Links inside PDFs can be useful campaign touchpoints, but their origin is not always obvious in analytics. Add UTM parameters to the URL before inserting it into the document.
Example
utm_source=ebook&utm_medium=pdf&utm_campaign=guide_download&utm_content=chapter_3
Use a source such as ebook, sales_deck, or report, and use pdf as the medium if that is your team convention.
Track useful differences
Use content for the page, button, chapter, or document version. Do not create a different campaign for every link if all links support the same download or promotion.
Test the final file
- Open the PDF on desktop and mobile.
- Click every important link.
- Check that the destination and query string are correct.
- Do not replace tagged links with untagged ones during export.
Create the URL with the BestUTM builder and keep a copy of the link list with the document source files.
Track document versions carefully
If an old PDF remains online, its links can continue generating traffic. Use a content value for the document version or chapter when you need to distinguish revisions, and keep the link list with the source file.
Open the exported PDF on desktop and mobile and click the final links. Export tools can accidentally change or remove hyperlinks.
Make the rule usable for the team
A tracking rule only works when the person creating the link can find it at the moment of work. Put the convention in the campaign brief, template, or handoff document rather than relying on a senior marketer to explain it each time.
After the campaign, keep the final links and the reasoning behind unusual values. This turns one-off decisions into reusable team knowledge.
Use PDFs as durable campaign assets
PDFs are often forwarded, downloaded, and opened months after publication. Give the campaign a name that remains understandable later, and avoid a temporary landing page unless it will stay available for the useful life of the document.
For gated assets, document whether the link points to the asset itself, a registration page, or a follow-up offer so the report can be interpreted correctly.
← Back to all articles