Short answer
Use a fixed order of short, lowercase parts joined by one separator: period, channel, objective, audience, region, offer and version, for example 2026q4_linkedin_abm_tier1-security_uk_audit-guide_v1. Hyphens go inside a part, the separator only between parts. Use the same parts in utm_campaign so platform exports, GA4 and the CRM join on one name.
The seven parts
| # | Part | Allowed values (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Period | 2026q4, 2026-11 |
| 2 | Channel | linkedin, chatgpt, google, microsoft, programmatic, ctv, email |
| 3 | Objective | awareness, consideration, demand, retargeting, abm |
| 4 | Audience | tier1-security, it-managers, visitors-30d |
| 5 | Region | us, uk, dach, emea |
| 6 | Offer or theme | audit-guide, pricing-questions, demo |
| 7 | Version | v1, v2 |
Examples by channel
- LinkedIn: 2026q4_linkedin_abm_tier1-security_uk_audit-guide_v1
- Programmatic: 2026q4_programmatic_awareness_tier3-accounts_us_category-video_v2
- Google: 2026q4_google_demand_it-managers_us_pricing-questions_v1
- ChatGPT ads: AnswerBid uses a shorter campaign value, country-device-stage, and carries the buyer question in utm_content. Our convention.
Generate names and the matching utm_campaign with the campaign naming generator.
Rules that keep it splittable
- Fixed order, every time. A missing part stays empty rather than shifting the rest.
- Lowercase only; hyphens inside a part; one separator between parts.
- Values from a shared list, kept next to the UTM taxonomy. UTM taxonomy.
- A legend sheet that explains every code, so "tier1-security" still means something next year.
Roll it out without breaking reports
- Start at a quarter boundary; don't rename live campaigns mid-flight.
- Map old names to the new parts once, in a lookup table.
- Check the first week of exports: split names into columns and confirm every part lands where expected.
Questions
Why does a campaign naming convention matter?
Spend lives in ad platforms and outcomes in GA4 and the CRM. Consistent names are the key that joins them without manual clean-up.
Underscore, hyphen or pipe?
Underscore between parts and hyphens inside them is the easiest to split in spreadsheets and safe in URLs.
Should ad groups follow the convention too?
Yes, with their own short pattern, such as audience_theme_version. For ChatGPT ads, name ad groups after the buyer question.
What if old campaigns don't follow it?
Leave them; start the convention at a quarter boundary and map old names once in a lookup sheet.
Facts checked against the sources below on 19 October 2026. Ad platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
