what is direct traffic in Google Analytics

What is the direct traffic in Google Analytics? When Google analytics could not recognize the traffic source it is counted as Direct Traffic. Major source of direct traffic is typing url in the browser or we can say type in user search, apart from this, direct traffic also include visits from your bookmarks, link available in your mail (in case you have configure MS outlook in your computer or you have your own email software), in case of redirects 301, meta refresh tag, link available in your MS Excel file, word file, pdf document etc.

Sometimes the CPC data is also get included in your direct or organic traffic. This only happens when you don’t tags your destination urls properly. You can go to your adword a/c and choose Auto-tagging there. This will tag your destination urls automatically. But what if you are using other campaigns apart from Google AdWords. You will need to tag your urls manually.

If your google analytics a/c now showing adword data there, just enable cost data to see AdWords traffic in your Google Analytics Account.