with UTM tags
https://example.com/landing?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_search&utm_content=banner_728x90&utm_term=lightleadFilling rules
Case
UTM tags are case-sensitive. utm_source=Google and utm_source=google are different values. It's recommended to use a consistent case (lowercase) across all ads.
Whitespace and special characters
- Spaces are replaced with
%20or+ - Special characters must be URL-encoded
- It's recommended to avoid whitespace in values
Length
- Maximum URL length with UTM tags — 2048 characters
- UTM field values shouldn't exceed 500 characters (recommendation)
Consistency
UTM tag values in ads must exactly match those saved in the CRM. If an ad has utm_source=google, but the CRM saved utm_source=Google%20Ads, matching won't occur.
Dynamic UTM parameters
Ad platforms support dynamic value substitution in UTM tags:
Meta Ads
utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{adset.name}}_{{ad.name}}Google Ads (ValueTrack)
utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&utm_content={creative}&utm_term={keyword}TikTok Ads
utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaign_name}&utm_content={ad_id}UTM tags in the CRM
UTM tags need to be passed from the website to the CRM. Options for passing them:
- Hidden form fields — UTM tags are written into hidden fields on the capture form
- Cookie + form — UTM tags are saved to a cookie, then passed to the CRM when the form is submitted
- Site script — JavaScript reads UTM tags from the URL and sends them to the CRM via an API
Checking UTM tagging
To verify UTM correctness:
- Create a test lead by clicking through an ad
- Check that the UTM tags were saved in the CRM
- Compare the values with those set in the ad
- If there's a mismatch — fix the site's CRM integration