Campaign Tracking & Attribution Using UTM Parameters (Client Reference Guide)

Campaign Tracking & Attribution Using UTM Parameters (Client Reference Guide)

Overview 

To accurately understand where your leads are coming from, Meritto relies on UTM parameters. This guide explains what UTMs are, why they are important, and how they impact reporting inside Meritto. 
This document is recommended for: 
  1. Marketing & Digital teams 
  2. Admissions & Growth teams 
  3. Agency partners 
  4. IT / Website teams 

What Are UTM Parameters? 

UTM parameters are small tags added to your website links. They help Meritto identify the exact source and campaign that generated a lead. 
In simple terms, UTMs answer: 
  1. Which platform brought this lead? 
  2. Which campaign did the lead come from? 
  3. Which ad or message worked best?

Why UTMs Are Important 

Without UTMs: 
  1. Leads may appear as Direct / Unknown 
  2. Campaign performance becomes unclear 
  3. ROI analysis is inaccurate 
With UTMs: 
  1. Every lead is mapped to the correct source and campaign 
  2. Marketing performance is clearly visible 
  3. Decision-making becomes data-driven
Example: 
These parameters are invisible to users but captured by Meritto during lead submission. 

Standard UTM Parameters (What to Use)

Mandatory Parameters (Recommended for All Campaigns) 
Parameter 
Purpose 
Example
utm_sourcelatform or source googlegoogle, meta, linkedin
utm_medium Channel type cpc, paid_social, email
utm_campaign Campaign namemba_fall_2025

How Meritto Captures UTMs

When a user: 
  1. Clicks a campaign link with UTMs 
  2. Lands on your website 
  3. Submits a lead form 
Meritto: 
  1. Captures all UTM values automatically 
  2. Stores them against the lead profile 
  3. Uses them for reporting and attribution 

UTM Tracking Flow 

Campaign Link (UTMs added) 
↓ 
Website / Landing Page 
↓ 
Web Form Submission 
↓ 
UTM Values Captured 
↓ 
Lead Created in Meritto with Attribution

Common Campaign Use Cases 

Paid Ads (Google / Meta / LinkedIn) 
Used to: 
  1. Measure cost per lead 
  2. Compare platform performance 
  3. Optimize campaign spend 
Email & CRM Campaigns 
Used to: 
  1. Track engagement effectiveness 
  2. Attribute leads to email initiatives 
WhatsApp & SMS Campaigns 
Used to: 
  1. Measure outreach performance 
  2. Track responses from broadcast campaigns 

Common Issues & Their Impact 

Issue 
Impact
Missing UTMs Leads show as Direct / Unknown
Inconsistent namingFragmented reports
Changing UTMs mid-campaignBroken attribution
UTMs on internal links Incorrect source overwrite

UTMs vs Auto-Tracking (Important Note) 

Some ad platforms use auto-tracking (e.g., Google Ads). 
However: 
  1. UTMs provide cross-platform clarity 
  2. Meritto strongly recommends using UTMs even when auto-tracking is enabled 

Client Responsibilities

  1. Ensure UTMs are added to all marketing links
  2. Follow naming consistency
  3. Share campaign structures when required for validation 

Frequently Asked Questions

Will UTMs affect website performance? 
No. UTMs are lightweight URL parameters. 
Can UTMs be edited after lead creation? 
No. UTMs capture the original source at the time of submission. 
Are UTMs mandatory for all campaigns? 
Highly recommended for accurate reporting and attribution.