Dark social is the invisible referral

"Dark social" is the secret weapon

"Dark social" is a phenomenon in which a significant percentage of content is shared by potential buyers outside the scope of web analytics tools.

“Dark social is like the famous soccer player who says he doesn’t read the newspapers anymore, but still hears all the gossip from teammates and coaches through the grapevine.”

In a broader sense, “dark social” also refers to the way in which buyers gather information and are influenced without this being measurable by the marketing organization.

With the emergence of new platforms such as Spotify, TikTok, and the growing importance of LinkedIn, the attribution of lead-generation initiatives has become “blurry.”

Because suppose you come across a video marketing podcast after scrolling through a bit, decide to listen for a few minutes, and find it interesting. What do you do then? It’s likely that you’ll share the link with a colleague via a WhatsApp message, for example. If that colleague then checks out the link and is also enthusiastic, the next step is probably to visit the website.

Google Analytics identifies the search as an organic search. This incorrect attribution leads to a narrow focus—because the source is completely unclear.

The reality is that this search is actually a referral.

For example, Getsocial has calculated that 13% of our website visitors were generated through dark social shares, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.

In addition to in-app sharing via WhatsApp, there are other related "dark social" initiatives that are difficult to measure.

• Social media posts – LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram posts that have been read and shared but cannot be tracked.
• Internal channels – Slack or Microsoft Teams groups within the organization where information is shared.
• Podcasts—Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and platforms like TikTok with hundreds or thousands of followers— be sure to check out our vodcast for best practices in marketing and sales.

Social media posts

Likes and shares on social media do not indicate whether a social media post has been read.

Most social media engagement is a reaction rather than a response.

But what if 80% of new customers were influenced by LinkedIn posts, yet this group of prospects has never liked a post?

Just think about the 1/9/90 rule, and it’s not so surprising that not every form of interest is expressed online. This is dark social at its best.

Internal channels

A coworker reads an article on LinkedIn and copies the link into a Slack or Teams channel.

If the person sharing this also happens to have a great deal of influence within the organization, then the impact of sharing it cannot be underestimated.

If the stakeholders decide to conduct further research and, months later, decide to get in touch, this cannot be traced.

Podcasts

The rise of podcasts on platforms such as YouTube, Apple, and Spotify has been phenomenal.

Millions of users and a huge influence on decision-making. It is precisely these channels that drive demand creation.

Think of a name that gets “dropped” by a podcast host.

How does this affect the purchasing process?

And ask yourself: What do you usually do after listening to a podcast… have you ever shared it with a friend or coworker?

However, marketing once again finds itself in the dark when analytics are the only factor considered.

““It’s like the drunk man looking for his keys by a lamppost because that’s where the light is best—even though he lost his keys in the park.”

How to Measure Dark Social?

The most practical way to measure attribution is to use URL shorteners like Bitly.

It seems like a straightforward solution, but it's never 100% foolproof.

There's just too much going on on the internet, and information is shared at a pace that no one can keep up with.

Accepting that information travels faster than it can be measured is an important mindset for taking an effective step forward.

For example, Getsocial has calculated that 13% of our website visitors were generated through dark social shares.

To make dark social measurable, the solution lies not so much at the beginning of the buying process, but at the end.

For example, use a web form on your website to ask your prospects how they found you.

Don't ask closed-ended questions; keep it open-ended and let yourself be surprised.

In addition, it is important for salespeople to ask this question during one-on-one conversations and to ensure that the response is recorded in the CRM.

This ensures that marketing can actually measure the direct impact on revenue.

The Power of Video Marketing

Although video marketing does not directly measure dark social, it does offer a powerful solution by focusing on content quality and engagement. Rather than focusing exclusively on measurable attribution, video marketing enables companies to create rich, valuable content that resonates with and impacts their target audience.

This underscores the importance of delivering high-quality content that resonates with audiences and gets shared, even when the exact paths of distribution remain invisible. For more insights on navigating dark social and the importance of high-quality content, read our article: The Value of Video Marketing