Definition
UTM term is an optional UTM parameter often used to track keywords in paid search (or any internal taxonomy you define).
Example
Use utm_term=project-management to group keyword themes in reporting.
How to use it
- Use it for keyword themes rather than raw keywords if you need stable reporting.
- Do not over-segment: too many distinct values reduces interpretability.
- Keep a controlled list so terms stay consistent over time.
- Align utm_term with search term themes used in reporting dashboards.
Common mistakes
- Letting teams create ad-hoc terms that fragment reports.
- Changing term definitions mid-quarter and breaking comparisons.
- Using utm_term for campaign names instead of keyword themes.
Why this matters
This term matters because it affects how you interpret performance and make budget decisions. If you use inconsistent definitions or windows, ROAS/CPA can look "better" while profit gets worse.
Practical checklist
- Write a 1-line definition for "UTM Term" that your team will use consistently.
- Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
- Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
- Sanity-check with a related calculator from the same category on MetricKit.
- Read the related guide (e.g., UTM + GA4 attribution: practical tracking for paid ads (without lying to yourself)) for context and common pitfalls.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Calculators
- Break-even CTR Calculator: Compute the CTR required to break even (and hit a target) given CPM, CVR, AOV, and contribution margin.
- A/B Test Sample Size Calculator: Estimate sample size per variant for a conversion rate A/B test given baseline CVR, MDE, significance, and power.
- CPL to CAC Calculator: Convert cost per lead (CPL) into CAC using lead-to-customer rate (and compute targets).
- Break-even CVR Calculator: Compute the CVR required to break even (and hit a target) given CPM, CTR, AOV, and contribution margin.
- Click-through Conversion Rate Calculator: Calculate click-through conversion rate (click-to-conversion CVR) and estimate required clicks for target conversions.
Guides
- UTM + GA4 attribution: practical tracking for paid ads (without lying to yourself): A practical guide to UTMs and GA4: consistent source/medium/campaign tagging, conversion deduplication, and common attribution traps.