Google Stops Appending UTM Parameters to Gemini Links
Google reversed a short-lived policy that attached tracking tags to links shared within its AI chatbot responses.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Google ended its practice of appending utm_source=gemini parameters to URLs cited in Gemini responses on September 28, 2026. This change concludes a three-week trial that saw the company automatically tagging links shared through its AI platform.
Why it matters
The removal of these tracking tags suggests a shift in how Google measures traffic attribution from its generative AI tools. By stripping these parameters, the company changes how external websites track visitors coming from the chatbot's source citations.
Google appended the utm_source=gemini parameter to cited URLs for approximately three weeks. While the UTM tags were removed, the company continues to pass standard referrer data from the desktop version of the Gemini platform.
The players
Google is a global technology company that develops the Gemini generative artificial intelligence platform and oversees its search and advertising ecosystem.
The details
Google implemented the tagging system in early September 2026 before ceasing the practice overnight on September 28. Although the parameters were added to links within AI responses, internal data indicated that site visits originating with a gemini.google.com referer remained flat throughout the testing period.
Timeline
September 2026: Google began adding UTM parameters to Gemini links.
September 28, 2026: Google stopped adding UTM parameters to Gemini links.
The Tech Race
The use of UTM parameters on AI-cited links represents an attempt to bridge legacy web analytics with generative search models. This reversal highlights the industry's ongoing struggle to standardize traffic measurement in the shift toward AI-based information retrieval.
Website administrators will no longer see gemini-specific UTM tags cluttering their referral traffic data in analytics dashboards. This change restores the ability to view organic referral sources more cleanly without filtering out AI-generated tracking parameters.
The takeaway
The move highlights how major tech companies are still iterating on how to track engagement within AI-generated responses. Website owners should continue to monitor standard referrer headers to understand how much traffic their pages receive from AI sources.
Further reading
For more information on the evolution of search and chatbot technology, visit the Artificial Intelligence section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Search Engine Roundtable.
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