UTM Parameters

UTM parameters let you track affiliate traffic in Google Analytics alongside your other marketing channels. Spark! can automatically add UTM parameters to all affiliate links.

UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters are tags added to URLs that help analytics tools identify traffic sources:

• utm_source — The referrer (e.g., "spark", "affiliate")
• utm_medium — Marketing medium (e.g., "referral", "affiliate")
• utm_campaign — Campaign name (e.g., "summer-sale", affiliate name)
• utm_content — Differentiates links (e.g., "banner-ad", "text-link")
• utm_term — Paid keywords (rarely used for affiliates)

Enable automatic UTM parameters in Settings → Tracking → UTM Parameters:

Affiliates can add custom UTM parameters when creating links:

• Override default campaign names for specific promotions
• Add utm_content to track different creative assets
• Use consistent naming for better analytics organization

• Use lowercase — UTMs are case-sensitive; stick to lowercase
• No spaces — Use hyphens or underscores instead
• Be consistent — Create a naming convention and document it
• Keep it simple — Only use parameters you'll actually analyze

View affiliate traffic in Google Analytics 4:

1. Go to Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition
2. Add secondary dimension: "Session campaign"
3. Filter by Source = "spark" or Medium = "affiliate"
4. See conversions, revenue, and engagement by affiliate