Dark Social: The Next Step For Brands?

As generative AI accelerates the volume of misinformation online and social network traffic declines year-on-year, brands face new challenges and opportunities in engaging with their customers. The future of online trust looks uncertain, with democratic elections set to create an inflection point as experts predict a tsunami of misinformation fuelled by easily accessible generative AI tools.

Europol reports that experts believe up to 90% of online content may be synthetically generated by 2026, putting enormous strain on a global population that increasingly views government and media as sources of false or misleading information. In contrast, trust in business is at an all-time high, according to the latest Edelman Trust Barometer.

For brands and business leaders, choosing when, how, and with whom to participate in the future will be crucial. Aligning with social issues has been a key play for brands looking to differentiate or reflect their target markets' values, but the potential risks and unintended consequences of such alignments must be carefully considered in an age of polarization. Consumers will be increasingly on guard for anything that resembles brand-washing.

Social media is also facing a decline in trust, with traffic to the top 100 social networks globally down 3.7% year-on-year. This trend is likely to continue as users perceive content on these platforms as inauthentic, with timelines expected to be flooded with AI-enhanced or generated content. Research suggests that 86% of people are likely to trust a brand that publishes user-generated content, compared to just 12% who are inclined to purchase a product promoted by an influencer.

In response, real humans are increasingly turning to "dark" social as a way to create a circle of trust around their digital lives. Private chats and group threads are on the rise as people retreat to safe, real, and trusted spaces to communicate, share, and interact. Brands seeking to earn and maintain trust should actively consider their dark social strategy, such as utilizing WhatsApp channels or making it easy for consumers to share their content in private channels.

As we navigate this terrain, brands face a critical juncture: to engage responsibly or risk eroding hard-earned trust. The path forward demands a delicate balance between participation and respect for evolving consumer preferences, as people seek out realness in their digital lives and embrace dark social in search of trusted connections.

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