Table of Contents
- Map the Campaign Hierarchy to UTM Values
- LinkedIn Dynamic Tracking: Moving Beyond Manual Links
- Supported Dynamic Parameters Reference Table
- The Production LinkedIn UTM Parameter String
- Sponsored Content vs Lead Gen Forms Tracking
- Syntax Alert: Uppercase Inside Double Braces
- Passing LinkedIn Attribution into HubSpot and Salesforce
- Frequently Asked Questions
LinkedIn supports dynamic URL parameters that help you tag ads without editing each link by hand. Map the supported tokens to your UTM fields, check their case and braces, and test the result before using it in GA4 or CRM reports.
Map the Campaign Hierarchy to UTM Values
LinkedIn organizes advertising into campaign groups, campaigns, and ads. Decide which level each UTM value should represent: for example, utm_campaign can identify the campaign, utm_content can distinguish the ad creative, and utm_term can hold an audience label if that is part of your team's taxonomy. Keep the mapping consistent so GA4 and CRM reports use comparable values.
LinkedIn Dynamic Tracking: Moving Beyond Manual Links
LinkedIn's dynamic parameters can populate campaign and creative identifiers when an ad is clicked. Using supported tokens can reduce manual copying and help keep link values consistent; verify how the resulting visits appear in GA4.
Supported Dynamic Parameters Reference Table
LinkedIn supports dynamic macros that resolve at click time. Note that unlike Meta's lowercase syntax, LinkedIn requires uppercase tokens inside double curly braces:
| LinkedIn Dynamic Macro | Dynamic Output at Click Time | Recommended UTM Mapping |
|---|---|---|
{{CAMPAIGN_ID}} |
Unique numerical identifier of the campaign | utm_id={{CAMPAIGN_ID}} |
{{CAMPAIGN_NAME}} |
Name of the campaign in Campaign Manager | utm_campaign={{CAMPAIGN_NAME}} |
{{AD_SET_ID}} |
Unique numerical ID of the ad set | Custom parameter: adset_id={{AD_SET_ID}} |
{{AD_SET_NAME}} |
Name of the ad set / audience group | utm_term={{AD_SET_NAME}} |
{{AD_ID}} |
Unique numerical ID of the creative | Custom parameter: ad_id={{AD_ID}} |
{{AD_NAME}} |
Name of the specific ad creative | utm_content={{AD_NAME}} |
{{ACCOUNT_ID}} |
LinkedIn Ad Account numerical ID | Custom parameter: li_account={{ACCOUNT_ID}} |
{{ACCOUNT_NAME}} |
Name of the LinkedIn Ad Account | Custom parameter: li_account_name={{ACCOUNT_NAME}} |
The Production LinkedIn UTM Parameter String
In LinkedIn Campaign Manager, when creating or editing an ad, configure your landing page URL parameters as follows:
utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign={{CAMPAIGN_NAME}}&utm_content={{AD_NAME}}&utm_term={{AD_SET_NAME}}&utm_id={{CAMPAIGN_ID}}Sponsored Content vs Lead Gen Forms Tracking
LinkedIn offers two primary ad conversion mechanisms with distinct tracking considerations:
- Sponsored Content (Traffic to Website): Prospects click through to your landing page. The dynamic UTM parameters append to the URL and fire directly in GA4 and your CRM form capture scripts.
- LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms: Prospects fill out an instant form inside the LinkedIn mobile app without visiting your website. Here, UTM parameters do not pass to GA4 via the browser. Instead, integrate LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms directly with HubSpot or Salesforce via Zapier, Make, or native CRM integrations, mapping
{{CAMPAIGN_NAME}}and{{CAMPAIGN_ID}}directly to CRM lead properties.
Syntax Alert: Uppercase Inside Double Braces
LinkedIn requires tokens to be uppercase: {{CAMPAIGN_NAME}}. If you write {{campaign_name}} or {{campaign.name}}, LinkedIn will not recognize the token and will pass the literal unexpanded text into your landing page URL.
Passing LinkedIn Attribution into HubSpot and Salesforce
To analyze LinkedIn campaigns alongside CRM outcomes, configure hidden form fields to capture utm_source, utm_campaign, and utm_id where appropriate. Verify that your form and CRM integration preserve those values before using them in pipeline reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LinkedIn Campaign Manager support dynamic URL parameters?
Yes. LinkedIn natively supports dynamic tracking macros across its hierarchy, including {{CAMPAIGN_NAME}}, {{CAMPAIGN_ID}}, {{AD_SET_NAME}}, {{AD_SET_ID}}, {{AD_NAME}}, and {{AD_ID}}. Note that LinkedIn strictly requires these tokens to be enclosed in double curly braces and written in uppercase.
What source and medium should I use for LinkedIn Sponsored Content?
A consistent option is utm_source=linkedin with utm_medium=paid_social or cpc. These values may match GA4's Paid Social definition for manual traffic, but actual assignment depends on the available traffic-source data and Google's current rules.
Why does LinkedIn traffic sometimes appear as referral in GA4?
If you launch ads without appending UTM parameters to the destination URL, GA4 reads the incoming HTTP referrer header (e.g. linkedin.com) and categorizes the visits under Organic Social or generic Referral, completely obscuring paid ad performance.
How do I track LinkedIn Lead Gen Form submissions with UTMs?
Because Lead Gen Forms are hosted inside LinkedIn's mobile app, users never navigate to your website. To capture campaign attribution, connect LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Marketo using LinkedIn's native CRM partner integration or webhooks, mapping campaign tokens directly to CRM lead properties.
Choose a focused guide
Use these guides when you need to investigate a specific part of this topic.
- LinkedIn Dynamic URL Parameters: Token Syntax & QA Guide
Use LinkedIn Campaign Manager URL tokens correctly. Check uppercase syntax, map dynamic values to UTM fields, and verify expansion before launch.
References
- URL tracking parameters in Campaign Manager (LinkedIn Help Center)
- URL tracking parameters in Campaign Manager (LinkedIn Help Center)
