Referral Traffic

Visits that arrive by clicking a link on another website, excluding search engines and social platforms in most channel groupings.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Referral traffic is website visits that arrive when people click a link on another website. In most analytics channel groupings it excludes search engines and social platforms, which are reported separately. Tracking referral sources shows which partners, publications and directories send visitors, helping evaluate PR, partnerships and link-building efforts.