Referral / Analytics Terms Referral Referral refers to a type of website traffic that arrives through a link on another website, rather than from a search engine, social media platform or direct visit. When someone clicks a link on a blog, partner site, directory or online article and lands on your site, that visit is logged as a referral in analytics tools like Google Analytics. Tracking referral traffic helps marketers understand which external sources are driving visitors and where to invest in partnerships or outreach. Referrals are typically listed in the “Referral” section of traffic reports, showing the domain name of the referring site. For example, if a nonprofit’s donation page is linked in a media article, traffic from that link will be recorded as a referral from the media site. Common referral sources include industry blogs, forums, online news, review platforms and partner websites. Marketers can also use UTM parameters to track the performance of specific referral campaigns more precisely. Referral traffic provides insight into brand visibility, link-building success and content reach. For B2B and SaaS companies, referrals often come from guest posts, product directories or strategic partnerships, and can indicate high-quality leads. For nonprofits, strong referral sources might include event listings, grant directories or educational articles. Encouraging referrals involves building strong relationships, contributing valuable content and securing backlinks from trusted sites. Analysing referral patterns helps identify influential partners and informs ongoing outreach efforts.