• Author: Jon Monk

• Time to Read: 7–10 minutes

• Topics Covered: UTM codes, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Event marketing tracking, Google Tag Manager (GTM), Cookie consent, third-party registration platforms, GA4 dashboards

 

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Summary

Discover the essentials of UTM tracking and GA4 data dashboards for event marketers.

We'll explain how to tag campaigns using UTM parameters, how to make the data flow through your ASP website (even with third-party reg platforms), and how to view this in Google Analytics 4. 

We'll also explain how to spot common data blockers, why conversions (Key Events) matter, and how to simplify your reporting using dashboards.

 

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Why We’re Talking About This

Last year, ASP launched Optimisation Time — a new service that lets clients book expert help with SEO, CRO, GA4, and campaign tracking in affordable, bite-sized chunks with no long-term commitment.

What’s been interesting is that, despite the flexibility of this service, by far the most common requests have been about data — specifically UTM tracking, Google Analytics 4, and campaign performance reporting.

It’s also no coincidence that this webinar — Mastering UTM Tracking & GA4 Dashboards — has had more registrations than any other we’ve run to date.

Over the past year, we’ve worked with dozens of clients to "join the dots" between their websites, third-party platforms, and GA4 accounts. Along the way, we’ve learned what works, what breaks, and how to make your data not just visible — but useful.

This post shares what we’ve learned.

 

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Part 1: Getting the Basics Right 

What Are UTM Codes?

UTM codes are short parameters you add to the end of URLs to help Google Analytics understand where your traffic is coming from.

For example:

https://www.example-event.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=exprom

This lets GA4 report that:

• The visitor came from Facebook

• It was part of a social media campaign

• The campaign was called exprom

 

Without UTMs, GA4 groups traffic into broad channels only. With them, you get precise, campaign-level insight.

 

Scenario 1: Reg Form on Your Website – Easy!

 

If your registration form is hosted on your own website, UTM tracking is very straightforward.

 

1: Build Your UTM Links

Use Google’s Campaign URL Builder to tag your links.

We recommend using the following three fields as standard:

• utm_source – Where the traffic came from (e.g. google, facebook, email)

• utm_medium – The type of marketing (e.g. cpc, social, email)

• utm_campaign – The name of the campaign (e.g. spring_launch, earlybird)

This will generate a URL like: https://www.example-event.com?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=exprom

 

2: Use This Link in Your Campaigns

Put this URL in your email newsletters, paid social ads, PPC campaigns — wherever your traffic is coming from.

✅ Because your form is on the same domain, GA4 will automatically pick up and report this data — no extra setup required.

 

Scenario 2: Separate Reg Form – Harder!

 

If your registration form is hosted on a third-party platform, things get a little more complicated.

That’s because clicking from your site to an external one can break the data connection — unless extra steps are taken.

 

1: Still Build Your UTM URL (As Above)

Use the Campaign URL Builder to tag your campaign links — just as above.

Example: 

https://www.example-event.com?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=launch2025

ASP will store this UTM data in a cookie when someone lands on the site - you then need to pass that data to the reg platform using merge fields in your button links.

 

2: Add ASP Merge Fields to Your Reg Form Button

You now need to pass the stored UTM values from your ASP site to the third-party reg form.

To do that, you’ll use ASP merge fields like this:

• utm_source=
• &utm_medium=
• &utm_medium=

 

ASP will automatically add your UTM data as added previously, and using the values from the visitor’s cookie.

These fields should be added to your "Register Now" button links in the ASP CMS linking off to your third party registration form.

 

Example with All Fields

If you want to go further and include optional UTM fields, your link might look like:

https://www.reg-company.com/form?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_medium=

Only include the parameters you’re actually using in your campaign URLs - too many unused parameters can make your links messy and harder to debug.

 

To View Yout UTM Campaign the Data in GA4

Once your campaign is live, you’ll want to see how it performs.

