UTM for forwarding and affiliate links

[TriciaClements]

To track a link with UTM to my booking page (not currently on my domain) can I first add a referring link to track in Google Analytics?

For example: Can I add a UTM to Book Tricia Clements: Your Biz Watchdog which forwards to Book Tricia Clements: Your Biz Watchdog in order to track it?

I use Pretty Links in WordPress to make shortened links for things like this and affiliate links. Would I be able to add a UTM and see data in Google Analytics?

Have you done this or something similar @Claire Carlile ?

Thanks!

 

[Claire Carlile]

To track a link with UTM to my booking page (not currently on my domain) can I first add a referring link to track in Google Analytics?

For example: Can I add a UTM to Book Tricia Clements: Your Biz Watchdog which forwards to Book Tricia Clements: Your Biz Watchdog in order to track it?

I use Pretty Links in WordPress to make shortened links for things like this and affiliate links. Would I be able to add a UTM and see data in Google Analytics?

Have you done this or something similar @Claire Carlile ?

Thanks!

Hi Tricia

I've only ever used UTM tags to add to external links to URLs that are on a domain to which I have GA access. If you don't have GA access to the final URL you won't benefit from the UTM tracking.

I haven't tried this - but maybe if you used a bit.ly link you'd be able to track clicks via bit.ly - but of course if the final URL isn't to a site to which you have GA access, you won't be able to see what those visitors do once they get on the site.

In this example (booking a 15 minute consult with you) you could link to a page on your domain, and on this page include the details of what they can expect from the call, and some other marketing led content, and then link off to your third party booking page from there? That way you link to your own domain, you can add UTMs to that link, and then you'll be able to see richer details about that traffic and what it does on your site via GA. You'd also be able to track those clicks through to the third party domain using something like this - Track External Link Clicks on Your Website.

Hope that helps,

Thanks

Claire

 

[TriciaClements]

Thanks Claire! I do think I was trying to do something a little convoluted.

I can definitely use the info on tracking external links. I do need to work on that in GTM.

Thanks!