How UTM Parameters Work in Sparkforge Email Campaigns

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Sparkforge appends UTM parameters to links in email campaigns so analytics tools can attribute the traffic. utm_source and utm_medium are required; utm_campaign and up to five custom parameters are optional. Toggle the defaults globally or override per campaign.

UTM parameters are short tags appended to a URL that tell analytics tools where the click came from. Adding them to your Sparkforge email campaigns makes Google Analytics, GA4, and similar platforms attribute sessions and conversions back to the right campaign instead of dumping them into "direct."

The three default parameters

  • utm_source = email — required. Fixed value used internally for tracking.
  • utm_medium = email marketing — required, but the value is editable.
  • utm_campaign = Campaign Name (Send Date) — optional. Pick from a dropdown of available values.

You can also add up to five custom parameters with text values.

Best practices

  • No PII. Do not put names, emails, addresses, or other personal data in UTM values. Most analytics platforms reject or truncate this.
  • Stick to the standard three. utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign cover most reporting needs.
  • Be consistent on case. UTM values are case-sensitive — "Newsletter" and "newsletter" become two separate rows in your reports.
  • Use underscores instead of spaces to avoid URL-encoding issues.

Where UTMs won't apply

  1. Trigger links. Trigger links don't carry UTM parameters in the current release.
  2. Malformed URLs. Links must include the https:// prefix. Custom values pointing at incomplete URLs won't get tracked.
  3. Test sends. Send a test campaign first and verify the parameters appear in the URL before sending to your full list.

How to enable UTM tracking

  1. Go to Email Marketing.
  2. Open the Settings page under Email Campaign.
  3. Click the Tracking option to review the default UTM parameters.
  4. Toggle on the default to apply UTMs to every campaign.
  5. Edit utm_medium or utm_campaign values as needed.
  6. Click Add Custom Parameter for additional tags (up to five).
  7. Check the boxes next to the parameters you want active.
  8. Click Save.
  9. To disable on a single send, turn off tracking on the Send or Schedule page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which UTM parameters does Sparkforge add by default?
utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. utm_source is fixed to "email," utm_medium defaults to "email marketing" but is editable, and utm_campaign is optional.
Can I add custom UTM parameters?
Yes. Up to five additional parameters with custom names and text values.
Why aren't UTMs showing on my trigger links?
UTM parameters don't apply to trigger links in the current release. Use direct links if you need attribution.
Are UTM values case-sensitive?
Yes. "Newsletter" and "newsletter" report as separate sources. Pick a case convention and stick to it.
Can I disable UTMs on a single campaign?
Yes. Turn off the tracking option on the Send or Schedule page for that campaign without changing the global default.

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