Hey there! So, I wanted to chat with you about something that can be a bit tricky but super important in the world of marketing: capturing UTM parameters.
You know those little bits of code you see at the end of URLs? They help marketers track where their website traffic is coming from and measure the success of their campaigns.
Well, capturing and using UTM parameters can sometimes be a real challenge — especially when you’re dealing with UTM capture on Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) landing pages.
But don’t worry. we’ve got your back!
In this post, we’ll cover four ways to use UTMs for capturing the first and last touchpoints on Account Engagement landing pages. If you’re also looking for information on capturing UTM parameters in Salesforce, then check out this post.
4 methods for capturing UTM parameters on landing pages
Let’s dive into four different ways you can script your way to capturing first and last touch UTM parameters on Account Engagement landing pages. This solution works even if the form fields don’t match the UTM exactly or if you need to use cookies.
Trust me, it’s not as complicated as it sounds!
1. Map the URL to hidden form fields
Option 1 is all about handling those pesky form field variations. Imagine the form fields on your Pardot landing page don’t exactly match the UTM parameters. No worries!
With some JavaScript magic, you can extract the UTM values from the URL and map them to the right hidden form fields. It’s like connecting the dots, making sure you capture those first and last touch UTM parameters accurately.
See example and steps to setting this up in the video below.
2. Store UTM values in a session cookie
Now, let’s talk about Option 2. Sometimes you need session-based tracking, and that’s where scripting with session cookies comes in.
Using JavaScript, you can grab the UTM values from the URL and store them in a session cookie.
This cookie will keep the UTM data available as the user navigates through different Pardot landing pages. You can then map these UTM values to hidden form fields, ensuring you capture the first and last touch UTM parameters consistently during the session.
See example and steps to setting this up in the video below.
3. Pass UTM parameters to forms embedded in iFrames
Option 3 is for web landing pages that have an Account Engagement (Pardot) iFrame. Here, you can use scripting to set a cookie value that passes the UTM parameter to the iFrame.
JavaScript to the rescue again — it helps you extract the UTM values from the URL and store them in a cookie. The Pardot iFrame can then grab the cookie value and fill in the hidden form fields.
Voilà! You’ve captured the first and last touch UTM parameters and can use them in Pardot form submissions.
See example and steps to setting this up in the video below.
4. Capture UTM parameters across multiple website visits
Last but not least, Option 4 involves persistent cookies and hidden form fields. If you want to capture UTM parameters across multiple sessions or visits, this is the way to go. With some clever scripting using JavaScript, you can store the UTM values in a persistent cookie.
So, even if your visitors come back later, the cookie remembers the UTM data. When they submit a form, the hidden form fields get populated with the UTM values, ensuring you capture the first and last touch UTM parameters consistently.
Get instructions for this method in this blog post.
Go forth and track all the things through UTM capture
So, my friend, there you have it! These four scripting paths will help you capture first and last touch UTM parameters on Account Engagement landing pages like a pro. Whether you’re dealing with form field variations, session-based tracking, iframes, or multiple visits, these options have got you covered. You’ll be able to gather accurate UTM data for analyzing your campaigns and making data-driven marketing decisions within Pardot.
Now go ahead and rock those UTM captures with confidence!
Not sure what to do with the information you’re tracking? Reach out to the team at Sercante for help building a marketing campaign strategy that gets results.
