How to Track Affiliate Links with Bitly + UTMs

Set up simple, reliable tracking for outbound affiliate clicks using Bitly and standard UTM parameters.

1) Create Bitly links per placement

Make a unique Bitly link for each page and placement (hero, mid, footer).
Keep a sheet with columns: Page, Placement, Bitly Link, Clicks, Notes.

2) Standardize UTMs

Use utm_source=site, utm_medium=site, utm_campaign={page}. Optionally add utm_content for button vs text link.

3) Track events in GA4

Implement an event like click_affiliate via Google Tag Manager matching outbound patterns (e.g., ref/aff/bit.ly).
Compare traffic → outbound clicks → conversions from affiliate dashboards.

Starter resources