Direct Navigation (also known as Type-in Traffic) is the action of visiting a website while bypassing online search engines to arrive organically at the desired domain. In other words, by means of direct navigation one can find the information desired without using a search engine; this can be done by specifying the desired site directly in a browser's address bar, clicking on another website's link, or by means of a bookmark or directory.[1]
Short Overview
Direct navigation is a term used for more than 10 years and generally includes type-in traffic. This is one the reasons for which direct navigation is sometimes used interchangeably with Type-in Traffic. Direct navigation supposes the following process: a user opening their browser, going to the address bar and typing in a desired domain name that is the precise source of content the user is interested in.[2] The exact number of people practicing direct navigation is debatable, but its prevalence can worry brands owners since direct navigation can lead to negative effects on brand management by creating avenues for cybersquatters and other cyber-criminals to take advantage of recognizable or sought after brands.
This is also referred to as Type-in Traffic and represents the traffic generated by a user either by typing a URL (website address) directly in the address bar or by directly going to a desired website as a bookmark. In this way, Direct Navigation Traffic is a continuous stream of highly targeted traffic which is not created based search engine and neither on paid advertising. This represents the most targeted type of traffic but in the same time it is considered by many as the highest octane virtual fuel that keeps the Internet going. [3]
Due to the fact that by means of search engines the amount of traffic send to parked pages is very low, domainers have no other choice vut to rely on direct navigation users. Without Type-in Traffic, it would be almost impossible for someone to land on a parked page and make profit for the domainer by clicking advertisements.
As compared to Direct Navigation, Search Navigation is being used in various ways and at various degrees by users who use search engines for information they are not sure about or by users who use search engines to find the desired website directly.However,in the case of Direct Navigation the user chooses to search based on a string of keywords or terms using search engines like Google, Yahoo!, or MSN. [4]