Microsoft emailed advertisers notifying them that Microsoft Advertising will update UTM auto-tagging beginning on September 2, 2026. Microsoft added that no action is required on your part, as the updated tags will be applied automatically.
The email says, "Starting September 2, 2026, Microsoft Advertising will update UTM auto-tagging to improve how your campaign performance is measured in third-party analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics 4)."
"With this update, format specific UTM tags will be applied automatically, enabling campaign formats such as Search, Audience, Shopping, and Performance Max to be reported distinctly by campaign type within your analytics platform. You’ll begin seeing this reflected in reporting for campaign activity starting September 2, 2026," Microsoft added.
Here are the listed benefits of this UTM change according to Microsoft:
- More accurate performance reporting: Your analytics platform can attribute Microsoft Advertising traffic more specifically by campaign format.
- Better budget decisions: Format level insights make it easier to see what’s working and shift spend to higher performing campaigns.
Here is the full email including how the UTM changes will show in your analytics tool:
Forum discussion at LinkedIn.
