Create a tracked link for Google Analytics

Add tracked links to your newsletter or Facebook campaigns to gain more insights.

In your Google Analytics account, you can already view where visitors who arrive at your website have come from. These are listed as Referrals under Analytics > Acquisition > All Traffic.

It is possible to get more accurate information by creating special tracked links, which you then insert into your newsletters or place on other websites, such as Facebook.

When someone clicks on a tracked link, the result can be viewed in Analytics > Acquisition > Campaigns, where it will be grouped based on information you provided with the tracked link.

How to do it

1. Select and copy the URL/Address of the web page you are linking to e.g. the product page.
2. Go to the Google Campaign URL Builder
3. Paste the URL into the first field.
4. Campaign Source: Describe where the URL will be  placed e.g. Feb2015Newsletter
5. Campaign Medium: Describe the type of the placement e.g. is it a banner advert, an email.
6. Campaign Name: Describe this link e.g. the name of the product.
7. The Campaign Term and campaign Content are optional and are meant to be used with Adwords or similar paid advertising.
8. Click Submit to get your tracked link.
9. You can optionally shorten the link/URL for free at 'bitly' on this page.

When you send out an email or make a blog post and want to refer to this linked product page, simply use this shortened URL when inserting the link in the editor.

Note that many tools, such as newsletter applications and social networking links, already have tracking systems integrated.  Ask for assistance if you're unsure whether to use Analytic tracking links or the included methods.

If you are placing your links in many different places, such as newsletter and Facebook, then you should use Google Analytic links as this will keep the results all in one place.