How to Use This UTM Builder

1. Select your traffic source
   Choose from common platforms like Google, Facebook, Zillow, or Email.
2. Name your campaign
   Use something meaningful, like summer-leasing-promotion or grand-opening.
3. Get your full tracking URL
   Paste it into your ad, email, or social post to start tracking results.

When users click that link, your website analytics tool (e.g Google Analytics) will register their visit with full attribution so you can finally answer, “What’s actually working?”

Deep Dive: Understanding UTM Parameters

UTM codes consist of five possible parameters, though most marketers only use three:

• utm_source (recommended): Where the traffic is coming from (e.g. google, facebook, zillow)
• utm_medium (recommended): The traffic medium (e.g. cpc, email, social). In other words, how they received the information.
• utm_campaign (recommended): The campaign name (e.g. lease-up or summer-specials)
• utm_term (optional): Primarily used for paid search keywords or ad group tracking
• utm_content (optional): Distinguish between different versions of an ad or link

When used properly, UTM codes help Google Analytics identify and categorize your traffic into default “Channel Groups”. Further parameters such as campaign, term, and content help you further segment your website traffic right down the specific post.

This means better insights into what drives traffic and conversions.

Why UTMs Matter for Apartment Marketing

In the multifamily space, tracking can be murky. A lead might click view a listing on Apartments.com or Zillow, then browse your property site, then call the leasing office from your website. UTMs help clarify that customer journey by ensuring that users interactivity on your website is attributed to the right source.

Whether you’re running paid media, email newsletters, ILS listings, or social campaigns, UTM links give you:

• More reliable source tracking in Google Analytics
• Clearer ROI reports for ownership groups
• Better optimization decisions for your ad spend

Pro Tips for Better UTM Usage

• Be consistent with naming. Use dashes (-) instead of spaces.
• Avoid uppercase letters unless absolutely necessary (facebook and Facebook will show up as separate sources in Google Analytics).
• Don’t include UTM codes in internal links on your own website. That can overwrite attribution.
• If using UTM codes for a portfolio-wide campaign or on a consolidated domain, be sure to include your property name in the campaign or content fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use all five parameters?
No. Most campaigns only use source, medium, and campaign. The others are optional for advanced tracking.

Will UTMs affect SEO?
No. UTM parameters don’t influence your organic rankings, they’re ignored by search engines. That said, better data means you can make more informed decisions.

Can I use this with Google Ads or Meta?
Absolutely, though Google also uses it’s own proprietary tagging system, called ‘auto-tagging’. You can combine auto-tagging with UTM codes but be careful not to duplicate parameters.

Can I use UTM links on all my sources?
Not always. While most ad platforms, email tools, and social media sites support UTM parameters, some platforms either strip them out or don’t allow custom URLs at all.

• Apple Maps doesn’t allow you to customize the link on your business profile, any tracking parameters will be removed.
• Yelp replaces any custom URL with a canonical version that strips UTM tags.
• Some third-party listing platforms may automatically shorten or alter your links, breaking tracking in the process.

Pro tip: Always test your links after publishing. If your UTM code disappears or redirects unexpectedly, the platform might not support them. When in doubt, use alternative tracking methods in conjunction with UTMs, like call tracking numbers or even dedicated landing pages.