Fix Pinterest UTM Conflict (Complete Guide)

GA4 shows every Pinterest Ads click twice. Your session counts are inflated, cost-per-session looks artificially low, and your conversion attribution is split between duplicate entries.

The culprit? Mixing Pinterest's epik parameter with manual UTM parameters.

This creates a tracking conflict that fragments your data and makes campaign performance analysis nearly impossible.

Here's how to fix it in 5 minutes and why it happens.

The Problem Explained

When you add manual UTMs to Pinterest Ads URLs, Pinterest still appends its proprietary epik parameter automatically. GA4 treats these as two separate traffic sources and creates duplicate sessions for every single click.

What This Looks Like in Your Data

Your campaign URL:

https://yoursite.com/sale?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=paid-social&utm_campaign=spring-sale&epik=abc123xyz

GA4 sees this as TWO sessions:

1. Session 1: Source = pinterest, Medium = paid-social (from UTM parameters)
2. Session 2: Source = pinterest, Medium = epik (from epik parameter)

The impact on your $1,000 campaign:

• Actual clicks: 100
• GA4 reports: 200 sessions (100% inflation)
• Cost per session: $5 actual → $2.50 reported (artificially low)
• Conversions: Split between two source/medium combinations
• ROAS calculation: Completely broken

You can't trust your performance data, and optimization decisions become guesswork.

Why This Happens: Understanding epik

Pinterest developed the epik parameter as their proprietary attribution solution, similar to how Google uses gclid and Facebook uses fbclid.

How epik Works

1. Automatic appending: When someone clicks a Pinterest ad, Pinterest's platform automatically adds epik to your destination URL
2. Pinterest-side tracking: The epik value connects the click back to Pinterest's ad platform
3. GA4 recognition: Google Analytics 4 recognizes epik as a valid attribution parameter
4. Channel assignment: GA4 assigns traffic with epik to "Paid Social" channel (source: pinterest, medium: epik)

The Conflict

When you manually add UTM parameters AND Pinterest automatically adds epik, you create conflicting attribution signals:

Manual UTMs say: "This is pinterest / paid-social"
epik parameter says: "This is pinterest / epik"

GA4 doesn't know which to trust, so it creates both sessions.

How to Fix: 5-Minute Solution

Option 1: Remove Manual UTMs (Recommended)

Pinterest's epik parameter handles attribution automatically. You don't need manual UTMs.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Pinterest Ads Manager

   • Go to ads.pinterest.com
   • Navigate to your account

2. Access Campaign Settings

   • Click on the campaign experiencing tracking issues
   • Go to "Edit Campaign" or "Campaign Details"

3. Find Destination URLs

   • Look for "Destination URL" or "Landing Page URL" fields
   • Check for any URLs with manual UTM parameters

4. Remove UTM Parameters

   • Before: https://yoursite.com/sale?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=paid-social&utm_campaign=spring-sale
   • After: https://yoursite.com/sale

5. Save Changes

   • Click "Save" or "Publish Changes"
   • Pinterest will automatically append epik to all clicks

6. Verify in GA4

   • Wait 24-48 hours for new data
   • Check GA4 → Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
   • Filter for source: pinterest
   • You should see only "pinterest / epik" (not duplicate entries)

Option 2: Keep UTMs but Accept Limitations

If you absolutely must use manual UTMs for internal tracking consistency:

Understand the tradeoff:

• You'll continue seeing duplicate sessions
• Attribution will remain fragmented
• You'll need manual data cleanup for accurate reporting

Best practice: Create a GA4 segment that excludes epik traffic to avoid double-counting:

1. GA4 → Explore → Create new exploration
2. Add segment: Session medium ≠ epik
3. Use this segment for Pinterest campaign analysis

However, we strongly recommend Option 1 for clean, accurate data.

What Changes After the Fix

Before (Manual UTMs + epik):

GA4 Traffic Acquisition Report:

Issues:

• 100% session inflation
• Conversion attribution split
• Inaccurate ROAS calculation
• Can't compare campaign performance

After (epik only):

GA4 Traffic Acquisition Report:

Benefits:

• Accurate session counts
• All conversions properly attributed
• Correct ROAS calculation
• Clean campaign comparison

How GA4 Handles epik

GA4 automatically recognizes the epik parameter and assigns traffic to the Paid Social channel through its default channel grouping logic.

Channel assignment rules:

• Source: pinterest (extracted from epik parameter metadata)
• Medium: epik (automatically assigned)
• Default Channel: Paid Social
• Platform: Pinterest (identified automatically)

This is documented in Google's Default Channel Grouping documentation.

Platform-Specific Considerations

Pinterest Ads Manager Settings

Auto-tagging is always enabled for Pinterest Ads. You cannot disable epik parameter appending.

Campaign objective impact:

• All campaign objectives (Awareness, Consideration, Conversion) use epik
• No difference in tracking behavior between objectives

Ad format impact:

• Standard pins, Carousel pins, Video pins all use epik
• Shopping ads also append epik

Integration with Other Tools

Pinterest Conversion API: If you're using Pinterest's Conversion API alongside epik tracking, both work independently:

• epik: Click attribution (cookie-based)
• Conversion API: Event attribution (server-side)

Pinterest matches conversions across both signals for accurate reporting.

