Fix Missing utm_id in Paid Campaigns (5-Minute Guide)

Quick diagnosis: You're running paid ads on LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, or other non-Google/Facebook platforms. You check GA4 for ROI data and see:

• Sessions: ✅ Tracked
• Conversions: ✅ Tracked
• Cost: ❌ $0.00
• ROAS: ❌ N/A

The problem: Missing utm_id parameter.

Without utm_id, GA4 can't import your cost data, which means no ROI metrics and no way to know which campaigns are profitable.

The fix: Add utm_id to your campaign URLs. Takes 5 minutes.

Do You Actually Need utm_id?

Before adding utm_id, check if your platform auto-tags:

Platforms That DON'T Need utm_id (Skip This Guide)

These automatically send cost data to GA4:

• ✅ Google Ads (uses gclid)
• ✅ Facebook/Instagram Ads (uses fbclid)
• ✅ Microsoft Ads (uses msclkid)

For these platforms: Use auto-tagging only. Don't add manual UTMs or utm_id.

Platforms That NEED utm_id (This Guide Is For You)

These require manual cost import via utm_id:

• ❌ LinkedIn Ads
• ❌ TikTok Ads
• ❌ Pinterest Ads
• ❌ Twitter (X) Ads
• ❌ Reddit Ads
• ❌ Snapchat Ads
• ❌ Taboola/Outbrain
• ❌ Quora Ads

If you're running ads on any platform in the second list, continue with this guide.

The Fix: Add utm_id to Your Campaign URLs

Standard Format

Current URL (without utm_id):

https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo

Fixed URL (with utm_id):

https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo

The utm_id format:

utm_id=`{platform-code}`-`{"{"}{"{"}year{"}"}{"}"}}`-`{"{"}{"{"}month{"}"}{"}"}}`-`{campaign-type}`

Examples by platform:

LinkedIn:
utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO

TikTok:
utm_id=TT-2025-01-BRAND

Pinterest:
utm_id=PIN-2025-01-SHOP

Twitter/X:
utm_id=X-2025-01-PROMO

Reddit:
utm_id=RD-2025-01-COMM

Snapchat:
utm_id=SNAP-2025-01-VIDEO

Platform-Specific Instructions

LinkedIn Ads

Step 1: LinkedIn Campaign Manager → Your campaign

Step 2: Click campaign name → Edit

Step 3: Scroll to Campaign details → Website URL

Step 4: Update URL to include utm_id:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo-jan

After:

https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=product-demo-jan

Step 5: Save campaign

Step 6: Repeat for all active LinkedIn campaigns

Pro tip: LinkedIn allows URL parameter variables:

utm_id=LI-{campaign.id}

This auto-generates unique IDs per campaign using LinkedIn's campaign ID.

TikTok Ads

Step 1: TikTok Ads Manager → Your campaign

Step 2: Ad group → Ad creative

Step 3: Edit Destination URL

Step 4: Add utm_id:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/signup?utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand-awareness

After:

https://yoursite.com/signup?utm_id=TT-2025-01-BRAND&utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand-awareness

Step 5: Save and apply to all ad groups in campaign

Pro tip: TikTok supports dynamic parameters:

utm_id=TT-`{"{"}{"{"}campaign_id{"}"}{"}"}}`

Pinterest Ads

Step 1: Pinterest Ads Manager → Campaigns

Step 2: Select campaign → Ad group → Edit pins

Step 3: Update Destination URL

Step 4: Add utm_id:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/products?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping-jan

After:

https://yoursite.com/products?utm_id=PIN-2025-01-SHOP&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping-jan

Step 5: Save changes

Twitter (X) Ads

Step 1: Twitter Ads Manager → Your campaign

Step 2: Edit campaign → Website traffic

Step 3: Update Website URL

Step 4: Add utm_id:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/promo?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=flash-sale

After:

https://yoursite.com/promo?utm_id=X-2025-01-PROMO&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=flash-sale

Step 5: Save

Reddit Ads

Step 1: Reddit Ads Manager → Your campaign

Step 2: Ad group → Edit URL

Step 3: Add utm_id to destination URL:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/community?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=community-jan

After:

https://yoursite.com/community?utm_id=RD-2025-01-COMM&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=community-jan

Step 4: Save

Taboola / Outbrain (Native Ads)

