Google Gemini Stopped Attaching UTM Parameters To Cited URLs
Google has stopped appending UTM parameters to the links Gemini cites in its answers. The tags, which carried utm_source=gemini, appeared in early September and then disappeared around 28 September, according to tracking by Natzir that was shared on X.
Visits carrying a gemini.google.com referrer stayed flat across the same period, so desktop referral data still reaches analytics. The gap is on mobile: links opened from the iOS app load in Gemini's own WebView and send no referrer, landing in GA4 as Direct. The only trace is the GeminiiOS user agent in server logs.
For brands and agencies measuring AI-driven traffic, the change means Gemini citations can no longer be isolated by campaign parameter. Attribution now depends on referrer data on desktop and on user-agent matching in server logs for app traffic, which makes the channel harder to separate from organic and direct visits.
Reported by Search Engine Roundtable ↗
Topics: Gemini, Citations, Measurement