Platform setup

HubSpot UTM parameters: create links and report on campaigns

Create HubSpot tracking URLs, choose campaign UTM values, and review traffic without confusing HubSpot fields with GA4 requirements.

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On this page
  1. Check access and the destination page
  2. Choose the campaign’s UTM value
  3. Create and copy the tracking URL
  4. Set parameters for GA4 as well
  5. Review traffic and validate the tracking code
  6. Build a campaign link
  7. Sources

To use campaign URL parameters (UTMs) in HubSpot, choose the campaign, select the source, and create a tracking URL for a page with HubSpot’s tracking code installed. HubSpot’s tracking URL documentation (opens in a new tab) explains that HubSpot saves the parameter information when visitors reach your site through the link.

Check access and the destination page

HubSpot lists tracking URL creation (opens in a new tab) for Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, Content Hub Professional or Enterprise, and Legacy Marketing Hub Basic. Creating a tracking URL also requires marketing Reporting permissions.

Choose a valid destination URL with the HubSpot tracking code installed. Select the appropriate HTTP or HTTPS protocol in the builder. Check the destination before preparing your campaign links.

Build a campaign link

Create a UTM link with the free builder. No account needed.

Open the free UTM builder

Choose the campaign’s UTM value

HubSpot’s Campaign UTM documentation (opens in a new tab) lists campaign UTM management for Marketing Hub Professional and Enterprise. The campaigns tool requires Super Admin or Campaign permissions.

When a campaign is created, HubSpot automatically generates a unique campaign UTM value. You can review it on the campaign details page. Website traffic with that value is attributed to the campaign.

The setting that generates campaign UTM values with unique identifiers is enabled by default. It applies to campaigns created in the campaigns tool or marketing studio. Review the generated value before using it in your links.

To edit a campaign value:

  1. Go to Marketing > Campaigns, using More first if it appears in your account.
  2. Select the campaign in the table.
  3. Hover over and click Campaign UTM in the left panel.
  4. Enter the new value and click Save at the bottom left.

A value already used by another existing campaign causes an error, and the field is not updated. When an update succeeds, the previous value remains as a secondary value to retain reporting data.

Only secondary campaign UTM values can be deleted; a campaign must have a default value. Deleting a value permanently removes it from the account, and traffic from that value will no longer be reported. Review those reporting consequences before removing old values.

Create and copy the tracking URL

Use the steps in HubSpot’s tracking URL builder documentation (opens in a new tab):

  1. Click the settings icon in the top navigation.
  2. Go to Tracking & Analytics > Tracking URLs in the left sidebar.
  3. Click Create tracking URL in the upper right.
  4. Enter the destination URL and choose its protocol.
  5. Select the campaign from the UTM campaign dropdown.
  6. Select the source from the Source dropdown.
  7. Complete the optional fields you need, then click Create.

The campaign name is required. Your source selection affects how the visit is categorized in analytics. The available choices described in the documentation include Email marketing, Paid search, Organic social, Paid social, and Other campaigns. Other campaigns lets you enter a Custom UTM Source.

UTM Medium is optional in HubSpot’s builder. For traffic bucketed under Other campaigns, medium is visible when you drill down into a campaign. UTM term and UTM content are optional too: term can track paid keywords, while content can distinguish ads.

To use the completed link, hover over the tracking URL, open Actions, and select Copy tracking URL. Add the copied URL to your campaign content.

Set parameters for GA4 as well

Google’s campaign parameter guide (opens in a new tab) recommends including utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign when you add campaign parameters to a URL.

Source identifies the referrer, medium the marketing medium, and campaign the promotion. Google treats parameter values as case-sensitive: google and Google are different source values. Keep the spelling and capitalization you intend to use.

In GA4’s Traffic acquisition report (opens in a new tab), view Session source/medium, Session medium, Session source, and Session campaign. Use those documented dimensions when reviewing your tagged traffic in Google Analytics.

Review traffic and validate the tracking code

For HubSpot reporting, follow the web traffic analytics documentation (opens in a new tab). External sites need HubSpot’s tracking code installed to begin tracking traffic in HubSpot.

Open Reporting > Reports, using More first if it appears. In the left sidebar, select Marketing > Web traffic analysis. The UTM Parameters report analyzes traffic by the parameters in the URLs visitors use, including manually created tracking URLs. Click the UTM Parameter tab to analyze a parameter; Campaign is displayed by default.

Reports filtered by date show traffic only from the selected time frame. Check the date filter when reviewing a campaign.

To validate the tracking code, use HubSpot’s documented validation steps (opens in a new tab): go to settings, then Tracking & Analytics > Tracking code. Under Validate your tracking code, enter a URL including HTTP or HTTPS and click Validate URL. The Recent validation requests table shows its status and last validation date. Use Actions > View error information to inspect installation or troubleshooting information.

Prepare your source, medium, and campaign with the free UTM builder. It builds campaign URLs for GA4, runs in your browser, and requires no signup. Recent links stay on your device and are not sent to UTMTool.

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Is UTM medium required in HubSpot’s tracking URL builder?

No. HubSpot marks its UTM Medium field optional. Google recommends source, medium, and campaign when adding campaign parameters to a URL.

What happens when I change a HubSpot Campaign UTM value?

The previous value remains as a secondary value to retain reporting data. Deleting a value permanently removes it, and traffic from it is no longer reported.

Can HubSpot analyze manually created tracking URLs?

Yes. HubSpot’s UTM Parameters report includes traffic from manually created tracking URLs. External sites need the HubSpot tracking code installed.

Build a campaign link

Create a UTM link with the free builder. No account needed.

Open the free UTM builder