Understanding Direct Leads in iTracker360
When you receive a lead marked as “direct,” it can stem from several different scenarios. I’ll walk you through the common reasons a direct lead occurs.
Direct leads usually show up in iTracker360 as something like direct-none-direct, depending on how your Leadsources are configured.
Here’s the technical reason why leads are classified as direct:
The browser’s request headers are missing the referrer property. When no referrer and no other tracking parameters (like UTM tags) are available, the system records the lead as “direct.”
In simpler terms:
A direct lead happens when the browser doesn’t send a referrer, and no tracking data is available.
If the technical explanation feels confusing, let’s break it down further:
When Is the Referrer Set?
Typically, the referrer is set when someone clicks a link to your website through a web browser like Chrome, Safari, or Edge.
For example, if your link is shared on Facebook and someone clicks it, the browser will set the referrer as facebook.com.
When a lead comes through as a “referral” or “organic,” it usually means the referrer property was captured.
Note: I said “most of the time” — here’s why in the scenarios below.
When Is the Referrer Not Set?
Scenario 1: Direct URL Entry
Someone types your website address directly into the browser (e.g., from a business card). Since they aren’t referred from another site, no referrer is set, and the lead is considered direct.
Scenario 2: Clicking Links in Apps That Don’t Set Referrer
Apps like Microsoft Outlook (and many mobile apps like Twitter) don’t set a referrer when links are clicked.
If the URL doesn’t have tracking parameters, these leads will also show as direct.
Tip: Add UTM parameters using the iTracker360 URL Builder to improve tracking for these cases.
Scenario 3: Secure to Insecure (HTTPS to HTTP)
If your site only uses http:// (not secure), browsers like Chrome may not pass the referrer when someone comes from a secure site like https://youtube.com.
For example:
- User watches your video on YouTube (secure).
- They click a link to
http://yourwebsite.com(insecure). - Result: No referrer is passed, and the lead is marked as direct.
Solution: Upgrade your site to HTTPS to fix this tracking gap.
Scenario 4: Cookies Are Cleared
If a user clears their cookies while browsing your site, their session tracking may reset. Future interactions could be recorded as direct or as self-referrals.
Scenario 5: Referrer Lost During Redirects
Some redirects can strip or overwrite referrer data. If your website uses redirects, make sure they properly preserve the referrer information.
How to Reduce Direct Leads
If you notice an unusually high number of direct leads, here’s what you can do:
- Install the iTracker360 JavaScript snippet on every page of your site.
- Switch your website to HTTPS to ensure browsers pass referrer information.
- Add UTM parameters to all your email and app links.
- Test your site: Clear your cookies and cache, click on your website links from external sources, and observe how the lead is recorded.
- Need help? Reach out to us, and we’ll help troubleshoot and optimize your setup.
That covers the most common reasons for direct traffic in iTracker360!