The claim that Google has "confirmed" using Chrome 1 data to count site visits is wrong. Google has not documented it; the leaked chromeInTotal attribute is the closest evidence, and how it is used is unknown. What Google does document is the Chrome UX Report 3,948 , real-user performance data behind Core Web Vitals (Core Web Vitals). Studies correlating direct traffic with rankings may simply reflect that popular brands get both. Treat direct visits, shown in GA4's Direct channel, as a sign of loyalty worth earning, not a ranking lever.