Do I need coding skills to use Google Ads scripts?

Yes, a basic knowledge of JavaScript is required. But once the script is set up, you can reuse it with minor edits.

What happens if a tracking template fails?

Google Ads won’t show the ad if the template results in an invalid URL. Scripts allow for error logging, making debugging easier.

New

Master UTM Attribution: Track Every Click, Optimize Every Campaign with Our UTM Course!

Learn More

Tracking Templates vs Google Ads Scripts: Best Way to Add UTMs

Q: Can I use both tracking templates and Google Ads scripts together?

Yes. Use account-level tracking templates for basic UTM coverage and scripts for advanced, ad-group-specific UTM tagging.

One of the most powerful yet underused tools in a digital marketer’s toolkit is UTM tracking. Whether you're spending hundreds or hundreds of thousands on Google Ads, without proper tracking, you're missing out on valuable insights—and likely wasting budget.

A common question that comes up when setting up campaigns is:
"Should I use tracking templates or Google Ads scripts to manage UTM parameters?"

In this blog post, we’ll break down the pros and cons of both approaches and help you decide which method works best for your setup.

What Are UTM Parameters?

UTM parameters are short text tags added to the end of a URL. They help you track where your website visitors are coming from—like which ad, email, or social media post they clicked.

These tags work with analytics tools like Google Analytics to show your:

Which campaign brought the visitor
What platform (like Google, Facebook, or email) did they come from
Which keyword or ad triggered the visit

If you’re just getting started, check out our beginner’s guide to UTM tracking for a quick primer.

Google Ads UTM Tracking: Templates vs Scripts Explained

Before diving in, it’s key to understand the difference between tracking templates vs Google Ads scripts. Both help add UTM parameters without editing URLs manually. Templates are great for simple setups, while scripts offer more control for complex accounts. Let’s explore both methods to see which suits your needs best.

Option 1: Using Google Ads Tracking Templates

Google Ads offers a straightforward, built-in method for adding UTM parameters to your ad URLs using tracking templates. You can place these templates at the account, campaign, or ad group level.

How It Works

Here’s a typical example of a tracking template:

{lpurl}?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaignid}&utm_term={keyword}&utm_content={adgroupid}

{lpurl} is automatically replaced by your actual landing page URL.
{campaignid}, {keyword}, {adgroupid} and other dynamic parameters are populated by Google Ads.

This method allows you to append UTM parameters without modifying your final URLs manually.

Benefits of Using Tracking Templates

Easy to Implement: Can be added directly via the Google Ads UI or Ads Editor.
Low Barrier to Entry: Requires no coding or scripting knowledge.
Dynamic Insertion: Leverages built-in ValueTrack parameters to personalize UTM data.
Quick Rollout: Suitable for small to medium-sized accounts.

Limitations

Limited Customization: You can’t customize UTM values for individual ad groups or campaigns beyond what ValueTrack offers.
Manual Oversight Required: Large accounts can become complicated when multiple team members modify templates.
No Error Logging: There’s no way to see what went wrong if a template fails.

Tracking templates are great for getting started and work well for relatively flat or simple account structures. But what happens when you’re managing a large, multi-layered account with multiple business units, products, or regions?

Option 2: Automating UTM Tagging with Google Ads Scripts

When you need more power, automation, and control, Google Ads Scripts are the way forward.

With scripts, you can programmatically loop through campaigns and ad groups, generate unique tracking templates on the fly, and apply them in bulk, with conditional logic and error handling.

Example Script Use Case

We recently implemented a script for a client with over 200 ad groups, where each ad group required its own version of the UTM tracking template. Using a script like this, we were able to apply those templates in under 30 seconds, which would have taken hours manually.

Here’s a simplified version of the script we used:

Benefits of Using Google Ads Scripts

High Customization: Customize UTM parameters per campaign or ad group dynamically.
Automation at Scale: Efficient for large accounts with hundreds of ad groups.
Error Logging: Capture success/failure logs for each ad group to troubleshoot issues.
Maintain Consistency: Scripts reduce the risk of human error across large teams.

Limitations

Requires Technical Knowledge: You’ll need to understand JavaScript and Google Ads Scripts.
Testing Required: Mistakes in the logic can lead to incorrect UTM data or broken URLs.
Maintenance Overhead: If account structure changes frequently, scripts may need updating.

Tracking Templates vs Google Ads Scripts: Feature Comparison

Here’s a side-by-side comparison to help you decide:

Feature	Tracking Template	Google Ads Script
Easy to set up	Yes	No
Works in UI	Yes	No
Custom per ad group	Limited	Yes
Great for small accounts	Yes	No
Great for large accounts	No	Yes
Logs and debugging	No	Yes
Requires coding knowledge	No	Yes
Reusable and scalable	Somewhat	Yes
Supports conditional logic	No	Yes

Best Practice: Combine Both Methods

In many cases, the most effective approach is to use both tracking templates and Google Ads scripts together.

Use an account-level tracking template to ensure base-level tracking is always in place.
Use Google Ads Scripts periodically or during campaign launches to add custom UTM tags with precision and flexibility.

This hybrid setup gives you the speed of templates and the flexibility of scripts—perfect for agencies and marketing teams managing complex or high-volume accounts.

For more advanced tagging strategies, naming conventions, and account hygiene tips, check out our full guide:

Supercharge UTM Tracking with Our Free Management Template

Struggling to manage UTM parameters across multiple campaigns?

Grab our UTM Management Template to streamline your tracking strategy:

Track and organize all your campaign UTMs in one place
Built for Google Ads, Meta, email, and more
Easy-to-use format for teams and solo marketers
Boost consistency and reduce reporting errors

Perfect for agencies, growth marketers, and PPC pros who want clean, scalable tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Choosing between tracking templates and Google Ads scripts depends on your campaign complexity, team skill set, and scalability needs.

If you want a quick, no-code solution that works well for smaller accounts, tracking templates are ideal.
If you're managing large-scale campaigns, need custom logic, or want automation at scale, Google Ads scripts are the better fit.

For best results, use a hybrid approach—apply templates for base coverage and scripts for advanced custom tracking.

If you’re managing multiple campaigns and are tired of handling this manually, you’re not alone. That’s why I created a course specifically on this topic: UTM Attribution Course – Learn to Track What Matters.

Here’s a simplified version of the script we used:

It walks you through everything—from campaign setup to advanced automation using scripts—so you can stop guessing and start measuring what matters.

‍

Related Articles:

How to Pass UTM Parameters to Next Page for Accurate Tracking
Email Signature Links: Why It Is Matter for Sales Tracking?
Why Are UTM Parameters So Valuable to Your Social Listening?
YouTube Video Tracking Using UTM Parameters
Understanding Traffic Attribution and Direct Traffic
WordPress UTM Tracking: A Step-by-Step Guide
How To Set Up Google Ads UTM Parameters