Glossary · Measurement
AI Referral Traffic
Website visits that arrive via a tracked link from an AI engine's answer, distinct from traditional search or social referrals.
How it's identified
Some AI engines pass identifiable referral data when a user clicks a cited source, which lets analytics tools separate that traffic from generic direct or organic search visits — though a meaningful share still arrives as unattributed dark traffic instead.
Why it's a growing category
As more research and buying journeys start with an AI assistant, referral traffic from these engines is becoming a category worth its own line in analytics, rather than being lumped into "other."
See more terms in the full glossary, or read the AI Visibility 101 guide for the full picture.