Using Google Ads auto-tagging exclusively provides several benefits over manual tagging. It:
- Allows you to import Analytics key events into Google Ads Key Event Tracking
- Saves you the work of manually tagging every final URL
- Eliminates the errors you can introduce when you attempt to manually tag each URL. For example,
utm_source=Googleis different fromutm_source=google - Enables you to build more detailed audiences based on Google Ads dimensions (for example, ad group)
- Offers more detailed Analytics reporting
Auto-tagging vs. manual tagging reporting
Manual tagging can provide data for a basic set of traffic-source dimensions. When you use auto-tagging, however, you can see data for several additional dimensions, including:
- Google Ads account name
- Google Ads ad group ID
- Google Ads ad group name
- Google Ads ad network type
- Google Ads customer ID
- Google Ads keyword text
- Google Ads query
You'll have access to these new dimensions across reporting and explorations, as well as a dedicated Google Ads report accessible from the Acquisition overview report.
In addition, any reporting features that become available in the future will only be available if you use auto-tagging.
UTM overriding
If you use manual tagging and auto tagging together, then the source, medium, and other traffic-classification dimensions use the auto-tagged values. The manually tagged values for utm_content and utm_term are used for the Manual Ad Content and Manual Term dimensions.
How to tell if you're using manual tagging
- Sign in to your Google Ads account.
- Click Settings on the left page menu.
- Click Account settings at the top of the page.
- Click the Auto-tagging section. If the box next to “Tag the URL that people click through from my ad” is checked, auto-tagging is on. To turn if off, uncheck the box and click Save.