Do you have any idea what “dark social” is? If not, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Dark social is a relatively new term that refers to the sharing of content through private channels, such as email or instant messaging. This type of sharing is becoming increasingly popular, and businesses should take advantage of it if they want to reach more people. In this blog post, we will discuss what dark social is and how businesses can use it to their advantage. We’ll also provide some tips on how you can start using dark social for your business today!
What is dark social?
Dark social is a term that describes web traffic that comes typically through private messaging platforms such as Whatsapp and Telegram as a result of sharing of links among friends and peers. This traffic doesn’t contain tracking code and is categorized as a direct traffic source by most analytics softwares.
It’s important to understand that dark social does not refer only to sharing through direct messages on messaging apps like Facebook and Twitter; it also includes links shared in emails between friends or even dark social links sent as attachments in an email attachment.
Dark social is different from traditional social media platforms, such as Facebook mobile app and Twitter, because it relies on private channels for sharing. Dark Social isn’t scary or spooky, and it has nothing to do with the dark web or back alleys.
What Are Some Examples of Dark Social?
Dark social is when someone shares content with people they know through private channels like email or text message, rather than publicly on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.
This type of sharing occurs more often now than ever before due to advances in technology and the increased use of smartphones, which allow users to share content easily through private messaging platforms apps like WhatsApp Messenger or Snapchat.
Why is dark social important?
Dark social is becoming more and more popular. According to a recent study by Radium One, dark social accounts for 84 percent of all sharing activity on the internet! This means that if your business wants to reach new customers and build brand awareness, then you need to take advantage of this growing trend.
Dark social is important because it allows businesses to reach more people. Unlike traditional social media platforms, which are public, dark social allows businesses to share content with specific groups of people (private sharing). This makes it a powerful tool for marketing and advertising.
How Does Dark Social Affect Brands?
If you’re worried about how dark social will affect your brand, then don’t. Dark social can actually benefit brands if they use it correctly. Here are some ways that dark social could help your company:
1. Dark social allows businesses to reach more people and increase the chances of conversion. You’ll be able to reach a wider audience than you would through traditional social platforms.
2. Dark social can help you build relationships with customers. By sharing content through private channels, you’ll be able to create a more personal connection with your audience. This can lead to increased brand loyalty and customer retention.
3. Dark social is an effective way to test marketing campaigns before launching them publicly. You’ll be able to see how different types of content are received by your audience before you commit to a full-scale marketing campaign.
4. Dark social can be used in conjunction with other marketing methods, such as email campaigns or social media posts. This will help you reach more people and increase the visibility of your brand.
Should brands worry about dark social?
Dark social is a double-edged sword. Information gets disseminated much faster via private messaging channels and for brands, the way they are being portrayed via these channels is key.
Having said that, it’s not all bad news for brands. The good thing about dark social is that people are sharing content with the intent to engage with others and this means they will be more receptive if you reach out to them personally through private channels like email or text messages.
Why Do People Share in Dark Places?
People share in dark places because they don’t want to be seen by the public eye. People are more likely to share things that would get them in trouble or make them look bad if it’s done privately instead of publicly. This means there are opportunities for brands to reach people who might not otherwise engage with their content on social media platforms like Facebook mobile apps or Twitter.
Dark social can help you reach new customers and build brand awareness, but it’s important to understand why people share in dark places before jumping into this type of marketing strategy!
The first step is understanding your audience so that you know what types of content they enjoy most when sharing privately with friends & family members.
How Does Dark Social Compare to Other Traffic Sources?
Dark social is a relatively new concept, so it’s hard to compare it to other traffic sources. However, there are some things we can say about dark social in comparison to other sources:
- Dark social is more targeted than other sources, which means that businesses have a higher chance of reaching their target audience through this type of marketing.
- Dark social is more likely to result in a conversion than other sources, so it’s a great tool for businesses who are looking to increase their sales.
- Dark social is harder to track than other sources, so businesses need to be prepared to put in extra effort if they want to measure the success of their campaigns.
Overall, dark social has many benefits and is a great tool for businesses. It allows them to reach their target audience in ways other sources cannot, which means that it can help increase sales or brand awareness.
How to track dark social traffic?
There are many tools available to help you measure the impact of dark social. You can measure dark social traffic by using analytics software such as Google Analytics, which is a free analytics software tool that allows businesses and website owners to track the performance of their websites.
Using this tool will help you understand how many people are coming from private channels such as email or instant messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. You’ll also be able to see what kind of content they’re sharing and how they’re interacting with your website. You can also track dark social media sharing by using Google Analytics.
How can your business use dark social to its advantage?
Dark social can be used by businesses in a number of ways. One way is through email marketing campaigns, which allow companies to send targeted messages directly into the inboxes of their customers or prospects. Another way that businesses can take advantage of dark social is by creating content specifically for private channels such as instant messaging and chatrooms.
There are many ways that brands can take advantage of dark social, including:
Creating content specifically for dark sharing
You’ll need to create content that’s easy to read and share in a private setting. This could be images, videos, or text-based articles on topics that are relevant to your audience.
Building relationships with influencers
Influencers have an established following, so they’re more likely to share your content in a private setting than if you were trying to reach out cold-call style. You might also consider using paid advertisements on social media channels like Instagram or Facebook.
Keeping track of what works
It’s important to track the results of your dark social campaigns so you can understand what content is resonating with your audience. This information can help you fine-tune your marketing strategies in the future.
5 reasons your company can’t ignore dark social
If your business is looking to increase its reach and build brand awareness, then you can’t afford to ignore dark social. Here are five reasons why:
- Dark social allows businesses to share content with specific groups of people, which makes it a powerful tool for marketing and advertising.
- Dark social is becoming more and more popular, so if your business wants to reach new customers and build brand awareness, then it needs to take advantage of this growing trend.
- Dark social is a relatively new concept, so there’s still time for businesses to get on board before the rest catch up!
- You can use dark social in conjunction with traditional marketing methods such as email campaigns or social media posts.
- You can use dark social to reach a wider audience and increase the chances of conversion.
Tips for using dark social
Here are a few tips for getting started with dark social:
- Start by creating content specifically for private channels such as email and instant messaging. This content should be tailored to the needs of your audience, and it should be relevant to their interests.
- Make sure that your email marketing campaigns are relevant to your audience and that they provide value to them.
- Use social media platforms to drive traffic to your dark social content. This will help you reach more people and increase the chances of conversion.
- Monitor the results of your dark social campaigns and make changes as needed. Dark social is still a relatively new concept, so it’s important to keep track of what works and doesn’t work for your business.
Conclusion
Dark social is an important trend that businesses can’t afford to ignore. It allows companies to reach more people than traditional social media platforms, and it provides a powerful tool for marketing and advertising. By creating content specifically for private channels such as email and instant messaging, businesses can connect with their audience in a more personal way. By using dark social tools like Google Analytics, businesses can measure the results of their dark social campaigns and make necessary changes. So what are you waiting for? Get started with dark social today!
