Synthetic UTM naming sheet: four channels, expected GA4 channel groups and the values that fragment

Invented values, real rules

The campaign names, sources and mediums below are made up. The channel assignments follow the rules Google publishes for its default channel group, which can change, so check them against the current page before relying on them. Matching ignores letter case, but campaign values are case sensitive, which is why the sheet insists on lowercase.

• The sheet is a template. Replace every value with your own.

The sheet

Each row is a channel with the exact values to use and the channel it should reach.

If the matrix is wider than the box, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard: focus the matrix and use Left/Right.

channel          | utm_source   | utm_medium | utm_campaign pattern       | expected default channel group
email newsletter | newsletter   | email      | 2026-10-autumn-offer       | Email (medium equals an email spelling)
paid search      | google       | cpc        | brand-search-uk            | Paid Search (listed search source; medium matches cp)
organic social   | linkedin     | social     | 2026-10-launch-post        | Organic Social (listed social source or medium social)
partner link     | partner-blog | referral   | autumn-guide               | Referral (medium referral)

fragmenting values to avoid:
  utm_campaign=Autumn_Offer   and   utm_campaign=autumnoffer     two rows for one campaign (values are case sensitive)
  utm_medium=newsletter       with an unlisted source           matches none of the listed rules; probably Unassigned (our reading)
  no utm_campaign at all                                          shows as (not set) for campaign

rule: lowercase only; hyphens between words; mediums only from the list above; new values approved by the campaign owner.

How to test a row

Open each tagged link in a new browser profile with a unique test value in its campaign, for example the date and the letter a. Check the address and the landing page, then check Traffic acquisition once Google has processed the data, which can take 24 to 48 hours, for that test campaign value, its session source / medium and its channel. Realtime can show that the visit happened, but Google says its source card counts users by how they were first acquired and only for established users, so it is not the pass check. If a row lands under Unassigned, compare its medium and source with the rules rather than editing the link at random. Keep a table of expected against observed for every row.

Google Ads auto-tagging takes priority over manual tags in GA4, so do not test paid search by clicking an ad and expecting your own values.

• Test in a new browser profile so earlier cookies and an earlier first source do not interfere.
• Keep the date the rule changed so reports can be read around it.

What this does not do, and where it leads

A sheet does not rewrite recorded sessions or guarantee any channel result. For up to 20 live link patterns, the fixed outcome Fix campaign tagging and channels is £245 as an untested proposal with payment after sign-off; the sheet is part of its delivery. Send five example links with personal data removed; no logins.