LIFT 2016: Don't be Afraid of the Dark - Measuring Dark Social by Colin Zalewski

#LIFTSocial

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Colin Zalewski | Simply Measured

Speaker:

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Today You’ll Learn

• How to define dark social• Why your organization should care• Dark social measurement challenges• Q&A

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Defining Dark Social

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

What is Social?

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Social Goes Beyond Where Your Brand Can Publish

Where Your Brand Posts on Social Where Consumers Share Your Content

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Defining Dark SocialTechnical Definition: Website traffic that originates from a shared link, but does not pass a referrer and thus appears as ‘direct traffic’ in web analytics.Referrer = the page URL containing the link that drove the visit.

“Tell me like I’m five” Definition:Social shares and traffic that can’t be measured by traditional website or social analytics.

“Tell me like I’m a Teenager” Definition:All that other social stuff in your giant Direct traffic bucket.

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Where Dark Social Traffic Comes From

• Messaging Apps

• Email

• SMS/Text

• Social Mobile Apps

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

WeedStore

WeedGuy

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

WeedStore

WeedGuy

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Why You Should Care

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Dark Social Accounts for More Than You Think

~70%ofsocialsharingisDARK

>50%ofsocialtrafficisDARK

>50%ofsocialsalesareDARK

Sources: RadiumOne and Simply Measured

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

It’s All About Your Consumers and Your Content

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

WeedGuy

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Case Study: Leading Beauty Retailer

Challenge: • Believe social plays a significant role in

purchases• Invested heavily in social• Had a hunch more was coming from

social

Results:

• 78% of social purchases were unattributed• Discovered which products consumers shared

and led to conversion

78%

22%

Attributed with Dark Social Attribution

Previously Unattributed

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

1. If you knew most of your social conversions were from dark social, what would you do with that information?

2. What would understanding dark social sharing teach you about your consumers?

3. If you knew which of your URLs were being shared through dark social, what would you do with that information?

Discussion –You Tell Me

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Dark Social Measurement Challenges

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Social is Different From Every Other Digital Channel

Where Your Brand Posts on Social Where Consumers Share Your Content

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Social Has Unique Attribution Needs

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

1. Link Shortening• Clicks ≠ Visits

2. UTM Parameters• Little use of social share

buttons3. User Agent Analysis

• Breadcrumb left by mobile apps

• Challenging and inconsistent

Existing Efforts to Attribute Dark Social

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

Behold the Hash Fragment

• Allows you to track social sharing AND attribute dark social traffic conversions and shares

• Leverages your audience’s organic behaviors

• Zero impact on SEO

http://simplymeasured.com/social-analytics-api/#sm.001atva211dacdhhvd91jt0dlaf58

@colinzalewski | #LIFTSocial

1. Social is consumer-centric.

2. Dark social drives decisions.

3. Measuring dark social is challenging but possible.

In Summary

Thank You

#LIFTSocial

QUESTIONS

#LIFTSocial