The dark web is a hidden corner of the internet offering maximum privacy to consumers from the prying eyes of governments and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) alike.
This portion of the internet lurks beneath our visible and encrypted websites that are indexed by major search engines like Google and Bing. The technical aspects of how the dark web operates allow users to leave minimal trace of their likes and search history, their purchases, or their location.
Of course, for this reason, the dark web is a place where a lot of illegal activities going on, but there are also plenty of legitimate consumers, and marketers/retailers would like to access such customers. According to Dark Web News, this subsection of the internet that’s not accessible by traditional means—i.e., conventional web browsers and search engines—carries enormous potential for anyone who wants to communicate anonymously.
In this way, marketers can harness the power of the dark web to gain insights into the needs and wants of current and prospective customers. They can use it as a market research tool, gathering data to inform stronger messaging in marketing their product or service.
As is clear in their job description, marketing professionals regularly analyze content to craft effective ads that can convert visitors into consumers. Most marketers have avoided it entirely, due to its negative reputation and also because they may not be able to understand how it works.
However, smart marketers are willing to give up these reservations and enter the dark web for useful purposes. It can be difficult to build your brand when you are not able to communicate with and gather insights into your target audience within the dark web.
Here are the top things all marketers should know about the dark web.
Normal browsers such as Chrome or Safari cannot access the dark web. It is also not searchable using Google and other search engines. All marketers should know that it can only be accessed with a secure browser, like Tor or The Onion Router.
This toolkit offers securely packaged utilities for accessing the dark web. For using the Tor network, marketers will need the Tor browser. They might also need invitations for accessing .onion domains present on the dark web, which differ from typical domains that exist outside of the dark web such as .com, .edu, .org, and so on.
Although this fact tends to be misunderstood by much of the public, a very small percentage of the traffic on the dark web is related to hidden/illegal services and drug markets. As the dark web is highly disorganized, so it is not always possible to find the kind of websites present in it. However, research has shown that dark web users are accessing much more than just websites that carry nefarious and illegal content. Companies researching and analyzing dark websites saw that many of them are mirroring legal sites like social media platforms.
And now those popular websites and platforms are moving into this dark side of the internet as well. Facebook unveiled its own .onion address in 2014, and news sites such as ProPublica and The New York Times have followed suit.
Political parties use these sites for discussions and forums, and many of these communication vehicles contain active communities related to technology or games. These sites are used for privacy rather than for criminality.
As a marketer, you have to know your audience and where they move. Go where they go. It is important that you understand the different demographic groups within the dark web. For instance, tech-savvy audiences might move to the dark side of the internet as they place great importance on privacy.
Marketers must try to understand their target audience present on such dark websites, as this is the only way they can gather helpful insights on how those audiences might use the product/service they’re advertising.
Hackers can easily break your marketing walls. Fraud, malware, and hacks are common on the dark web. So, as a marketer, you need to work with cybersecurity personnel to remain safe.
Tracking the dark web can be very useful for marketers and they cannot afford to ignore it. For instance, before Bitcoin rose to the level of popularity and mainstream acceptance it holds today, the dark web was one of the first places where cryptocurrency made its appearance. There might be many other potential technological breakthroughs making their first appearance on the dark side of the internet
Marketers can get immense value from the dark side of the internet related to services and innovations so that they have a competitive edge.
Dark web users tend to be fond of phrases and acronyms that have an encoded meaning. Communities within the dark web are very creative in nature. As such, you should use strong mnemonics that can act as a visual shortcut for your target audience to notice your brand. This is an important part of your survival kit in the dark web.
This tip is built on the same principle discussed in the previous point #6—Offer your target audience on the dark web a strong alibi for your brand.
For instance, Formula 1 racing has always been used for advertising tobacco despite the fact that the European Union has banned it from doing so. In response, creative Ferrari marketers designed a clever subliminal messaging campaign to retain Marlboro as an advertiser by painting the brand’s barcode graphics inconspicuously on the Formula 1 racing vehicle.
Marketers can employ the same tactic as they create their messaging for the dark web. This involves nothing but an indirect reference to your brand name. It is bending the rules, but that’s what it takes to be successful on the dark web. Use logos, structures, shapes, and associations as part of the dark web toolkit for representing your brand.
Marketers can use Reddit to know more about the dark web and its user bases. Reddit is being used as a sort of knowledge hub for useful information about dark web topics, transactions, resources, and more.
Reddit also has forums for dark web market users where they can meet buyers, exchange information, and share reviews of various sellers on the dark side of the internet. They also provide advice through these forums regarding safe drops and zones for picking up packages bought on the dark web and how to escape the grip of law enforcement from falling on you.
Marketers must also realize that more and more consumers are shifting to the dark web. This will spell doom for their predictable marketing strategies. They will not be able to get customer information and will not know how to target them. Analytics will not be accurate with more consumers using the Tor browser and other hidden networks.
Tor is now widely available to consumers who want to hide beneath the radar. Users are able to find new ways of hiding their identities. Marketers must realize that they will become more and more disconnected while trying to sell to consumers. They must realize that consumers will protect their information and their intentions and start choosing products more freely, without the interference and influence of marketers.
The message to marketers is that they have to be aware of popular desires. They must focus their attention on the important 4 Ps—the product, the price, the place, and the promotion. They have to make their focus and strategy simpler and focus on the needs of customers.
The chasm between marketers and consumers is widening, and marketers must up their act before it reaches a divorce.
The final message is that marketers have a lot to gain by analyzing the dark web and making themselves familiar with its demographics, along with the novel and breaking technologies and innovations being debuted on the dark web.
They can reap excellent fruits by exploring the dark side of the internet, but the important thing is to be cautious while doing so.
