Mistake: one UTM template for every creator

Mistake: one UTM template for every creator

Failure mode: you reuse utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=influencer for all 40 creators. When two drive sales the same week, you cannot tell who earned the commission. Attribution becomes a guess and you overpay or underpay.

The fix is a naming SOP with one owner.

— Owner: whoever issues the link (ops, not the creator)
— Trigger: deal signed, before first post
— Rule: utm_source={platform}&utm_medium=creator&utm_campaign={dealID}&utm_content={creatorHandle}
— dealID is your CRM row id, never a human-typed name

Decision rule: if a creator runs two placements (Reel + Story), increment utm_term=r1/s1 so you can kill the weak one without losing the creator's total.

Definition of done:
— Every active link resolves to exactly one creator and one deal
— A pivot table on utm_content reconciles 100% of paid commissions
— No two creators share a utm_content value, ever

Build the link in a sheet with a formula, not by hand. Hand-typed UTMs are where the leakage lives.