Market Ruler HelpDifference between revisions of "Referrer"
(Created page with 'The page which linked to the current page, or, the previous page. When marketers speak of the '''Referrer''', they mean the page which linked to the page you are currently on. …') |
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| − | The page which linked to the current | + | The page which linked to the current page. |
| − | When marketers speak of the '''Referrer''', they mean the page which linked to the page | + | When marketers speak of the '''Referrer''', they mean the page which linked to the page currently being viewed by a visitor. |
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| + | e.g. a visitor first searches for the term "cat food" on Yahoo! | ||
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| + | <pre>http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=cat+food&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701</pre> | ||
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| + | They click on the first result, which is: | ||
| + | |||
| + | <pre>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_food</pre> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Therefore, the "Referrer" on the Wikipedia page is: | ||
| + | |||
| + | <pre>http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=cat+food&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701</pre> | ||
| + | |||
| + | (e.g. the previous page which linked to it.) | ||
The referring page is quite useful as it allows a marketer to determine: | The referring page is quite useful as it allows a marketer to determine: | ||
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* What, if any, keywords were entered by a visitor prior to landing on their site, and | * What, if any, keywords were entered by a visitor prior to landing on their site, and | ||
* Determine the path of the visitor on the site | * Determine the path of the visitor on the site | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==The only problem is...== | ||
| + | The main problem with depending on the '''Referrer''' of a page to determine the source of your traffic is that many [[Web browser]]s, [[Firewall]]s, [[Proxy server]]s, [[Virus Software]], and [[Web Browser Plug-ins]] will '''block referrers from being sent to your site.''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | That means that a savvy marketer ''should not depend on the referrer being present'' to determine the source of traffic. | ||
| + | |||
| + | That is why using a [[Conversion Tracking]] tool which uses [[Tagging]] on [[Landing URL]]s to determine the source are much more accurate than ones which depend on the '''Referrer'''. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Organic Keyword Extraction]] | * [[Organic Keyword Extraction]] | ||
Revision as of 21:12, 16 September 2009
The page which linked to the current page.
When marketers speak of the Referrer, they mean the page which linked to the page currently being viewed by a visitor.
e.g. a visitor first searches for the term "cat food" on Yahoo!
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=cat+food&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701
They click on the first result, which is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_food
Therefore, the "Referrer" on the Wikipedia page is:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=cat+food&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701
(e.g. the previous page which linked to it.)
The referring page is quite useful as it allows a marketer to determine:
- What web pages link to theirs
- What, if any, keywords were entered by a visitor prior to landing on their site, and
- Determine the path of the visitor on the site
The only problem is...
The main problem with depending on the Referrer of a page to determine the source of your traffic is that many Web browsers, Firewalls, Proxy servers, Virus Software, and Web Browser Plug-ins will block referrers from being sent to your site.
That means that a savvy marketer should not depend on the referrer being present to determine the source of traffic.
That is why using a Conversion Tracking tool which uses Tagging on Landing URLs to determine the source are much more accurate than ones which depend on the Referrer.