By default, Google Ads uses a feature called 'Auto-tagging' which appends a specific GCLID (Google Click Identifier) parameter to your URLs. This is the optimal setup for connecting Google Ads to Google Analytics natively. However, many marketers still need a UTM Builder for Google Ads because they rely on third-party CRMs (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or custom databases) that cannot decipher the encrypted GCLID data. These external systems require explicit, human-readable UTM parameters.

You can safely use manual UTM tracking alongside auto-tagging in Google Ads by implementing a custom tracking template. Using our tool, you can build a clean baseline URL structure (e.g., `utm_source=google`, `utm_medium=cpc`) and then insert Google's ValueTrack parameters (like `{campaignid}` or `{keyword}`) into the other UTM fields to pass rich data directly to your backend systems.

Instead of hardcoding UTMs into every single ad's final destination URL, best practices dictate building your UTM structure at the Account or Campaign level using the 'Tracking Template' feature. Our UTM generator helps you visualize and construct the perfect parameter string. Once built, copy only the parameter string and prefix it with the `{lpurl}?` tag when pasting it into Google Ads. This ensures seamless navigation and tracking.