I checked my blog analytics for last 7 days and found a referrer list that made me stop and think. Some traffic came from the usual places Google, Baidu, and other search engines but then I saw links from Ethereum.org, TheGuardian.com, SteamPowered.com, and even Dartmouth.edu. That last one really caught my attention. It makes me wonder if my blog is listed on some academic resource page, or if someone’s watching it with AdSense placement in mind.
It’s not just the .edu traffic it’s the mix. Tech, fashion, gaming, education. That’s a wide range for a blog that mostly features styled Zazzle products, and autumn season posts. I wonder are my information/ promotion blog posts being discussed in classrooms, shared in forums, or bookmarked by niche readers?
This kind of referrer list gives you insight not just numbers. It shows who’s linking to your blog, what kind of visibility you’re getting. I wish Zazzle gave us this kind of breakdown. Imagine knowing which external site is sending buyers/ traffic your way.
Are you seeing similar referrers or traffic spikes, at your blog? Are you fascinated by who’s sending traffic to your blog?
Sorry that chart does not compare to my referrer analytics on my blog. But if your satisfied with the breakdown , that’s your deal . ? what does that circle tell you and the Direct & Other traffic?
Sorry for any confusion. That was a sarcastic reply: the chart is super unhelpful. The only thing it tells me is clearly I drive the vast majority of all my traffic .
Also, if you review your stats in the front and back, the views are massively different. The backend sometimes shows more and sometimes shows less, so I don’t even know which way it tends…
I noticed on my blog that I have many referrals from the unlikeliest sources - ikea.com and pizzahut.com for example. Obviously such sites aren’t really going to be seeking out my blog so I looked up in a search why this should be happening. The general consensus is that they are from bots using the other domains to mask what they actually are and where they’re coming from.
I actually clicked through a couple of those referrers The Guardian and Dartmouth College and they both opened to legit pages on their actual domains. So at least some of the traffic seems real, not spoofed. I know referral spam is a thing (and I’ve seen it too), but in this case, it looks like there’s genuine interest or at least a direct link somewhere. I know that AdSense tracks real views and I get a whole lot a views to my blogs. I saw that Facebook has one of my blog posts ranked really well in SEO I thought maybe because its indexed my post could have been picked up by aggregators, newsletters, or even embedded in other sites leading to referrals from domains like theguardian.com, dartmouth.edu, or steampowered.com. I don’t know, I just think its interesting.
@Susang6 Nigel is probably right. I asked my husband a computer science professor and spoofing a large company/entity website is what those bots do. They may provide you with a legit website page though the bots did not generate from those websites.
My husband explained there are many ways for the phenomenon you experienced happened. But what you have described led him to determined Nigel is correct.
I truly apologize. So much context is lost when we don’t have nonverbal cues. I was hoping the emoji would help. Your frustration with the lack of insights available to us here is absolutely felt by us all.
Just to clarify this spike is happening on my autumn blog, not across all 6 of my blogs. The autumn blog t’s a mix of seasonal recipes, current activities, news worthy trending articles and Zazzle products where they fit. I haven’t boosted anything, but Pinterest, Facebook, and Google indexing are driving organic traffic.
AdSense is tracking over 1K real views weekly, and I’m seeing referrers from places like PETA, The Guardian, and Dartmouth. I’ve checked some are legit, not just spoofed.
One post in particular is getting shared: and from the actual AdSense views this post is probably bringing referrers. Joplin Misses the Mark on Nursing Deer
Like I said autumn blog is not a catalog / It’s not a selling blog it’s an educational archive. I share Zazzle products when they support the story, but the focus is on verified sources and lived experience.
I clicked through to your blog and it’s definitely not like mine. Yours is a well-written catalog lens clean product presentation, affiliate links, and visual styling, it looks great. I can see why domains like PizzaHut or IKEA would feel off in your referrer list; they don’t align with catalog traffic.
But my blog isn’t just listing products. I’m teaching, documenting, and creating ripple traffic that catalog blogs don’t typically generate. For example, I don’t just post my “fall season” tissue paper I show how to use it to decoupage a table, with step-by-step instructions. That kind of content gets picked up by aggregators, newsletters, and social shares.
So yes, my referrers look different and honestly, many of them make sense considering what I’m sharing. I think our blogs serve different purposes, and that’s reflected in how traffic flows
