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Adding URL parameters to links

Adding URL parameters to your links enables you to better track and analyze customers’ interactions with the messages you send from Customer.io. You can set up templated URL parameters and automatically add them to links in your emails.

How it works

While Customer.io supports link tracking, you might want to add URL parameters to links to track clicks from specific campaigns, messages, or other factors.

You can manually add URL parameters to links in messages, but this can be tedious and error-prone. You probably have a repeatable set of parameters that you want to use for links in different messages.

That’s where our URL parameters feature comes in. It makes it easy to automatically append a templated set of URL parameters to links in your messages.

• email: When you enable URL parameters, we automatically append them to all links in your emails. You don’t need to use the cio_link liquidA syntax that supports variables, letting you personalize messages for your audience. For example, if you want to reference a person’s first name, you might use the variable {{customer.first_name}}. tag.
• SMS and WhatsApp: URL parameters aren’t automatically appended. You must use the cio_link tag to add parameters to links in these messages.
• Push and in-app: Your SDK integration handles link tracking. You can use cio_link if you want to add URL parameters to links in these messages.

{% cio_link url:"https://example.com" %}

Enable URL parameters

Go to Workspace Settings > URL Parameters to enable and set up URL parameters. When you enable URL parameters, they’re automatically appended to all links in your emails. For SMS and WhatsApp messages, you must use the cio_link liquid tag to add URL parameters to links.

Default parameters

Our default URL parameters are commonly used properties in analytics platforms like Google Analytics. The values help you tie clicks back to the messages and campaigns your audience interacts with.

Default URL parameters in action

For example, imagine you have a campaign and message with the following details.

• Campaign name: Retention Campaign 1 [Marketing] [Internal]
• Email name: Hello World Email

With our default URL parameters, you’d add a link like this: {% cio_link url:"https://example.com" %}.

And we automatically append the URL parameters in your rendered email, like this:

https://example.com/?utm_content=Hello+World+Email&utm_medium=email_action&utm_name=Retention+Campaign+1+%5BMarketing%5D+%5BInternal%5D&utm_source=customer.io

Using URL parameters in SMS and WhatsApp messages

URL parameters aren’t automatically appended to links in SMS and WhatsApp messages. To add URL parameters in these channels, you must wrap your links in the cio_link tag:

{% cio_link url:"https://example.com" %}

URL parameters can make links significantly longer. If you use URL parameters (or Customer.io’s link tracking feature) in these kinds of messages, make sure that you enable link shortening so that your links fit in your messages.

How do I check that my URL parameters work?

In an email, you can click Review Links to see your URL parameters in action.

Add URL parameters to a link

For emails, URL parameters are automatically appended to all links when the feature is enabled—you don’t need to do anything extra.

For SMS and WhatsApp messages, use the cio_link tag with the url parameter to add URL parameters to a link:

{% cio_link url:"https://example.com" %}

You can also use the cio_link tag in emails if you want explicit control over URL parameters on specific links—for example, to disable URL parameters on a particular link.

Add or remove URL parameters

In your URL parameter settings, click Edit Parameters to add, remove, or edit your URL parameters. Any changes you make apply to links using the cio_link tag immediately.

Disable URL parameters for a link

In emails, URL parameters are appended to all links automatically. To turn off URL parameters for a specific link, use the cio_link tag with url_params:false.

{% cio_link url:"https://example.com" url_params:false %}

If you use our drag-and-drop editor, you can add the disable-url-params class to any item that acts as a link—links, buttons, images, etc.

URL parameters and link tracking

Link tracking helps you understand which links your audience clicks and the percentage of your audience that clicks each link.

URL parameters can help you track performance and engagement outside of Customer.io—in platforms like Google Analytics, for example. They also give you more control over the data you track—down to the campaign and message level.

Liquid in URL parameters

Here’s a list of common liquid values you might use in your URL parameters.