How to track and analyze lead source data in Leadformly reports

If you care about where your leads are coming from—and you should—then figuring out how to actually track and make sense of that source data is half the battle. This guide is for anyone using Leadformly who wants clear, actionable steps for tracking and analyzing lead source data, with zero jargon and no mystery.

Whether you run your own marketing or just want to know if your ad spend is doing anything, here’s how to get past the fluff and start seeing what’s working.

Why Lead Source Data Actually Matters

Before we jump in, a quick reality check: lead source data isn't magic. It won't instantly show you which campaign will make you rich. But if you can track and understand it, you’ll stop wasting money on black hole channels and double down where things work.

Think of it this way: without lead source data, you’re just guessing. With it, you’re still making bets—but at least they’re educated ones.

Step 1: Make Sure Your Forms Actually Capture Source Data

Let’s get the basics right. If your forms aren’t set up to capture source data, nothing else matters. Leadformly does give you some options—but you have to turn them on and make sure they’re set up right.

What “Lead Source” Really Means

When we say “lead source,” we’re talking about where a lead first found you. That could be Google Ads, organic search, Facebook, email, or even a specific campaign. Getting this wrong is a common pitfall.

How to Capture Lead Source in Leadformly

  • Hidden fields: Leadformly lets you add hidden fields to your forms. You can use these to auto-capture things like UTM parameters (e.g., utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign) or referrer URLs.
  • Auto-populate hidden fields: Use Leadformly’s built-in field mapping to automatically fill these hidden fields from the URL parameters when someone lands on your form.
  • Manual tagging: If you’re running offline campaigns or want to tag a specific form, set a default value for your hidden field (“Flyer,” “Trade Show,” etc.).

Pro tip:
If you’re not using UTM tags in your links, start now. They make it way easier to figure out where your leads come from—and they play nicely with Leadformly forms.

What to Avoid

  • Don’t just hope the “referrer” field will tell you everything. It can be blank or misleading, especially with social apps or privacy settings.
  • Don’t overcomplicate things. Start with the basics: source, medium, and campaign.

Step 2: Build a System for Passing Source Data Into Leadformly

Even if your forms are set up, you need to make sure the source data actually arrives with each submission.

Using UTM Parameters

  • Tag every marketing link (ads, email, social posts) with UTM parameters.
  • Make sure your Leadformly form is set up to recognize and store these parameters in hidden fields.
    • Example: If your form has a hidden field for utm_source, make sure the URL you share includes ?utm_source=facebook (or whatever channel).

Setting Up Hidden Fields in Leadformly

  1. Edit your form in Leadformly.
  2. Add a hidden field for each UTM parameter you want to capture (utm_source, utm_medium, etc.).
  3. Map each hidden field to grab the matching value from the URL parameters.
  4. Test it: Open your form with a tagged URL (?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc) and make sure the data shows up in your Leadformly submission dashboard.

Watch out for: - Redirects: If your traffic goes through a redirect (like a tracking tool or ad platform), sometimes UTM parameters get dropped. Test your links. - Multiple sources: If a user visits multiple pages before submitting, the UTM source might get lost. If this matters to you, consider using cookies or session storage, but don’t over-engineer unless you really need it.

Step 3: Actually Collect the Data (and Check for Holes)

Now, leads start coming in. But don’t just assume everything’s working.

  • Spot-check your submissions: Go to your Leadformly dashboard and click into a few leads. Are the source fields filled as expected?
  • Look for blanks or weird values: If you see a lot of “(not set)” or empty fields, retrace your steps. Did you miss adding UTM tags to some links? Did you forget to map a hidden field?
  • Don’t ignore anomalies: If you’re getting a lot of direct or “unknown” traffic, double-check your campaign URLs and make sure tracking isn’t being stripped out.

Pro tip:
Set a calendar reminder to check your lead source data once a week. Bad habits creep in, and it’s easy to lose track.

Step 4: Analyze Lead Source Data Inside Leadformly Reports

Alright, let’s get into the real reason you’re here: making sense of the data.

What You Can (and Can’t) Do in Leadformly

Can do: - Filter and sort leads by source in your Leadformly reports. - Export your lead data (CSV) for deeper analysis in Excel or Google Sheets. - See which sources bring in the most leads—at least at a high level.

Can’t do (directly): - Attribute leads across multiple sessions or devices. Leadformly isn’t a full analytics suite. - See revenue or “quality” per source without extra steps. - Visualize complex funnel data natively.

How to Slice the Data

  1. Open your Leadformly dashboard.
  2. Use the filters to view leads by utm_source, utm_medium, or whatever fields you set up.
  3. Sort to see which sources are bringing in the most leads.
  4. Export the data if you want to do more (pivot tables, charts, etc.) in another tool.

What’s worth your time: - Focus on the top 3–5 sources. Don’t spend hours parsing tiny channels unless you have a lot of leads. - Look for trends over time. Did one campaign suddenly spike? Did another drop off? - If you can, match lead quality (like conversion or sales) to source. This usually means exporting and cross-referencing with your CRM.

What to ignore: - “Vanity metrics” like total leads by source, if you don’t know if they closed or not. - Tiny fluctuations week-to-week. Patterns matter more than noise.

Step 5: Use the Data—Don’t Just Stare at It

There’s no use tracking all this if you don’t actually act on what you see.

  • Kill underperformers: If a channel isn’t bringing in leads (or good ones), pause it or shift budget elsewhere.
  • Double down on what works: If a source is consistently strong, see if you can scale it up—without assuming it’ll last forever.
  • Share findings: If you work with a team, make sure they see what’s working. Don’t hoard the data.

Reality check:
You’ll never have perfect data. There’s always noise, missing info, or weird outliers. Don’t let that stop you from making decisions.

Extra Tips (and Common Pitfalls)

  • Don’t obsess over every single source: Focus on what’s driving real results.
  • UTM naming conventions matter: Stay consistent. “Facebook” and “facebook.com” are not the same.
  • Automate exports if you can: If you need regular analysis, set up a workflow to pull Leadformly data into Google Sheets or your CRM.
  • Privacy and cookies: Some users block tracking; Apple and browsers are clamping down. Expect some gaps.

Keep It Simple, Review, Repeat

You don’t need a PhD in analytics to get value from lead source data. Set up your forms right, tag your links, and look at your reports regularly. If something’s broken, fix it. If a source is killing it, put more energy there.

Don’t chase perfection. Get the basics right, act on what you learn, and keep adjusting. That’s the real secret (and it’s not even a secret).