HN Explorer

Ask HN: If you don't use UTM parameters when sharing your project, why?

1 points by ooker ↗ HN
I presume that if you have a project and you want to share with others, you define your success on how impact your websites are on the internet. Thus, you will want to have data on the traffic source. The way to get that is adding UTM parameters in your sharing links.

Looking at the show list, I see no-one does that. Perhaps it's not possible if you don't own the server (e.g. you share a GitHub repo), but if not then I don't understand why people don't do that. I understand that some simply don't know about UTM, but as most people in here are tech-oriented, I think that number should be small. There are perhaps some other reasons, like: - The effort of adding the parameters manually (even via link builders) outweighs the benefit - Their main sharing platforms have built-in traffic tracking methods. If they don't run a lots of channels they could just be using a more singular channel pixel or conversions API to provide measurement. If you only have one source of traffic then UTM parameters may be overkill

I still don't see how most people in here have these problems, but perhaps I'm wrong.

Note that if you have your own set of params or use a link shortener to hide them, then I still count as using UTM. I also have an elaborated question of this in [Webmaster Stack Exchange](https://webmasters.stackexchange.com/q/144604/52079).

6 comments

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MattGaiser
This particular crowd seems like they would first comment on the trackers and debates about the GDPR and tracking would derail discussing the project.

Any kind of user analytics is a sensitive topic here.

ooker
I understand that it's a sensitive topic, but given that here is a place for startups to introduce their projects, wouldn't it be also the place where you find more people prioritize gaining insight about users above that? So if that's indeed not the case then I'm surprised honestly
MattGaiser
Most HN people don’t seem like startup founders, so this is more a community of early adopters, just one that is allergic to certain practices.

You can’t convince large swaths of the hacker news community that insights are anything other than spying.

Consider Fig and their HN intro.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27277819

After a few top comments about other things, the next bunch are all about telemetry or even what their website asks for. If you see the main edit, it is also people complaining about telemetry. One highly upvoted comment is complaining that they required an email for signup.

You’re asking for a lot of hassle including a tracking parameter.

cayde
People do this tell me asshole vibes, similar in ones buy github stars off click farms/hacked accounts and spam their "project" on reddit, IH, [...]

Not everything has to be a hustle, not everything has to background data collection. People dont like it especially in tech oriented!!

there is difference in ,,growth hacker'' vs hacker for sake of learning and build thing you like))

You can show me what you make and I think its cool without having it be screaming billboard in my face try to suck up in all data as it can! ~ Not everything needs to be a transaction

nonrandomstring
Gaming Github, like your code/project is popularity contest, plays right into the hands of those who will exploit you. The whole ecosystem is starting to look very dangerous.

"GitHub is already more than a mere repository. It is a a social media site and a career development platform much like Linked-In which Microsoft already owns." [0]

[0] https://cybershow.uk/blog/posts/poison-code