Fix Missing Query Separator in 30 Seconds

Your campaign URL is missing the ? before UTM parameters. GA4 isn't tracking anything.

Here's the 30-second fix.

The Problem (5-Second Version)

❌ BROKEN:
shop.com/products&utm_source=facebook

Missing: The ? question mark

Without ?, GA4 treats your UTM parameters as part of the URL path (not tracking data).

The Fix (3 Steps)

Step 1: Add Question Mark (10 seconds)

Change this:

shop.com/products&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc

To this:

shop.com/products?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc
                 ↑
             Added ?

That's it. One character fixes everything.

Step 2: Update Campaigns (15 seconds)

Replace broken URL in:

• Social media posts
• Email campaigns
• Paid ads
• QR codes

Step 3: Test (5 seconds)

1. Visit corrected URL in incognito mode
2. Open GA4 → Real-Time
3. Verify campaign appears

Done? Tracking restored.

URL Structure Rules

https://domain.com/path?query_parameters#fragment
                      ↑
             Required question mark

Order:

1. Domain and path
2. ? (starts query string)
3. UTM parameters (connected with &)
4. # (optional fragment/anchor)

Common Variations

Variation 1: Ampersand Instead of Question Mark

❌ shop.com/page&utm_source=x
✅ shop.com/page?utm_source=x

Variation 2: No Separator At All

❌ shop.com/pageutm_source=x
✅ shop.com/page?utm_source=x

Variation 3: Space Instead of Question Mark

❌ shop.com/page utm_source=x
✅ shop.com/page?utm_source=x

What If URL Already Has Parameters?

Use & to add more parameters:

✅ CORRECT:
shop.com/page?existing=value&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc
             ↑              ↑               ↑
             ?              &               &

Rule: First parameter uses ?, additional parameters use &.

Quick Validation

// Paste in browser console:
const url = 'YOUR_URL_HERE';
const hasQuestion = url.includes('?');
const utmPosition = url.indexOf('utm_');
 
if (utmPosition > 0) {
  const charBefore = url[utmPosition - 1];
  if (charBefore === '?' || charBefore === '&') {
    console.log('✅ URL structure is correct');
  } else {
    console.log('❌ Missing ? or & before UTM parameters');
  }
} else {
  console.log('No UTM parameters found');
}

Real Example

Before (broken):

https://supplements.com/immune-boost&utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=jan2024

Problem: GA4 sees "Direct" traffic (0 campaign attribution)

After (fixed):

https://supplements.com/immune-boost?utm_source=email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=jan2024
                                    ↑
                                 Added ?

Result: Perfect campaign tracking

Time to fix: 10 seconds Impact: 100% attribution restored

Prevention Template

Use this structure for ALL campaign URLs:

https://[domain]/[path]?utm_source=[source]&utm_medium=[medium]&utm_campaign=[campaign]&utm_content=[content]&utm_term=[term]

Example:
https://shop.com/products?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring2024

Checklist: ✅ Domain and path first ✅ Question mark ? before first parameter ✅ Ampersand & between parameters ✅ All parameters lowercase ✅ No spaces (use hyphens or URL encoding)

FAQ

Can I use & without ??

No. The ? is required before the first query parameter. Use & only for additional parameters.

What if I have multiple question marks?

Only one ? is allowed. Use & for all subsequent parameters.

Do all platforms require the question mark?

Yes. The ? is defined in RFC 3986 (URL standard) and is universally required.

Will fixing this affect historical data?

No. Past data remains unattributed. The fix only affects future traffic.

How do I test if the fix worked?

Visit your URL in incognito mode and check GA4 Real-Time reports within 60 seconds.

Conclusion

Missing query separator? Add ? before your first UTM parameter.

❌ BROKEN: domain.com/path&utm_source=x
✅ FIXED:  domain.com/path?utm_source=x

One character. 30 seconds. Perfect tracking restored.

Technical Reference: Missing Query Separator Validation Rule