QR Codes + UTM: How to Track Offline Campaigns in GA4

The Problem: Offline Is Invisible

You printed 5,000 flyers, put QR codes on business cards, and placed signs in your store. But Google Analytics shows all that traffic as "Direct" - because scanned QR codes don't carry any tracking data by default. UTM parameters fix this.

The Solution: UTM-Tagged QR Codes

Instead of encoding a plain URL in your QR code, encode a UTM-tagged URL. When the user scans the code and visits your site, GA4 captures the UTM parameters and attributes the visit to the correct offline campaign.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Build your UTM link: Open the UTM Builder and create a tagged URL. Recommended parameters for offline:
   • utm_source=qr
   • utm_medium=offline
   • utm_campaign= + the specific campaign (e.g., 2026-07-store-flyer)
2. Generate the QR code: Copy the UTM-tagged URL and paste it into the QR Code Generator.
3. Customize and download: Add your brand colors and logo, then download as PNG (free) or SVG/PDF (Pro).
4. Print and deploy: Use the QR code on your flyers, business cards, posters, packaging, or signage.
5. Monitor in GA4: Go to Traffic acquisition and filter by source=qr or medium=offline to see all QR-driven traffic.

Naming Conventions for Offline Campaigns

Material	utm_source	utm_medium	utm_campaign
Store flyer	qr	offline	2026-07-store-flyer
Business card	qr	offline	business-card
Product packaging	qr	offline	product-packaging-v2
Event banner	qr	offline	2026-q3-conference
Direct mail	qr	direct-mail	2026-07-postcard

See the full UTM Naming Conventions guide for all channel pairs.

Pro Tips

• Use dynamic QR codes if the destination URL might change. You can update the target without reprinting.
• Unique campaigns per material: Give each print piece its own utm_campaign value so you can compare performance (e.g., which flyer design drove more traffic).
• Use utm_content for A/B tests: Printing two versions of a flyer? Use utm_content=version-a and utm_content=version-b.
• Short URLs look better: Use the URL Shortener to create a clean redirect before encoding in the QR code. The shorter URL also produces a simpler, easier-to-scan QR code.

Tools You Need

• UTM Builder - create the tracking URL
• QR Code Generator - encode it as a QR code
• URL Shortener - optional, for cleaner URLs