Use Embed Parameters to automatically add UTM (and other) parameters to Uberflip embeds

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Learn how you can use Embed Parameters to automatically add URL parameters (such as UTM parameters) to the URLs of embeds generated by your Uberflip Hub.

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Before you begin

• By default, members of the Account Administrators or Content Managers user groups can use Embed Parameters. The ability to access and use Embed Parameters is controlled by specific permissions, which you can optionally grant to other users or user groups as needed. See the reference table below for details.

 

About Embed Parameters

As a savvy digital marketer, you're probably already using UTM parameters to understand where direct traffic to your Uberflip Hub is coming from. UTM parameters (or, more generically, URL parameters) are the industry standard for tracking and attributing traffic from direct links, and are widely supported across marketing tools.

Ideally, you'd use URL parameters anytime you share a link to your Hub content. But when you're dealing with embed codes (rather than plain link URLs), this can be tricky to do — especially when it comes to links that you don't control, such as those that your Sales team is sharing through the Uberflip Extensions or Sales Assist.

This is where the Embed Parameters feature can help. With Embed Parameters, you can configure URL parameters (including both UTM and fully custom parameters) that will be automatically added to the link URL whenever embedded content is shared from your Hub.

How it works

Uberflip embeds are essentially links to your Hub content that are styled like Hub tiles, and which you can place ("embed") in various non-Hub settings like other websites, emails, etc. By default, these embeds do not include URL parameters, and it's difficult for users to add them manually. But with Embed Parameters, you can set up URL parameters and predefined values, and these will automatically be added to all embeds generated by:

• Embed Item Tile
• Sales Assist

For example, say you use Embed Parameters to set up the parameter utm_medium, and then predefine the value uf-embed for this parameter. As a result, embed links generated in that Hub will automatically include that UTM parameter and value, resulting in a URL that looks like this:

Since you know this UTM parameter indicates a link shared via an embed, you can now use it to attribute direct traffic to embeds whenever the parameter is present.

Custom URL parameters and dynamic values

While you can use UTM parameters with Embed Parameters, you're not limited to them: you can also freely define your own custom parameters. This means that, in addition to the five standard UTM parameters (medium, source, campaign, content, and term), you can also create any parameter of your choice for use cases beyond those that UTM parameters are designed for.

Embed Parameters also allows you to set dynamic values: instead of specifying a static value for a parameter, you can also choose to insert one or more variables from a preset list. When you use a variable, Embed Parameters will dynamically insert the corresponding value each time an embed is generated: for example, you could create a parameter like repname, then use the User First Name and User Last Name variables to dynamically insert the name of the specific Sales rep who created and shared the embed:

This makes it easy to attribute direct traffic to the specific individual who shared the link. For more information about the available variables, see Dynamic values.

 

Add new Embed Parameters

You can create as many Embed Parameters as you like. Embed Parameters are Hub-specific, so if you have multiple Hubs, you will need to set up Embed Parameters in each Hub separately.

1. Log in to Uberflip and select the Hub you want to work with.
2. In the sidebar menu, click on Hub Options, then click on Embed Parameters:
   
3. In the Embed Parameters interface on the right, click on the Add Parameter+ button:
   
4. The Add Embed Parameter window will open. Enter a name for your new parameter into the Parameter Name field:
   
   • This can be any of the standard UTM parameter names (e.g. utm_campaign, utm_source, etc.), but can also be a completely custom parameter of your choice (e.g. my_custom_parameter).
   • When creating a parameter name, keep in mind that it can not contain whitespace — if needed, you can indicate separate words with an underscore (_), hyphen (-) or camelCase.
   • Only enter the name of the parameter. You do not need to enter the ? that begins a query string, as this will be added automatically if this parameter is listed first.
   • This field is mandatory (you can't leave this field empty).
5. Next, enter the value that you want to assign to this parameter in the Parameter Value field:
   
   • This can be either a regular static value, or a variable for a dynamic value. See Reference: Parameter values for more information on setting values.
   • Only enter the value of the parameter. You do not need to enter the & that separates multiple parameters, as this will be added automatically if needed.
   • This field is mandatory (you can't leave this field empty).
6. Click on the Confirm button to save your new Embed Parameter.
7. The Add Embed Parameter window will close, and you'll be returned to the main Embed Parameters interface, where your new Embed Parameter will now be listed in the table:
   
8. Note that a newly created Embed Parameter will always be disabled by default. To enable your new Embed Parameter, click on its Status switch to change it to the on (green) position:
   
9. Once it is enabled, the Embed Parameter will be added automatically to all embeds generated by a supported tool, with immediate effect.
10. Simply repeat this process to create additional Embed Parameters as needed.

 

Manage, modify, and delete existing Embed Parameters

After creating Embed Parameters, you can enable or disable them, as well as edit or delete them, at any time.

