How to tag email and SMS links with UTMs (so they stop showing as direct)
Clicks from emails and text messages often arrive with no referrer, so GA4 dumps them into Direct, the same bucket as someone typing your URL. UTM tags fix that by telling GA4 exactly where the click came from.
Why email and SMS clicks become Direct
When someone clicks a link in a mail app or a text, the browser frequently sends no referrer information. With nothing to go on, GA4 files the visit as Direct, which is why direct traffic looks suspiciously high. The fix is to carry the source in the link itself with a UTM.
The tags to use
- Email:
utm_source=newsletter(or the campaign name),utm_medium=email,utm_campaign=spring-sale. - SMS:
utm_source=sms,utm_medium=sms,utm_campaign=....
Use the medium values GA4's channel rules expect (email, not e-mail or newsletter) or the traffic lands in Unassigned instead.
Common mistakes
Inconsistent casing creates duplicate rows (Email and email). Tagging links that point to someone else's domain strips the UTM. And many email platforms have their own link-wrapping or auto-tagging, so check it is not fighting your UTMs. Set a simple naming convention once and apply it to every send.
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