UTM links: rules and register¶

Created 2026-10-23. Add every new link here before using it.

UTM tags are labels at the end of a link that tell our statistics where a visitor came from. They do not change the page. This page fixes the allowed values and keeps a register of every link we use, so everyone uses the same spelling and we know exactly what to search for in the reports. How the website handles them technically: Website: ads, SEO and analytics.

How a link is built¶

https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=bio
└────── page ───────┘└───────────────────────── UTM tags ─────────────────────────────────────┘

Parameter	Answers	Required
`utm_source`	Where from? (platform, partner, printed item)	✅
`utm_medium`	What kind of channel?	✅
`utm_campaign`	Which campaign or period?	✅
`utm_content`	Which ad, button or placement exactly?	Recommended
`utm_term`	Which keyword? (only for search ads, usually not needed)	—

Rules¶

Only values from the tables below. A new value is first added here, then used.
Lowercase, hyphens, no spaces, no accents: hotel-alpina, not Hotel Alpina or hotel_alpina. Statistics count Instagram and instagram as two different sources.
The language is in the page address (/de/, or / for English), not in the UTM tags. Exception: utm_content of an ad may end with the language (-de, -en) when the same ad exists in several languages.
Where links point: ads → the page in the ad's language (/de/, / for English), because the ad's language is known. All other links → the main address /, because the reader's language is unknown: QR codes, printed items, profile and listing links (Instagram bio, WhatsApp, Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, local.ch), the email signature. / is the English page; phones set to DE, FR or IT are offered their language in a small dialog, and the UTM tags are kept (see below).
Never personal data in UTM tags: no names, emails, phone numbers.
Never UTM tags on links inside our own website (menu, language switcher, buttons). They would start a new visit with a wrong source.
One link per placement: every flyer, partner and QR code gets its own link, so we can compare them.
Google Ads adds its own click ID (gclid) automatically. UTM tags on Google ads are optional (see Ad platform settings).

Allowed values¶

`utm_source`: where from¶

Value	Meaning
`google`	Google ads (Search, Demand Gen, YouTube)
`gbp`	Google Business Profile (website button, booking link, posts)
`instagram`	Instagram (bio, Stories, posts, ads)
`facebook`	Facebook (Page, ads)
`whatsapp`	WhatsApp Business (profile, catalog, status, messages)
`tiktok`	TikTok
`youtube`	YouTube (channel, video descriptions; ads use `google`)
`apple-maps`	Apple Business Connect / Apple Maps
`bing`	Bing Places
`localch`	local.ch
`searchch`	search.ch
`flyer`	Our flyers
`poster`	Our posters
`card`	Business cards, QR cards at the reception, voucher cards
`hotel-…`, `chalet-…`, `gym-…`, `studio-…`	Partners, e.g. `hotel-example`, `chalet-agency-example`. One value per partner
`email`	Emails we send (signature, later a newsletter)
`newspaper-…`	Printed ads, e.g. `newspaper-anzeiger-saanen` `[verify]` the paper's name

`utm_medium`: what kind of channel¶

The values match the channel groups of Google Analytics (GA4), so visits are sorted correctly automatically.

Value	Meaning	GA4 channel
`cpc`	Paid Google ads	Paid Search / Paid Video
`paid-social`	Paid Meta (and TikTok) ads	Paid Social
`social`	Free social media posts, bios, profiles, WhatsApp	Organic Social
`organic`	Business listings: Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Bing, local.ch, search.ch	Organic Search
`referral`	Partner websites and partner messages	Referral
`print`	Flyers, posters, cards, newspaper (via QR code or short link)	Unassigned → create a custom channel "Print" in GA4
`email`	Emails we send (e.g. email signature, later a newsletter)	Email

`utm_campaign`: which campaign¶

Value	Meaning
`always-on`	Permanent links: bio, profile, listings, email signature
`opening-2026`	Opening campaign (before and after the opening in December 2026)
`winter-2026`	Winter season 2026/27 (tourists)
`spring-2027`	Spring 2027 (anti-cellulite peak, locals)
`summer-2027`	Summer season 2027
`vouchers-xmas-2026`	Gift vouchers for Christmas 2026
`remarketing`	Ads for website visitors who did not book

New campaigns: topic-year, e.g. easter-2027.