Step 1: Campaign dashboard → Your campaign

Step 2: Edit campaign items

Step 3: Update URL for each ad:

Before:

https://yoursite.com/article?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=native&utm_campaign=content-promo

After:

https://yoursite.com/article?utm_id=TAB-2025-01-CONTENT&utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=native&utm_campaign=content-promo

Step 4: Apply changes

utm_id Naming Best Practices

Use a Consistent Format

Recommended format:

{"{"}{"{"}PLATFORM{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}YEAR{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}MONTH{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}CAMPAIGN_TYPE{"}"}{"}"}}

Examples:

✅ Good:
LI-2025-01-DEMO (LinkedIn, Jan 2025, Demo campaign)
TT-2025-01-BRAND (TikTok, Jan 2025, Brand campaign)
PIN-2025-02-SHOP (Pinterest, Feb 2025, Shopping campaign)

❌ Bad:
linkedin-campaign-1 (too generic)
demo (not unique)
LI Jan Demo (spaces break URLs)

Requirements for utm_id

✅ DO:

• Make it unique per campaign
• Use alphanumeric + hyphens only
• Keep it under 50 characters
• Make it human-readable
• Include platform identifier
• Include date (year/month)

❌ DON'T:

• Use spaces
• Use special characters (&, =, ?, #, %)
• Reuse same ID for multiple campaigns
• Change ID mid-campaign
• Make it too cryptic

Alternative: Use Platform Campaign IDs

Option: Use your ad platform's campaign ID as utm_id:

LinkedIn Campaign ID: 123456789

utm_id:

utm_id=LI-123456789

Pros:

• Guaranteed unique
• Easy to trace back to platform
• Never conflicts

Cons:

• Less human-readable
• Longer IDs

Verification: Did It Work?

Test 1: Check the URL (30 seconds)

Step 1: Go to your ad platform Step 2: Preview or click one of your ads Step 3: Look at the destination URL in browser Step 4: Verify you see utm_id=... in the URL

✅ Correct:
https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc

❌ Still broken:
https://yoursite.com/demo?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=cpc
(no utm_id)

Test 2: GA4 Real-Time Report (1 minute)

Step 1: Click your ad (or use preview mode) Step 2: Open GA4 → Reports → Real-time Step 3: Find your session Step 4: Verify Campaign ID dimension shows your utm_id

Expected:

• Campaign ID: LI-2025-01-DEMO ✅

If blank or missing:

• utm_id not in URL
• URL parameter name wrong (must be exactly utm_id)

Test 3: After Cost Upload (Next Day)

After adding utm_id and uploading cost data (see guide):

Step 1: GA4 → Reports → Advertising → Campaign performance Step 2: Filter to your campaign Step 3: Check Cost column

Expected: Cost > $0.00 (shows imported cost data)

If still $0.00:

• Wait 24-48 hours (processing delay)
• Verify Campaign ID in CSV exactly matches utm_id in URL
• Check CSV upload status (Admin → Data import)

Bulk Update: Fix Multiple Campaigns at Once

If you have many campaigns to update:

Option 1: Export → Edit → Re-upload (Platform-Dependent)

Some platforms (LinkedIn, TikTok) allow bulk campaign editing:

Step 1: Export all campaigns to CSV/Excel Step 2: Add utm_id column Step 3: Fill with unique IDs:

Campaign Name → utm_id
Product Demo → LI-2025-01-DEMO
Lead Gen → LI-2025-01-LEADGEN
Brand Awareness → LI-2025-01-BRAND

Step 4: Re-upload to platform Step 5: Verify changes applied

Option 2: URL Builder + Find/Replace

Step 1: Export campaign URLs to spreadsheet Step 2: Use formula to add utm_id:

=CONCATENATE(A2, "&utm_id=", B2)
 
Where:
A2 = original URL
B2 = utm_id value

Step 3: Copy new URLs Step 4: Paste into ad platform (one by one or bulk if supported)

Option 3: Campaign Cloning (Fastest for Small Sets)

Step 1: Clone existing campaign Step 2: Pause original Step 3: Update clone with utm_id in URL Step 4: Launch clone

Pros: Preserves historical data separation Cons: Creates duplicate campaigns in ad platform

Common Mistakes When Adding utm_id

Mistake #1: Using Same utm_id for Multiple Campaigns

Wrong:

All LinkedIn campaigns: utm_id=linkedin-2025
All TikTok campaigns: utm_id=tiktok-2025

Why it's wrong: Cost data will be combined. You won't see per-campaign ROI.

