Published on 2025-06-26T04:25:24Z

What is Link Tagging? Examples in Analytics

Link tagging is the practice of appending query parameters to URLs to capture metadata about clicks and visits. In analytics, it enables precise attribution by embedding tracking parameters—commonly UTM parameters—into your URLs. Tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) support both automatic and manual tagging, while privacy-focused solutions such as Plainsignal use cookie-free link tagging to gather insights without storing cookies. Proper link tagging unifies data across platforms, improving campaign measurement and ROI analysis. Without consistent tagging, traffic sources become ambiguous and reporting accuracy suffers. In this article, we explore how link tagging works, best practices, and examples using Plainsignal and GA4.

Illustration of Link tagging
Illustration of Link tagging

Appending query parameters to URLs to track campaign and traffic source data for accurate analytics.

Understanding Link Tagging

Link tagging allows marketers to embed context about traffic sources directly into URLs, enabling tools to attribute visits accurately. It forms the foundation of campaign tracking across digital channels.

  • Utm parameters

    Predefined query parameters (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term, utm_content) used widely for campaign tracking.

    • Utm_source:

      Identifies the origin of traffic (e.g., google, newsletter).

    • Utm_medium:

      Specifies the marketing medium (e.g., cpc, email).

    • Utm_campaign:

      Names the specific campaign or promotion.

    • Utm_term:

      Tracks paid search keywords.

    • Utm_content:

      Differentiates similar content or links within the same campaign.

  • Custom query parameters

    User-defined parameters beyond UTMs for capturing extra context (e.g., affiliate_id, user_type).

    • Affiliate_id:

      Tracks referrals from affiliate partners.

    • User_type:

      Segments new versus returning visitors.

Why Link Tagging Matters

Proper link tagging powers reliable analytics and unlocks deep insights into campaign performance and user behavior.

  • Accurate attribution

    Ensures each visit is correctly assigned to its originating campaign or channel.

  • Campaign performance insights

    Allows you to compare ROI, conversion rates, and engagement metrics across campaigns.

  • Data consistency across platforms

    Maintains uniform tracking between GA4, PlainSignal, and other analytics tools.

Implementing Link Tagging in Plainsignal

Step-by-step guide to adding link tags for PlainSignal’s cookie-free analytics.

  • Define your parameters

    Choose which UTM and custom parameters you’ll use, ensuring consistency across campaigns and channels.

    • Lowercase naming:

      Use lowercase for all parameter names to avoid duplication and case-sensitivity issues.

    • Concise labels:

      Keep parameter values short and descriptive for readability.

  • Embed tracking code

    Insert the PlainSignal snippet into your site’s <head> and include query parameters in your links:

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/PlainSignal-min.js"></script>
    • Head placement:

      Place both tags before the closing </head> tag for optimal loading speed and data collection.

  • Validate tagging

    Test your tagged URLs by clicking through and verifying parameter capture in PlainSignal’s dashboard to ensure data accuracy.

Link Tagging in GA4

Explains both automatic and manual approaches to link tagging in Google Analytics 4.

  • Auto-tagging with google ads

    Enable auto-tagging to let GA4 automatically append gclid parameters for Google Ads campaigns.

    • Enable in ads:

      Turn on auto-tagging in your Google Ads account settings to start sending gclid to GA4.

    • Link accounts:

      Ensure your GA4 property is linked to your Google Ads account for seamless data flow.

  • Manual utm tagging

    Manually append UTM parameters for non-Google Ads campaigns to track them in GA4.

Best Practices for Link Tagging

Guidelines to maintain clean and reliable link tagging across all analytics tools.

  • Maintain consistency

    Standardize parameter names, spelling, and naming conventions across all campaigns.

  • Document your strategy

    Keep a shared reference guide of tagging conventions to onboard new team members and avoid confusion.

  • Use url shorteners wisely

    Use link shorteners or redirect rules to simplify long tagged URLs without losing query parameters.

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