Which post actually brought that customer?
You shared a link on Facebook, sent it in the newsletter, and stuck a QR code on the counter. Bookings came in. Sales were made. Google Analytics can tell you which one worked, but only if the link carries tags.
Most of your marketing arrives in Google Analytics unlabelled
When someone taps a link inside the Facebook or Instagram app, an email, a PDF, a text message or a QR code, the website usually can't tell where they came from. Google Analytics files those visits as Direct or Unassigned, which really means "no idea".
The fix is a few labels added to the end of the link, called UTM tags. They tell Google Analytics the source, the type of channel and the campaign, so every visit gets credited to the thing that earned it.
| Channel | Bookings |
|---|---|
| Direct | 14 |
| Unassigned | 6 |
| Organic Search | 5 |
| Referral | 2 |
20 of 27 bookings can't be explained. Was it the newsletter? The reel? Nobody knows.
| Campaign · source / medium | Bookings |
|---|---|
| funding_workshop_jun_26 · newsletter / email | 11 |
| funding_workshop_jun_26 · facebook / social | 6 |
| funding_workshop_jun_26 · flyer / qr | 3 |
| Organic Search | 5 |
Same bookings, now with names on them. The newsletter did the heavy lifting.
Three reasons it's worth ten seconds per link
Know what brings enquiries
See which channel, campaign and even which post led to a booking, a form or a sale, instead of guessing.
Stop paying for what doesn't work
Move time and money away from the posts, ads and print runs that don't deliver, and into the ones that do.
Compare like with like
Reel or carousel? Top button or bottom? Flyer or newspaper? Tag each version differently and let the numbers settle it.
Anatomy of a tagged link
It's the same page, with labels added after the ?. Visitors land in exactly the same place. The tags are only read by Google Analytics.
- SourceRequiredThe site, platform or publication the visitor came from:
facebook,newsletter,flyer. - MediumRequiredThe type of channel:
social,email,paid_social,qr. This decides which channel GA4 puts the visit in, so pick it from the list. - CampaignRequiredThe promotion, offer or event, plus the month and year:
funding_workshop_jun_26. Use the same name on every link for that campaign. - ContentOptionalWhat tells two links in the same campaign apart:
reelvscarousel,header_buttonvsfooter_button.
Build, copy, paste, every time a link leaves the building
-
Build
Open your link builder and pick the shortcut that matches, like "Facebook post" or "Email newsletter". Paste the page and choose or type the campaign.
-
Copy
Save it. It's copied and stored in your library. Use a short link for print, QR codes and SMS.
-
Paste
Use the tagged link in your post, email, ad or design, never the plain address. Reusing it later? Find it in My links.
Consistency is the whole game
Google Analytics treats Facebook, facebook and facebook.com as three different sources. Tiny differences split your results into pieces. The link builder applies these rules for you:
- Always lowercase.
facebook, neverFacebook. - Underscores, not spaces.
spring_sale_oct_26. - Pick from the list. Use the standard sources and mediums so GA4 puts visits in the right channel.
- Reuse campaign names. Every link for one campaign shares one name. The builder warns you about near-misses.
- Only tag links to your own site from outside it. Never tag links between pages of your own website, because that restarts the visit and wipes out the real source.
Real examples, tidied up
What to use where
| Where the link goes | Source | Medium | Content (example) | Shows in GA4 as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook post | social | post, reel, carousel | Organic Social | |
| Facebook / Instagram ad | paid_social | ad name | Paid Social | |
| Instagram bio link | social | bio_link | Organic Social | |
| LinkedIn post | social | post | Organic Social | |
| Email newsletter | newsletter | header_button | ||
| Email signature | outlook | email_signature | ||
| Google Business Profile | google_business_profile | organic | website_button, gbp_post | Organic Search |
| Google Ads | cpc | ad group | Paid Search | |
| Flyer or poster QR code | flyer | qr | counter_flyer | Offline / Print* |
| Event listing (Humanitix) | humanitix | referral | event_listing | Referral |
| Partner or directory website | partner name | referral | listing | Referral |
* Toolproof adds an Offline / Print channel to your Google Analytics so QR and print visits don't land in Unassigned.
Ready to tag your next link?
Toolproof clients get a private link library that saves every tagged link, keeps names consistent, and makes short links for print. Then we set up a report in Google Analytics so you can see the results.