OpenAI Removes UTM Parameters From ChatGPT Results

Key Points:

• OpenAI appears to have removed or replaced UTM parameters from links in ChatGPT results starting with the release of GPT-6 about a week ago, making it difficult to track if clicks originated from ChatGPT.
• Previously, in June, OpenAI had added UTM tracking to ChatGPT links, but this was removed by October, potentially unintentionally, as noted by Adobe's Cedric Huesler.
• Huesler observed a significant drop in tracked ChatGPT-driven visits (~31,000 fewer per day) and a corresponding rise in direct visits (+26,000 per day) on pages where ChatGPT previously drove traffic.
• The change involves ChatGPT opening links with parameters that omit the UTM source and referrer data, causing analytics to categorize these visits as direct traffic rather than from ChatGPT.
• Other analysts and users have also reported similar tracking issues, indicating a broader impact on website traffic analytics related to ChatGPT referrals.