Most of your traffic isn’t coming from where you think. It’s coming from Dark Social, the private shares, DMs, and screenshots your analytics can’t track. In this deck, I broke down how Dark Social shaped conversions and why so much “Direct” traffic was really invisible word-of-mouth. I also shared simple ways to measure what seems unmeasurable, using UTMs, short links, surveys, and smart analytics. As cookies fade and privacy becomes the norm, marketers need new ways to see the full picture. Dark Social isn’t a threat, it’s proof that people still trust people more than ads. This presentation helps you understand what your data can’t show and turn private sharing into measurable impact.

2. Coined in 2012 by Alexis
C. Madrigal of The
Atlantic.
The Origin of Dark
Social
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

3. He discovered 56.5% of their shares were
untrackable, a finding that changed analytics
forever.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

4. Dark Social is like
a detective in a
room with no
footprints but clear
evidence
someone’s been
there.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

5. Reasons Why SEOs Should Track Dark Social
Reveals hidden referral sources
Spots untapped audience channels
Tracks branded search lift
Fixes inaccurate traffic attribution
Strengthens content distribution strategy
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

6. Why It Matters
Today
Up to 84% of
sharing now
happens privately
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

7. Marketers risk losing the true
picture of their funnel.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

9. Any content shared
privately where
analytics tools lose
the referral data are
dark social content.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

10. Copy-paste, HTTPS to
HTTP transitions, and
in-app browsers strip
referral headers and tell
analytics it’s “Direct”
traffic…
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

11. Where Dark Social Happens
Messaging
apps
Emails &
internal
threads
Slack,
Teams &
Discord
Closed
groups/
forums
PDFs &
slide
decks
Screenshots
& offline
recommend
ations

12. Screenshots push
people to Google you
instead of clicking a
link.
Screenshots

13. Missing Referral
Headers
Links shared privately lose referral
info.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

14. Copy/Paste & Short LinkS
Copying creates new sessions.
Use tools like Bitly to
properly track traffic.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

15. 02
03
Add UTM tags to URLs
so source and
campaign info travels
even in private
channels.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

16. The Dark Social Path
Someone sees content
privately
Searches brand later
Appears as Direct or
Organic traffic.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

17. Example of Dark Sharing:
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

18. 1. Private Conversations
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

19. 2. Slack Groups

20. 3. Links In PDF

21. 02
03
Why Marketers Should Care
Dark Social shares are
authentic Endorsements.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

22. 02
03
Chartbeat found 69%
of “social” referrals
actually came from
Dark Social channels.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

23. Measuring Dark Social
is how marketers stay
relevant.

24. How do we measure
dark social?
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

25. Use a Layered Approach
Tech + analytics +
human insight =
overlapping signals.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

26. Use UTM Parameters and Short
Links Everywhere
Newsletters
PDFs
CTAs
Add UTMs to:
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

27. Use link shorteners like Bitly/Rebrandly
for rebranded links and get click,
location, and device data from them.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

28. Advanced Segmentation in Analytics
Create a GA4 segment:
Direct traffic landing on
deep pages
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

29. Track View-Through Conversions
Compare branded search
volume and direct visits
before, during, and after
campaigns.

30. Surveys and Feedback Loops
Ask “How did you hear
about us?”
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

31. Social Listening &
Community
Monitoring
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

32. Design Content for
Private Sharing
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

33. Map the Dark Funnel
Create a diagram of your
customer journey showing
where hidden shares likely
occur.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

34. Reporting Tips to Bring Dark
Social Data Into Internal
Discussions

35. 1: Combine Data Sources
Direct + branded search
+ survey responses =
dashboard.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

36. 2: Show Funnel Stage
Impact
Use visuals to show leadership
how Dark Social touches
awareness, consideration, and
conversion.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

37. 3: Trend Over Time
Plot Direct + Branded
Search weekly against
campaigns to prove uplift
from hidden shares.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

38. 4. Dark Social KPIs
Add a KPI like “Estimated
Dark Social Conversions” to
your marketing scorecard.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

39. 5: Executive
Storytelling
Tell the story with
screenshots, anonymized
comments, and customer
quotes to make Dark Social
tangible.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

40. Privacy Expectations & Transparency
People expect private spaces to stay private.
Laws like GDPR and CCPA require transparency.
Disclose when links carry tracking parameters.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

41. Avoid Over-Targeting &
Protect Sensitive Data
Don’t bombard people with
hyper-personalized ads.
Keep UTMs generic and safe.
Use aggregated, anonymous
data and opt-in surveys.

42. Practical Tips to
Master
Dark Social
Track what
you can
Ask your
customers
Build for private
sharing with
breadcrumbs
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

43. Practical Tips to
Master
Dark Social
Train
leadership
on the
Dark
Funnel
Use QR codes,
trackable share
codes, and custom
landing pages
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

44. Dark Social is Here to
Stay
Audit “Direct”
traffic
Map the Dark
Funnel
Use
breadcrumbs
Focus on small, consistent moves:
Listen to
communities
Educate
your team
Stay ethical
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

45. Remember, always:
1. Track hidden traffic sources
2. Use UTMs and short links
3. Design content for private
sharing
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

46. Dark Social is here to
stay.
It’s today’s digital
word-of-mouth, and
the key to smarter
attribution.
@stephenakadiri #brightonSEO

47. Thank You!
Stephen Akadiri