How to Track Link Clicks

Why tracking link clicks matters

Without click tracking, you're guessing. You post on Instagram and Twitter and write a newsletter, but you don't know which of those channels actually drove traffic. That makes it impossible to invest your time where it pays off.

Click data tells you exactly which platform, campaign, or post sent visitors to your link. Over time, that data shapes your content strategy — you double down on what works and cut what doesn't.

Method 1: UTM parameters (free)

UTM parameters are tags you add to any URL before sharing it. They're read by Google Analytics, Plausible, Fathom, and most analytics platforms, showing you exactly where your traffic originated.

The five UTM parameters:

• utm_source — where the traffic comes from (instagram, newsletter, twitter)
• utm_medium — the marketing channel (bio, email, cpc)
• utm_campaign — the specific campaign name (april-launch, black-friday)
• utm_content — used to distinguish multiple links in the same campaign
• utm_term — used for paid search keyword tracking

Limitation: Social apps often strip UTM parameters from mobile link previews. Your analytics may undercount social traffic — which is where URL shorteners with built-in tracking help.

Method 2: URL shortener with click tracking (recommended)

A URL shortener like Brevly tracks clicks at the redirect layer — before the visitor even reaches your destination. This means you capture the data regardless of what happens downstream.

What you see per link:

• Total clicks and unique clicks
• Click source (referrer or UTM)
• Geographic breakdown by country and city
• Device type (mobile vs desktop) and browser
• Click velocity over time (hourly, daily, weekly)

You can pair this with UTM parameters for double coverage — the shortener records the click, and the UTM passes campaign data to your analytics platform.

Method 3: Redirect tracking in your analytics tool

If you run your own website, you can set up event tracking in Google Analytics (GA4) or any analytics platform to record outbound link clicks. This captures clicks on links within your pages — but it won't help you track links shared externally in social posts or emails.

Which method should you use?

For most creators, marketers, and small teams, combining UTM parameters with a URL shortener gives you the most complete picture with the least setup.