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Define independence clearly
Classify referring websites by ownership and relationship. Separate your own channels, paid placements, partner placements and unsolicited editorial references. These categories can all be useful, but combining them into one headline makes it hard to judge whether other organisations independently find the publication valuable.
Review relevance and context
Look at why the external page references the content and whether its audience matches the decision the article supports. A contextual citation in a useful industry resource may matter more operationally than many unrelated directory links. Do not infer endorsement beyond what the source actually says.
Measure resulting value
Track relevant visits and qualified actions where the data permits, while recognising that some references may have value not captured by direct clicks. Use the review to learn which original explanations and tools other publishers find worth sharing, rather than chasing link count alone. Keep a record of the actual page containing the reference, not only the referring domain. One website can contain paid, partner and independent editorial content, so classification at domain level alone may overstate or understate independence.
Illustrative operating example
A hypothetical report lists 40 referring domains, but 25 are company-controlled properties and ten are paid placements. Only five are independently earned references under that definition. Reporting the categories preserves the meaning of the independent-referral measure.
Make it practical.
Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.Published by Tap Tap Go. Product availability and eligibility vary by programme and market. About our stories.
