UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) tracking is a simple yet powerful way to measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. By adding special parameters to your URLs, UTM tracking helps you identify where your visitors are coming from and how they interact with your website.
A UTM-enabled URL looks something like this:
https://example.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale
Here:
utm_source identifies the traffic source (e.g., facebook, google, newsletter).
utm_medium defines the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, qr_code).
utm_campaign specifies the campaign name (e.g., spring_sale, product_launch).
utm_term (optional) identifies keywords for paid campaigns.
utm_content (optional) differentiates between variations of ads or links.
Why is UTM Tracking Important for QR Codes?
QR codes are often used on offline materials (flyers, posters, packaging, business cards). Without UTM parameters, all traffic from these QR codes will simply appear as direct traffic in analytics platforms, making it impossible to measure the true ROI of your campaigns.
By adding UTM tags to the URLs embedded in your QR codes, you can:
Identify performance by channel: Know which physical location, event, or material generated the most scans.
Measure campaign ROI: Track conversions and revenue generated from offline marketing.
Compare campaigns: Easily see which QR code campaign performed better.
Example:
https://example.com/?utm_source=qr_code&utm_medium=flyer&utm_campaign=summer_discount
This URL tells Google Analytics that the visit came from a QR code, placed on a flyer, for the summer_discount campaign.
Measuring UTM Performance in Google Analytics
Once your QR codes include UTM parameters, you can measure their performance directly inside Google Analytics.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4):
Sign in to Google Analytics.
From the left menu, select Reports
On the left, select Acquisition > Traffic acquisition.
Follow this guide to effectively understand your data.
📷 Example screenshot (Traffic Acquisition in GA4):
Best Practices for UTM Tracking in QR Codes
Keep UTM values short: QR codes become denser with longer URLs. Use URL shorteners (like bit.ly or your own custom short domain) to keep them scannable.
Be consistent: Use a clear naming convention for campaigns, mediums, and sources.
Test before printing: Always test QR codes with UTM parameters to ensure they scan correctly.
Separate campaigns: Use unique campaign names for each print batch or channel.
References
By combining QR codes with UTM tracking, you bridge the gap between offline and online marketing, making every scan measurable and every campaign accountable.