Third-party attribution platforms: If you use Rockerbox, Northbeam, or similar multi-touch attribution tools, they can typically handle epik correctly. Consult your platform's documentation.

Comparison: epik vs. Other Platform Parameters

Understanding how epik compares to other platform tracking helps contextualize Pinterest's approach:

Pattern: Most major ad platforms use auto-tagging. Manual UTMs create conflicts.

See our comprehensive guide: Platform Click ID vs. Manual UTM Parameters

Prevention Checklist

Avoid this issue in future Pinterest campaigns:

✅ Before launching any Pinterest campaign:

• Remove all UTM parameters from destination URLs
• Verify final URL contains only base URL (no query parameters)
• Document in your UTM naming convention: "Pinterest = no manual UTMs"
• Train team members on Pinterest auto-tagging

✅ After campaign launch:

• Check GA4 real-time reports within 24 hours
• Verify only "pinterest / epik" appears (not duplicate entries)
• Confirm session counts match Pinterest Ads Manager click data
• Validate conversion attribution is not fragmented

✅ Ongoing monitoring:

• Monthly audit of Pinterest campaigns for manual UTM parameters
• Set up GA4 alert for duplicate pinterest sessions
• Include in quarterly tracking QA checklist

FAQ

Will removing UTMs break my Pinterest tracking?

No. Pinterest's epik parameter provides complete attribution. GA4 recognizes epik automatically and assigns traffic to the Paid Social channel. You'll see all campaign data properly attributed to "pinterest / epik".

Can I add UTM campaign names to differentiate Pinterest campaigns?

Not recommended. Adding utm_campaign while Pinterest appends epik creates the same conflict—duplicate sessions. Instead, use Pinterest's campaign names, which flow into GA4 through the epik parameter metadata.

How do I track individual Pinterest ads without UTMs?

Pinterest's epik parameter includes metadata about campaigns, ad groups, and individual ads. This data is available in Pinterest Ads Manager. For granular analysis, use Pinterest's native reporting or export data and join with GA4 using session timestamps.

What if I need consistent UTM naming across all platforms?

If your organization requires UTM consistency across all channels, you'll need to choose:

1. Accuracy (use epik, accept non-standard medium name)
2. Consistency (use manual UTMs, accept duplicate sessions and manual cleanup)

Most organizations prioritize accuracy and adapt their reporting to handle platform-specific parameters.

Does this affect Pinterest organic (non-paid) traffic?

No. Pinterest organic traffic (pins shared by users, not ads) doesn't include epik. That traffic appears as "pinterest / referral" in GA4, which is correct. The conflict only affects Pinterest Ads traffic.

Can I use utm_content or utm_term with Pinterest Ads?

Not recommended. Even adding only utm_content or utm_term (without source/medium/campaign) can create tracking issues. Pinterest's epik parameter is designed to be the sole attribution signal.

How long does it take for the fix to show in GA4?

New data appears immediately. However, you'll need 24-48 hours of traffic to confirm the fix is working. Historical data remains duplicated—this fix only applies to future traffic.

What if I've been running campaigns for months with this issue?

Historical data remains duplicated. To analyze past performance:

1. Export GA4 data to BigQuery or Sheets
2. De-duplicate by removing either "pinterest / paid-social" or "pinterest / epik" entries (keep one)
3. Use de-duplicated data for historical analysis

Going forward, new data will be clean.

Will this affect my Pinterest Ads Manager reporting?

No. Pinterest's native reporting is unaffected. The issue is only in GA4. Pinterest Ads Manager shows accurate click, impression, and conversion data regardless of UTM parameters.

Can UTMGuard automatically detect this issue?

Yes. UTMGuard's validation rules flag epik + UTM conflicts automatically. When scanning your GA4 property, UTMGuard identifies:

• Pinterest sessions with both epik and manual UTMs
• Campaigns with inflated session counts
• Fragmented conversion attribution

Learn more about UTMGuard's Pinterest tracking validation

Related Issues

If you're experiencing Pinterest tracking problems, these related guides may help:

• Pinterest Ads Tracking Issues: Complete Troubleshooting Guide - Common Pinterest tracking problems and solutions
• What is the epik Parameter? - Understanding Pinterest's attribution system
• Pinterest Attribution Best Practices - Advanced Pinterest measurement strategies
• Platform Click ID Conflicts - How auto-tagging conflicts affect all platforms

Conclusion

Pinterest's epik parameter is designed to handle all attribution automatically. Adding manual UTM parameters creates duplicate sessions, fragments conversion data, and breaks ROAS calculation.

The fix is simple: Remove all UTM parameters from Pinterest Ads destination URLs. Pinterest will continue appending epik, and GA4 will accurately track your campaigns as "pinterest / epik".

Expected results after fix:

• Accurate session counts (no more inflation)
• Clean conversion attribution
• Correct ROAS and cost metrics
• Reliable campaign performance data

Implement this fix today, and your Pinterest campaign data will be clean within 24-48 hours.

External Resources:

• Google Analytics Default Channel Grouping - Official GA4 documentation
• Pinterest Ads Conversion Tracking - Pinterest's official tracking guide

Related Documentation:

• Platform Click ID Conflicts Documentation
• UTMGuard Pinterest Tracking Validation