1. To manage Embed Parameters, navigate to the Hub you want to work with and click on Hub Options > Embed Parameters in the sidebar.
2. The Embed Parameters interface will list all existing Embed Parameters in the current Hub, along with their current status.
3. To enable or disable an Embed Parameter, simply click on its Status switch to change it to the desired setting, i.e. on (green) or off (grey):
   • Changing this setting will take effect immediately, and the change will be saved automatically.
   • Turning an Embed Parameter off will stop it from being added to all supported Uberflip embeds, but will not remove it from the list.
4. To modify an Embed Parameter, click on its Edit (pencil) button on the right:
   
   • This will open the Edit Embed Parameter window, where you can change the Parameter Name and/or the Parameter Value for this Embed Parameter:
     
   • Click on Save to save your changes. Your changes will take effect immediately.
   • You can modify both enabled and disabled Embed Parameters at any time.
   • Changes to Embed Parameters are not retroactive, i.e. they will only apply to URLs of embeds that are generated after you make the change.
5. To delete an Embed Parameter, click on its Delete (trash) button on the right:
   
   
   • In the confirmation window, click on Confirm to delete the Embed Parameter.
   • You can delete both enabled and disabled Embed Parameters at any time (you do not need to disable an Embed Parameter before deleting it).
   • Deleting an Embed Parameter will take effect immediately.
   • Deleting an Embed Parameter is not retroactive, i.e. a deleted Embed Parameter that was added to previously generated embeds will not be removed from those embeds.

 

Reference: Parameter values

When you configure a URL parameter in Embed Parameters, you can choose to specify either a static value or a dynamic value. You can also use a combination of static and dynamic values if needed.

Static values

Static values are fixed: you specify the value you want, and the same exact value will always be set for that parameter whenever Embed Parameters adds it to an embed. For example, if you specify the Parameter Value for the parameter utm_medium as:

uf-embed

then whenever an embed is generated, the following parameter will always be added to any embeds:

?utm_medium=uf-embed

Usage guidelines

• Enter the exact value you want to use into the Parameter Value field.
• If a value consists of multiple words, you can specify them without separation, or you can separate them with any character, including whitespace. Non-ASCII characters (including whitespace) will be URL-encoded.

Dynamic values

Dynamic values are variable, and the actual value is only set when the embed is generated. The value that is set is determined by the type of variable that was specified. For example, specifying the Date variable will cause the current date to be inserted as the parameter value like this:

?date=2021-10-31 

Usage guidelines

• Specify the type of value to be set by entering a variable from the list of available variable types (see table).
• You can combine multiple variables if needed. You can specify them without separation, or separate them with any character, including whitespace. Non-ASCII characters (including whitespace, and the characters inserted in place of the variable when the embed is generated) will be URL-encoded.

Dynamic value variables

This table lists the types of variables you can set as the parameter value with Embed Parameters.

• To use a variable type, enter the variable shown under the Use variable column into the Parameter Value field.
• Make sure to include the opening and closing double curly brackets ({{ and }}).
• All variables are case-sensitive.

Variable type	Use variable	Sets value as	Example
User ID	{{userId}}	The User ID of the user who generated the embed.	?paramname=1234567
User First Name	{{userFirstName}}	The first name of the user who generated the embed.	?paramname=Jane
User Last Name	{{userLastName}}	The last name of the user who generated the embed.	?paramname=Smith
Date	{{date}}	The current date, in the format YYYY-MM-DD.	?paramname=2021-10-31
Content ID	{{contentId}}	The Hub ID, Stream ID, or Item ID of the content embedded, depending on the content type.	?paramname=7654321
Content Type	{{contentType}}	The type of content embedded, one of: Hub, Stream, or Item.	?paramname=Stream

 

Combined value types

You can also use a combination of static and dynamic values. In this case, the parameter value will be set as the specified static value(s), plus the inserted dynamic value(s), in the same order as configured. For example, if you entered:

 uf-embed-{{date}}-{{contentType}} 

into the Parameter Value field, this would result in a parameter like:

?exampleparameter=uf-embed-2021-10-31-Stream

Usage guidelines

• Enter both the desired static value(s) and variable(s) into the Parameter Value field. You can enter them in any order. The same general rules apply as when using static values and dynamic values on their own.
• You can specify the combined values without separation, or separate them with any character, including whitespace. Non-ASCII characters (including whitespace, and characters inserted in place of the variable when the embed is generated) will be URL-encoded.

 

Reference: Embed Parameters permissions

Access to the Embed Parameters feature is controlled with a set of feature-specific permissions.

• All permissions related to Embed Parameters are located in the permissions list under the section Hub > Embed Parameters.
• All members of the Account Administrators and Content Managers user groups are granted all available Embed Parameters permissions by default. 

If needed, you can also give any other user group (or individual users) access to all or part of the Embed Parameters feature by granting the appropriate permissions. The available permissions are outlined in the table below:

Permission name	Allows the user to...
View Embed Parameters	See the Embed Parameters item in the Uberflip sidebar menu and view the feature interface
Create Embed Parameters	Add and configure new URL parameters using the Embed Parameters feature
List Export Embed Parameters	View the list of URL parameters and their current status
Update Embed Parameters	Enable or disable URL parameters and change parameter names and values
Delete Embed Parameters	Remove previously added URL parameters from the list