Understanding the difference between Referrer and Direct traffic in SealMetrics is simple:
If a referrer (previous page URL) exists, the traffic is referrer traffic.
If the referrer is empty, the traffic is classified as Direct traffic.
Key Rule:
Direct traffic = Referrer field is empty.
How Referrers are Classified
When a user visits a website, the browser sends a
referrer
The header to the website contains the URL of the page the user was on before clicking the link to the current website. This information is useful for website owners to understand how users are finding their website.
At Sealmetrics, we have a system for classifying referrers. This system helps us better understand where our website traffic is coming from. If a referrer is present, it will be classified accordingly. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
One exception is when the domain of the referrer is identified and reclassified. For example, if the referrer is recognized as Google, it could be classified as SEO instead of just a regular referrer. Similarly, if the referrer is identified as Facebook, it could be classified as Social instead of just a regular referrer.
This system allows us to gain more insight into our website traffic and helps us better understand our audience. By classifying referrers, we can see which sources drive the most traffic to our website and adjust our marketing strategies accordingly.