Google Analytics Audit Test #

117

GCLIDs on internal links

Why It Matters:

Critical to understanding where your traffic is coming from and assigning appropriate credit.

Industries:

All

Checks For:

Accuracy

How accurate is your recent data?

Insight Category:

Attribution

Can you tell which marketing efforts are working?

Google Analytics Audit logo

Background

A GA4 audit is essential for uncovering missing insights—key data points that organizations don't yet know and can act upon. A well-done audit evaluates both behavioral tracking and traffic attribution, ensuring each is accurate and useful. It also assesses whether the data collected truly supports business decisions and reporting.

Test Detail

This test checks whether Google Click Identifiers (GCLIDs) are being used incorrectly on internal links within your site. GCLIDs are automatically appended to URLs in Google Ads to track click and conversion activity—but they should only be used on landing pages.

If GCLIDs are present on internal links (e.g., links between product pages or steps in the checkout process), this causes:

  • Session resets in Google Analytics, fragmenting user behavior
  • Misattribution of conversions to Google Ads that didn’t drive the original session
  • Inflated conversion credit for brand or retargeting campaigns
  • Broken multi-touch analysis and funnel consistency

Check This Test for Free! Instantly.

Our free instant audit tool checks for 90 issues in 90 seconds.

Then gives you a prioritized list of items to tackle.

No cost, no sales call... just free goodness.
‍

Run a free instant audit
Google Analytics audit test results.

How to Conduct This Test

Basic Tests

  • On your site, inspect internal links (e.g., navigation, product CTAs, homepage banners):
    • Look for URLs with ?gclid= or long strings starting with gclid=
  • Use Google Analytics > Explore, create a report:
    • Dimensions: Landing page + query string, Session source/medium
    • Filter for landing pages deeper in the funnel (e.g., /cart, /product, /checkout) with Google / cpc attribution
    • If sessions are starting on mid-funnel pages and attributed to Google Ads, internal GCLID use is likely the cause
  • Use BigQuery to count sessions where page_location contains gclid and the landing page is not a typical ad destination
  • Use a site crawling tool (e.g., Screaming Frog) to find internal links that have GCLID parameters

Automated, Free Audit

Want to surface this instantly? Run our Instant Audit

Or hire a pro to clean up your internal attribution flow.

How To Fix

  • Audit internal links across your site and remove GCLIDs or strip them programmatically:
    • Use JavaScript to strip gclid from URLs on internal clicks
    • Or update your CMS/templates to prevent them from being embedded
    • Use a referrer policy and proper canonical tags to prevent persistent GCLID sharing across internal routes
  • In GTM or server-side tagging, avoid re-firing tags based on GCLID presence mid-journey
  • If redirects are involved (e.g., vanity URLs), ensure they preserve session continuity without appending tracking parameters
  • Hire a pro to safeguard your attribution and make sure Google Ads only gets credit when it truly deserves it.

Tips from a Google Analytics Consultant

Focus on Insights

Every Google Analytics audit should result in a plan for more insights.

‍

An insight is:

  • something you don't know
  • and can act on to improve performance

The Goal

Identify and remove insight blockers. Don't get tempted to track things you can't act on!

Hire a Google Analytics Consultant
Google Analytics consultant