Answered · How to
How do I use UTM links to see which Instagram or WhatsApp posts bring website visits?
Add UTM tags to every link you share, such as utm_source=instagram, utm_medium=bio or utm_campaign=eid-sale, so Google Analytics 4 records where the visit came from instead of lumping it into direct traffic. Use one consistent naming scheme, shorten long links if needed, and read the results in GA4's traffic acquisition report.
The longer answer
A UTM link is your normal URL with labels added after a question mark. The three that matter are utm_source (where: instagram, whatsapp, facebook, newsletter), utm_medium (what kind: bio, story, broadcast, email, qr) and utm_campaign (which push: eid-sale, admissions-2026, new-branch). For example, a link in your Instagram bio might end ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio&utm_campaign=evergreen. GA4 reads these labels and credits the visit accordingly.
This matters most for WhatsApp. Links opened from WhatsApp chats and broadcasts usually reach your site without any referrer information, so GA4 files them under direct traffic, as if people typed your address. If you send a broadcast to customers in Rawalpindi about a new collection, only a UTM-tagged link lets you see how many visits and orders that broadcast produced. The same goes for QR codes on flyers, shop counters and packaging.
Consistency is the whole game. Decide on lowercase names and stick to them, because GA4 treats 'Instagram' and 'instagram' as different sources. Keep a simple sheet of the links you have made. Google's free Campaign URL Builder creates the links, and a link shortener keeps them tidy in a bio or a printed QR code.
Do not add UTM tags to links between pages on your own website; that resets the original source and corrupts the data. Use them only on links that live outside your site. Then, in GA4, open the traffic acquisition report, switch the dimension to session source, medium or campaign, and compare the channels by key events, not just visits.
If you would rather we did it
This question usually leads to the Business bundle package. A local shop, clinic or service that needs to be findable, not just posted.
from PKR 25,000
per month
- Website built and hosted
- Google Business Profile set up and posted to weekly
- Social media management on 1-2 platforms
- Local SEO for Islamabad or Rawalpindi
- Monthly report on WhatsApp
Checked and updated
Next step
Still not sure what to do about it?
Send us the account and we will tell you what we would change first. Free, in about five minutes, no call attached.
WhatsApp us