Navigating the Dark Funnel
3-Minute Read
With up to 70% of a consumer’s research being done online without human interaction, it’s never been more critical for companies to examine their digital presence.
The “Dark Funnel” refers to what your audience is exposed to outside of your control before engaging with your brand in a human-to-human format.
The dark funnel concept is often positioned as a challenge for organizations without the budget to prioritize digital. But, in reality, battling the dark funnel doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. It could actually be the push you need to take a more strategic look at your digital approach.
Overcome your fear of the dark funnel with these 3 best practices.
1. Predict Every Outcome Within Your Control
The best way to control what your audience does before connecting with you is to become an expert on your own digital experience. Audit your website, paid ad landing pages, social media sites, and email campaigns to ensure each channel is on-brand + on-message. Controlling the narrative on your channels helps build a consistent experience which, when repeated, will result in revenue.
For instances outside your control such as review sites or social media comments, consider adding a social monitoring tool. These tools track every digital mention of your name (whether you know it or not). Both the free and paid versions browse the internet and report back on positive and negative instances of your brand.
In the event a negative review or comment is published, replying under your brand’s account (if possible) in a professional manner will show your organization’s ability to overcome objections as well as maintain your brand integrity in the public light.
2. Examine Intent
With technology evolving at the speed of light, more solutions providing insight into visitor “intent” continue to emerge. While intent data reports can be spendy, there are free online resources that detail manageable ways to obtain this information. However you obtain it, discovering the audience with the strongest intent to purchase can greatly enhance the outcome of your organic and paid search strategies.
3. Tap Into Leaders
Another way to steer your digital footprint in the right direction is adding credible outside sources to the equation. NBA fans are well aware of the power of influencer marketing with Shaq and Michael Jordan serving as two shining examples of lucrative partnerships that have fostered a legacy of excellence. Love it or hate it, influencer marketing enables you to use credible sources to spread brand awareness. Contracts help manage the message and uphold brand standards when depending on non-employees.
If budget constraints make influencer marketing challenging, look for opportunities to partner with an industry thought leader. Podcasts, social media takeovers and guest blogs are great ways to utilize their network to get your name out there. The sky’s the limit when it comes to how thought leaders can team up and build momentum together.
Regardless of how you do it, analyze outside sources that have the right target reach for your organization. Then, get started adding more positive, predictable narratives associated with your brand into the funnel.
Get There Faster
Taking a look at your approach to digital including how your organization handles both dark and light touch-points will position you for more wins down the road. Help deals cross the finish line faster by focusing on what’s within your control and influencing the channels that mean the most to your business.
