Google Ads UTM parameters, and when GA4 ignores them
Tag Google Ads with utm_source=google, utm_medium=cpc and a campaign name, set once in the Final URL suffix. Know the catch first: with auto-tagging on and Google Ads linked to GA4, GA4 classifies the click from gclid and ignores your UTMs, and there's no override.
The interactive UTM builder loads with this page, pre-filled for Google Ads, and runs entirely in your browser.
google is on Google's search source list and cpc matches the paid medium pattern, which is GA4's Paid Search rule for manually tagged clicks.
Where to put it
Choose the level to tag: account, campaign, ad group, ad, asset group (Performance Max), sitelink, keyword or dynamic ad target.
Paste the parameter string into the Final URL suffix at that level.
Use a tracking template only if clicks must pass through a third-party tracker first, and start it with {lpurl}.
If Google Ads is linked to GA4, choose one: keep auto-tagging on, and GA4 reads gclid and ignores your UTMs; or turn auto-tagging off, and GA4 reads your UTMs but you lose auto-tagging features such as importing campaign and cost data into Analytics reports.
Macros filled in at click time
Macro
Resolves to
{campaignid}
Campaign ID
{adgroupid}
Ad group ID
{creative}
Ad (creative) ID
{keyword}
Matched keyword; blank on Display and Performance Max
{matchtype}
e (exact), p (phrase), b (broad), a (AI Max keywordless)
{device}
m (mobile), t (tablet), c (desktop or laptop)
{network}
g (Google Search), s (search partners), d (Display)
{placement}
Display placement site; Display campaigns only
{targetid}
Targeting criterion ID, e.g. kwd-12345
{loc_physical_ms}
Google geo criteria ID of the click, not a city name
{lpurl}
Your final URL; tracking templates only
On a Google Ads account linked to GA4 with auto-tagging on, GA4 classifies your ad clicks without looking at your UTMs. Google Ads appends gclid to the landing page URL on every ad click, and GA4 takes source and medium from that auto-tagged data rather than from the utm_ values beside it. GA4 has no setting to reverse that. While auto-tagging is on, gclid decides the channel; your UTMs only decide it if you turn auto-tagging off.
Which should win? If Google Ads and GA4 are your whole stack, let auto-tagging decide. GA4 then sorts clicks into Paid Search, Paid Video and the rest from the ad network type, without regex matching. Keep the UTMs in the Final URL suffix anyway. Anything outside GA4 that reads your landing page URLs, a CRM form or another analytics tool, sees utm_source=google and utm_medium=cpc in plain words, where gclid is an opaque token.
{lpurl} goes first or it gets escaped. In a tracking template, {lpurl} stands in for your final URL. At the very start of the template it stays as it is and is followed by a plain ?. Anywhere else it's escaped, and what follows it needs %3F instead of ?. Leave out a URL insertion parameter entirely and, in Google's words, your landing page URL will break. If all you want is UTMs, the Final URL suffix avoids the whole problem.
ValueTrack returns codes. Your report will show letters and numbers rather than words, so keep this key next to it:
{matchtype}: e, p, b or a (exact, phrase, broad, AI Max keywordless)
{device}: m, t or c (mobile, tablet, computer)
{network}: g, s or d (Google Search, search partners, Display)
{loc_physical_ms}: a Google geo criteria ID, not a city name
{keyword} comes back empty on Display and Performance Max, so a utm_term={keyword} column full of blanks there is expected, not broken. Google's own definition of utm_term is the paid keyword, which makes it the natural home for {keyword} on Search.
Questions
What are UTM parameters in Google Ads?
Tags such as utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale added to your landing page URL, usually through the Final URL suffix. With auto-tagging on and GA4 linked, GA4 always uses gclid instead and has no override, so UTMs mainly serve tools outside GA4, such as a CRM.
What are the 5 UTM parameters?
utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term and utm_content. GA4 also reads utm_id and utm_source_platform, and lists utm_creative_format and utm_marketing_tactic, which it doesn't currently report. On Google Ads, utm_term is the natural slot for {keyword}.
How many UTM parameters should I use?
At least three: Google says to always use utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign. If you set one, Google strongly recommends setting all the relevant ones, especially those three plus utm_id and utm_source_platform. Add utm_term and utm_content when you need keyword or ad-level detail.
Should UTMs go in the Final URL suffix or a tracking template?
The Final URL suffix, unless clicks must route through a third-party tracker first. A tracking template needs {lpurl} placed correctly, or Google says your landing page URL will break.