`utm_content`: which ad or placement¶

Free text, but in this format:

Type	Format	Examples
Ad	`format-idea-language`	`video-therapist-de`, `video-atmosphere-en`, `photo-offer-de`, `carousel-steps-en`
Profile link	where the link sits	`bio`, `website-button`, `booking-button`, `story-link`, `post`
Printed item	item and place	`a6-station`, `a6-shops`, `card-reception`, `poster-gym`
Google Business Profile	which button	`website-button`, `booking-button`, `post`

Link register¶

Every link we use. Status: planned, active, stopped. For ads, the UTM tags are set in the ad platform (see below), so only the pattern is listed.

#	Where it is used	`source`	`medium`	`campaign`	`content`	Link	Status
1	Instagram bio	`instagram`	`social`	`always-on`	`bio`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=bio`	planned
2	Facebook Page, website button	`facebook`	`social`	`always-on`	`website-button`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=website-button`	planned
3	WhatsApp Business profile	`whatsapp`	`social`	`always-on`	`profile`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=profile`	planned
4	Google Business Profile, website	`gbp`	`organic`	`always-on`	`website-button`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=gbp&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=website-button`	planned
5	Google Business Profile, booking link ("Appointment URL")	`gbp`	`organic`	`always-on`	`booking-button`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=gbp&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=booking-button#book`	planned
6	Apple Business Connect	`apple-maps`	`organic`	`always-on`	`website-button`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=apple-maps&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=website-button`	planned
7	local.ch listing	`localch`	`organic`	`always-on`	`website-button`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=localch&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=website-button`	planned
8	Opening flyer A6, Saanen station	`flyer`	`print`	`opening-2026`	`a6-station`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=opening-2026&utm_content=a6-station`	planned
9	QR card at a partner hotel's reception (example)	`hotel-example`	`referral`	`always-on`	`card-reception`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=hotel-example&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=card-reception`	example
10	Email signature	`email`	`email`	`always-on`	`signature`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=signature`	planned
11	Meta opening ads (Stories + Reels)	`instagram`	`paid-social`	`opening-2026`	ad name, e.g. `video-therapist-de`	Set in the ad (see below)	planned
12	Google Search ads	`google`	`cpc`	`opening-2026`	—	Auto-tagging + final URL suffix (see below)	planned
13	Gift voucher flyer, Christmas	`flyer`	`print`	`vouchers-xmas-2026`	`a6-shops`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=flyer&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=vouchers-xmas-2026&utm_content=a6-shops#vouchers`	planned
14	Mailbox plate QR code, Dorfstrasse 6	`poster`	`print`	`always-on`	`postbox`	`https://alpformflow.ch/?utm_source=poster&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=always-on&utm_content=postbox`	planned

Printed items and QR codes: the QR code contains the full link to / with UTM tags (no short links). A long link makes a denser code, so keep the values short, print the code at least about 2.5 cm wide [verify], and test-scan every code with two phones before ordering the print.

Language for printed items: the QR code leads to /, the English page. If the phone's language is DE, FR or IT, a small dialog offers that language; the UTM tags are kept either way. The visitor can always switch the language in the header.

Ad platform settings¶

Meta (Instagram / Facebook ads)¶

In each ad, field URL parameters (under the website URL):

utm_source={{site_source_name}}&utm_medium=paid-social&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}

Meta fills in the values itself: {{site_source_name}} becomes the platform (Instagram, Facebook…) [verify] exact values, {{campaign.name}} and {{ad.name}} the names we gave.
So name campaigns and ads by the rules above: campaign opening-2026, ad video-therapist-de.

Google Ads¶

Auto-tagging on (Account settings). Google Ads and GA4 then match clicks through gclid.
Optional, so that other tools (e.g. Plausible) see the same labels: account-level Final URL suffix

utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={_campaign}&utm_content={adgroupid}

[verify] the parameter names in Google Ads; {_campaign} is a custom parameter set per campaign.

Where to find the results¶

Where	What to look at
GA4 → Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition	Visits by `source / medium` and `campaign`; add the key event `booking_completed` for bookings per source
GA4 → Explore	Own tables, e.g. `campaign` × language page × bookings
Plausible / Matomo (if used)	Sources with UTM filters; goals for bookings
Meta Ads Manager / Google Ads	Cost and bookings per campaign and ad
Cal.com bookings	The source stored with each booking (see Website: ads, SEO and analytics)

Every month: per channel, cost ÷ bookings = cost per booking, compared with the limit in the private notes. For free channels (bio, listings, flyers, partners): bookings per link from this register.