Remember when people used to share everything publicly on social media? Those days are fading fast. Nowadays, most online sharing happens in personal spaces like messaging apps, closed forums, and private groups.
You might have noticed this in your marketing analytics. Maybe your carefully crafted social posts aren’t getting the expected engagement, and you’re left wondering if anyone’s even seeing them. But here’s the thing: People are still sharing your content—it’s just happening behind the scenes.
Known as dark social, this trend can be frustrating because it’s hard to track. But it’s not all bad news. When you understand how people share online content in private, you can adjust your strategy to fit this behavior. Let’s explore how this works.
What is dark social and why does it matter?
So, what exactly is dark social? Simply put, it’s any online sharing that happens outside of the usual public platforms. (And no, this has nothing to do with the dark web, where anonymous browsers and hidden content live.)
Think of dark social as the word-of-mouth marketing of the digital age. Instead of shouting from the rooftops, people whisper in each other’s ears—sharing links, recommendations, and opinions in private conversations.
Why does dark social matter for marketers? Because a huge chunk of social sharing happens this way. In fact, up to 95% of your direct website traffic might come from dark social channels. When your analytics show someone landed directly on your site, they probably didn’t type in your URL. Instead, they likely clicked a link from a private message, email, or closed group.
But the importance of dark social goes beyond the volume of shares. It’s also about the quality of those interactions. Think about it: Are you more likely to buy something because you saw an ad or because a trusted friend recommended it in a private message? People trust their inner circles more than brands, so those dark social conversations are incredibly valuable.
The top platforms driving dark traffic
Think about how you shared things online today. Was it a quick text to a friend? A link dropped in your team chat? Chances are, you were participating in dark social without even realizing it. Here’s where most private shares happen.
Email and text messaging
Links shared via email or text are classic examples of dark social. Professionals send interesting articles to coworkers. Friends and family text each other product links. And parents share helpful resources through email chains.
These everyday exchanges drive a lot of website traffic, but in your web analytics, it looks like people found the site on their own. In reality, it’s all coming from personal recommendations.
Private messaging apps
WhatsApp, Telegram, and Steam Friends & Chat have become major sharing hubs. These apps let people send links, screenshots, and recommendations to individuals or small groups.
For instance, you might share a link to a product you love in a family WhatsApp chat or send a game recommendation to a friend on Steam. Because these conversations are private, brands have limited visibility into what’s being shared and how much it truly influences people’s decisions.
Social media DMs
Social media is known for its viral trends, but don’t forget about direct messages (DMs) on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook Messenger. People use DMs all the time to share things they’d rather keep private.
It’s where you send a funny meme to a friend, ask someone for a restaurant recommendation, or share videos of your favorite products in action. While a DM might not have the flash of a viral post, all those little shares add up, quietly driving traffic and shaping buying decisions.
Online communities
Whether it’s a niche forum, a professional Slack group, or a lively Discord server, online communities bring people together around shared interests. These spaces are hot spots for dark social because people love sharing resources and having meaningful discussions.
Recommendations here hold extra weight since they come from people who know the topic. For instance, when a software developer recommends a tool in a programming Discord server, most readers will agree it’s more credible than a random post on social media.
Employee communications
Forget the water cooler. These days, the real workplace chatter happens in the digital spaces where teams collaborate. Think Slack channels, Asana project threads, and similar platforms where colleagues connect throughout the day.
Employees share everything from insightful blog posts to product recommendations. A single message in a company Slack channel could spark dozens of clicks as team members check out a shared resource. This internal sharing leads to the most qualified traffic since it comes from people working in the same field with similar challenges.
Tips for making the most of dark social
Dark social traffic might seem like a mystery, but it’s not an unsolvable puzzle. The key is to shift your thinking and embrace how people naturally share content online. Ready to tap into the power of these hidden conversations? Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Produce content worth sharing
Want your content to spread through dark social channels? Simply create content that people want to share with others.
Think about what makes you send something to a friend. Maybe it’s an article that solves a problem they mentioned. Or a product review that answers questions they’ve been asking. Or something so interesting that you know they’d love to see it.
That’s the kind of content you should focus on creating. Not the “Please like and share” type posts, but genuinely useful information that makes someone think, “Oh, my friend needs to see this,” such as:
- Detailed how-to guides that solve specific problems
- Original research or insights your audience can’t find elsewhere
- Real customer stories that help people make decisions
- Expert tips that make people’s lives easier or more enjoyable
Remember, when someone shares your content in a private message, they’re essentially vouching for its value. They’re saying, “I think this is worth your time.” So, focus on creating content that lives up to that trust.
Design content for dark social channels
Picture this: You’re in a group chat, and someone drops a link. What makes you click it? What grabs your attention in that tiny preview?
