UTM tracking & attribution setup
This page explains how to configure UTM parameters so BaseQR scan counts align with analytics in GA4. Use a simple, consistent convention and apply it the same way across all codes in a campaign.
Purpose
• Attribution — UTMs label traffic so GA4 can attribute sessions to the correct campaign and channel.
• Comparability — Consistent UTMs make BaseQR Total Scans easier to compare with GA4 sessions by campaign and placement.
• Flexibility — UTMs can be added or corrected mid-campaign without reprinting.
UTM anatomy
• Required fields — utm_source (channel), utm_medium (placement/format), utm_campaign (initiative).
• Optional fields — utm_content (creative variant), utm_term (keyword/extra segmentation).
• Formatting — Lowercase values; use hyphens or underscores; avoid spaces and punctuation.
Examplehttps://example.com/landing?utm_source=retail&utm_medium=endcap&utm_campaign=2025_q2_eventseries&utm_content=variant_a
Recommended convention
• Source — High-level channel (retail, print, event, dooh, email, social, web).
• Medium — Placement/format (endcap, postcard, badge, billboard, banner).
• Campaign — Match or closely mirror the campaign name in BaseQR (for example, 2025_q2_eventseries).
• Content (optional) — Creative or copy variant (variant_a, spanish, jpeg_728x90).
Document the convention in the campaign description so collaborators tag links the same way.
Where to apply UTMs
• During creation — Include UTMs in the destination URL when creating a code inside a campaign.
• Midstream edits — Update UTMs at any time to fix errors or standardize tagging; no reprint required.
• Bulk application — Use CSV import to add or revise UTMs across many codes. See Bulk Import Template.
Validation
• Final URL — After saving, scan the code and confirm the landing URL contains the intended UTMs.
• GA4 Real-Time — Verify a session appears under the expected source/medium/campaign.
• Redirects — If your destination redirects, ensure UTMs persist through all hops (server, CDN, or marketing tools).
Working with GA4 (and GTM if used)
• Install — GA4 must be implemented on the destination pages. GTM is optional but useful for event tagging.
• Consistency — Keep the UTM convention stable so GA4 dashboards align with BaseQR scans by campaign and channel.
• Segmentation — Build GA4 reports or explorations filtered by utm_campaign, utm_source, and utm_medium to compare placements and variants alongside BaseQR trends.
Common pitfalls and fixes
• Missing UTMs — Add parameters in BaseQR and re-test; confirm the final URL isn’t overwritten by redirects.
• Inconsistent casing — Normalize to lowercase; GA4 treats different casings as separate values.
• Duplicate UTMs — Remove any auto-appended tags from redirect services so the final URL has a single set of UTMs.
• Mismatched names — Align utm_campaign with the BaseQR campaign name to simplify reconciliation.
Best practices
• Plan first — Define the convention before launch and include it in the campaign description.
• Change sparingly — Limit midstream UTM changes to necessary corrections to keep reporting clean.
• Use bulk for scale — Apply or correct UTMs for many codes via CSV import to reduce manual error.