At SealMetrics, we prioritize accurate traffic source attribution without relying on invasive tracking methods. Here’s how we precisely determine SEO traffic:
1. SEO Traffic Definition
SealMetrics classifies a visit as SEO traffic when the following conditions are met:
The referrer (the previous page) is Google (or a recognized Google domain).
The URL does not contain any advertising-related parameters such as:
gclid (Google Ads auto-tagging)
gad
gbraid
wbraid
Other parameters introduced by Google Ads
UTM parameters (like utm_source, utm_medium, etc.)
If only the referrer is Google and none of these parameters are detected, SealMetrics classifies the visit as organic SEO traffic.
2. Avoiding Confusion with Google Ads Traffic
Could Google Ads traffic be mistakenly classified as SEO traffic?
The risk is extremely low — less than 1% of cases.
For confusion to happen, both of the following conditions must be met:
The referrer must still be Google (which is typical for Google Ads).
AND the URL must lack all identifiable ad-tracking parameters:
No gclid
No gad, gbraid, wbraid
No UTM parameters
No other newly introduced Google Ads parameters
This situation is rare because Google Ads automatically appends at least one of these markers.
3. Summary
Condition | Result |
Referrer is Google and no ad/UTM parameters | Classified as SEO traffic |
Referrer is Google and ad/UTM parameters exist | Classified as Paid traffic |