The most compelling previews have clear featured images, descriptions that make sense, and titles that grab attention. This is exactly how your content needs to appear when people share it privately.
But don’t stop there. Optimize your landing pages, too. Consider how people consume content on their phones. Break up those walls of text. Use headers that tell people what they’ll learn in each section. And add some bullet points to aid scanning.
Remember that many people will take a screenshot rather than copy the link. So, make your key points visually stand out. That means using clear fonts, high-contrast colors, and enough white space to make information easy to read at a glance.
Provide easy content sharing links
When you add proper sharing buttons to your website, you can track some of those dark shares. While you can’t see what happens after someone shares your content privately, you can at least count how many people use these buttons to share. It’s a small window into otherwise invisible traffic.
So, which buttons should you add? Think about which private platforms your audience uses most. For a business crowd, add buttons for LinkedIn messages and Slack. For a younger audience, focus on WhatsApp and Discord. For global reach, consider regional favorites like Line or WeChat.
Place these buttons near key content and product features people might want to share, not just at the bottom of the page. Consider adding quotable text snippets with 1-click sharing buttons. This makes it easy for people to share specific insights or statistics that catch their attention.
Build an online brand community
Building an online brand community is like creating a virtual clubhouse for your most engaged customers. It’s a space where they can connect with others and share their passion for your brand—and where you can quietly listen in.
But where do you start? First, choose the right platform for your community. Consider where your target audience already hangs out online. Are they active on the Facebook mobile app? Do they love the real-time interaction of Discord? Or maybe a dedicated forum would be a better fit for in-depth discussions.
Once you’ve set up your platform, it’s time to bring it to life. Just like in-person conversations, the best discussions need someone to get them started. Be sure to ask questions, share interesting content, and encourage people to engage with each other. Check in often to continue the discussions and keep your audience active and engaged.
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How to track and measure dark social traffic
Ready for a detective mission? Tracking dark social requires a bit of ingenuity and a willingness to look beyond the obvious metrics. But with the right tools and strategies, you can get the insights you need. Here’s how.
Use UTM parameters
Adding UTM parameters to your links helps track where traffic comes from, even when shared privately. These parameters are those extra bits of text at the end of URLs that tell traditional analytics tools more about the source.
The downside? These links can look messy, and savvy users might delete everything after the question mark before sharing. Still, they’re worth using because they can provide valuable insights when they remain intact.
Shorten your URLs
URL shorteners offer a cleaner solution for tracking dark social shares. Tools like Bitly let you create unique shortened links for each campaign or piece of content. For example, if you’re promoting a new product, you could make 1 link for the product page and another for a related blog post.
When people share these links, the shortener’s analytics track key metrics, including the total number of clicks. While you won’t get data from dark social channels, you can still get a sense of which pages generate the most interest.
Analyze direct traffic
Direct traffic might feel like a catchall category that doesn’t tell you much. However, it can give you clues about how private sharing brings people to your website. You just have to set up your Google Analytics or tools from your preferred web analytics firm to dig deeper.
Start by creating filters to exclude pages that are easy to type directly into a browser, like your homepage or contact page. Then, exclude returning visitors who already know about your site. This helps you focus on first-time visitors who may have found your content through a private link.
Look at these metrics alongside periods when you’ve shared content through email or social media channels. A jump in direct traffic shortly after could indicate that people are sharing your links through personal channels.
Also, check which devices this traffic comes from. A high percentage of mobile visitors often suggests dark social sharing since most private messaging happens on phones.
Employ social listening tools
While social listening tools can’t track private messages, they can help you spot trends in how people talk about your content.
To make the most of this tool, set up alerts for:
- Your brand name and common misspellings
- Product names and features
- Campaign hashtags and slogans
- Competitor mentions
- Industry keywords and trends
Check these mentions weekly or monthly to spot patterns. Maybe certain types of content get discussed more often, or specific product features generate more buzz than others. Use these insights to guide what you create next and how you position your content for sharing.
Ask customers directly
Sometimes, the simplest solution works best: asking your customers directly. Add a “How did you hear about us?” field to your forms. Send follow-up surveys after purchases. Have your Sales team ask what prompted people to reach out. You might be surprised how often customers mention receiving a link from a friend or colleague through private channels.
Key takeaways
- Dark social brings in hidden traffic: A big part of your website traffic comes from private sharing but often shows up as direct web traffic in your analytics.
- Where dark social happens: Most dark social sharing happens on platforms like WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Facebook groups, text, and email.
- Private shares build trust: Most people trust links shared in dark social because they come from friends, family, or coworkers.
- Create content people want to share: People are more likely to share helpful, entertaining, or unique content in private conversations.
Find clues about dark social traffic: Tools like UTM links, URL shorteners, and surveys can help you understand how dark social drives visits to your website.