What Are Dark Facebook Posts and How Can You Use Them?


September 16, 2015

Do you have several different audience segments that you’d like to target on Facebook? Then dark Facebook posts might be your solution.

“Dark” posts, also known as unpublished posts, are a great way to tailor different messages to various audiences that don’t have much in common without posting multiple messages to your page timeline. 

Dark Posts vs. Targeted Posts

Dark posts are not the same as targeted posts, though they have a lot in common. They both allow you to promote posts to specific fans of your page. However, there are two main differences.

First, targeted posts allow you to target an audience based on parameters such as gender, relationship status, educational status and so on. With dark posts you can use keywords (specific job titles for example) for targeting.

The second difference, and most noticeable, is that while both posts show up in targeted fans’ newsfeeds, only targeted posts will show up on your Facebook business page’s wall. Dark posts will publish without displaying on your wall, which can allow you to target your different audiences without your page being cluttered and revealing your secret targeting.

How to Create Dark Posts in Power Editor

1. Log in to Power Editor, and choose Manage Pages from the drop-down menu in the top-left corner.

2. In the left column, select the page for which you’re creating the post.

3. In the main area of Power Editor, click the Create Post button. Next, you’ll see the Create Unpublished Page Post dialog box.

 

4. In the top right of the dialog box, choose the post type (Link, Photo, Video, Status or Offer), and then fill in the details for your post. Make sure to select This Post Will Only Be Used as an Ad (in the lower-left corner) so the post won’t appear on your Facebook page.

5. Next, choose interest categories and/or add keywords for specific interests. Then click Create Post. The post is saved to your list of posts, and a half-moon symbol appears to the left of the saved post, indicating it hasn’t been published yet.

6. When you’re ready to publish your post, select it from the list and click Create Post.

The key point to remember with dark posts is that you can target specific fans, but you aren’t crowding your wall with multiple posts. Hence, these posts are “dark.”

How to Use Dark Posts 

Now that you understand what dark posts are and how to create them, here are some tips for making the most of them:

Target Fans by Interest – You can target groups in your community by using text that highlights interests that they identify with. This allows for your fans to feel like you’re speaking directly to them.

 

Target Fans with Relevant Images – Different images can appeal to different people. Some people are dog people and some are cat people, and then there are the people who prefer cars to either. With precise use of the keyword functionality of dark posts, you can target your community segments based on their interests and then use specific imagery that will appeal to those segments and make them more likely to act on particular promotions.


Test a Campaign – Using dark posts is a less public way to try out a campaign on a small section of your audience. Promote new products, or try promoting them to a new segment without the rest of your audience seeing it.

Get Customer Feedback – Need beta testers or customers to fill out a survey? By specifically targeting people with the post itself (and not making it public on your wall), you can use dark posts to eliminate a good number of people who aren’t suitable for some reason. The end result is less work for you and fewer bad feelings from your community.

Beware of what you post when no one is watching (except your target). Do not to go far astray from your established brand image and values in your dark posts. You don’t want your community to wonder who you truly are and see your Facebook presence as merely an ad generator clogging up their feeds. You want them to view your page as a community they’re gaining value from.

At Sales & Marketing Technologies, we have a team of skilled social media marketers that can set up and optimize your social accounts if you don’t currently use them, and can also make the most out of current platforms. Contact us today to find out more about how we can enhance your social media marketing! 

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