Tracking Links and UTMs: Attribution by Creator and Channel

Without a trackable link per creator, creator marketing becomes opinion. This guide explains how Pharoll connects click → creator → campaign → destination with consistent UTMs—what you see in Pharoll vs what you filter in Google Analytics.

Click flow

1. Audience clicks the creator's Pharoll link. 2. Pharoll logs the click (valid or invalid per rules). 3. Redirect to brand landing with UTMs + Pharoll params. 4. Brand sees session in GA4; Pharoll sees CPC and valid clicks per creator.

?src= parameter per channel

Use presets or manually:

• `?src=instagram` — feed or reel
• `?src=instagram_story` — story
• `?src=tiktok` — TikTok
• `?src=youtube` — description or card
• `?src=newsletter` — email or Substack

In Pharoll dashboard, see breakdown by source when creators use src correctly. Without src, click counts for the creator but channel stays aggregated.

UTMs on destination (GA4)

All creator traffic arrives at landing with:

• **utm_source** = pharoll
• **utm_medium** = creator
• **utm_campaign** = campaign identifier (brand + campaign)
• **utm_content** = creator username
• **utm_term** = channel (when using ?src=)

Filter GA4 by `utm_source / medium = pharoll / creator` and compare creators via `utm_content`. For click-level reconciliation, use `ph_click` on destination URL in audits.

What brand vs creator sees

Brand

Campaign dashboard: valid clicks, invalid, CPC, spend, per-creator ranking. CSV export. GA4 for downstream conversions.

Creator

Dashboard with valid clicks from their audience, campaign status, and accrued earnings. No manual UTM setup—platform applies on redirect.

Best practices

• Stable landing—avoid redirect chains after Pharoll
• Preserve existing UTMs on destination if brand already runs paid campaigns
• Document which src to use per format in the brief
• Do not beg for clicks—see anti-fraud

Go deeper in campaign analytics and CPC.