The Untapped Potential of Dark Social in Marketing

While you're busy perfecting our Instagram posts, your audience is sliding into each other's DMs, sharing your content like it's a precious gem.

Dark Social. It's the elephant in the room, the secret handshake of the digital world.

A mind-boggling 77.5% of social sharing is cloaked in privacy.

Yes, the most impactful conversations about your brand are happening in these secluded spaces, far from the public eye.

Here's what I'll cover this week:

• Defining Dark Social and its significance

• Challenges and opportunities

• Tools and skills needed

• Tracking campaigns in Dark Social

• Creating a Dark Social strategy

• Real-world examples

---

What is Dark Social?

The term "dark social" was introduced by Alexis C. Madrigal in a 2012 article for The Atlantic.

It describes the social sharing of content that happens in ways that web analytics cannot track as it happens outside of public social media platforms.

This includes:

• Private messaging apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram)

• Email chains

• Secure browsing environments (e.g. Brave Browser)

• Direct messaging on social platforms

• Private subreddits

• Plus many more

It’s not a matter of if your customers use Dark Social platforms, it’s which ones.

The challenge with these private sharing methods is their lack of a digital footprint, making them as elusive as a ninja in the night.

Out of sight doesn't mean out of mind. Dark Social is active and influential.

As you explore the importance of Dark Social, it becomes evident that these private exchanges are not merely a minor aspect of digital communication.

Rather, they are at the core of how information is shared in today's digital world.

The Impact of Private Recommendations

When someone shares your content privately with a friend or colleague, it carries more weight than a public post.

It's like a secret recommendation from a trusted source. And we all know how powerful word-of-mouth can be.

This understanding of Dark Social's impact prepares us to explore the challenges marketers face, shedding light on the need for sophisticated tracking tools and strategies.

The Analytics Challenges Marketers Face

Dark social significantly influences social and digital marketing strategies.

It eludes conventional tracking tools, hiding much of consumer behaviour and interaction. This results in incomplete or distorted data about customer engagement, the success of marketing campaigns, and conversion paths.

Research suggests that Dark Social accounts for up to 84% of all referral traffic.

However, this traffic is usually lumped under "direct traffic" in Google Analhytics making it tricky to analyse.

Marketers also need to navigate these challenges while respecting user privacy and adhering to increasingly stringent data protection laws, such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California.

These privacy measures keep user conversations confidential and form a significant barrier to tracking and analysing shared content.

Image Source

How to Track Dark Social

Okay, so you know you need to pay attention to Dark Social. But how do you track something that's essentially invisible?

Integrating CRM with Social Media Platforms

By integrating CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems with social media platforms, you can better track the customer journey, even when it includes Dark Social interactions.

This can help in attributing conversions and understanding the influence of private sharing on purchasing decisions.

Enhanced CRM integration allows for a more granular analysis of how specific content performs across different channels, including those that are less visible.

URL Shorteners like Bitly

Not only do URL shorteners like Bitly make your links look snappier, but they also provide additional tracking capabilities. It's like putting a GPS on your content.

UTM Parameters

Most people are familiar with UTM parameters, but you might be surprised to learn that many marketers still don't use them in all their campaigns.

While not foolproof, UTM codes can help trace the origins of traffic back to its source, even if it's a private share.

UTM link structure example:

A link with "?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=private_message" shared via WhatsApp will be registered as traffic from the source "whatsapp" and medium "private_message"

UTM Image Source

However, there are limitations to using UTMs for tracking Dark Social:

• Only works if the recipient clicks the tagged link; tracking is lost if they copy-paste the URL without UTM parameters

• Does not provide detailed information about the individual who shared the link or the specific conversation due to the private nature of dark social channels

• They fail to capture the myriad interactions a customer may engage in across various marketing touchpoints before making a decision.

Check out Google’s UTM Builder tool.

Implementing Multi-Touch Attribution in Dark Social Campaigns

Multi-touch attribution models offer a more comprehensive view of the customer journey by valuing each touchpoint, from initial engagement to final interaction.

This method provides deeper insights into conversion drivers, addresses visibility issues from simpler tracking like UTM codes, and reveals hidden paths within Dark Social, enhancing the accuracy of marketing effectiveness measurements.

Implementing Multi-Touch Attribution:

• Select Tools: Choose analytics tools that support multi-touch attribution (e.g., Google Analytics, HubSpot, Adjust).

• Define and Track Touchpoints: Include Dark Social platforms in your touchpoint mapping.

• Regular Analysis: Continuously analyse touchpoint effectiveness to optimise your marketing strategies.

Developing a Strategy for Dark Social

Create content that deeply resonates with your audience:

• Create Engaging Content: Aim for content that resonates on a personal level—infographics, short videos, and interactive pieces are perfect for sharing in private.

• Encourage Sharing: Embed calls-to-action that encourage sharing and make it easy with copyable URLs and private sharing buttons.

• Employee Advocacy: Empower your employees to share content through their networks, extending your reach organically.

• Stay Responsive: Monitor mentions and engage with your audience in dark social channels to foster deeper connections.

Real-World Examples of Dark Social

Now, let's take a look at some brands that have mastered the art of Dark Social.

Take Spotify, for example.

Their annual "Wrapped" campaign brilliantly utilises Dark sSocial by encouraging users to share personalised insights across both public and private channels.

B2B example

Moz, thrives by building a vibrant B2B community where users share insights and collaborate on strategies through private forums and messaging.

Conclusion

So there you have it.

You've successfully travelled through the underworld of dark social!

By adopting sophisticated tracking technologies and respecting user privacy, you can unlock the full potential of this channel.

Embrace the darkness, and you'll find a world of opportunities waiting for you.

And, when all else seems too complex, a well-placed cat video shared via Dark Social might just be your best bet!