Direct Traffic

Google Analytics defines direct traffic as visits to a website that arrived at your site either by typing your website’s URL into a browser’s search bar or by using browser bookmarks. Also, if Google Analytics cannot recognize the traffic source of a visit, it will also be classified as direct in your analytics report.

In web analytics, direct traffic corresponds to sessions that do not have referral information in the web browser of the user accessing the site.

Below are a few cases where Google Analytics cannot identify the source of your traffic:

• Links in SMS
• Links in Word, Excel, PDF files, etc.
• Links on HTTP sites
• Untracked links in a marketing email signature
• Links to an instant messaging tool Skype, Google Hangouts, etc.

References –

• https://www.monsterinsights.com/what-is-direct-traffic-in-google-analytics/
• https://moz.com/blog/guide-to-direct-traffic-google-analytics
• https://www.atinternet.com/en/glossary/direct-access/

Other SEO Terms

Organic Traffic    |    Social Traffic    |    Referral Traffic    |    Paid Traffic