lift 2016: don't be afraid of the dark - measuring dark social by colin zalewski
TRANSCRIPT
#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
• 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