--- title: "How to Track Clicks on Links Shared With Customers" url: https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/how-to-track-clicks-on-links-shared-with-customers description: "Track clicks on links shared with customers: a short link per touchpoint, UTM tags for web analytics, bot filtering, and no personal data in the URL." lang: en --- Link Tracking (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/category/link-tracking) # How to track clicks on links shared with customers Track clicks on links shared with customers: a short link per touchpoint, UTM tags for web analytics, bot filtering, and no personal data in the URL. LinkPilot Team (https://uselinkpilot.com/author/linkpilot-team) · The people who build and run LinkPilot at TetraCore, LLC October 26, 2026 · About LinkPilot (https://uselinkpilot.com/about) A link in a renewal email, a help article, a proposal or a printed insert is often the only measurable thing in the whole customer communication. If nobody tracks the click, the team is left arguing about whether customers read the email at all. To track clicks on links shared with customers you need three things: a link that records the click before the customer reaches the destination, labels that tell your web analytics where the visit came from, and enough hygiene that the numbers mean something and no personal data (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#pii) leaks into a URL. This guide sets up all three. ## Pick the method by the question you are asking | You want to know | Use | Where the number lives | | --- | --- | --- | | How many customers clicked this link | A tracked short link | The link's analytics | | Which campaign or channel brought the visit | UTM parameters on the destination | Your web analytics | | Whether a specific customer clicked | A unique link per customer, or your CRM's own tracking | Your CRM, with privacy rules applied | | Whether a printed piece worked | A short link or QR code used only there | The link's analytics | Most teams use the first two together: a short link (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#short-link) in front of a UTM-tagged destination. The short link gives a clean count and works anywhere, including print and chat. The UTM tags let the same visit be grouped with the rest of the campaign in your analytics. ## Step 1: build the destination URL with UTM tags Decide the three labels before anyone makes a link, and write them down where the team can see them. - **utm_source**: where the link appears. `newsletter`, `portal`, `support`, `proposal`, `print`. - **utm_medium**: the type of channel. `email`, `web`, `document`, `qr`. - **utm_campaign**: the thing being promoted. `q4-renewal`, `feature-launch-nov`. Keep them lowercase, hyphenated and consistent. `Newsletter` and `newsletter` are two sources to most analytics tools. The UTM builder (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder) produces the URL without typos, and the UTM playbook (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/utm-parameters-complete-playbook) covers the conventions in depth. ## Step 2: put a tracked short link in front of it Shorten the tagged URL with the URL shortener (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener) or from a LinkPilot account. The short link records each click and then redirects, so the destination page needs no changes and the count is independent of whatever analytics the destination runs. For each click LinkPilot stores the time, the referrer (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#referrer), the device type, the browser, the country, a bot flag and a salted hash in place of the IP address (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#ip-address), so unique clicks (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#unique-clicks) can be counted without storing who clicked. The modern link tracking guide (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/modern-link-tracking) lists exactly what is and is not recorded. Make one short link per touchpoint you will compare: the email body, the portal banner, the help article, the printed insert. Give each a readable slug (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#slug) on your branded domain (https://uselinkpilot.com/glossary#branded-domain) so the link is recognisable in the customer's inbox and in your report: ``` go.yourbrand.com/renew-email go.yourbrand.com/renew-portal go.yourbrand.com/renew-print ``` Test every link before sending: open it on a phone, confirm the redirect lands on the right page with the UTM tags intact, and check the click appears in the analytics. ## Step 3: cover each customer touchpoint **Email campaigns.** One short link per call to action. If the email has a button and a text link to the same page, two links tell you which one people use. **One-to-one messages.** A short link in a support reply or an account manager's email is still trackable. Use a per-conversation link only if you will act on it, and treat the click record as personal data if the link identifies the customer. **Customer portals and help content.** Links here are revisited for months. Use campaign names that still make sense next year, such as `help-billing-faq`, not `nov-push`. **Proposals and documents.** A link in a PDF is a link. A short URL is also typeable from a printed page. **Print and packaging.** Pair a short link with a QR code (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator) that points at the same tracked URL. The QR design guide (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/qr-codes-that-convert) covers size and placement. **Forwarding.** Customers forward emails and paste links into chat. A click from a referrer you did not send to is a forwarded link, not an error, and it is one of the more useful signals in the data. ## Step 4: read the numbers properly Raw click totals mislead. Four adjustments make them useful. - **Exclude bots.** Email security tools open links before the customer does. LinkPilot flags known bots on each click; filter them out before comparing anything. - **Use unique clicks** for reach and total clicks for engagement. One customer clicking four times is interest, not four customers. - **Compare like with like.** Same time window, same audience size, same position in the message. A link in the first line always beats one in the footer. - **Connect to the outcome.** A click is the start. Match the campaign in your web analytics or CRM to sign-ups, renewals or tickets closed, so the report ends with what happened as well as who clicked. The multi-touch attribution guide (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/practical-multi-touch-attribution) shows how. For stakeholders who should see the results without a dashboard login, LinkPilot can publish a link's analytics as a public page you share by URL. Client-facing teams use it to show a customer what their own campaign did. ## Step 5: keep personal data out of the URL URLs end up in browser history, server logs, screenshots and forwarded messages. Never put a customer's email, name or account number in a link, including in UTM parameters. If you need per-customer attribution, use an opaque identifier that only your CRM can resolve, limit who can see identifiable click data, and set a retention period for the records. Why URLs leak sensitive information (https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/why-urls-leak-sensitive-information) explains the failure modes. Check the consent rules for your audience and channel before adding tracking to a message that has not had