Fix: Unique ID per campaign:

utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO
utm_id=LI-2025-01-LEADGEN (different campaign)

Mistake #2: Including Spaces

Wrong:

utm_id=LI 2025 01 DEMO

Why it's wrong: Spaces break URLs (get encoded as %20)

Fix:

utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO (use hyphens)

Mistake #3: Changing utm_id Mid-Campaign

Problem: Week 1 you used utm_id=linkedin-demo, Week 2 you changed to utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO

Result: Historical cost data won't match new sessions. Broken attribution.

Fix: Pick an ID at campaign start and never change it.

Mistake #4: Forgetting to Update CSV

Problem: You added utm_id to URLs but forgot to use same value in cost import CSV.

URL:

utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO

CSV:

Campaign ID: linkedin-demo (doesn't match!)

Fix: Ensure exact match (case-sensitive):

Campaign ID: LI-2025-01-DEMO

Prevention Checklist

✅ Add utm_id to ALL new paid campaigns (non-auto-tagged platforms) ✅ Use consistent naming format (platform-year-month-type) ✅ Update existing campaigns with utm_id ✅ Test one campaign before bulk updating ✅ Verify utm_id appears in GA4 real-time reports ✅ Prepare cost CSV with matching Campaign ID values ✅ Upload cost data to GA4 (setup guide) ✅ Verify cost appears in Advertising reports

FAQ

Do I need utm_id for Google Ads or Facebook Ads?

No. These platforms use auto-tagging (gclid, fbclid) which automatically sends cost data to GA4. Don't add utm_id or manual UTMs to auto-tagged platforms.

Can I add utm_id to existing campaigns without breaking historical data?

Yes! Adding utm_id to existing campaigns is safe:

• Historical data (before utm_id): Tracked via utm_source/medium/campaign
• New data (after utm_id): Also tracked via utm_id

Both coexist in GA4. Cost import (via utm_id) only affects future data.

What if I have multiple ad groups in one campaign?

Option 1: Same utm_id for all ad groups (simpler)

Campaign: Product Demo
Ad Group 1: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO
Ad Group 2: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO (same)
Ad Group 3: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO (same)

Cost aggregated at campaign level.

Option 2: Different utm_id per ad group (granular)

Ad Group 1: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO-AG1
Ad Group 2: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO-AG2
Ad Group 3: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO-AG3

Requires separate cost data per ad group in CSV.

Can I use the same utm_id across different platforms?

No. Use platform-specific prefixes:

❌ Wrong:
LinkedIn campaign: utm_id=2025-01-DEMO
TikTok campaign: utm_id=2025-01-DEMO (duplicate!)

✅ Right:
LinkedIn: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO
TikTok: utm_id=TT-2025-01-DEMO (unique)

What happens if I forget utm_id on some campaigns?

Those campaigns won't have cost data imported. You'll see:

• Sessions and conversions in GA4 ✅
• Cost = $0.00 ❌
• ROAS = N/A ❌

Fix: Add utm_id going forward. Historical sessions without utm_id can't retroactively get cost data.

Should I include utm_id in email campaigns?

No. utm_id is specifically for cost data import on paid campaigns. Email campaigns don't have "cost" in the same sense (no per-click cost).

Email: Use standard UTMs only:

?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly-jan
(no utm_id needed)

Conclusion

Fix missing utm_id in 3 steps:

1. Add utm_id to campaign URLs in your ad platform

   • Format: utm_id={"{"}{"{"}PLATFORM{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}YEAR{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}MONTH{"}"}{"}"}}-{"{"}{"{"}TYPE{"}"}{"}"}}
   • Example: utm_id=LI-2025-01-DEMO

2. Verify in GA4 real-time reports

   • Campaign ID dimension should show your utm_id

3. Upload cost data with matching Campaign ID

   • CSV format: Date,Campaign ID,Cost
   • Full setup guide here

Once complete, GA4 will show full ROI metrics (cost, ROAS, CPA) for all your paid campaigns, enabling data-driven budget allocation.

Related: When to Use utm_id (And When to Skip It)