This article will cover the following:
1. When is a UTM needed?
One of the advantages of running your own business online is the ability to collect and analyze the customer data generated online. Merchants can get to know the potential of their store and products better through the recorded backend data on marketing channels and content.
Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) parameters are tags used to record marketing campaigns for post-campaign reviews. When a marketing campaign is being organized, it is suggested to generate designated UTM parameters for every hyperlink publishing. For every different promotional media, e.g. Google Ads, Facebook posts, videos, and emails, UTM parameters are the means to measure which of the platforms brings customers to merchants' online stores.
Merchants can see the results of marketing campaigns with UTM parameters in both Google Analytics and the SHOPLINE platform. UTM parameters can be exported together with order and customer reports on SHOPLINE. These help merchants manage the marketing review for targeting efficiencies.
2. How to retrieve UTM data?
When you export the order report or the customer list report, after selecting the time range, there are 7 fields of UTM parameters for merchants to select and export.
Below is a brief introduction to two main fields:
1. UTM Clicked Time
This records the timestamp of when the customer last clicked the hyperlink with UTM parameters. This allows the merchant to understand the time between exposure to the marketing campaign and the placement of the order.
2. UTM Source/ Medium
This combines the field of UTM source and UTM medium. The merchant could compare data from the same source through different media to complete the purchase. Merchants can also use this field to compare with the data in Google Analytics.
*Note: The recording method is different from that of Google Analytics. Please make sure to review the following data and notes.
3. Notes
Q1: Which types of orders/ customers will have UTM data?
Scenario 1
When a customer clicks a hyperlink with UTM parameters and places an order within 180 days without clearing any browser records, the system will save the UTM parameters with this order. And then you can view the "UTM parameters" data for this order in the order report.
Scenario 2
When a customer clicks ONE hyperlink with UTM parameters and places multiple orders within 180 days without clearing any browser records, the system will save the UTM parameters with "these orders." You can view the "UTM parameters" data for all of the aforementioned orders in the order report.
Q2: What if a customer clicks on multiple ads with UTM parameters? Which UTM will be recorded in the order report?
The system records the UTM hyperlink that the customer last clicked on when a customer completes a purchase.
🔔 Example
Suppose that the merchant runs two marketing campaigns at the same time and sets the UTM hyperlink of advertisement (Ad) 1 and 2 respectively. The customer sees Ad 2 first, enters the website via the link of Ad 2, but leaves without making the purchase. A few days later, this customer sees Ad 1 somewhere and completes the purchase by entering the website via the link of Ad 1. This order created by the customer will be recorded under the UTM parameter of Ad 1 in the report.
Q3: When will the UTM parameters in the order/ customer record be left blank?
Scenario 1
When a customer clicks a hyperlink without UTM parameters and enters the website to complete the purchase (which could be through methods like organic search, social media referrals, and so on but not from marketing campaigns).
Scenario 2
When a customer clicks a hyperlink with UTM parameters and cleared browser records (Cookie) before completing a purchase.
Scenario 3
When a customer clicks a hyperlink with UTM parameters and completes a purchase 180 days later.
Q4: Why are the data of SHOPLINE different from the conversion data of Google Analytics?
Each tool records data in a different way and has varying defined periods of time. In that regard, there will inevitably be discrepancies in the data between each tracking tool. This is a normal situation.
The UTM data in the SHOPLINE order report is recorded by the SHOPLINE system, not extracted through the Google Analytics tool. Therefore, there may be differences between the two.
Q5: How to add UTM parameters to a URL?
You can utilize Google's Campaign URL Builder to create URLs with added UTM parameters.
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