The Sources help you understand where your visitors are coming from and how each origin contributes to key performance metrics such as Clicks, Leads, Sales, Revenue, Conversion Rate, Spend, and ROI.
Examples of common Sources:
googlemetatiktoknewsletteraffiliatelinkedin
How GrowthOptix Determines the Sources.
GrowthOptix follows a clear priority order:
1) UTM Parameters (Primary Method)
If a URL contains a utm_source value, GrowthOptix assigns that value as the Source.
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring-sale → Source = google
2) Ad Platform Metadata (Fallback)
If UTMs are missing or overwritten, GrowthOptix can attempt to infer the Source using data from connected platforms such as Meta Ads or Google Ads.
Examples:
Traffic from Google Ads may still be labeled as google.
Traffic from Meta Ads may be labeled as meta.
3) Default or Unknown Source
If no origin data is available, the Source may appear as:
(not set)
unknown
direct
This typically happens when the visitor arrives without UTMs (organic/direct traffic).
Why Sources Matters.
Understanding Sources allows you to:
Identify which channels drive the most traffic.
Compare engagement between different traffic origins.
Analyze which sources produce higher-quality visitors.
Evaluate channel performance based on Leads, Sales, and ROI.
Optimize marketing strategy by reallocating budget to top-performing sources.
Source-level segmentation is critical for understanding the top of your acquisition funnel.
Example
If your website receives the following tracked events:
2,500 clicks from URLs tagged with
utm_source=google1,900 clicks tagged with
utm_source=meta300 visits with missing UTMs → labelled as (not set)
Then the Sources table will display these entries:
Source | Clicks | Leads | Sales | Revenue | CTR | Spend | ROI |
2500 | 320 | 55 | $4,900 | 15% | $X | X% | |
meta | 1900 | 200 | 32 | $2,100 | 11% | $X | X% |
(not set) | 300 | 10 | 2 | $80 | 4% | $0 | — |
Best Practices
To ensure accurate Source attribution:
Always include
utm_sourcein your tracking URLs.Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., avoid “fb”, “facebook”, and “meta” as separate sources).
Double-check your links in ads, emails, and social posts.
Ensure ad accounts are properly connected so fallback metadata is available.
Test key landing pages to confirm that UTMs are not being stripped or overwritten.
Limitations
Missing or inconsistent UTMs may result in “(not set)” Sources.
Some platforms or browsers may break or hide URL parameters.
If integrations are disconnected, fallback metadata may not be available.
Changing Source naming conventions mid-campaign may fragment data.
Where to Find "Source".
You can find Source as the first column in the Data Table View table within the Marketing Attribution dashboard.
Also, you can find sources in the Campaigns dropdown.
Need Help?
If you have any questions about dashboards or features, please feel free to reach out to us anytime through the GrowthOptix in-app chat. Our team will be happy to help.