In one sentence
UTM parameters are short tags added to the end of a link, like utm_source=newsletter, that tell your analytics exactly where a visit came from, so you can see which channels bring shoppers who buy.
How UTM parameters work
A tagged link looks like this: yourstore.com/products/trail-shoe?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fall-launch. The page is the same. The tags just travel with the click, and your analytics records them.
The five UTM parameters and what each one tracks
Why UTM parameters matter for ecommerce brands
Without tags, much of your traffic lands in "direct" or "referral" with no detail. UTMs show which email, post, partner or campaign actually drove the order.
They matter for AI traffic too. ChatGPT adds utm_source=chatgpt.com to many of the links it shows, which makes those visits easy to spot as AI referral traffic.
How to use UTM parameters on your store
- Agree on naming rules and write them down: lowercase, hyphens, the same source names every time.
- Tag every link you control: emails, social bios, influencer links, partner placements.
- Never tag internal links on your own site. It overwrites the original source.
- Review orders by source and campaign each month.
UTM parameters FAQs
Where do I see UTM data in Shopify?
Shopify's reports show sessions and orders by UTM source, medium and campaign. Google Analytics shows the same data under traffic acquisition.
Do UTM parameters affect SEO?
No, as long as your product pages have a Canonical URL pointing to the clean URL. Search engines then ignore the tagged versions.
How do I track visits from AI assistants without UTMs?
Use referrer data. Visits from AI assistants often show the assistant's domain as the referrer, like perplexity.ai or gemini.google.com. Group those domains into one AI channel in your reports.
About the author
Jenn Starr, Co-founder, Selix
Jenn has spent 20+ years helping SaaS startups build their marketing and implementation playbooks. She has bootstrapped three marketing agencies and is a 500 Startups alum. At Selix, she leads the work of getting ecommerce brands named in AI answers.
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