How to Add UTM Parameters to Google Ads for Franchise Ninja Customer Match Attribution

Overview

UTM parameters allow you to track how visitors arrive at your franchise development website and attribute that traffic back to specific Google Ads campaigns, audiences, and creative.

When used correctly with Franchise Ninja Customer Match lists, UTMs make it possible to:

• Identify traffic generated specifically from Franchise Ninja-powered audiences

• Attribute Engaged Candidates back to Google Ads activity

• Analyze which campaigns, personas, and audiences drive the highest-quality franchise prospects

This article explains what UTMs are, which parameters to use, and how to apply them in Google Ads to support accurate attribution inside Franchise Ninja.

Why UTMs Matter for Franchise Ninja Attribution

Franchise Ninja identifies and scores Engaged Candidates based on website behavior.
UTM parameters act as the bridge between Google Ads and Franchise Ninja by passing campaign-level context into each website visit.

When UTMs are applied:

• Franchise Ninja can associate visits with specific Google Ads campaigns

• You can distinguish Customer Match traffic from other paid or organic sources

• Persona-based and audience-based strategies become measurable

• ROI analysis improves across Google Ads, CRM, and Franchise Ninja dashboards

Without UTMs, traffic from Google Ads is blended together, making it difficult to isolate performance from Franchise Ninja Customer Match lists.

Required UTM Parameters

At minimum, Franchise Ninja recommends using the following standard UTM parameters:

Recommended UTM Naming Convention for Franchise Ninja

To ensure clean, consistent reporting, use a standardized naming structure across all Google Ads campaigns that leverage Franchise Ninja audiences.

Example: Customer Match Campaign UTMs

utm_source=google
utm_medium=paid_search
utm_campaign=fn_customer_match_q1
utm_content=multi_unit_investor

What This Captures

• utm_source=google
  Confirms the traffic originated from Google Ads

• utm_medium=paid_search
  Distinguishes paid traffic from organic or referral traffic

• utm_campaign=fn_customer_match_q1
  Identifies the campaign as a Franchise Ninja Customer Match campaign

• utm_content=multi_unit_investor
  Identifies the persona, creative, or audience segment

Inside Franchise Ninja, these UTMs can later be used to understand which Customer Match audiences are generating Engaged Candidates.

How to Add UTMs in Google Ads

Option 1: Add UTMs at the Campaign or Ad Level (Recommended)

1. Log into Google Ads

2. Navigate to Campaigns or Ads

3. Select the campaign or ad you want to track

4. Locate the Final URL field

5. Append UTM parameters to the landing page URL

Example

https://yourfranchisesite.com/franchise-opportunities?
utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=fn_customer_match_q1&utm_content=multi_unit_investor

Option 2: Use Tracking Templates (Advanced)

For more scalable management, UTMs can be applied using Google Ads tracking templates.

Example tracking template:

{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=fn_customer_match_q1&utm_content={adgroupid}

This approach allows Google to dynamically insert campaign or ad group data while preserving Franchise Ninja attribution.

Best Practices for Customer Match Attribution

1. Clearly Label Franchise Ninja Campaigns

Always include fn or franchise_ninja in the utm_campaign value to clearly identify traffic tied to Franchise Ninja audiences.

2. Use utm_content for Personas or Audiences

Use this parameter to distinguish:

• Customer Match lists

• Buyer personas

• Creative variations

• Market segments

Example:

utm_content=corporate_executive
utm_content=multi_unit_operator
utm_content=single_unit_owner

3. Keep Naming Consistent

Inconsistent naming leads to fragmented reporting. Align all agencies, internal teams, and vendors on one UTM standard.

4. Avoid Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

UTM parameters should never contain names, emails, or sensitive personal data. Use only high-level descriptors.

How Franchise Ninja Uses UTM Data

Once UTMs are in place:

• Franchise Ninja captures UTM data when a visitor becomes an Engaged Candidate

• Traffic can be segmented by campaign and source

• The performance of Customer Match lists can be evaluated over time

• Insights can be shared with agencies or internal teams to optimize spend

UTMs do not replace Customer Match tracking — they enhance attribution and decision-making.

Key Takeaway

UTM parameters are essential for understanding how Franchise Ninja Customer Match lists perform within Google Ads.

By applying consistent, well-structured UTMs, brands gain:

• Clear attribution from Google Ads to Engaged Candidates

• Visibility into which personas and audiences drive engagement

• Stronger alignment between paid media, Franchise Ninja, and CRM reporting

When in doubt, keep UTMs simple, consistent, and clearly labeled for Franchise Ninja attribution.