How to track where users are coming from when registering

What are UTM parameters?

When an event planner is advertizing their event through multiple campaigns or channels (social media, blog post, email/newsletter, etc.), and using a registration page to build their audience, it can be very useful to know which campaign was successful in generating registrations to the event.

This can be done by using UTM (Urchin Tracking Module) parameters, that are added to the URLs that are shared to access the registration page. By adding personalized UTM parameters to the event registration URL that is shared as part of each campaign, the event planner can later identify which specific campaign each registrant came from.

For example, perhaps the event planner is using three campaigns: a social media, a blog post, and an emailing campaign. The registration page link for each campaign will use a slightly different URL, each with different UTM parameters:

Social media (LinkedIn)
https://webapp.spotme-stage.com/login/eventspace?utm_source=linkedin

Blog post (SpotMe website)
https://webapp.spotme-stage.com/login/eventspace?utm_source=spotme

Emailing campaign (newsletter)
https://webapp.spotme-stage.com/login/eventspace?utm_source=newsletter

The UTM parameter used above (utm_source) is created as a private user metadata in the workspace.
It's this metadata that will store where the user came from in the user information (what campaign or source website) when they registered to the event.

Note: The data collected by the UTM parameters is stored in private fields in the user profiles in Backstage. These private fields must be created manually in the workspace as user metadata.

What UTM parameters can I use?

Please see below some examples of the UTM parameters that can be used:

Multiple UTM parameters can be used in a single URL. For example, a URL to a registration page shared via a newsletter, may use the following UTM parameters in the URL.
https://webapp.spotme-stage.com/login/eventspace
?utm_campaign=event_tech_2022 &utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

Creating the UTM metadata in the workspace

As mentioned above, any UTM parameters that you want to use on your registration page URL will need to be created as UTM user metadata in the workspace. Below we’ll explain how these UTM parameters can be created.

Important: When you create the UTM metadata, make sure to mark these fields as Private using the checkbox to the right, so they are hidden in the app. Also, make sure that Field kind drop down is set to "text".

1. Select User as the metadata key (first field in the metadata manager):
   
2. In the Users section of the metadata manager, create the new UTM fields that you need, based on the information provided in the What UTM parameters can I use section.
   You can create a new category called UTM parameters to help keep all UTM metadata together (like below):

The Default value(s) field needs to remain empty for these metadata.

Remember to save your changes once you have finished creating the metadata.

If you have followed the indications above, this user UTM metadata will only be visible in Backstage in the user profiles and in the user list exports. It will not be visible in the app.

Important: In addition to being added as user metadata, some additional UTM parameters may also need to be added to the registration form.

Adding the UTM parameter fields to the registration page form

In addition to being added as user metadata (as explained above) some additional UTM parameters may also need to be added to the registration form.

We say “additional” here, because the 6 UTM parameters that are listed above as examples in the What UTM parameters can I use section do not need to be added. They are already supported by default by the registration page.

If you are using any UTM parameters beyond those listed above, then in addition to creating their dedicated UTM user metadata in the workspace as "private", you will also need to add the corresponding UTM user metadata fields to the registration form.

Important: Always make sure that these UTM fields that are added to the registration form are marked as “private” in the metadata, to ensure that your attendees cannot see the fields during the registration process. As they will be invisible to registrants, they can be added to any form on the registration page.

Adding the UTM parameters to the registration page URL

As mentioned above, once the user UTM parameters are created in the workspace (and in the registration form if needed), the event planner can edit the registration page URL for their campaign to include whatever UTM information that they want to track.

They simply need to add the UTM parameters to the URL, like in the example below:

https://webapp.spotme-stage.com/login/eventspace
?utm_campaign=event_tech_2022 &utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

How can I export the user registration UTM information?

The UTM parameter information is added to User profile in the workspace and can be viewed in:

• The pending registration export.
• The user list export.
• The individual user profiles.

The UTM data is visible in separate columns in the report for each user that registered:

If you are using an integration such as Veeva for example, you can map the user UTM fields to the corresponding Veeva fields.