it before, and say in your privacy notice that links in communications are tracked. ## The routine that keeps working Write the UTM convention down. Make one short link per touchpoint on a branded domain. Test on a phone before sending. Review with bots excluded and unique clicks first. Match clicks to outcomes once a month. A team that does those five things knows which customer communications work, and can prove it. ## Related reading - The modern guide to link tracking: https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/modern-link-tracking - UTM parameters: the complete playbook: https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/utm-parameters-complete-playbook - How to shorten a URL (free, with a custom slug or your own domain): https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/how-to-shorten-a-url - Beyond last-click: practical multi-touch attribution: https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/practical-multi-touch-attribution ## Tools for this article Link Click Checker See clicks, referrers and locations for a short link. https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/link-analytics UTM Builder Build campaign-tagged URLs in seconds. https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder Also for: LinkedIn campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/linkedin) · Facebook & Meta campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/facebook) · email campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/email) · Instagram campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/instagram) · TikTok campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/tiktok) · YouTube descriptions and ads (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/youtube) · Google Ads campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/google-ads) · X / Twitter campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/twitter) · Reddit posts and ads (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/reddit) · Pins and Promoted Pins (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/utm-builder/pinterest) QR Code Generator Turn any URL into a scannable QR code. https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator Also for: guest networks (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/wifi) · restaurants and cafés (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/menu) · networking and events (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/business-card) · tickets, signage, and check-in (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/event) · sharing contact info (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/vcard) · driving follows from offline (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/instagram) · starting WhatsApp conversations (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/whatsapp) · linking to documents (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/pdf) · artists, podcasters, and playlists (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/spotify) · creators and educators (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/youtube) · lead capture and support (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/sms) · lead capture and outreach (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/qr-code-generator/email) Free URL Shortener Turn a long URL into a short one with the slug you choose. https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener Also for: your TikTok bio (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener/tiktok-bio) · your Instagram bio (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener/instagram-bio) · LinkedIn posts and articles (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener/linkedin-post) · X and Twitter campaigns (https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/url-shortener/twitter) Smart Link Suggestions AI suggestions for naming, UTM hygiene, and branded domains. https://uselinkpilot.com/tools/smart-link-suggestions ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the simplest way to track clicks on a link I send to customers? ### Do UTM parameters count clicks? ### Can I tell which customer clicked? ### Why are click totals higher than the number of customers? ### Should I use a different link for each channel? ### How long should I keep click data? ## Run smarter links with LinkPilot Tracking, UTMs, QR codes, AI insights, and white-label reporting — in one workspace. Free to start. Create your free account (https://uselinkpilot.com/signup) ## Read next Link Tracking ### How to Track Clicks on Branded Short URLs (and Read the Engagement Report) What a branded short URL records on each click, how to set tracking up on your domain, which engagement metrics matter, and why they differ from web analytics. https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/how-to-track-clicks-on-branded-short-urls Link Tracking ### How to Manage Branded URLs Across Multiple Client Accounts An agency setup for branded URLs across clients: one workspace and domain per client, roles that keep agency and client apart, and an offboarding checklist. https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/how-to-manage-branded-urls-across-multiple-client-accounts Link Tracking ### How to Manage and Organize Campaign Links in One Dashboard A structure for campaign links that lasts: naming rules, tags and collections, owners, editable destinations, and a view that replaces the spreadsheet. https://uselinkpilot.com/blog/how-to-manage-and-organize-campaign-links-in-one-dashboard ## 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Every click on the short URL is recorded with time, referrer, device and country before the redirect, so the destination needs no changes. Add UTM tags to the destination when you also want the visit to show up in your web analytics." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do UTM parameters count clicks?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. UTM tags label a visit so your web analytics can group it by source, medium and campaign. The counting is done by the analytics tool on the destination, or by the short link in front of it." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I tell which customer clicked?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not from a shared link. A click record shows time, referrer, device type and country, not a person. If you need per-customer attribution, send each customer their own short link, and treat that as personal data under your privacy rules." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why are click totals higher than the number of customers?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "People click more than once, email security scanners open links before the customer does, and messages get forwarded. Look at unique clicks with bots excluded, not the raw total." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Should I use a different link for each channel?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, when you will act on the difference. One link for the email, one for the portal banner, one for the printed insert tells you where customers actually came from. Dozens of variants nobody reviews just add noise." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long should I keep click data?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "As long as the reporting or operational purpose needs and no longer. Set a retention period, write it down, and do not store anything in the URL that would make a click record identify a person." } } ] } ] ```