The Anglo-Saxon term “dark” translates into Spanish as “dark” or “gloomy.” And it fits well with the idea of Dark Social ! Dark Social can be defined as traffic that comes to your website from the shadows. Without any apparent trace .
You can use any web analytics service like Google Analytics to identify the sources of visitors who visited your page. If your SEO strategy is good, you’ll see some coming from Google’s SERPs. Others will come as part of your external and internal linking policy, and perhaps another group will have come from your social networks.
But you’ll also encounter a portion of traffic from unknown sources. These are known as Dark Social ! Why is their origin unknown? Where did they really come from? Read on to learn all about these mysterious visitors…
Common Sources of Dark Social
As may seem obvious, Dark Social comes from sources that are not traceable by web analytics services. So it’s worth taking a moment to think about those sources you don’t know about, but that are working so well for you. Some might include:
- Instant messaging: Who hasn’t shared a website link through services like WhatsApp or Telegram? Well, this is an indirect source of traffic. When someone recommends your website, it’s very likely they’ll do so through this medium.
- Email: This works the same way as the previous example, but the volume is much smaller. Your web address won’t be shared as much via email as it is via instant messaging, but a minority of people will reach it this way.
- Direct traffic: Direct traffic isn’t trackable because it doesn’t need tracking. If your website is popular and authoritative, you don’t need referrals… It’s much simpler: People type your website address into Google’s navigation bar, and voilà , they’re in!
- Secure browsing: Many people aren’t comfortable with Google or other search engines knowing where they’re coming from… That’s why they choose to replace the HTTP protocol with HTTPS, effectively eliminating them altogether. No web analytics service will know where they’re coming from!
- Smartphone apps: Mobile apps developed natively for these devices don’t generate any traces. If someone shares a link to your website on apps like Instagram or Snapchat, it will be very difficult to identify them. They’ll go straight to the unidentifiable sources box.
Why is it important to pay attention to it?
Dark social media is very important because every visit counts for search engine optimization. So, why not take advantage of those web traffic sources that, while untapped, are just as profitable as the rest? That’s what it’s all about.
Below we explain some other reasons why Dark Social is so important:
- Specialists mention that 50% of web traffic is unknown.
- You will be able to capture the attention of new audiences.
- Dark Social is a sign that you’re entering the realm of mobile devices.
- They’re a benchmark for the credibility of your content. No one recommends what they don’t like!
How to track it in Google Analytics?
You should take advantage of the filtering options offered by Google Analytics to separate the users who arrive from shortened or traditional URLs. This already gives you a reference, as the Dark Social user is more likely to belong to the group that entered through a shortened link .
That alone will give you an idea of the percentage of your traffic that comes from unidentified sources, but the mystery will always remain.
What to do with Dark Social ?
Take advantage of it! Your actions should be geared toward making it easier for people to continue accessing these sources you’re still unfamiliar with.
Start by agreeing on links to your website so people can easily share them. You can also place share buttons on each page.
If that works, you’ll see an increase in your Dark Social and you’ll have an idea of the origin of those mysterious visitors.
