If you run a busy Facebook page for a business or client, you’re probably an old pro at responding to comments on your organic posts.
The question is how quickly you address feedback on posts that have not yet been made public on Facebook. Those updates that don’t show up on your page but do show up in users’ news feeds when you make Facebook ads.
Facebook “Dark Posts”: What Are They?
Let’s start with clearing up a frequent misunderstanding. In spite of appearances, dark social media and dark posts are two distinct phenomena that are actually quite harmless.
What we call “dark social” occurs when a user sends a link to a piece of content on your company’s website to a friend or colleague offline, via channels like message, email, or messaging applications like Imessage and Messenger. These shares are considered “dark” because they cannot be accurately detected by web analytics tools like Google Analytics. Analytics tools often incorrectly credit the direct channel rather than the actual source.
By contrast, “dark posts” refer to sponsored social media content that isn’t visible to the general public on your Facebook page. Instead, they are “dark” to everyone except the intended audience are promoted posts. They resemble regular articles in a news feed, but they are labelled as “Sponsored” at the top.
Developing Covert Facebook Updates
You can use Facebook Ads Manager to publish “dark posts,” which are essentially advertisements. Access your company’s ad account in Ads Manager and begin making them there. When you’re ready to launch your advertising campaign, select the green Create button.
- Campaign goals on Facebook can be set to increase brand recognition, website visits, app installs, contacts, or purchases.
- Set up your desired audience with specific targeting options, a custom data source, or a lookalike data source on the ad set level.
- Select either Create Ad or Use Creative Hub Mockup on the ad’s page. While you can choose to sponsor an existing post, sponsored posts cannot be created using this method.
Tips for Tracking Down Disturbing Content on Facebook
You won’t see dark posts that are currently active on your feed. On the other hand, Ads Manager is where you’ll want to look for covert content on your page. The Ads section displays all currently running ads.
The Facebook page of any other group can be visited in order to locate their hidden messages. If you want to learn more about Page Transparency, scroll down to the section and click the See More link.
The Importance of Responding to Facebook Users’ Feedback on “Dark Posts”
Methods for replying to unprompted Facebook comments are plentiful. Your organization’s social media objectives, the size of your team, and the volume of Facebook comments to your page all factor into the optimal approach to managing engagement.
If credibility and trustworthiness are priorities for your business, you might choose to reply to all organic comments within a few hours, regardless of who left them or when they appeared. Only respond to genuine questions or engagement that appears on your page soon after publication if you receive a large number of comments that don’t warrant individual replies.
A strategy for addressing feedback on news feed advertisements is also necessary. All of your intended audience can respond to and comment on your Facebook dark posts just like they would to any other post in the news feed. Prospective buyers can also peruse the feedback of previous visitors.
Therefore, ignoring them is rarely a good idea.
What you lose out on if you ignore compliments is:
- Possibilities to gather useful feedback from customers
- Forward encouraging comments to your staff or customers.
- Create deeper connections with clients and potential clients.
Negative feedback on dark posts can lead to more serious outcomes if you choose to disregard it.
- Potential opportunities to help customers in need could be lost.
- Dissatisfied customers may persuade potential buyers to look elsewhere.
- The people you’re trying to reach may form an unfavourable opinion of your company as a result.