UTMs are essential for tracking the performance of your paid ad campaigns and ensuring accurate data flows into your analytics platform. Dynamic IDs allow you to automate the generation of UTM parameters, reducing manual errors and creating a seamless tracking experience across multiple advertising platforms.
This guide provides recommended UTM structures for popular ad platforms, leveraging their dynamic macros to simplify your campaign tracking setup. These templates form the foundation of both The Modern UTM Strategy and The GA4 UTM Strategy, ensuring consistency and accuracy in your data collection.
Table of contents
Why use dynamic IDs for UTMs?
Dynamic IDs enable platforms to automatically populate campaign-specific parameters like campaign ID, ad group ID, and ad ID directly into your URLs. This approach offers several benefits:
- Automation: Eliminate the need for manual UTM creation, saving time and reducing effort.
- Consistency: Standardize tracking across platforms for cleaner, more uniform reporting.
- Accuracy: Minimize errors in campaign reporting by reducing human input.
- Advanced strategies compatibility: Dynamic IDs are the foundation of both The Modern UTM Strategy and The GA4 UTM Strategy, enabling seamless integration with data pipelines and advanced reporting frameworks.
Below are the recommended UTM templates for each platform, along with instructions for setting them at the account level where applicable.
Recommended UTM template per ad platform
Google Ads
Tracking template:
{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={campaignid}&utm_campaign={_campaign}&ad_group_id={adgroupid}&ad_id={creative}
How to set up at the account level:
1. Access Account Settings:
- Sign in to your Google Ads account.
- Click on the Tools & Settings icon (wrench) in the top right corner.
- Under "Setup," select Account settings.
2. Add Tracking Template:
- In the Account Settings menu, click on Tracking.
- Find the Tracking template field.
3. Insert the Tracking Template:
- Paste the recommended tracking template into the field.
4. Save Changes:
- Click Save to apply the tracking template to all campaigns and ads by default.
Additional resources:
Microsoft Ads
Tracking template:
{lpurl}?utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={CampaignId}&utm_campaign={Campaign}&ad_group_id={AdGroupId}&ad_id={AdId}
How to set up at the account level:
1. Navigate to URL Options:
- Sign in to your Microsoft Ads account.
- Click on All campaigns in the left menu
- Select Account Settings from the top menu.
- Click on Tracking.
2. Set Tracking Template:
- In the Tracking template field, paste the recommended tracking template.
3. Save Changes:
- Click Save to apply the template across all campaigns.
Additional resources:
Meta (Facebook) Ads
Tracking template (URL parameters):
utm_source=meta&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={{campaign.id}}&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&ad_group_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}
How to set up:
Since Meta Ads doesn’t allow setting URL parameters at the account level, you’ll need to add them at the ad level:
1. Access Ads Manager:
- Log in to your Facebook Ads Manager.
2. Edit Your Ad:
- Go to the Ad level of your campaign.
- Click Edit on the ad you want to modify.
3. Add URL Parameters:
- Scroll down to the Website URL section.
- Click on Build a URL Parameter.
- In the URL Parameters field, paste the recommended tracking template.
4. Apply to Multiple Ads (Optional):
- If you have multiple ads, consider using the Edit Multiple feature to apply the parameters in bulk.
Additional resources:
LinkedIn Ads
Tracking template:
&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={{CAMPAIGN_GROUP_ID}}&utm_campaign={{CAMPAIGN_GROUP_NAME}}&ad_group_id={{CAMPAIGN_ID}}&ad_id={{CREATIVE_ID}}
How to set up at the account level:
1. Access Account Assets:
- Log in to your LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
- Select your ad account.
2. Navigate to Account Settings:
- Click on Account Settings in the top right corner.
3. Add Tracking Parameters:
- Under Branding, find the Default URL Building section.
- Paste the recommended tracking template into the Parameter field.
