How Gemini’s new UTM parameters can sharpen your Google Ads attribution
Gemini’s recent UTM rollout means AI‑referrals stop disappearing into “direct” traffic. Here’s how to capture that data and fine‑tune ad budgets.
Search Engine Journal reported that Google quietly added UTM parameters to outgoing links from Gemini.
Why the new UTM matters for your ad measurement
Previously, traffic that originated from Gemini often landed in GA4 as “direct” because no referrer or UTM was attached. That forced marketers to guess how much of their overall volume was AI‑driven. With the UTM in place, the traffic shows up with a distinct medium, making it possible to:
- Identify the share of sessions that come from Gemini versus paid search
- Compare conversion rates of AI‑referrals against your Google Ads campaigns
- Allocate budget based on real contribution rather than speculation
Having a dedicated channel also helps you spot trends over time—if Gemini referrals rise after a product launch or a content push, you can attribute that lift to the AI source rather than assuming it came from organic search.
How to capture Gemini UTM data in your stack
The implementation is not documented by Google, but the source notes that the UTM survives the in‑app webview and appears in raw server logs. To make use of it:
- Ensure your analytics (GA4 or other) is set to capture all UTM parameters on landing pages
- Check server‑side logs for the same parameters if you rely on log‑based reporting
If you use a tag manager, verify that the UTM variables are not being stripped by any filters or redirects. A quick test—click a Gemini‑generated link to a test page and inspect the URL in the browser address bar—will confirm the parameters are intact.
Integrating Gemini data with Google Ads performance
Once Gemini traffic is visible, you can layer it onto your Google Ads reports. This helps you answer questions like:
- Are users arriving from Gemini more likely to convert after clicking an ad?
- Do Gemini referrals cannibalise clicks on paid search, or do they complement them?
- Which keywords or ad groups see the highest overlap with Gemini‑driven sessions?
You can create a custom report in GA4 that joins the Gemini channel with your Ads click data.
Best practices for reporting and optimisation
Treat the Gemini channel as a first‑class traffic source. Include it in your regular performance dashboards so stakeholders see its contribution alongside organic, direct, and paid channels.
- Set a baseline: capture a week of Gemini data before making any budget changes.
- Monitor key metrics—bounce rate, session duration, and conversion rate—against your paid search benchmarks.
Remember that the UTM appears only when Gemini presents a link that directly references a website. Content that is answered from parametric knowledge may not generate the tag, so your data will represent a subset of all Gemini‑driven visits.
What to do now
Our recommendation for businesses using Google Ads Management:
- Audit your GA4 configuration to confirm UTM capture on all landing pages
- Add a custom channel for Gemini referrals so they appear separate from direct traffic
- Run a short‑term test: pull Gemini‑only sessions into a segment and compare their conversion metrics against your paid search segment
- Document the findings and feed them back into your bid‑adjustment strategy
By treating Gemini as a measurable channel rather than an invisible source, you can make smarter decisions about where to invest your ad spend.
The services behind this post.
Frequently asked questions.
The source notes that the UTM survives the in‑app webview, which includes mobile browsers opened from the Gemini app. However, it also mentions that Android Assistant invocations strip the UTM, so you may still see some traffic falling into direct on those specific entry points.
Talk to the team that does this every day.
Tell us what you're trying to grow. You'll get a plan, not a pitch.
Contact Us