Google Analytics Audit Test #

94

Query Parameter Stripping Over Redirects

Why It Matters:

Critical to understanding where your traffic is coming from.

Industries:

All

Checks For:

Accuracy

How accurate is your recent data?

Insight Category:

Attribution

Can you tell which marketing efforts are working?

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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 UTM parameters and click IDs (like gclid, utm_campaign, etc.) are being stripped during redirects—especially common with vanity URLs, landing page builders, or third-party link shorteners.

When query parameters are removed, Google Analytics cannot correctly attribute the session to its true source, leading to inflated “direct” traffic and misattributed conversions.

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How to Conduct This Test

Basic Tests

  • Click a live ad or test email that includes UTM parameters (e.g., ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale).
  • Watch the browser URL during the redirect:
    • Does the UTM query string carry through to the final landing page?
    • Is the gclid still present?
  • Use browser DevTools or a redirect path checker (like httpstatus.io or Chrome extensions) to monitor each step.
  • In GA4 > Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition:
  • Look for unusually high “direct” traffic to campaign landing pages.
  • You can also check if certain marketing channels underperform despite being active—often a sign tracking is being dropped.

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How To Fix

  • Ensure your redirects preserve query parameters by default.
  • In most platforms, use 302 (temporary) redirects with full URL forwarding.
  • If using landing page platforms (e.g., Unbounce, ClickFunnels), enable URL parameter forwarding or set up hidden fields that capture UTMs and click IDs.
  • Avoid shortening services or email tools that redirect without carrying the full query string.
  • For advanced setups, use JavaScript to manually persist UTM parameters using localStorage or sessionStorage during redirect chains.
  • Hire a pro to audit and fix your redirect chains to ensure clean, accurate attribution from every source.

Tips from a Google Analytics Consultant

Focus on Insights

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

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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!

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