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Understanding the “(not set)” Value in SealMetrics Reports

The value “(not set)” appears in SealMetrics whenever a UTM parameter expected for attribution is missing from the URL. This happens when one or more UTM parameters are present, but another required one is not.

SealMetrics does not infer or guess missing UTMs — if a parameter doesn’t exist in the URL, its value is recorded as (not set).

Why “(not set)” Appears​

When SealMetrics processes UTM parameters, it reads exactly what is present.
If the URL contains some UTMs but not all, the missing ones become (not set).

Example URL​

domain.com?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=no-cookies&utm_term=kw1

Parameters found:

  • utm_source = google
  • utm_campaign = sincookies
  • utm_term = kw1

Parameter missing:

  • utm_medium = (not set)

Because utm_medium does not exist in the URL, SealMetrics assigns (not set).

Common Scenarios Where “(not set)” Appears​

1. Missing UTM Medium​

If utm_source exists, but utm_medium is missing:

utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=winter_sale

Result:

  • Source: facebook
  • Medium: (not set)

2. Missing UTM Source​

If utm_medium exists but utm_source is missing:

utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=promo

Result:

  • Medium: cpc
  • Source: (not set)

3. Incorrectly Formatted URLs​

Examples of issues that cause missing values:

  • Incorrect separators (;& instead of &)
  • Using uppercase UTMs (UTM_Source…)
  • Missing utm_ prefix (source=google)
  • Double ? in the URL
  • Spaces or unencoded characters

If a parameter is malformed, SealMetrics treats it as not included, resulting in (not set).

Why SealMetrics Never "Fills in the Blanks"​

Unlike some analytics tools:

❌ No guessing missing UTMs
❌ No automatic inference
❌ No cross-hit reconstruction

SealMetrics maintains:

✔ Privacy-first measurement
✔ Strict attribution rules
✔ Complete transparency

If a UTM is missing → its value is (not set).
This ensures your data is always accurate and compliant.

How to Avoid “(not set)” Values​

1. Always Use Full UTM Sets​

Minimum recommended:

utm_source=
utm_medium=
utm_campaign=

2. Use UTM Templates or Builders​

This reduces human errors and helps ensure consistency.

3. Keep Naming Conventions Consistent​

  • Use lowercase
  • Replace spaces with _ or -
  • Keep naming short but descriptive
  • Document your team’s UTM rules

4. Check Final URLs After Redirects​

Some redirect chains strip UTMs → leading to missing values.

Summary​

“(not set)” in SealMetrics means a required UTM parameter is missing from the URL.
Because SealMetrics follows a privacy-first, no-assumptions approach:

  • It only uses explicitly provided data
  • It never reconstructs or guesses missing parameters
  • It ensures full transparency and compliance

If you see many “(not set)” values, review your UTM structure and ensure campaign URLs contain all parameters needed for accurate attribution.