Does search traffic depend on direct traffic?

[Thaparian]

Hi,

On two of my site I notice a 40-60 traffic ratio. 60% being search traffic. I think if your site gets very less direct traffic, Google will send you less search traffic.

One site hit badly by Penguin, one site isn't affected with Penguin.
Before Penguin, the ratio of traffic was around 85-15 I think.

If people aren't bookmarking your site, not coming to your site directly, it means your site doesn't have compelling content, so your site doesn't deserve much search traffic.

Anyone else seeing this trend?

[Pjman]

I definitely see a similar trend in my older sites. 8 years +. My newer sites(3 years old), not at all.

This could normally be chalked up to you get regular direct traffic and regular stable search traffic. But on two of my sites I send newsletters to tons of people (250K+) once a week. During the 48-send window direct traffic jumps and at the same time search goes up to.

At I thought maybe it was just the day of the week or time. So I sent it 3 different days/times of day. The same exact result every time. Direct Up - Search Up

I only see this with Google, not all search.

[seoskunk]

Ok I rigged up a system once where it hit on a site waited a random amount of time then hit on another page as direct traffic using a list of fresh proxies across the internet and a random user agent. This was tracked using a well known javascript program on the site.

I am not going to say the result but I will say there could indeed be a connection between high traffic and high rankings.

[taberstruths]

I believe this applies not only to direct traffic but referral traffic as well from other sites in your niche. I always see an increase in search when I start getting referral traffic from syndicated articles.

[Planet13]

"I am not going to say the result..."

Why not?

[aakk9999]

@pjman
With regards to search traffic going up as a result of e-newsletter, have you done the analysis for what terms? I am for example often reluctant to click on links in mail and often google the domain or article when I get e-newsletter rather than clicking on the email link directly.

[Pjman]

@aakk9999

I did take that into account. There is little to no fluctuation in the increase of (domain/brand)google referrals during that time.

Not that I could think up ever possible search that would relate, but the 10 words/phrases that would go to a newsletter link, I tracked on 2 different occasions during that period. Little fluctuation from non-newsletter time.

[aristotle]

I'm not surprised that direct traffic would be a useful and reliable positive signal for Google's search algorithm. But I wouldn't have thought that it would respond so quickly to a sudden increase in direct traffic.

[bwnbwn]

I would call this Branding Thaparian. [webmasterworld.com...]

I see a direct correlation between organic traffic and direct type in. Direct type in sends a very strong signal to Google and Bing that this domain is worth noting/ranking.

BTW this is not something a spammer can easily duplicate. Sure I can hire X numbers to type in my domain, but I also need additional signals that promote why a user would choose to type in my domain. I said and will repeat the traditional method we used is history move your development into a new direction or fade away.

The time of running cheap websites is at and end it now takes a team or dedicated personal to continue a web presence.

There maybe some spamming ranking for good key terms now but mark my words their time is rapidly approaching.

[topr8]

>>I think if your site gets very less direct traffic, Google will send you less search traffic.

>>I see a direct correlation between organic traffic and direct type in. Direct type in sends a very strong signal to Google and Bing that this domain is worth noting/ranking.

i'm sorry, i'm obviously a bit stupid. how does google or bing or anyone else know how many direct type-ins i get or how many people have bookmarked my site?

[Pjman]

@bwnbwn

You're right and I'm scared as all hell of what the future brings.

The only thing that baffles me is how poor the results are right now.

In 2007, I started my main company I spent hours research this and that about forming a company. Prior to Panda (I.e. Google going public).

I have spent the last month working on the same process. Pretty much having the same questions that I had back in 2007.

I can't find an answer to most of questions. I have to jump between multiple search engines to just get an idea of who to ask these days.

[Pjman]

"direct type-ins i get or how many people have bookmarked my site?"

Chrome data would give them that and I'm sure they have some deal with Mozilla (Firefox).

The refer data would also tell them where you came from if you are running any google products on your site.

[lucy24]

Direct type in sends a very strong signal to Google and Bing that this domain is worth noting/ranking.

BTW this is not something a spammer can easily duplicate. Sure I can hire X numbers to type in my domain, but I also need additional signals that promote why a user would choose to type in my domain.

Unless chrome is even more nefarious than we think, there is absolutely no way it can tell that something is a type-in. It can easily tell if you used a bookmark; for that matter, it can tell when someone sets a bookmark in the first place. But distinguishing between a type-in and a cut-and-paste is a whole nother level of detection.

[bwnbwn]

Guys I am not talking about a couple of times but hundreds, thousands of times. This is a strong single.

Forget the way you thought 5/10 years ago millions of people millions (I'll say it again MILLIONS) have Google enabled 24-7.

[lucy24]

Moral: Put something on your site that will encourage Chrome users to bookmark it.