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- All guides in this category
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In a fixed order: UTM parameters win first, then ad click IDs, then the referring host (search, social, AI assistant, referral), then your own site (internal), and finally direct when there is nothing to go on.
The order of rules
Open Web analyticsSources. The first table groups visits by channel type, decided in this order:
- UTM parameters win. If the landing URL carries
utm_medium=cpcorutm_medium=email, that decides the channel regardless of the referrer. - Ad click IDs. A URL with
gclid,msclkid,wbraid,gbraid,yclidorbd_vidis paid search even without UTM. - Referring host. Search engines become organic search, social networks become social, AI products become AI assistant, everything else is referral.
- Your own site. A hop from one of your registered hostnames is internal and never counts as acquisition.
- Nothing. No referrer and no parameters is direct.
Your own rules run first
Rules you add under ConfigurationWeb settingsChannel rules are checked before the defaults, so you can route a partner domain or a vanity medium wherever it belongs. After you change the rules you can recompute history so old visits follow the new grouping.
Channel groupings differ from GA4. If your team relies on a custom GA4 grouping, recreate it here — your rules win over the defaults.
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