Go to: Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition

By default, you’ll see traffic grouped by “Session source/medium.” To get more detail:

• Click the dropdown at the top of the first column

• Select:

  • Session campaign

  • Session source

  • Session medium

These match your UTM tags and will give you clear insights into which campaigns are delivering traffic and value. See screenshot:

[ADD LINK]

 

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Why You Must Track Conversions (Key Events)

It’s great to see how many visitors a campaign brought in — but without knowing how many of them converted, that data is fairly meaningless.

Imagine:

• Campaign A brings 10,000 visitors, but 0 conversions

• Campaign B brings 500 visitors, but 50 conversions

Which campaign is better? Only Key Events can tell you that. These might include:

• Completed registrations

• Enquiry form submissions

• Sponsor/exhibitor interest

Top Tip

If you haven’t already, set up your Key Events in GA4 — it’s the only way to tie campaign performance to real business outcomes - without it, you’re judging campaigns on traffic volume instead of actual results.

We’re not covering how to set up Key Events in this post, but if you need help — just ask!

 

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Part 2: The Blockers — Why UTM & Conversion Data Doesn’t Always Show Up

Even when everything is set up correctly, there are several invisible blockers that can prevent UTM and conversion data from reaching Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — especially when third-party registration platforms are involved.

We’re starting to have extremely positive conversations with many registration providers about supporting on-site registration forms directly within the event website. If these developments continue, many of the issues below could soon be a thing of the past 🙌

But for now, it’s important to be aware of the following blockers:

Blocker	What Can Go Wrong
Website cookie consent	If not properly configured (or not using Consent Mode v2.0), GA4 may not fire.
Reg form cookie consent	A cookie banner is also needed on your reg form. Ideally use the same provider.
GTM setup on reg platform	Google Tag Manager must be installed on the reg form with GA4 tracking correctly set up.
GA4 misconfiguration	Filters, missing tags, or improper setup can mean your GA4 is collecting incomplete data.
The reg platform itself	Some reg platforms strip query parameters, don’t pass referrer data, or overwrite tracking values. A

If these aren’t in place, your UTM tracking might fail silently, and you won’t even know it.

Top Tip

For next year’s event, why not speak to your registration provider about using an on-site registration form — hosted directly on your event website?

This avoids many of the tracking issues caused by third-party platforms. Or, if your current provider doesn’t support this, consider switching to one that does — there are several that now offer this option, and the difference to your data visibility can be game-changing.

 

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Part 3: GA4 Dashboards – Make Your Data Easy to Use

Let’s be honest — GA4 is powerful, but it’s not exactly intuitive!

Most event marketers don’t have time to learn the ins and outs of GA4. What they need is quick, clear answers to questions like:

• How are our campaigns performing?

• Where is traffic coming from?

• Which campaigns are converting?

Why a Custom GA4 Dashboard Helps

We’ve created GA4 dashboards for many event clients that:

• Pull the most useful data onto a single page

• Can be shared via a simple link with all stakeholders

• Compare performance across channels and campaigns

• Include Key Event conversions and conversion rates

• Let teams spot issues or opportunities in real time

  • Reduce dependency on GA4’s confusing navigation

  • Make your campaign reporting accessible to non-technical colleagues

If you find yourself avoiding GA4 because it’s too complicated, a dashboard might be the perfect solution.

 

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Watch the Webinar

 

 

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Conclusion: Join the Dots, Get the Data

UTM tracking and GA4 dashboards give you the visibility you need to make smarter marketing decisions.

With the right setup:

• You can see what’s working (and what’s not)

• You can track performance by source, medium, and campaign

• You can finally measure success by conversions, not just clicks

 

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Need Help?

If this all feels a bit much — or if you're just not sure your setup is working as it should — we're here to help.

Visit our Optimisation Services page to book a bite-sized session with our team. We can help you:

• Audit and improve your UTM tracking

• Review your GA4 and GTM setup

• Build clear, easy-to-use dashboards

• Troubleshoot reg platform integration issues

Or speak to your Account Manager to learn more about how we can support you - no long-term contracts, just expert help when you need it.

 

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