OMC UTM Code Policy

UTM Codes Introduction:

UTM codes allow the university to identify inbound traffic from print and digital marketing campaigns so that OMC and clients can evaluate and adjust performance to achieve the best ROI. It is best practice to use UTM codes for all marketing campaigns but OMC client managers will focus their efforts primarily on the following:

  • Comprehensive enrollment initiatives that enroll, yield, and/or retain students
  • Especially when they are promoted through multiple channels
  • e.g., Summer Sessions, Winter Intercession, Grad Open House, etc.
  • Signature university events
  • Especially when notable attendees and/or media coverage is expected. Events promoted through multiple channels
  • e.g., California Prize for Service and the Common Good.
  • Recurring events
  • Especially when they are promoted through multiple channels
  • e.g.,  WILP Symposium, Day of the Dons, Open House/Info Sessions, etc.
  • OMC and client e-newsletters
  • Especially when the reach is broad and/or external
  • e.g., donor e-newsletter, Thacher Gallery e-newsletter, etc.

    • UTM Codes OMC Process:

    Process

  • Client Managers create all UTM codes for campaigns noted above. UTM codes will be maintained here and organized by client managers.
  • OMC’s ecommunications team creates UTM codes for all OMC-generated enewsletters.
  • OMC’s social media team creates UTM codes for all social media posts using the naming convention created by the client manager.

    • How To

  • Client Managers use the formula contained within the google document to create and populate a UTM for each component of the campaign.

    • Vanity URLs

  • When print pieces are included as part of the marketing plan for a campaign noted above, it’s best practice to request a vanity URL from Web & Digital Communications. A vanity URL resolves into a UTM and allows OMC to track and evaluate the effectiveness of print pieces within a campaign.

    • UTM Naming Convention:

    The text in UTM codes must always be lowercase. Also, do not use spaces (use hyphen or underscore instead) and be as clear and concise as possible.

  • Campaign, source, medium, content
  • Campaign
  • One to two words
  • Include two digit year only (17 vs 2017)
  • Remain consistent in campaign name for recurring events
  • e.g. If wilp17 has been used previously, do NOT use wilp_2018 (or another variation) in subsequent years
  • Source:
  • Email type (announcement, newsletter, invitation, etc.)
  • Social media channel (twitter, facebook, instagram, etc.)
  • Print type (invitation, postcard, poster)
  • Publisher (facebook, google, etc.)
  • Medium:
  • email
  • print
  • social
  • display
  • banner
  • Content
  • Optional, used to differentiate where users are clicking within the same source
  • e.g. An image vs. a text link (within and email)
  • Examples of content tags:
  • image
  • title
  • cta (call to action)
  • biolink
  • coverphoto
  • banner size (i.e. 300x250)

    • UTM Examples:

    Open House

    https://www.usfca.edu/request/open-house?utm_source=vanity-url&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=sem-grad-info-evening-nov-2016

    California Prize campaign

    https://www.usfca.edu/california-prize?&utm_campaign=cal-prize17&utm_med... &utm_source=Twitter

    Note: if you don’t see your cell row auto-populating, you just need to copy & paste the previous UTM URL cell into the one you’re using and it will update accordingly. You should see similar to the following code in the cell: