Email & measurement

You made a UTM link. What should happen next?

UTM parameters only become useful when consent, naming, sending, and measurement follow the same repeatable flow.

Last updated: 2026-09-11

A tagged URL is not a measurement plan

Creating the link is the easy part. If campaign names change every time, the analytics report fragments into several nearly-identical campaigns.

A boring naming convention you can still understand three months later is better than a clever one nobody remembers.

Keep personal data out of UTM values

UTM parameters are part of the URL. URLs get forwarded, logged, copied and screenshotted. Use anonymous segment labels instead of names, email addresses or customer IDs.

Read the path, not just one number

A click can go up while conversions stay flat. Open rate can look weak while the few people who click convert well. Treat send → click → on-site action as one chain so you know what to fix next.

Keep these four steps together

1Make sure you can email this audience

Having an email address does not automatically mean you have permission to send marketing email. Check permission first.

2Keep UTM names consistent

If the same campaign is named three different ways, GA4 will split the results into separate buckets.

3Send from an email platform

For repeat campaigns, use a service that can keep subscriber records and unsubscribes organized.

4Check the result in GA4

Use the result to decide what to change next time: the subject, message, audience, or timing.

Use UTM names that still make sense later

You do not need clever campaign names. Pick a simple pattern that will still make sense three months from now, and use it consistently. For a newsletter, something like this works well:

utm_source=newsletter
utm_medium=email
utm_campaign=2026_sep_product_launch

Do not put names, email addresses, account IDs, or other personal information into UTM values. URLs get forwarded, shared, and stored in logs, so keep personal data out of them.

Kit or MailerLite? Choose by how you want to work

You want tags, segments, and automated sequencesKitA good fit when subscriber groups and automated follow-up matter.

You want newsletters, forms, and landing pages togetherMailerLiteA straightforward option when you want the core email workflow in one place.

You only email a few people occasionallyKeep it simpleIf the current process is easy, there is no reason to add another platform.

Two checks before you send

Are you allowed to send this message to this person? Can they unsubscribe easily if they no longer want it? Check both before you send.

If either answer is unclear, sort that out first. An email platform can manage the list, but it cannot create permission to contact someone.

If email is becoming a regular channel

Once you are sending weekly or monthly, keeping signup forms, unsubscribes, and campaign results in one place becomes much easier to manage.