4. Save Changes:
- Click Save to apply the parameters to all existing and future campaign
Additional resources:
Criteo
Tracking template:
&utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={{criteo_campaign_id}}&ad_group_id={{adsetid}}&ad_id={{adid}}
How to set up at the account level:
1. Access Campaign Settings:
- Log in to your Criteo account.
- Navigate to Campaigns.
2. Edit Tracking Parameters:
- Click on Settings for the campaign you want to edit.
- Find the Click URL Parameters section.
3. Insert the Tracking Template:
- Paste the recommended tracking template into the field.
4. Save Changes:
- Click Save to apply the parameters.
Additional resources:
TikTok Ads
Tracking template:
?utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=__CAMPAIGN_ID__&utm_campaign=__CAMPAIGN_NAME__&ad_group_id=__AID__&ad_id=__CID__
How to set up:
TikTok Ads requires setting URL parameters at the ad level:
1. Access TikTok Ads Manager:
- Log in to your TikTok Ads account.
2. Create or Edit an Ad:
- Start creating a new ad or edit an existing one.
3. Add Tracking Parameters:
- In the Destination Page section, find the Tracking area.
- Paste the tracking template into the URL Parameters field.
4. Save the Ad:
- Complete the ad creation process and save.
Additional resources:
Pinterest Ads
Tracking template:
?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={campaignid}&utm_campaign={campaign_name}&ad_group_id={adgroupid}&ad_id={adid}
How to set up at the account level:
1. Access Pinterest Ads Manager:
- Log in to your Pinterest Business account.
2. Navigate to Bulk Edit:
- Go to Ads > Bulk Editor.
3. Download Current Settings:
- Download your current campaign settings to edit offline.
4. Add Tracking Template:
- In the spreadsheet, add the tracking template to the Final URL Suffix column for each campaign or ad group.
5. Upload the Edited File:
- Upload the updated spreadsheet back into Pinterest Ads Manager.
Additional resources:
Reddit Ads
Tracking template:
?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={{CAMPAIGN_ID}}&utm_campaign={{CAMPAIGN_NAME}}&ad_group_id={{ADGROUP_ID}}&ad_id={{AD_ID}}
How to set up:
Reddit Ads does not currently support setting tracking parameters at the account level, so you’ll need to add them at the ad level:
1. Access Reddit Ads Dashboard:
- Log in to your Reddit Ads account.
2. Create or Edit an Ad:
- Start a new campaign or edit an existing ad.
3. Add Tracking Parameters:
- In the Ad URL field, append the tracking template to your landing page URL.
4. Save Changes:
- Complete the ad setup and save.
Additional resources:
Snapchat Ads
Tracking template:
utm_source=snapchat&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id={{campaign.id}}&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&ad_group_id={{adSet.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}
How to set up:
1. Access Snapchat Ads Manager:
- Log in to your Snapchat Business account.
2. Create or Edit an Ad:
- Begin a new campaign or edit an existing ad.
3. Add Advanced URL Parameters:
- In the Ad Details section, find Advanced options.
- Paste the tracking template into the URL Parameters field.
4. Save the Ad:
- Complete the setup and save your ad.
Additional resources:
Campaign Manager 360
Tracking template:
?utm_source=cm360&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=%ebuy!&site_id=%esid!&placement_id=%epid!&ad_id=%eaid!&creative_id=%ecid!
1. Access Campaign Manager 360:
- Log in to your Campaign Manager 360 account.
2. Navigate to Floodlight Configuration:
- Go to Advertisers and select your advertiser.
- Click on Floodlight Configuration.
3. Set Landing Page URL Suffix:
- Find Landing page URL suffix.
- Paste the tracking template into the field.
4. Save Changes:
- Click Save to apply the suffix to all ads.
Additional resources:
Conclusion
Dynamic IDs are a game-changer for simplifying UTM tracking. By setting up the recommended templates at the account level where possible, you ensure consistent, automated, and accurate tracking across all campaigns.
If you need help setting up your UTMs or implementing these strategies, feel free to contact us. We’re here to guide you every step of the way!
