Custom UTM Parameters: Tracking Physical QR Scans in Google Analytics

What This Guide Helps You Do

This guide explains how to append Custom UTM Parameters to your dynamic QR codes. If you run multiple print campaigns, setting up UTM tags allows you to track exactly which poster, brochure, billboard, or table tent drove traffic and sales in Google Analytics (GA4) or your company CRM.

You will learn:

1. What UTM parameters are and why they are critical for physical marketing.
2. How to set up UTM parameters in the QR generator.
3. How to analyze the resulting traffic in Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
4. Best practices for consistent naming conventions.

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Why UTM Parameters Matter for Offline Media

If you print a QR code linking to https://yoursite.co.za, all scans will appear in your website analytics as "Direct" or "Organic" traffic. You won't be able to tell if a visitor came from a flyer in Cape Town, a billboard in Joburg, or an email signature.

UTM parameters solve this by adding tracking tags to the URL:

• utm_source: Identifies where the traffic comes from (e.g., qr_code).
• utm_medium: Identifies the marketing medium (e.g., print_flyer, billboard).
• utm_campaign: Identifies the specific campaign (e.g., winter_sale_2026).

By utilizing our premium dynamic QR code generator with ZAR billing, these parameters are automatically handled at the redirect level, ensuring analytics data is preserved cleanly.

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Setting Up UTM Parameters in the Generator

To configure custom UTM tags:

1. Go to the Generator (/generate) or edit an existing code.
2. Expand the Step 3: Advanced Settings & Tracking section.
3. Locate the UTM Parameters accordion.
4. Input your campaign tags:
   • Campaign Source: e.g., qr_code_pro
   • Campaign Medium: e.g., billboard_sandton
   • Campaign Name: e.g., launch_promo
5. Save your QR code.

Note: UTM parameter tags are available on Pro+ and higher paid tiers. Compare ZAR pricing options on our pricing page.

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How it Works Behind the Scenes

When a user scans your code:

1. They hit the short redirect link (e.g., qr.yourbrand.co.za/r/abc).
2. The proxy reads the UTM values stored in the database.
3. The proxy redirects the user to the destination with the parameters appended: https://yoursite.co.za/landing?utm_source=qr_code_pro&utm_medium=billboard_sandton&utm_campaign=launch_promo
4. Google Analytics reads these tags and assigns the visitor to the correct campaign channel.

To see the technical specs of this redirection flow, view the architecture overview on the How It Works page.

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Naming Conventions for Best Results

To avoid messy reports in Google Analytics, enforce these rules within your marketing team:

1. Use lowercase: GA4 is case-sensitive (QR_Code and qr_code will show up as separate sources). Always use lowercase.
2. Use underscores for spaces: Use sandton_mall instead of sandton mall to prevent ugly %20 encodings in the URL.
3. Be specific: Keep names descriptive so any team member viewing reports months later can identify the campaign source.