What is a UTM?
UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. A UTM is a tag or parameter added to the end of a URL which helps marketers to track the effectiveness of various marketing campaigns and channels. Privy automatically adds UTM parameters to all links added in your SMS and Email messages, which allows you to track any traffic and/or conversions from Privy in Google Analytics or other analytics tools. This article will walk through the specifics of how Privy UTMs work, and key differences between UTMs added to Email vs SMS links.Default UTM Parameters
Links in your Privy Campaigns and Flow messages are tagged with the following parameters by default. The same set is used for Email and SMS — only theutm_medium value differs.
| Tag | Campaigns | Flows |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | privy | privy |
| utm_medium | email or sms | email or sms |
| utm_campaign | Campaign name | Flow message (node) name |
| utm_id | Campaign ID | Flow node ID |
| utm_term | — | Flow name |
Existing UTMs on a destination URL always win — if you’ve already added a
utm_source or utm_campaign to a link, Privy preserves your value and won’t overwrite it.How tracking works in emails
By default, tracking is applied to all links in the following email messages:- Email Campaigns
- Email Flows
- After Signup Emails
- Double Opt-In Confirmation Emails
- Unsubscribe Links
- Links already containing the same UTM parameter (existing parameters will be preserved)
How tracking works in SMS
Privy uses short links in all SMS messages. UTM parameters are added to the destination URL at click time. All existing URL parameters are preserved.Customize your UTM Parameters
You can change Privy’s default UTM values, turn individual parameters on or off, and add custom parameters from Business Settings → Tracking Parameters. For each parameter, you can set a different value for Campaigns and Flows. Available values include:- Static values:
Privy,Email or SMS(the sending channel), or any custom text you enter. - Dynamic Campaign values: Campaign Name, Campaign ID.
- Dynamic Flow values: Flow Name, Flow ID, Flow Node Name, Flow Node ID.
- No Value: omit the parameter entirely.
Changes apply to future sends only. Links in messages that already went out keep the UTM values they were generated with.
FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about UTM Parameters below.Can I customize my UTM Parameters?
Can I customize my UTM Parameters?
Yes. Set defaults for every Campaign and Flow from Business Settings → Tracking Parameters — change values, omit parameters, or add your own custom keys. UTMs you set directly on a destination URL still take precedence over the defaults.
How can I view my Privy UTM data in Google Analytics?
How can I view my Privy UTM data in Google Analytics?
To view your tracking data from Privy in Google Analytics:
- Log into Google Analytics.
- Navigate to Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns.
- Filter your Source by “privy” to see all Privy traffic.
- Use Medium to distinguish Email vs. SMS traffic, if needed.