How to track QR code scans with UTM links

The problem with untracked codes

A plain QR code to your home page looks the same in analytics as any other visit. If you print a flyer, a poster and a table card, you cannot tell which one worked. UTM parameters fix this by adding a label to the link, which tools such as Google Analytics read and report.

Build a tagged link

Open the UTM builder.
Enter the destination page.
utm_source: where the traffic comes from, for example qr_print.
utm_medium: the material, for example flyer or table_tent.
utm_campaign: the promotion name, for example offline_promo.
Optionally add a term and a content variant to tell two prints of the same campaign apart.

QRinst UTM builder with source qr_print, medium flyer and campaign offline_promo and the resulting tagged link — The builder produces the tagged link as you type.

Turn it into a QR code

Press Create QR Code with this Link and the tagged link is carried into the generator. Download the code and use a different link for each print run so the reports separate them. Keep names lowercase and consistent: Flyer and flyer appear as two different values in reports.

Static or dynamic?

A tagged link inside a static code cannot be changed later. If you might want to edit the destination after printing, use a dynamic code. The static vs dynamic guide explains the trade-off. A longer link also makes a denser code, so test it with the QR checker.

Naming conventions that keep reports clean

The labels only help if you use them the same way every time. Write down a short list of allowed values before you print anything, and reuse them across campaigns.

Use lowercase letters and underscores, with no spaces or special characters.
Keep utm_source for where the QR code lives (print, packaging, poster).
Keep utm_medium for the material (flyer, table_tent, sticker).
Name campaigns by promotion and period, such as autumn_sale_2026.
Use utm_content to tell two designs or locations of the same material apart.

Reading the results in analytics

In Google Analytics, open the traffic acquisition report and look at source, medium and campaign. Visits from your codes appear under the labels you chose, so you can compare a flyer against a table card, or two venues, directly. Give each print run enough time to collect scans before drawing conclusions, and remember that only people who scan and then load your page are counted.

Mistakes to avoid

Tagging internal links. UTM labels are for traffic coming from outside your site. Using them on links between your own pages overwrites the real source of a visit.
One code for everything. If every print uses the same link, the report cannot separate them. Make a distinct tagged link per placement.
Personal data in labels. Never put names, emails or order numbers into a UTM value. The link is visible to anyone who scans or shares it.
Skipping the test. A tagged link is longer, so the code is denser. Print a proof and confirm it scans before the full run.