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Making Tags to your online ads is an important prerequisite to allowing Google Analytics to show you which marketing activities are really paying off. Fortunately, the tagging process goes smoothly - once you understand how to differentiate your campaigns. Here is a three-step process to help you get started.
1. Tag only what you must to.
If your Google Analytics account is linked to an active Google AdWords account and you have auto-tagging enabled, you don't need to tag your AdWords URLs. Google Analytics will automatically track all of your AdWords campaigns. You'll still need to tag all of your non-AdWords paid keyword links, though, as well as your banners and other ads, and the links inside your promotional e-mail messages.
There are certain links that you don't need to tag, and many times will not be able to tag. You should not attempt to tag organic (unpaid) keyword links from search engines and it isn't necessary to tag links that come from referral sites, such as portals and affiliate sites. Google Analytics automatically detects the name of the search engine and the keyword from organic (unpaid) keyword referrals, and you'll see metrics for these referrals in your reports, typically under "Organic" listings. Google Analytics also detects referrals from other websites and displays them in your reports, whether or not you have tagged them. And again, you don't need to tag your AdWords URLs if your Analytics and AdWords accounts are linked.
2. Make your links using the URL Builder.
Campaign links consist of a URL address followed by a question mark and your campaign variables. But, you won't need to worry about link syntax if you fill out the URL Builder form and press the Generate URL button. A tagged link will be generated for you and you'll be able to copy and paste it to your ad. If you're wondering which fields to fill in, you're ready for Step 3.
3. Make only the campaign variables you need.
Google Analytics' link tagging capabilities allow you to uniquely identify virtually any campaign you can think of. But, don't think that you must use all six fields in the URL Builder form in each of your links. On the contrary, you'll usually only need to use Source, Medium, Name, and Term (for paid keywords).
Read this table contents carefully. It shows you how to tag the three most common kinds of online campaigns - banner ads, email campaigns, and paid keywords.
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