The fastest way to bulk add UTM parameters to Google Ads is by setting an account-level tracking template, which automatically appends your UTM structure to every ad across all campaigns. You can also use Google Ads Editor’s bulk URL tools to append parameters to specific ads, ad groups, or campaigns. Both methods take minutes and eliminate the need to edit ads one by one.
Use the Account-Level Tracking Template
A tracking template set at the account level applies to every ad in your account automatically. This is the simplest bulk method because you define your UTM structure once and it covers all current and future campaigns. Here’s how to set it up:
- In your Google Ads account, click Account settings (under Admin in the left menu).
- Expand the Tracking section.
- In the Tracking template field, enter your UTM string. It should start with
{lpurl}(which inserts your ad’s final URL), followed by a question mark and your parameters.
A typical account-level tracking template looks like this:
{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&utm_content={creative}&utm_term={keyword}
This structure tells Google Ads to take whatever final URL you’ve set on an ad, then append the UTM parameters automatically at click time. You don’t touch individual ad URLs at all. Changes to tracking templates take 24 to 48 hours to start appearing in live ad serving.
One important detail: if you also set a tracking template at the campaign, ad group, or keyword level, the more specific template overrides the account-level one. Google Ads uses a hierarchy where keyword-level templates take priority, followed by ad-level, ad group, campaign, and finally account. So if you’ve previously set tracking templates at lower levels, those will continue to be used for those items even after you add an account-level template.
Use Dynamic ValueTrack Parameters
The curly-brace variables in the example above are called ValueTrack parameters. Google Ads replaces them with real values when someone clicks your ad, so you get detailed data in your analytics platform without manually typing campaign names or keyword strings into every URL.
The most useful ValueTrack parameters for UTM tagging are:
- {campaignid}: The numeric ID of the campaign that served the ad.
- {adgroupid}: The numeric ID of the ad group.
- {creative}: The unique ID of the ad creative.
- {keyword}: The keyword that matched the user’s search query.
- {matchtype}: How the keyword matched. Returns “b” for broad, “p” for phrase, “e” for exact, or “a” for AI Max keywordless matches.
- {device}: The device type. Returns “m” for mobile, “t” for tablet, or “c” for computer.
- {targetid}: Useful for separating standard keyword traffic from AI Max keywordless matches.
- {network}: Whether the click came from Search or a Display partner.
If a ValueTrack parameter can’t be filled (for example, {keyword} on a Display campaign with no keywords), Google Ads replaces it with an empty space. This won’t break your URL, but it means that parameter will show up blank in your analytics reports for those clicks.
A practical template combining common UTM fields with ValueTrack parameters might look like:
{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&utm_content={adgroupid}&utm_term={keyword}&matchtype={matchtype}&device={device}
Make sure to use https:// rather than http:// in any tracking template to avoid broken redirects.
Bulk Edit With Google Ads Editor
If you need more control than an account-level template provides, Google Ads Editor (the free desktop app) lets you append UTM parameters to specific ads, keywords, or campaigns in bulk. This is useful when different campaigns need different UTM values, or when you want to add parameters to final URLs directly rather than using a tracking template.
Appending Parameters to Existing URLs
The “Change URLs” tool lets you append text to all selected URLs at once:
- Open Google Ads Editor and download your account.
- In the type list on the left, select the item type you want to edit (for example, Ads, then the specific ad format).
- In the data view, select the rows you want to change. You can use the tree view or advanced search to filter down to specific campaigns or ad groups first.
- Go to Edit > Change URLs.
- From the “Perform action in” dropdown, choose the URL type you want to modify (Final URL, Tracking template, etc.).
- Select “Append text” and enter your UTM string, such as
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=spring_sale. - Click Change URLs.
This appends your text to every selected URL in one action. You can also use this tool to remove a specific parameter from all selected URLs, which is helpful when cleaning up old or duplicate tracking tags.
Pasting Changes From a Spreadsheet
For even more granular control, the “Make multiple changes” tool lets you paste data from a spreadsheet. This works well when each ad or keyword needs a unique UTM value:
- Select the item type and rows in the data view.
- Click Make multiple changes at the top.
- Paste your data from a spreadsheet. Your columns should include identifying information (like campaign name and ad group) along with the Final URL or tracking template column containing your full URL with UTM parameters.
- Click Process to apply the changes.
If you’re entering multiple final URLs for a single item, separate them with spaces rather than semicolons. After making changes in Editor, review them in the “Review changes” panel, then post the changes to your account.
Choosing the Right Method
For most advertisers, the account-level tracking template is the best starting point. You set it once, it applies everywhere, and ValueTrack parameters fill in the campaign-specific details dynamically. You never need to update individual ads when you launch new campaigns.
Use Google Ads Editor when you need static, human-readable UTM values (like utm_campaign=spring_sale instead of utm_campaign=12345678) or when specific campaigns require a completely different tracking structure. The tradeoff is that you’ll need to update those values manually whenever you create new ads or campaigns.
You can also combine the two approaches. Set an account-level template as your default, then override it at the campaign or ad group level for specific cases using Editor. Google Ads will always use the most specific template available for a given ad.
Verifying Your UTM Parameters
After applying your changes, test before relying on the data. In your Google Ads account, find any ad and click the arrow or preview icon to see the actual URL that will fire when a user clicks. Confirm that your UTM parameters appear correctly and that the landing page loads without errors.
In Google Analytics (or whatever analytics tool you use), check within 48 hours that traffic from Google Ads is showing up with the correct source, medium, and campaign values. If parameters appear blank, double-check that your ValueTrack variables are spelled correctly with matching curly braces, and that your tracking template starts with {lpurl}? rather than {lpurl}&. The question mark separates your base URL from the parameters, and using an ampersand instead will produce a malformed URL.