Why Tracking Links Matter
You post about your summer league on Instagram, and 50 people click the link in your bio. That's great! But…
- How many of those people came from Instagram?
- How many came from your email or Facebook ad?
- Which platform actually got people to sign up?
👉 Tracking links tell you exactly where your traffic is coming from.
They help you:
- Measure what’s actually working
- Avoid wasting time or ad spend
- Make smart marketing decisions based on data (not guesses)
🔗 What Is a Tracking Link?
A tracking link is just your normal URL with some info attached to the end. That added info (called UTM parameters) lets Google Analytics or your other tracking tool know:
- Where the visitor came from (Instagram, Facebook, email)
- What type of post or campaign they clicked
- What specific link they used
Normal link:
https://hiltonheadgolfisland.com
Tracking link:
https://hiltonheadgolfisland.com/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Dec2026Same page. Way more insight.
How to Create a Tracking Link (Step-by-Step)
1. Use Google’s Free UTM Builder
Head to: https://ga-dev-tools.web.app/campaign-url-builder/
2. Fill in These Fields:
-
Website URL
Your page link (ex. https://yourcourse.com/special-offer)
-
Campaign Source
Where it’s coming from (ex. instagram, facebook, email)
-
Campaign Medium
How it’s shared (ex. social, ad, newsletter)
-
Campaign Name
The campaign (ex. springpromo24 or tournamentsignup)
You’ll get a full tracking link you can copy and paste.
3. Use a Link Shortener (Optional)
Tools like Bitly or Canva’s built-in shortener can make those long URLs look cleaner for social.
Where Do You See This Data?
If you’re using:
- Google Analytics → Look under “Acquisition” > “Campaigns”
- Meta Ads Manager → Pull UTM-tagged links into reporting
- Email platforms (like Mailchimp) often track automatically, but UTM links make it clearer
Pro Tips for Success
-
Be consistent with naming (use lowercase + no spaces)
-
✅
summerleague24 -
❌
Summer League
-
-
Make a simple spreadsheet to track your link names and uses
-
Add tracking to every post, story, ad, and email that includes a link
Final Thought
Your golf course is already putting in the work, don’t let your results disappear into thin air.
Tracking links = receipts.
They prove what’s working, so you can keep doing more of it (and ditch what’s not).
You don’t need to be a tech whiz to use them. You just need the right link, the right tool, and a little intention.