Can Ad Blockers Strip UTM Parameters and What You Need to Know

Some ad blockers can strip UTM parameters, which are essential for tracking the effectiveness of online campaigns.

UTM parameters are a key part of digital marketing, allowing businesses to measure the success of their online ads and make data-driven decisions.

Not all ad blockers are created equal, and some are designed to block UTM parameters specifically.

This can be a major issue for businesses that rely on accurate tracking data to optimize their campaigns.

Tracking is a crucial aspect of online marketing, and it's used to analyze and understand how users interact with websites. UTM parameters are tags added to URLs that help track the source of website traffic.

Marketers use UTM parameters to identify the source of traffic, like Google or Facebook, and to specify the medium, like email or CPC. These parameters are essential for analyzing campaigns effectively.

UTM parameters can be added to URLs using a format like https://example.org/?utm_source=news_page&utm_campaign=promo&utm_medium=link. This allows businesses to see which ads perform best and refine their marketing strategies.

Here are the common UTM parameters used for tracking:

Tracking parameters can also include identifying information that was known only to the website, not to the third-party trackers. This information might be exposed to third-party trackers, not to mention the owners of the website.

Ad blockers are designed to block ads and other intrusive elements from webpages, not to interfere with tracking mechanisms used by marketers. Ad blockers typically identify and block elements on a webpage based on predefined rules or lists of known advertising scripts and elements.

UTM parameters are tags added to the end of a URL that allow marketers to track the performance of their online campaigns. These parameters are standardized and widely used in the digital marketing industry, making it unlikely that ad blockers would target them specifically.

Ad blockers are less likely to remove UTM parameters from Google Ads URLs because they are not part of the main content being blocked. UTM parameters are added to the end of a URL as query parameters, separate from the actual content of the webpage.

Here are some common UTM parameters and their descriptions:

In conclusion, while it is technically possible for ad blockers to remove UTM parameters, the likelihood of this happening on a large scale is minimal.

Using UTM parameters is a clever way for marketers to track the effectiveness of their campaigns. They add these tags to URLs to identify the source of website traffic.

UTM parameters help businesses see which ads perform best, allowing them to refine their marketing strategies.

Here are the three main UTM parameters marketers use:

This data is crucial for marketers to see which campaigns are working and which ones need improvement.

Link Tracking Protection is a feature that will remove click IDs from URLs, preventing marketers from tracking user activity after a click. This is because click IDs allow big search engines and social media sites to build a profile of a user's online behavior.

UTM parameters, used by marketers to analyze campaign effectiveness, will be affected by this change. UTM parameters like utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign help identify the source of website traffic, specify the medium, and name the specific campaign being tracked.

The new feature, part of iOS 17 and Mac OSX Sonoma, will essentially remove these parameters from URLs before a person lands on a website. This will prevent the snippet of code on the site from identifying which visitors have come from ads.

Here's a breakdown of the UTM parameters that will be affected:

This change will impact how marketers track user activity, and may require them to find alternative methods to analyze their campaigns.

Ad blockers have become increasingly popular, and one common concern among advertisers and marketers is whether they can remove UTM parameters from Google Ads URLs. Ad blockers are designed to block ads, but their impact on UTM parameters is less clear.

Some ad blockers may target URLs containing tracking parameters, which could lead to stripping UTM parameters from links. This is because most modern ad blockers use complex algorithms to detect tracking links.

However, UTM parameters are not typically targeted by ad blockers because they are not considered harmful or intrusive to the user experience. Ad blockers are less likely to remove UTM parameters from Google Ads URLs because they are added to the end of a URL as query parameters, separate from the actual content of the webpage.

In fact, several studies show that ad blockers can impact tracking, but it's not a widespread issue. Marketers report decreased tracking accuracy, with some campaigns showing less traffic than expected.

Here are some real-world scenarios where ad blockers may affect UTM parameters:

To mitigate this issue, consider using shorter URLs without UTM parameters, implementing first-party tracking solutions, or educating users on the importance of UTM links.

UTM parameters are tags added to URLs to track the source of website traffic, and they're used by marketers to analyze campaigns effectively.

UTM parameters include utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign, which identify the source of traffic, specify the medium, and name the specific campaign being tracked.

These parameters are added to the end of a URL as query parameters, separate from the actual content of the webpage, making it unlikely for ad blockers to remove them.

Ad blockers typically identify and block elements on a webpage based on predefined rules or lists of known advertising scripts and elements, but UTM parameters are not typically targeted because they're not considered harmful or intrusive.

UTM parameters are standardized and widely used in the digital marketing industry, making it unlikely that ad blockers would target them specifically.

Here are the common UTM parameters used for tracking:

By using UTM parameters, businesses can see which ads perform best, and this data helps refine marketing strategies.

Ad blockers can disrupt the tracking of UTM parameters, making it challenging for marketers to understand their campaign performance. Ad blockers typically block ads and other intrusive elements from webpages, but they may not specifically target UTM parameters.

UTM parameters are added to the end of a URL as query parameters, separate from the actual content of the webpage, which makes it less likely for ad blockers to remove them. In fact, ad blockers are designed to block ads, not to interfere with the tracking mechanisms used by marketers.

The impact of ad blockers on UTM parameters can lead to reduced visibility into campaign performance, making it difficult for marketers to track conversions accurately and assess ROI. This can result in misallocated marketing budget, poor campaign optimization, and an increased reliance on assumptions.

Here's a breakdown of the potential effects of ad blockers on tracking:

Marketers can still use UTM tracking to track campaign results using a last-click attribution model. However, it's essential to combine UTM data with other methods to get a more accurate picture of campaign performance.

Ad blockers are designed to block ads, not interfere with tracking mechanisms. Ad blockers typically identify and block elements on a webpage based on predefined rules or lists of known advertising scripts and elements.

UTM parameters are added to the end of a URL as query parameters, separate from the actual content of the webpage. This makes it less likely for ad blockers to remove UTM parameters.

Apple's Link Tracking Protection was announced, but they were vague about which URL parameters would be removed. They didn't provide clear information, leaving marketers in the dark.

Fortunately, a report from Attributer.io outlines which URL parameters get stripped and which ones don't. The click IDs added by search engines and social media websites get removed, but UTM parameters remain intact.