The HTTP referrer is a header included in an HTTP request that is sent from a user’s browser to the destination server when a webpage is requested. This header provides details about the URL of the previous webpage from which the visitor navigated.
Screenshot is from UserMetric.io (A web analytics wesbite), and from Linko’s statistics dashboard.
How to hide referrer?
Hiding a referrer with Linko is a straightforward process that can be accomplished in just a few clicks. This feature is available at no cost to all users; the only requirement is to set up a free account.
In addition to the above topic, I wanted to provide more comprehensive information and detailed insights on the concept of hide referrer. This is an important aspect that many individuals and organizations may want to consider when it comes to online privacy and security.
What are the use cases, pros, and cons of a hide referrer?
There are different reasons and use cases for using a hide referrer feature. I will list some pros and cons of using a hide referrer and why people choose to use a hide referrer.
Pros
Increased privacy: Hiding your referrer can help prevent websites from tracking your browsing history and identifying you across different sites.
Enhanced security: In some cases, hiding the referrer can make it more difficult for attackers to track the origin of your clicks and determine your browsing behavior.
Preventing content scraping: Concealing the referrer can make it more difficult for websites to identify and scrape content from other sites without permission.
Reduced targeted advertising: Masking the referrer can lead to fewer targeted ads by preventing advertisers from accessing information about users’ online activities.
Protecting affiliate links: Affiliates may cloak referrers to prevent others from hijacking their referral commissions by replacing their affiliate ID with their own.
Cons
Reduced functionality: Some websites rely on referrer information for legitimate purposes, such as tracking referral sources or implementing security measures. Hiding the referrer may disrupt these functions and lead to a degraded user experience.
Reduced website analytics accuracy: When using a hide referrer, website owners might have less accurate data about their user traffic sources, potentially hindering their ability to understand user behavior and optimize their website accordingly.
Ethical considerations: In some cases, concealing your referrer might be considered unethical, especially if it involves bypassing affiliate tracking agreements or intentionally disrupting website functionality.
Suspicions raised: Concealing the referrer may raise suspicions or trigger security measures on some websites, leading to increased scrutiny or even blocking of access.
Why would users of URL shorteners want to hide referrers?
People who are using URL shorteners are mostly digital marketers, social media marketers, affiliate marketers and online website owners.
So, individuals in these fields may typically use a hide referrer feature for the reasons mentioned below.,
Protect their affiliate income: By hiding the referrer, they can prevent ad agencies or affiliate platforms from tracking conversions originating from their shortened links, potentially affecting their earnings.
Conceal traffic sources: They might also want to keep their traffic sources private from third-party websites, such as competitors, affiliate platforms or entities they don’t wish to share audience data with.
Therefore, if you are shortening 3rd party websites’ URLs and sending traffic to them, you can hide the referrer in your short links (at your own risk).
But, if you are shortening your own websites/products/services URLs and sending traffic to your websites, then we don’t recommend using a hide referrer since it can hinder your ability to analyze and optimize your marketing efforts.
