Lessons in Navigating Dark Social

By: ActionCOACH Team

It sounds like something out of a horror movie-dark social.

But the term “dark social” really just points to when people share content through private channels like email and messaging apps. It’s estimated that 84 percent of outbound sharing is done through dark social, which makes content shared on public platforms like Facebook or Twitter much harder for marketers to track.

A lot of companies have chosen to bury their collective heads in the sand regarding dark social, but these companies are missing out on a huge opportunity.

Here are the top three reasons your company cannot ignore dark social.

1. It’s everywhere

According to a recent online article, the majority of responses (clickbacks) to dark social shares have come from mobile devices. People are using dark social on the device that is basically glued in their hands.

2. Dark social has a huge impact on traffic

According to marketing firm RadiumOne, dark social shares as a percent of on-site shares jumped from 69 to 84 percent globally in just the last year.

3. This is an untapped marketing opportunity

Dark social data reveals the real interests of the consumer. As a business owner, it would behoove you to familiarize yourself with this information. It will allow your business to grow and create a more targeted audience profile.

So, how do you take advantage of dark social? Well, measuring social media ROI should be paramount. The best way to do this and to circumvent the challenges of dark social is to shorten URLs. Creating UTM links will provide you with a tool to get a deeper analysis of the engagement rates.

Reason #1: Different styles and methods of business coaching don't work for everyone

It's important to be honest with yourself and conduct a realistic assessment when it comes to business coaching. Though business coaching can have many benefits, it might not work for everyone.

Every individual brings their own experiences and values to the coaching dynamic, so results will vary. Additionally, some individuals might need more than just a coach. They might also need specialised knowledge or communication strategies specific to their industry or target audience. Below are a few key factors to consider:

Reason #2: There is no clear focus or vision (talk about time dedication here too)

cIt's important to be honest with yourself and conduct a realistic assessment when it comes to business coaching. Though business coaching can have many benefits, it might not work for everyone.

Business coaching is an effective tool for developing a clearer focus and vision for growing your business. A good coach will help you to take a comprehensive look at your strengths, weaknesses, and available resources that can be used to reach those goals. They will also help you draw up action plans with step-by-step instructions to get there.

By providing honest feedback and being patient throughout the process, a business coach can make sure that you’re on the right track. This will enable you to set realistic milestones and tasks.

These tasks may need dedicated time outside of coaching sessions. For example, a coach might help a client develop a marketing strategy or implement new systems for managing employees. However, if the client does not have enough time to devote to these tasks outside of coaching sessions, progress will likely stall.

Both the coach and the client must have enough time available to reflect on past experiences, brainstorm new solutions, and test out different strategies. If either party is rushed or distracted during coaching sessions due to other commitments or obligations, they may struggle to fully engage in this process.

Effective business coaching also requires a commitment to regular meetings and ongoing communication. If either the coach or the client does not have enough time to dedicate to these meetings, progress may be slow or nonexistent.

It's important to recognise that business coaching is an ongoing process that takes time to yield results. While some clients may see improvements after just a few sessions with their coach. Others may need months or even years of consistent effort before they begin seeing real changes in their businesses.

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