http referrer

[minli98]

Hi,

I use cgi.http_referrer to analyze the traffic to my site. Unfortunately, for a large number of visitors, this variable is empty. I read somewhere that some browsers block this info. But when I look at the user agent variable, it's not clear to me what browsers block this info. For instance, some of the MSIE 6.0 users have no http_referrer, but there are many that do.

Anybody has a good idea on how cgi.http_referrer work?

Many thanks.

Min

 

[imstillatwork]

some 'security'suites block referer. Common browsers let it through, because they know it is not a security risk. Norton Internet Security likes to make people think the referer is bad, and FOX news like to make people think that Cookies steal data.

Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

 

[jalpino]

Actually, requests coming in without a referer will most likely be because they navigated to your site directly (typing your site directly into the address bar).

JAlpino

 

[imstillatwork]

Assumming that he meant like he said, "for a large number of visitors, this variable is empty" and that that included visitors that visited more than one page, and still have empty referer variables. This is from blocking the referer variable from being set during the http request by proxy servers, internet security programs, or other means.



Kevin

http://www.lot-o-nothin.com/cfml/

Phase 1: Read the CFML Reference
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

 

[minli98]

Thank you all for the input. While I am only tracking the referrer to the first page, I know that many of those with empty referrer variables came in through google adwords or yahoo sponsored search because their landing page are marked with special codes. It is possible that some users come in to those pages through their bookmarks rather than thru google or yahoo. In this case jalpino is right that the only way to know whether their referrer variables are blocked is to check their second page. I probably won't change my program to track this info since I don't see too much benefit.

Min

 

[FALCONSEYE]

as jalpino mentioned, they can also add your link to their favs and when they clicked on it, your http_ref is going to be blank.

http://www.jetansolutions.com