Are UTM parameters enough instead of GCLID?

No, because UTM and GCLID do not do the same job. UTM is mainly for analytics and reporting. GCLID is the ad click identifier for Google Ads attribution, imports and optimization. In Google Ads, use auto-tagging and also maintain sensible UTM governance where it makes sense.

Do I have to keep FBCLID visible in the URL forever?

It does not have to stay visible forever, but it must not be lost before it is stored and used for further measurement. The important thing is that the value survives into cookies, a server event or CRM according to your architecture.

Does LinkedIn have its own click ID?

Yes. When first-party cookies / enhanced conversion tracking are enabled, LinkedIn works with the li_fat_id parameter. That is why you need to protect it just like other advertising identifiers.

BlogMeasurement and Analytics4 min read

GCLID, FBCLID, li_fat_id and UTM Parameters: Why They Are Not the Same and How Not to Lose Them

UTM parameters and click IDs have completely different jobs. UTM is a human-readable campaign description for analytics, reporting and source governance.

Short Answer

UTM parameters and click IDs have completely different jobs. UTM is a human-readable campaign description for analytics, reporting and source governance. A click ID is a technical identifier for an ad click that helps the ad platform attribute a conversion to a specific click, optimize bidding and import offline conversions. That is why it is not enough to say, "We have UTMs, so we do not need GCLID." You need both, but for different reasons.

In Google Ads this is typically gclid, and sometimes also gbraid or wbraid. In Meta, fbclid often appears in the URL and fbc/fbp values are used in cookies. LinkedIn has its own click ID, li_fat_id, which may be added to the landing page URL when first-party cookies / enhanced conversion tracking are enabled. If a redirect, server, CMS or cleanup script drops these parameters, part of your attribution and imports can break.

UTM Is Analytics, Click ID Is Attribution in the Ad Platform

UTM parameters tell analytics where a visit came from: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content and utm_term. They are useful for GA4, Looker Studio, internal reporting, email, Sklik, Meta, LinkedIn, affiliate campaigns or manually tagged campaigns. UTM is a convention for describing a campaign.

A click ID is the identifier of a specific ad click. In Google Ads, GCLID is essential for auto-tagging, offline conversion imports and connecting a click to a conversion. Meta and LinkedIn use their own identifiers and matching mechanisms. A click ID is not a tidy campaign name. It is the key the platform uses to recognize which click should get credit for the conversion.

Why GA4 Can Read More From GCLID Than From an Ordinary Click ID

When GA4 is linked to Google Ads and auto-tagging is enabled, it can understand Google Ads data in more detail: campaign, ad group, keyword, creative and other details may be available thanks to the Google Ads and Analytics integration. That does not mean GA4 can generally do the same thing with every click ID.

When a visit arrives from LinkedIn with li_fat_id, GA4 will not automatically derive the campaign name from it the way it can from a linked Google Ads account. That is why you still need UTM parameters for other platforms. Click IDs do not replace UTMs. And UTMs do not replace click IDs.

Which Parameters to Protect

At minimum, watch gclid, gbraid, wbraid, fbclid, li_fat_id and UTM parameters. Depending on the platforms you use, add msclkid for Microsoft Ads and any other identifiers for Sklik, TikTok, affiliates or internal tracking. The important thing is that the website can accept unknown query parameters and does not drop them during redirects.

A common problem: a user lands on /sluzba?gclid=abc&utm_campaign=test, the server redirects them to /sluzba/ and the parameters disappear. Another problem: the form sends the lead to the CRM but stores only UTM, not GCLID. Later, you want to import Qualified Lead into Google Ads and you no longer have the click identifier.

When You Can Remove Click IDs From the URL

There is an exception: if you have a technical solution that safely reads the click ID, stores it in a first-party cookie, session storage, hidden field or backend, and passes it on to CRM / server-side measurement, you can remove it from the URL after the page loads. But it must demonstrably happen before the URL is cleaned.

Without that solution, removing parameters is a cosmetic mistake with real consequences. A cleaner URL is not worth a lost GCLID. During an audit, first verify whether the value survived: URL -> cookie/storage -> dataLayer -> form -> CRM -> import into Google Ads or a server-side event.

Audit Process

Click a test URL with gclid, fbclid, li_fat_id and UTM. 2. Watch all redirects in the Network panel. 3. Verify that the parameters remain in the URL, or that they are stored in cookies/storage before being removed. 4. Submit a test form. 5. Check the CRM or lead email. 6. Verify that the import table or API payload contains the correct click ID and conversion time.

On websites with multiple subdomains, also test movement between domains. For forms in iframes, test whether the click ID passes into the iframe, postMessage or backend webhook. For payment gateways, test the return to the thank-you page.

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