Setting Up Proper UTM Tracking for Casino Campaigns

Proper tracking is essential for staying compliant and optimizing your campaigns. You're driving traffic from Twitter, YouTube, and SEO—but which actually converts? Without tracking, you're guessing. With proper UTM parameters, you know exactly which content, platform, and campaign drives revenue.

The affiliates making $10k+/month obsess over their tracking data. The ones stuck at $500 don't even know which of their 50 pieces of content drove their last signup. Don't be the second group.

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM stands for "Urchin Tracking Module"—a naming convention from the early 2000s that Google adopted when they acquired Urchin (which became Google Analytics). The name is dated, but the technology is essential.

UTM parameters are tags you add to the end of any URL. When someone clicks that tagged link, your analytics platform captures the tags and attributes the visit to that specific source, medium, and campaign.

A regular affiliate link:

pureodds.io/signup?ref=yourcode

The same link with UTM tracking:

pureodds.io/signup?ref=yourcode&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=provably_fair_thread&utm_content=cta_button

The second link tells you exactly where this visitor came from: Twitter, via social media, from your provably fair thread, and they clicked the CTA button (not the link in your bio).

That granularity is the difference between "I got 5 signups this week" and "My provably fair Twitter threads convert at 4.2%, my casino review threads convert at 1.8%, and YouTube descriptions convert better than pinned comments."

The 5 UTM Parameters Explained

There are five standard UTM parameters. Three are essential; two are optional but useful.

Essential Parameters

utm_source — Where the traffic originates

This identifies the specific platform or website sending you traffic. Be specific and consistent.

Good examples:

• twitter
• youtube
• google
• reddit
• telegram
• newsletter

Bad examples:

• social (too vague—which social platform?)
• Twitter (inconsistent capitalization)
• t (abbreviations cause confusion)

utm_medium — The type of traffic

This categorizes the traffic channel. Think of it as the broad category that utm_source falls into.

Standard values:

• social — Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, etc.
• organic — SEO traffic
• email — Newsletter, sequences
• referral — Other websites linking to you
• paid — Paid advertising (PPC, display)
• video — YouTube, TikTok
• community — Telegram, Discord

utm_campaign — The specific campaign or content piece

This is where you get granular. Name the specific campaign, promotion, or content piece.

Examples:

• provably_fair_thread_jan26
• pureodds_review_video
• weekly_newsletter_w4
• crash_strategy_guide
• new_user_welcome_sequence

Optional Parameters

utm_term — The keyword (primarily for paid search)

Originally designed for tracking which keywords drove paid search clicks. For affiliates, you can use this to track specific topics or secondary categorization.

Examples:

• crypto_casino (the topic)
• beginner (the audience segment)
• bonus_code (the hook)

utm_content — The specific variation or element

Use this when you have multiple links in the same content piece and want to know which one was clicked.

Examples:

• cta_button vs text_link vs bio_link
• header_link vs footer_link
• variation_a vs variation_b (for A/B testing)

Building Your UTM Naming Convention

Inconsistent naming is the number one UTM tracking mistake. If you use "Twitter" in January and "twitter" in February, Google Analytics treats them as two different sources. Your data becomes useless.

Establish these rules before you start:

Rule 1: Lowercase everything

Always use lowercase. No exceptions.

• Good: twitter, youtube, newsletter
• Bad: Twitter, YouTube, Newsletter

Rule 2: Use underscores, not spaces or dashes

Spaces break URLs. Dashes are technically fine but underscores are the industry standard.

• Good: crash_strategy_guide
• Acceptable: crash-strategy-guide
• Bad: crash strategy guide

Rule 3: Be specific but not ridiculous

You want enough detail to be useful, not so much that you drown in micro-data.

Too vague:

utm_campaign=content

Just right:

utm_campaign=pureodds_review_jan26

Too granular:

utm_campaign=pureodds_30_day_review_published_jan_15_2026_version_2_edited

Rule 4: Document your conventions

Create a simple spreadsheet or document listing:

• All utm_source values you use
• All utm_medium values you use
• Your utm_campaign naming format
• When to use utm_content

Anyone on your team (including future you) should be able to look at this document and create consistent UTM parameters.

