Conventions come alive in context. Below are four draft taxonomies — the kind of thing you would pin in a team wiki — each built from the same principles: lowercase, one delimiter, GA4-friendly mediums, short lists.
1. SaaS product launch
Channels: paid search, paid social, email, partner content, podcast.
utm_medium=cpc— Google Ads branded and non-branded search.utm_medium=paid-social— LinkedIn and Meta launch ads.utm_medium=email— launch sequence to the existing list.utm_medium=referral— partner blog posts and launch directories.utm_medium=podcast— founder interview tour and sponsorships.
2. E-commerce seasonal sale
Channels: paid search, paid social, email, SMS, affiliates, QR in-store.
utm_medium=cpc— shopping and search ads.utm_medium=paid-social— Meta and TikTok sale creatives.utm_medium=email— sale announcements and cart reminders.utm_medium=sms— flash-sale texts to opted-in buyers.utm_medium=affiliate— coupon and deal-site partners.utm_medium=qr— in-store signage driving to the sale page.
3. Agency client reporting
One taxonomy, many clients: medium stays standard while source and campaign carry the client name. The agency reports channel performance per client without rebuilding conventions each time — utm_source=clientname-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=clientname-q3 rolls up cleanly.
4. Newsletter growth
Channels: organic social, referral, podcast, QR at events.
utm_medium=social— daily posts across platforms.utm_medium=referral— guest issues and cross-promotions.utm_medium=podcast— host-read mentions.utm_medium=qr— conference slides and badges.
Notice what is absent: no Email vs email, no paid_social beside paid-social, no forty-value sprawl. Draft yours with the free utm_medium generator, then defend the list like an editor defends a style guide.