Google Analytics does not show full referring URLs
Now and again I come across a flaw in Google Analytics and, rather than keeping these little frustrations to myself, I’ve decided to share them with you and Google. Who knows the greater powers that be will hear me!
Now, after reading the title of this post you might think: “This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about – you do get the full referring URL in the Referring Sites report.” Fair enough, you’re right to a certain extent: You get the referring domain first, then when you click on a domain you get the full URL. The problem I found, however, is that if a dynamically generated page links to you, you don’t get to see the query string in the referring URL and as a result you cannot find the exact page on another site that links to you.
A few examples of instances in which it’s good to know the exact page that links to your site:
- If you see high conversion rates from referred traffic, you’d like to know how this site is linking to you and within which context – Not only to potentially get more out of this referrer but also to learn more about your visitors and why they “behaved” they way they did
- If a blog or other social interactive site links to you, it’s interesting to know what’s being said about you or your blog posts or business in general. If someone is putting you in bad light you have a chance to retort, if someone praises you it’s an opportunity to network a little. This is a basic tool used for online reputation management.
Google Analytics team: Any chance you can show us the full URL if the referring page is dynamically generated? Please? 
Just click the URL on the first Referring Sites screen. It jumps and shows the referrers from that domain after you click.
Thanks Joel. This post was written a while ago and in the meantime a few hacks have appeared that enable you to view the full referrer URL (which is still something that you don’t get out of the box). A post will follow shortly.