Sample Naming Convention Document

Parameter	Format	Examples
utm_source	Platform name, lowercase	twitter, youtube, google, reddit, telegram, newsletter
utm_medium	Traffic type	social, organic, video, email, community, referral
utm_campaign	[topic][type][date]	crash_guide_jan26, pureodds_review_feb26
utm_term	Topic keyword	crypto_casino, provably_fair, high_roller
utm_content	Link location	cta_button, bio_link, description_link, pinned_comment

Platform-Specific UTM Setups

Here's how to implement UTM tracking on each major platform:

Twitter/X

For threads:

utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=provably_fair_thread_jan26&utm_content=thread_cta

Put the UTM-tagged link at the end of your thread, in the final tweet with your call-to-action.

For bio link:

utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=bio_link&utm_content=bio

Your bio link should have its own UTM so you know how much traffic comes from profile visits vs. thread readers.

For replies/engagement:

utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=reply_engagement&utm_content=reply_link

If you drop links in replies to other tweets, tag them differently so you know if engagement marketing works.

YouTube

For video descriptions:

utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=pureodds_review_jan26&utm_content=description_link

Put your affiliate link with UTM parameters in the FIRST line of your description. Most viewers don't scroll.

For pinned comments:

utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=pureodds_review_jan26&utm_content=pinned_comment

Tag pinned comments separately. This tells you if people click from description or comment—valuable for optimizing placement.

For end screens/cards:

utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=pureodds_review_jan26&utm_content=end_screen

If YouTube lets you add custom links to end screens or cards, track these separately.

Blog/Website

For article body links:

utm_source=blog&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=crash_strategy_guide&utm_content=body_link

For sidebar/banner ads:

utm_source=blog&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=site_wide&utm_content=sidebar_banner

For exit-intent popups:

utm_source=blog&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=exit_popup&utm_content=popup_cta

Email Marketing

For newsletter links:

utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_jan_w4&utm_content=main_cta

For welcome sequence:

utm_source=welcome_sequence&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email_3_casino_picks&utm_content=pureodds_link

For promotional emails:

utm_source=promo_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_bonus_announcement&utm_content=claim_button

Telegram/Discord

For community posts:

utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=daily_tips&utm_content=tip_link

For pinned messages:

utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=pinned_resources&utm_content=casino_link

Analyzing Your UTM Data

Collecting data is pointless if you don't analyze it. Here's how to extract actionable insights.

Google Analytics Setup

In Google Analytics 4:

1. Go to Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition
2. Change the primary dimension to "Session source/medium"
3. Add secondary dimensions for campaign, content, etc.
4. Set your date range and compare periods

You'll see exactly how many sessions (and conversions, if you've set up goals) came from each UTM combination.

Key Reports to Run Monthly

Source/Medium Performance: Which platforms drive the most signups? Twitter might drive 1,000 clicks but YouTube's 200 clicks convert better.

Campaign Performance: Which specific content pieces convert? Your crash strategy guide might outperform your casino reviews 3:1.

Content Element Testing: Do description links beat pinned comments? Does your bio link get any traffic at all?

Metrics That Matter

Click-through rate by source: How many people who see your content actually click your affiliate link?

Signup rate by campaign: What percentage of clicks become signups? This tells you about content quality and audience targeting.

FTD rate by source: Which sources produce players who actually deposit? High clicks + low deposits = wrong audience.

Revenue per source: The ultimate metric. Which UTM source generates the most affiliate revenue per 1,000 visitors?

Monthly Analysis Routine

Set a calendar reminder for the first of each month:

1. Export last month's UTM data
2. Calculate conversion rates for each source and campaign
3. Identify top 3 performing campaigns
4. Identify bottom 3 performing campaigns
5. Plan to create more content like top performers
6. Consider killing or revising bottom performers
7. Document findings in your tracking spreadsheet

Common UTM Tracking Mistakes

Avoid these errors that plague most affiliates (and these common affiliate marketing errors):

Mistake 1: Inconsistent Naming

Using "Twitter" one day and "twitter" the next splits your data. Pick a convention and stick to it religiously.

Fix: Create a naming document. Reference it every time you create a link.

Mistake 2: No Tracking at All

Shocking how many affiliates just use raw affiliate links with no tracking. They have no idea what works.

Fix: Never share an affiliate link without UTM parameters. Ever.

Mistake 3: Too Granular

Creating unique campaigns for every single tweet leads to hundreds of campaigns with statistically insignificant data.

