Is Facebook and Twitter Referral Traffic Wildly Overhyped?

There was an interesting (and grossly underreported) bit of referral traffic data posted by ad network Chitika about a month ago.

Chitika looked at referral data for more than 120M impressions across 60,000 sites and concluded that Search remains the undisputed king of traffic referrals - and it's not close:

According to Chitika, search accounts for all but a rounding error of referral traffic.  Social (sites like Facebook, StumbleUpon, and Twitter) are growing as a referral segment, but accounted for only 0.55% of referrals in September.  Twitter referrals actually fell, leading Chitika to suggest that "Twitter users appear to be becoming link-blind."

Another interesting tidbit is that after a buzzy launch, Bing is starting to slip as a referrer.

So let's digest this.  Search represents nearly 98% of all referral traffic and its share is growing.  Twitter referrals are tiny and getting tinier.  Bing is slipping.  StumbleUpon is the top social site referrer.

Does anyone else see a disconnect between the hype and the data?

I've heard reports of early adopter focused sites whose social referral traffic has started to matter.  But it certainly doesn't seem to be a mainstream phenomenon.

So the implications of this in no particular order:

- All bow down to the Google God
- Think hard about committing resources to social optimization over search optimization
- Don't let Silicon Valley's love affair with social media fool you: search is showing no signs of getting dethroned any time soon.
- Flat traffic and eroding referral share are troubling signs for Twitter

Thanks to Chitika for exposing this fascinating data. 

Note: One possible explanation for why this data might be skewed in favor of search - sites that use Chitika might be more search friendly than social friendly, due to this product.

Comments

[Frank Lynch]

Thanks for this great informative post. To be successful online these days you have to be on top of everything - the search engines, social networking sites, SEO, exchange links etc. I learned a lot from your post.

[Rick Porter]

Thanks - great post. I'm using everything for traffic and know that some things will sink while others swim. We are still in the infancy of the internet when you look at the big picture and how far we have come in so little time. Hard to imagine even 5 years from now at the going rate of ideas and technology.

[Eric]

Thank for nice info. I take advantage from this

[Blog]

Ok

[Blog]

Ok

[allods ol gold]

In the allods online, allods online gold is very important. You can do some task, and with your friends together to get the allods gold.Only to spend some time and money, you will get more buy allods gold, this gold which you get can be used to allods ol gold.

[IWB]

I think that the debate around social traffic should switch as soon as possible to value. Most social traffic isn't work anything. People cruising these sites are not in a buying state of mind. When routed to your site they don't click on ads and buy anything. Even if you get paid by impressions, eventually the smart tracking systems will figure out that traffic from your site (sourced from Twitter/Facebook) is worth nothing and your ads will get value priced. I'm just saying.

[Shop taobao]

He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.
*_*

[Generic Viagra]

Hey, Really great work,I would like to join your blog anyway so please continue sharing with us......

[Christian Louboutin shoes]

I like your articles to help guide people to the information they are looking for a direct function of the.

[ゼチーア]

Hi there,
Really nice job,There are many people searching about that now they will find enough sources by your tips.
Also looking forward for more tips about that

[angular cheilitis]

these sites get more and more popular everyday, I dont see the fascination mind you

[Cordless Skype Phones]

I sincerely got a kick from your article. I really do not truly have much to say in response, I only wanted to comment to reply great work.

[oakley sale]

Search represents nearly 98% of all referral traffic and its share is growing. Twitter referrals are tiny and getting tinier. Bing is slipping. StumbleUpon is the top social site referrer.

[burberry outlet]

Social (sites like Facebook, StumbleUpon, and Twitter) are growing as a referral segment, but accounted for only 0.55% of referrals in September. Twitter referrals actually fell, leading Chitika to suggest that "Twitter users appear to be becoming link-blind."

[cheap ray bans]

I've heard reports of early adopter focused sites whose social referral traffic has started to matter. But it certainly doesn't seem to be a mainstream phenomenon.

[Coach Outlet Online]

i am not good at interview, i try to find some ways to solve this difficulty. thank you

[Moncler Down Jackets Women]

Good post. I am also going to write a blog post about this...I enjoyed reading your post and I like your take on the issue. Thanks.
http://www.celebsmoncler.com

[air force one]

has married, was not does not like playing, but really not time!

[True Religion Jeans Outlet]

In an earlier post, I noted that I thought that the real cost of the cash for clunkers program went well beyond the $4500 rebate per car. Edmunds.com just came out with an analysis that shows that the cost of the program, once purchases that would have occurred during that period without the rebate are taken into account, at $24,000 per car!

[nike dunks]

The game itself, I feel, plays well at the beginning but has a tendency to getting bogged down in the later game as borders are drawn the player and AI push each other back and forth with small attacks. In these cases, I've found that the AI, with its infinite stamina, will grind the player down and win which can be less than fun. Were I to continue with this game, I would probably try to find a way to give the advantage to big pushes instead of lots of small pushes. Or, perhaps, make the game completely non-symmetrical.

[Prada handbags online]

buy Prada handbags to our Prada handbags outlet store. We have Prada handbags 2011 and Prada handbags on sale . You will content with the high quality and lowest price. If you have any question, please click about us

[Ohmz]

Yes now a days social media is the great way and a medium to be in touch with your old friends + very beneficial from the business point of view
http://www.afrasino.com/
http://www.aahfactory.com/
http://www.agacatalogs.com/

[cheap Isl volo tickets]

Thank YOU for sharing your comments and insights. I really appreciate it! Amazing art on your site!

[ugg boots outlet]

Thank YOU for sharing your comments and insights. I really appreciate it! Amazing art on your site!