Dark Social’s Impact: Tracking Sales from Messaging Apps
Welcome to the world of dark social! You may have heard of the term before, but do you really know what it means and how it can impact your business? In this digital age, messaging apps have become an integral part of our daily lives. From WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to WeChat and LINE, these apps have revolutionized the way we communicate with one another. But what many businesses don’t realize is that these messaging apps are not just for sending funny memes or keeping in touch with friends – they also have the power to drive sales. In this article, we will explore the concept of dark social and its impact on tracking sales from messaging apps.
The Rise of Dark Social
First coined by Alexis Madrigal in 2012, the term “dark social” refers to the sharing of content through private channels such as messaging apps, email, or private browsing. Unlike social media platforms, where shares and clicks can be easily tracked and attributed to referral traffic, dark social is more elusive and difficult to measure. In fact, according to a study by RadiumOne, 84% of online shares are made through dark social channels, while only 16% occur on social media platforms.
So why do people prefer sharing through dark social channels? One reason could be privacy concerns – many users feel more comfortable sharing content with close friends and family rather than publicly on social media. Another reason is the rise of chat-based communication – people are spending more time on messaging apps than on social media, and it has become the primary way for them to share interesting articles, products, and deals with their contacts.
The Impact on Tracking Sales
With the significant increase in dark social sharing, businesses need to rethink their tracking methods to accurately measure the performance of their marketing campaigns. Traditional web analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, rely heavily on referral traffic from social media platforms to track sales. As a result, a significant portion of traffic and sales generated through dark social channels goes unnoticed, leading to a skewed understanding of the effectiveness of marketing strategies.
To overcome this challenge, businesses can take advantage of link shorteners, which provide more granular data by tracking clicks on shortened links. This can help identify which dark social channels are driving the most traffic and conversions. Additionally, businesses can set up UTM parameters to track the performance of specific campaigns or promotions shared through dark social channels.
The Power of Messaging Apps in Driving Sales
Dark social is not just about tracking sales – messaging apps also have the potential to directly drive sales for businesses. With the rise of chatbots and in-app shopping capabilities, messaging apps are now being used as a sales channel. They provide a convenient and seamless shopping experience for customers, eliminating the need to visit external websites or download separate shopping apps.
In addition, messaging apps have a massive user base, with over 2.89 billion active users globally. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses to reach and engage with potential customers through targeted messaging and personalized recommendations. Furthermore, messaging apps also allow for real-time communication, enabling businesses to provide immediate support and address any customer queries or concerns, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention rates.
The Future of Dark Social
As messaging apps become more integrated into our daily lives, the impact of dark social will continue to grow. Businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to leverage dark social and make it an integral part of their digital marketing campaigns. This means creating shareable and engaging content, utilizing chatbots for sales and support, and implementing effective tracking methods to measure the success of these campaigns.
In conclusion, dark social is no longer something businesses can afford to ignore. With the rise of messaging apps and the changing landscape of social media, it’s essential to understand and leverage the power of dark social to stay ahead of the game. By doing so, businesses can not only accurately track their sales from messaging apps but also drive more revenue and customer engagement through this significant but often overlooked channel.
