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When to use this playbook

You’re an agency operator adding client number two, five, or fifteen. You need their UTM links isolated from other clients, their naming convention locked down before anyone starts building campaigns, and a clean handoff so the client can self-serve without breaking your attribution setup. This playbook covers one client onboarding end to end.

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What you’ll have when done

  • A dedicated workspace for the client (isolated links, analytics, team members)
  • A custom short domain on the client’s brand (optional but recommended)
  • A UTM naming convention locked in via Rules before the first link is created
  • The client invited with the right permission level
  • A template set for their top 5 channels, ready to use

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Step 1: Create the client workspace

1

Create a new workspace

Go to Workspaces in the sidebar → New Workspace. Name it after the client: Acme Corp not Client 3.One workspace per client. Never share a workspace across clients - links, analytics, domains, and rules are all workspace-scoped.
2

Set workspace defaults

Inside the new workspace, go to Settings → General:
  • Set the workspace name exactly as it will appear in reports
  • Set the default link expiry if the client uses campaign-specific links that should expire
Each workspace has its own UTM Rules, templates, custom domains, and team members. Switching workspaces in the sidebar is how you move between clients.
Branded short links (go.acmecorp.com/campaign-link) look more professional than a shared domain and keep click data attributed to the client’s brand.
1

Get the domain from the client

Ask the client to provide or create a subdomain they control: go.clientdomain.com, links.clientdomain.com, or l.clientdomain.com are common patterns. They need DNS access to add a CNAME record.
2

Add the domain in linkutm

Go to Sidebar → Domains → Add Domain. Enter the subdomain. linkutm will provide a CNAME target to give the client.
3

Client adds the CNAME record

The client logs into their DNS provider (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Route 53, etc.) and adds:
  • Type: CNAME
  • Name: go (or whatever subdomain prefix they chose)
  • Value: the CNAME target linkutm provided
DNS propagation takes 5 minutes to 48 hours depending on TTL.
4

Verify and set as default

Once propagated, the domain shows as Active in Sidebar → Domains. Set it as the default short domain for this workspace so all new links use it automatically.

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Step 3: Define and enforce the client’s UTM convention

This is the most important step. Do it before the client or any team member creates a single link.
1

Agree on the naming convention

Walk through the UTM naming convention with the client. Agree on:
  • Their approved utm_source values (which channels do they actually run?)
  • Their utm_medium values (match GA4 channel grouping rules)
  • Their utm_campaign pattern ({quarter}-{theme} is a sensible default)
  • Whether they need utm_content tracking (almost always yes for paid)
2

Configure UTM Rules for this workspace

Go to Sidebar → UTM Rules and turn on:
  • Force lowercase: prevents casing drift (Google vs google)
  • Space character: set to hyphen (-) to match the naming convention
  • Prohibited values: add test, draft, tbd, todo (blocks garbage values from polluting reports)
Anyone creating a link with a prohibited term gets rejected on save, not after the campaign has already run.
3

Create templates for their top 5 channels

Go to UTM Templates → Create Template for each channel the client actively uses. At minimum:
  • Google Ads template
  • Meta Ads template
  • Newsletter/email template
  • LinkedIn template (if relevant)
  • Any affiliate or partner channel they use
Leave utm_content blank in every template. That gets filled per link.See Create a template for the full walkthrough.

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Step 4: Invite the client

1

Decide the permission level

Billing and workspace deletion stay with the owner (the person who created the workspace - your agency account). Recommend giving the client’s MOPs lead Admin access on their own workspace. Don’t give Admin to every campaign manager.
2

Send the invite

Go to Settings → Team → Invite Member. Enter their email and select the role. They’ll receive an email to join the workspace.
3

Brief them on the convention

Share this doc with them: UTM naming convention. Tell them the Rules are already configured to enforce it. If they try to use an off-list source value, the save will fail with an error message explaining why.
Don’t leave the client to figure it out alone. Walk them through creating one real campaign link during onboarding.
1

Pick a live campaign

Use a real campaign they’re about to launch, not a test link. This ensures the convention is battle-tested before it matters.
2

Use the UTM builder with a template

Open Links → Create Link → UTM Builder. Select the appropriate channel template. Show them how the source and medium pre-fill and how to add the campaign name and content variant.
3

Show them the QR code and short link

If they run any offline or event marketing, show how to download the QR code from the link detail page. If they need the short link for a bio or print material, show how to copy it.
4

Confirm GA4 attribution

If they have GA4, have them click the link in a browser and check GA4 DebugView to confirm the UTM params are arriving correctly. See GA4 integration for the verification steps.

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Handoff checklist

Before you consider onboarding complete:
  • Workspace created and named correctly
  • Custom domain active (or documented as deferred with a reason)
  • UTM Rules configured and tested: try creating a link with a bad source value and confirm it rejects
  • Templates created for all active channels
  • Client team invited with correct roles
  • Client’s MOPs lead can log in and create a link independently
  • GA4 attribution verified on at least one live link
  • UTM naming convention page shared with the client team

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Common mistakes

All links, analytics, rules, and team members are shared inside a workspace. One workspace per client is the only safe structure for agencies. Cross-client data leakage is a support relationship risk.
Admins can change UTM Rules, delete templates, and modify the custom domain. Campaign managers don’t need this. Give them Member access. Reserve Admin for the client’s MOPs lead and your own agency account.
Links on a shared domain look unprofessional in client reports and create ambiguity when the client eventually wants to migrate. Set up the custom domain at onboarding, even if it takes an extra day for DNS propagation.