"Last non-direct click" in GA4, explained
GA4 does not simply credit the last thing a visitor did before converting. In several reports it uses "last non-direct click", which deliberately skips over direct visits when deciding which channel gets the credit. Knowing this explains a lot of confusing attribution.
What the rule actually does
If someone converts after arriving directly (typing your URL, or a visit with no known source), GA4 does not credit "Direct". Instead it looks back and credits the last non-direct source it can find, say the Google ad they clicked two days earlier. The logic: direct is often just a return visit, not the real reason they came.
Why it matters
- It is a big reason direct traffic gets less conversion credit than you might expect.
- It means a channel can get credit for a conversion that technically happened on a later direct visit.
- It differs from pure last-click, so comparisons with ad platforms (which may use their own models) will not match, as in Google Ads vs GA4.
The practical takeaway
GA4 is trying to give credit to the marketing that really drove the visit, not the shortcut the person took to return. It is usually the sensible default, but know that it is happening, because it quietly reshapes which channels look successful. For deeper control, explore GA4's other attribution models in the Advertising section.
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