utm_source_platform
utm_source_platform is an optional UTM parameter that identifies the platform responsible for directing traffic to a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property. It records the advertising or campaign-management system where a campaign was created or purchased, not the website where the click happened. Google added it for GA4 alongside utm_id, utm_creative_format, and utm_marketing_tactic, extending the original five Urchin tags.
A tagged URL with utm_source_platform looks like this:
https://example.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale&utm_source_platform=manual
When GA4 reads that URL, it records manual in the “Manual source platform” dimension and attributes the value to the session.
What utm_source_platform Identifies
utm_source_platform answers one question: which platform managed the campaign? It is meant for the buy-side or campaign-management tool, the system a marketer logs into to build and run the campaign.
Typical values are the names of those platforms:
manual: the default value Google suggests for campaigns tagged by hand.Search Ads 360: campaigns managed in Google’s enterprise search platform.Display & Video 360: programmatic display and video campaigns.- The name of any demand-side platform or campaign tool your team uses.
The value is purely descriptive. It does not change attribution, channel grouping, or how the click is counted. It adds one extra label so reports can be filtered by the platform that ran the campaign.
utm_source_platform vs utm_source
This is the most common point of confusion. The two parameters describe different things and are not interchangeable.
| Parameter | What it represents | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Where the click came from (the publisher or site) | linkedin, newsletter, bing |
| utm_source_platform | The platform that managed or bought the campaign | manual, Search Ads 360 |
Consider a LinkedIn ad campaign bought through Display & Video 360. The click originates on LinkedIn, so utm_source is linkedin. The campaign was managed in DV360, so utm_source_platform is Display & Video 360. One records the traffic origin. The other records the operational platform.
The Extended GA4 UTM Parameters
utm_source_platform is one of four parameters Google introduced specifically for GA4. None existed in Universal Analytics, and all four are optional:
- utm_id: a unique campaign ID used to join clicks to imported ad cost data.
- utm_source_platform: the platform that managed the campaign.
- utm_creative_format: the creative type, such as
display,video, orsearch. - utm_marketing_tactic: the targeting approach, such as
remarketingorprospecting.
Each feeds its own “Manual” dimension in GA4. For the full role of the campaign ID parameter, see utm_id.
Where utm_source_platform Appears in GA4
GA4 stores the value in a dimension called “Manual source platform.” This dimension is not shown in the default Traffic acquisition or User acquisition reports.
To see it, build an exploration: open Explore, create a Free-form report, and add “Manual source platform” as a dimension or breakdown. A custom report in the Library works the same way. GA4 also keeps a separate, auto-populated “Source platform” dimension that it fills for Google products such as Google Ads, Search Ads 360, and Display & Video 360 when auto-tagging is on. Manual UTM tagging sets that auto dimension to Manual, while utm_source_platform feeds the distinct “Manual source platform” field.
Best Practices
- Use it only with a real multi-platform setup. If every campaign is tagged by hand, every value will be
manualand the parameter adds no insight. Add it when campaigns genuinely run across several buy-side platforms. - Keep values consistent. Like all UTM values, utm_source_platform is case sensitive.
manualandManualregister as two separate values. - Do not duplicate utm_source. Keep the traffic origin in utm_source and the operational platform in utm_source_platform.
- Pair it with utm_id for cost reporting. Together they give GA4 both the managing platform and the ID needed to match spend data.
- Skip it for organic email and social. Those have no buy-side platform, so the parameter only adds noise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is utm_source_platform used for?
utm_source_platform labels each tagged link with the platform that managed or purchased the campaign. It lets analysts filter GA4 reports by the buy-side or campaign-management tool, such as Search Ads 360 or Display & Video 360. The parameter is descriptive only and does not affect attribution or channel grouping.
What is the difference between utm_source and utm_source_platform?
utm_source records where the click came from, like linkedin or newsletter. utm_source_platform records the platform that ran the campaign, like manual or Display & Video 360. A LinkedIn ad bought through DV360 would have utm_source set to linkedin and utm_source_platform set to Display & Video 360.
Is utm_source_platform required?
No. utm_source_platform is optional, like utm_id, utm_creative_format, and utm_marketing_tactic. GA4 records every session whether or not the parameter is present. Only utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign are needed for standard campaign attribution.
Where does utm_source_platform show up in GA4?
GA4 stores it in the “Manual source platform” dimension, which is not in default reports. Open Explore, create a Free-form exploration, and add “Manual source platform” as a dimension to see the values.
Does utm_source_platform work in Universal Analytics?
No. utm_source_platform is a GA4-only parameter. Universal Analytics supported only the original five Urchin tags: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term, and utm_content.
To build campaign URLs with utm_source_platform and the other extended GA4 parameters, use the free UTM builder at linkutm.