Dark Social
Dark social is the sharing of content through private channels like messaging apps, DMs, or emails that don’t pass referral data.
What does “Dark Social” mean?
Dark social describes traffic and engagement from social shares that happen in private spaces—such as WhatsApp, Messenger, or email—that don’t contain traditional referral data. This makes it hard for marketers to measure where their traffic is coming from, even if their content is being widely shared.
This term highlights a challenge in social media marketing where content goes viral “in the dark,” outside of publicly visible spaces like timelines or feeds.
Example
“I found this article hilarious, had to send it to my friend on WhatsApp—pure dark social.”
How is “Dark Social” used in social media strategy?
Understanding dark social helps brands think beyond visible metrics. It encourages them to focus on creating highly shareable content and using tools like UTM tracking to better capture where private engagement is coming from.
Pro Tip
Add visible social sharing buttons with UTM tags to content so you can capture and analyze more of your off-platform engagement.
Related Terms
Direct Message, UTM Parameters, Social Traffic