Fix: Group similar content. "twitter_crash_threads_jan26" not "twitter_crash_thread_jan_15_10am."

Mistake 4: Not Tracking All Links

You UTM-tag your main content but forget your bio link, email signature, or Linktree. Those links drive traffic too.

Fix: Audit every place your affiliate link appears. Tag them all.

Mistake 5: Forgetting utm_content for A/B Tests

You run two versions of a landing page but both link to the same UTM. Now you can't tell which version won.

Fix: Use utm_content for any test or variation.

Mistake 6: Never Reviewing the Data

You set up tracking six months ago and haven't looked at it since.

Fix: Schedule monthly review. Put it in your calendar. Make it non-negotiable.

Tools for UTM Management

Free Tools

Google Campaign URL Builder: Official Google tool for creating UTM links. Simple but no organization features. https://ga-dev-tools.google/campaign-url-builder/

Google Analytics: Your primary analytics platform for viewing UTM data. Free and powerful.

Spreadsheet tracking: Create a simple Google Sheet with columns for: URL, source, medium, campaign, content, date created, performance notes. This becomes your UTM database.

Paid Tools (When You're Earning)

UTM.io: Dedicated UTM management platform. Creates links, enforces naming conventions, syncs with GA. Worth it when you're creating 50+ links monthly.

Rebrandly or Bitly: Link shorteners with built-in UTM management. Turn long UTM URLs into clean branded links. Also tracks click data independently of GA.

Casino Dashboard Tracking

Most affiliate programs provide their own tracking dashboards. See our complete guide to analytics tools for affiliates for detailed comparisons.

Your casino dashboard tracks:

• Clicks to their site from your links
• Signups attributed to you
• FTDs and deposit amounts
• Player activity and losses
• Your commission

Use both systems. UTM tracking tells you which content drove the click. Casino dashboard tells you if that click became revenue.

Cross-reference the data: "My YouTube videos show 500 clicks in GA but only 400 in casino dashboard" might indicate tracking discrepancies or bot traffic.

Combining UTM Tracking with Link Cloaking

Long UTM URLs look ugly and can intimidate users. Combine UTM tracking with link cloaking for cleaner URLs that still track properly.

Full UTM URL:

https://pureodds.io/signup?ref=yourcode&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=crash_thread_jan26&utm_content=cta_button

Cloaked version:

https://yourdomain.com/go/pureodds

The cloaked link redirects through your domain, appending UTM parameters automatically. Users see a clean URL; your analytics capture full tracking data.

Benefits of cloaking:

• Professional appearance
• Easier to share verbally
• Hides affiliate parameters from savvy users
• Central management (change destination without updating links everywhere)

Advanced UTM Strategies

Dynamic UTM Parameters

Some platforms support dynamic insertion. YouTube, for example, lets you use placeholders:

utm_campaign={{video.title}}

This automatically inserts the video title, saving manual work across dozens of videos.

UTM Parameter Stacking

For complex funnels, stack information:

utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=crash_series&utm_term=episode_3&utm_content=description_first_link

This tells you: YouTube traffic, video medium, part of your crash series, specifically episode 3, and they clicked the first link in description.

Cross-Platform Attribution

User sees your Twitter thread, doesn't click. Later searches Google, finds your blog post, clicks affiliate link. Who gets credit?

This is the multi-touch attribution problem. UTM tracking shows last-click attribution by default. For more sophisticated attribution:

• Use GA4's data-driven attribution model
• Consider dedicated attribution tools if you're at significant scale

For Comprehensive Tracking

For comprehensive tracking and compliance, review our casino affiliate compliance checklist. Programs like PureOdds provide built-in tracking dashboards to complement your UTM setup, showing you clicks, signups, deposits, and commission in real-time.

New to affiliate marketing? Our beginner's guide covers tracking fundamentals along with everything else you need to start earning.

Bottom Line

What gets measured gets improved. UTM tracking transforms affiliate marketing from guessing to science.

Set up your naming convention today. Tag every link from this point forward. Review your data monthly. Double down on what converts, kill what doesn't.

The affiliates earning $10k+/month didn't get there by hoping. They got there by knowing—exactly which content, platform, and campaign drives their revenue.

Start tracking properly. Start knowing. Start earning more.