Traffic sources
Understand how to identify major channels of traffic and learn why the source of a visitor can change the interpretation of their behavior.
What traffic sources actually measure
This metric los where visitors came from before landing on your website. In other words, it helps to evaluate how people are finding and arriving at your website.
The main types of traffic sources
For clarity and easier evaluation traffic sources are generally grouped into related types of sources—otherwise referred to as channels. While there may be slight differences in how traffic sources are labeled and categorized depending on your analytics platform, the following are common channels you're likely to see.
Direct traffic
This traffic may also be referenced as having "no referrer" and includes visitors who arrived directly on your website. Direct hits include actions like typing in a URL, using a saved bookmark, or clicking on a link that was directly shared or saved in any other non-recognized manner.