UTM parameters for Pinterest
Without UTM tags, analytics groups Pinterest visits under broad labels like social or referral. These five tags tell it which pin or campaign each visit came from.
| Parameter | What it records | Pinterest example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | The site that sent the visitor | |
| utm_medium | The type of traffic | social, paid_pin |
| utm_campaign | The push or promotion the pin belongs to | spring_sale |
| utm_content | Which pin design or placement was clicked | hero_pin |
| utm_term | The paid keyword, for ads only | fall_decor |
Tagging habits that keep reports clean
Tag at the pin level
Give each pin its own utm_content value so you can see which image or headline earned the clicks, not only that Pinterest sent traffic.
Separate organic from paid
Use utm_medium=social for organic pins and utm_medium=paid_pin for ads, so the two never blend together in one report row.
Connect clicks to results
Once tagged traffic arrives, set up key events in Google Analytics for signups or purchases to see which pins lead to them.
Pick one naming style
UTM values are case-sensitive, so "Pinterest" and "pinterest" show up as separate sources. Stay lowercase and use underscores from the start.
How to build a tracked Pinterest link
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Step 1
Paste your destination URL
Enter the full address of the page your pin should link to, starting with https://.
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Step 2
Set the source and medium
Keep the source as pinterest and pick a medium such as social for organic pins or paid_pin for ads.
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Step 3
Add a campaign name
Name the campaign, for example spring_sale, so you can group its traffic in your analytics reports.
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Step 4
Copy your tracked link
The tagged link builds as you type. Copy it and use it as the destination link when you create the pin.
Frequently asked questions
What is a UTM link?
A UTM link is a normal URL with tracking tags such as utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign added to the end. Analytics tools like Google Analytics read those tags to show which channel and campaign sent each visitor. The page itself loads exactly the same.
Why should I tag my Pinterest links?
Tagging shows you in Google Analytics how much traffic and how many conversions each pin or campaign brings, instead of grouping everything under general social or referral traffic. It is the only reliable way to compare two pins that point at the same page.
What source and medium should I use for Pinterest?
Use utm_source=pinterest. For the medium, use social for organic pins, which Google Analytics 4 files under Organic Social, and a value starting with paid, such as paid_pin, for ads, which it files under Paid Social. Whatever you pick, use it every time.
Are UTM parameters case-sensitive?
Yes. Google Analytics treats "Pinterest" and "pinterest" as two different sources, so mixed capitals split your reports. Write every value in lowercase and use underscores or hyphens instead of spaces.
Will UTM tags hurt my SEO or pin performance?
No. UTM tags are standard query parameters that analytics tools expect. They do not change how Pinterest distributes your pin. For search engines, keep a canonical tag on the destination page so the tagged and untagged addresses count as one page.
What does utm_content do?
utm_content tells apart two links that share the same source, medium and campaign. If you make three pin designs for one blog post, give each its own value, such as hero_pin, list_pin and quote_pin, and analytics will show which design earned the clicks.
Does the builder work with a URL that already has parameters?
Yes. If the destination URL already contains a question mark, the builder adds the UTM tags with an ampersand instead of a second question mark. Empty fields are left out of the link, and each value can be up to 255 characters.
Last updated by the Made to Spark team.
