UTM tags overview

UTM tags - Urchin Tracking Module - are short tags added to URLs that tell analytics tools where traffic comes from, including the specific Campaign, Channel, or source. Mautic supports UTM tags across many features, though each feature handles UTM data differently. Features capture, generate, store, and use UTM data in distinct ways. Confusing how these features handle the data causes gaps in tracking, empty fields, or incorrect expectations.

Understanding UTM parameters

The five standard UTM parameters are:

Parameter	Description
utm_source	The referring source of the web activity. Indicates the social network, search engine, newsletter name, or any other specific source driving the traffic. Examples: facebook, twitter, blog, newsletter
utm_medium	The Channel or method of delivery. Examples: email, cpc, organic_social, organic, social
utm_campaign	The specific promotion or marketing initiative title to track. Examples: summer_sale, free_trial, spring_sale_2026
utm_content	Optional. Use this to distinguish between multiple versions of the same message or content variant within a Campaign. Examples: welcome_email_1, banner_version_a
utm_term	Optional. Use this to track search keywords or content categories. Auto-populated in some contexts.

You don’t need to fill all five parameters. Use one, a few, or all as required for your tracking needs.

Using UTM tags in Mautic

To use UTM tags with Google Analytics where they appear in your Google Analytics dashboard, you must install your Google Analytics tracking code on the resource you are linking to. This synchronizes with your Google Analytics dashboard and records the UTM tags.

If you use a Mautic Landing Page, go to Settings > Configuration > Tracking Settings, and add your Google Analytics ID.

If you use a non-Mautic Landing Page, you must manually embed the Google Analytics tracking script on the third-party Landing Page.

Feature groups

Inbound capture - recording UTM data

These features read UTM parameters from URLs and save them to a Contact’s record. For this to work, the URL the Contact lands on must already contain UTM parameters. Mautic doesn’t add them. It only reads what’s there. The link that brings the Contact to that Landing Page is always responsible for carrying the UTM values.

Feature	How it triggers	Notes
Record UTM Tags Form action	Visitor submits a Mautic Form that has this action configured. It reads UTM parameters from the query string of the Landing Page the Form is on, with Landing Page referrer as fallback.	See Recording UTM tags in Forms
Tracking script / pixel on external site	The tracking script fires on an external Landing Page. The browser call carries the full Landing Page URL. If it contains UTM parameters, Mautic captures them.	See Capturing UTM tags from Landing Pages
Mautic Landing Page visit	Someone visits a Landing Page built inside Mautic, for example https://your-mautic.com/{alias}. Mautic reads UTM parameters from the URL query string.	See Capturing UTM tags from Landing Pages
Asset download	On direct Asset download via a UTM-tagged URL, Mautic stores UTM parameters on the download record only, not on the Contact profile. Mautic doesn’t capture UTM data when a Form action triggers the download.	See UTM tags on Asset downloads

Outbound tagging - appending UTM to links

These features take UTM values you configure inside Mautic and automatically stamp them onto every tracked link in the content when it’s delivered or rendered. There is nothing to add to the links themselves. You fill in the UTM fields on the content object, and Mautic handles the appending.

Feature	Where you configure UTM	How it triggers
Email	UTM fields on the Email record	When you send or preview an Email. Mautic appends the configured UTM parameters to every tracked link in the Email body.
Dynamic Web Content	UTM fields on the Dynamic Web Content - DWC - block	When a DWC block renders for a visitor, either via Campaign or slot-based. Mautic appends UTM parameters to tracked links in the block content at render time.
Push notifications	UTM fields on the notification	When Mautic sends a web or mobile push notification. Mautic appends UTM parameters to tracked URLs inside the notification payload before delivery.
Focus Items	UTM fields on the Focus Item configuration	When a Focus Item displays on a webpage. Mautic appends UTM parameters to tracked links inside the Focus Item content when it renders.

Using UTM data for targeting

Once Mautic captures UTM data on Contact profiles, you can use it to control who Mautic includes in a Segment or how a Contact routes through a Campaign.

Feature	What it does	How it triggers
Segment filters	Includes or excludes Contacts from a Segment based on UTM values ever recorded on them.	When Mautic evaluates a Segment. All five UTM Contact fields - utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content, utm_term - are available as filter conditions.
Campaign conditions	Branches Campaign flow based on UTM field values on the Contact.	When a Campaign evaluates a Contact field value condition that references a UTM field.

Displaying UTM data

Captured UTM data surfaces in several places for visibility and Reports.

Feature	What it does
Contact timeline	Each time Mautic saves UTM tags to a Contact, a timeline entry appears. The icon changes based on utm_medium - Email, social, ad, Cost Per Click - CPC, and so on. The label uses utm_campaign if available.
Reports	A dedicated Report source joins the UTM tags table with Contacts, letting you build Reports filtered or grouped by any UTM field.
Asset Reports	Asset download Reports include data for all five UTM parameters - utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content, and utm_term.

REST API

Two REST endpoints manage UTM data directly on Contacts:

• POST /contacts/{id}/utm/add: accepts the full UTM payload - all five tags, plus url, referer, and user_agent

• POST /contacts/{id}/utm/{utmid}/remove: removes existing UTM tags from a Contact record

How to understand each group

The most common source of confusion with Mautic’s UTM system is treating all features as equivalent. They aren’t:

• Inbound capture depends entirely on UTM parameters being in the URL. Mautic reads. It doesn’t write.

• Outbound tagging is the reverse. Mautic writes UTM parameters onto links, based on what you configured on the content object.

• Targeting only works with data that inbound capture already recorded. You can’t Segment or branch on UTM data that inbound capture never recorded on the Contact.

• Asset download UTM data lives in a separate table and doesn’t feed into Contact profiles, Segment filters, or Campaign conditions.

See also

• Capturing UTM tags from Landing Pages

• UTM tags on Asset downloads

• Recording UTM tags in Forms

• UTM tags in Email

• UTM tags in Dynamic Web Content blocks

• UTM tags as Campaign conditions

• UTM tags as Segment filters