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Dark social describes the “invisible” communications that happen through messaging apps, email and SMS, where close-knit privacy is key and brands have minimal visibility.
In 2022, WhatsApp is the most-used social media platform by UK internet users between 16-64 with 74.8% using the app. Facebook Messenger came in third with 58.5%, confirming the popularity of the dark side.
A study on social sharing habits has highlighted the growing appeal of ‘dark’ private messaging apps, with people now preferring such channels to share content and recommendations. This growth in popularity can be attributed to feeling comfortable enough to ‘be’ yourself, with people now thinking twice about sharing the same content on a public forum.
And it’s not just interacting with friends and family, users also want businesses to have a messaging presence. “In the last two and a half years, the pandemic has actually accelerated the adoption of conversational messaging by businesses,” says George Neo, a messaging platforms partner manager at Meta and when used correctly, messaging can streamline customer interactions helping to relieve pain points.
This trend has been noted by all the major platforms, as new dark messaging features continue to be announced and drive results. With TikTok beta testing a group chat feature, significant growth in click-to- message ads from Meta and the recent introduction of ”Instagram Notes”, allowing users to share small updates to close friends and has been likened to MSN messenger (what a throwback).
Despite this growing trend — outside of traditional community management — dark messaging is under-used by the majority of brands.
However, there is huge potential for organisations that aren’t afraid to innovate and can use these channels in the right way.
Ensure that you include easy ways for consumers to share content from your website or app. We know that users are talking and sharing in dark social spaces, so making this as easy as possible can help with awareness. TikTok has been a master at this, as it’s so easy to share directly into platforms such as WhatsApp.
Embrace a messenger stunt that gets people talking. For the launch of Absolut Unique Limited Edition in Argentina, the brand hosted an exclusive party. The only way to gain entry was via messaging Sven the bouncer on WhatsApp and convincing him to let you in. Generating significant buzz, this created three days of uninterrupted chats with users and over 1,000 pieces of UGC.
Open the conversation. Click-to- message ads have seen huge growth and are now available across platforms such as Meta, Twitter and LinkedIn. These encourage users to start a chat with brands to quickly find out more information and iron out any queries before purchase. For these ads to be successful, you need to have a rapid-response community management team. If you do, this is a streamlined way to nudge customers down the funnel.
Use messaging to solve a problem. In turn, this can help to remove a barrier to purchase, and may provide a useful tool that people can return to, time and time again. During the pandemic, Lidl introduced a WhatsApp chatbot to help track busy supermarket times and advise shoppers of the best time to visit as part of their protective measures.
Nurture warm leads. Using features like Meta’s sponsored message lets you send offers, promotions and updates to re-engage people who’ve previously opened a private conversation with your brand via Messenger or interacted with your bot, nudging them along the funnel.
Streamline the purchase journey. Lego embraced a chatbot that helped engage fans and remove the overwhelming choice people face at Christmas when trying to choose the perfect gift, streamlining the journey and making it easier to make a purchase.
Actually add value for the consumer. Hellmann’s knew that people who bought the product wanted to use it, but sometimes they needed a little bit of inspiration. “WhatsCook” provided a live recipe service via WhatsApp, connecting customers to real chefs, with each participant interacting with the brand for an average of 65 minutes.
Make customer service more efficient through the use of automation. If your brand regularly gets asked the same questions around troubleshooting, integrate them into automated responses like Freedom Mobile. This can help to save the customer and your customer service team time, increasing the brand’s positive sentiment.
RESPECT BOUNDARIES
Messaging spaces are seen as private, safe spaces and it’s important to keep this in mind. Any use of messaging tactics must be a natural fit to the platform and not feel intrusive, or they won’t generate the desired results.
MAKE IT EASY TO ENGAGE
The use of dark messaging should help streamline communication with brands, making processes easier for customers.
If chatbots, automation or 1:1 messaging feels difficult, this could hinder rather than help relationships.
SOLVE A PROBLEM
Utilising messenger tactics that are actually useful to the consumer is more likely to nudge people along the funnel and improve positive sentiment surrounding the brand.
NEXT STEP, HUMAN
Although chatbots don’t need to be humanised - as users understand they’re talking to a robot - make sure you’ve got a human on standby as the next step if the customer can’t resolve their queries through automation.
TIMELY
If encouraging people to send messages, responses have to be timely or this can lead to frustration, so ensure click-to- message ads align with community management hours.
RESTRICTIONS
As with any social platform, restrictions apply. It’s important to review and align with advertising guidelines and business policies before launching.
