Google has resolved a bug that caused AI Mode search traffic to be incorrectly reported as "direct traffic" instead of "organic traffic" in Google Analytics.
The Problem
The issue began last week when Google started adding a special code (rel="noopener noreferrer") to links in its AI Mode search results. This code caused Google Analytics to incorrectly attribute website traffic, showing visits as direct rather than originating from Google search.
Impact on Attribution
The bug affected how website owners could track the source of their traffic, potentially skewing analytics data and making it difficult to accurately measure the performance of organic search results from Google's AI Mode.
Community Confirmation
Reports from Aleyda Solis, Founder at Orainti, and other members of the SEO community have confirmed that the issue has been resolved. Solis noted the removal of the "noreferrer" attribute from Google's AI Mode links.
In her update, Solis advised the community to verify the fix and monitor analytics platforms going forward: "Head up: I don't see the 'noreferrer' in Google's AI Mode links anymore. I've just searched for a few queries in AI Mode and have confirmed w. Double check to see if you see it too, and annotate again in your analytics platform to monitor the evolution of your organic search vs direct traffic from today."
Recommended Actions
SEO professionals and website owners are advised to double-check their analytics platforms and create annotations to monitor the changes in organic search versus direct traffic attribution moving forward. This will help track whether the traffic attribution has returned to normal levels following the bug fix.
