Taming the Digital Urchin: A Fundraiser’s Guide to UTMs

Ever sent out the perfect campaign email, only to open your analytics later and think… “Where did these donors even come from?”

Been there. Many times.

UTMs are your fix. They don’t require a dev team, a giant tech stack, or three Dr. Peppers to figure out. But they do require intention. In this article, I’m walking through what UTMs are, how to use them, and why they’re a nonprofit marketer’s best friend.

What Is a UTM? (And Why Is It Called That?)

UTM stands for Urchin Tracking Module. It’s a holdover from the early 2000s when Google bought Urchin Software and turned it into what we now know as Google Analytics.

So yes, it sounds weird. But the power behind it? Not weird at all.

When used right, UTMs help you track where your traffic (and donations!) actually come from. Instead of guessing whether an ad, email, or Instagram story led someone to give, UTMs let you see it. With clarity.

Think of UTMs Like a Folder System

This is the metaphor I use all the time because it works.

UTMs organize your campaign traffic like digital folders and subfolders:

• utm_campaign = the big drawer (example: spring-appeal)

• utm_medium = the type of channel (email, social, paid)

• utm_source = the platform or sender (facebook, instagram, newsletter)

• utm_content = the specific piece that got clicked (button_red, ad_header, variant2)

For Facebook and other platforms, you can even use dynamic fields like {{ad.name}} or {{ad.id}} to automatically populate these values.

If you’ve ever asked, “Wait, which email did they click?” — this is how you answer it.

Why UTMs Matter (Especially for Fundraisers)

You don’t have time or budget to waste. UTMs help you:

• Spot the channels that actually drive revenue, not just traffic

• See which ads or emails convert, and which ones flop

• Keep a clean line between content types

• Build trust with internal teams because your reporting has receipts

• Make smarter decisions faster

Without UTMs, every click might as well be labeled “¯\(ツ)/¯”

How to Use UTMs Without Losing Your Mind

1. Set a Naming System and Stick With It

Lowercase. No spaces. Be consistent.

Example structure:

• • utm_campaign=yearend2025

  • utm_medium=email

  • utm_source=newsletter

  • utm_content=footer-button_b

I use utmmaker.com every day to generate and track my links. It’s clean, simple, and makes sure I’m not freelancing my naming conventions at 11:47pm.

Create a shared Excel spreadsheet or Google Sheet to keep the whole team aligned. Future-you will thank you.

Here’s a sample URL to show the magic in action: https://example.org/donate?utm_campaign=yearend2025&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=footer-button_b

It seems ridiculous that just adding this to a link can unlock so much insight… but that’s the power of UTMs. It blew my mind the first time too.

2. Test Like You Mean It

Before you hit send or publish an ad, click your link. Complete a test donation. Did your UTM tags carry all the way through?

I also recommend installing the Omnibug browser extension. It shows which tracking parameters are being fired on each page. Super helpful for catching dropped or blocked UTMs before they mess up your reporting.

3. See What’s Working

Start by checking the actual submissions on your forms, donation pages, or any first-party platforms that store UTM data. This is often faster and more accurate than relying solely on Google Analytics.

While GA4 is powerful, it can take up to 24 hours to populate data — not ideal when you need a fast turnaround. Use it to complement your insights, not replace your first-party checks.

If your donation platform captures UTMs at the point of giving (many do!), you can also report directly in your CRM. That means segmenting donors by first-click channel or campaign origin. Powerful stuff.

Common UTM Pitfalls (Avoid These)

• Mixing uppercase and lowercase (e.g., Facebook vs facebook) splits your data

• Inconsistent naming (e.g., email-blast vs newsletter vs nl) = chaos

• Tagging internal site links resets sessions and messes with source tracking

• Not testing your donation flow with actual UTMs

Keep it clean, and keep it simple.