Dark posts are pieces of paid content—typically ads—that are published for specific audiences but don’t appear publicly on a brand’s social media profile, page, or feed. Unlike regular posts, which are visible to all followers, dark posts are “unpublished.” They're designed for targeted delivery and are accessible only to the people selected through ad targeting.
These posts are commonly used in digital advertising to A/B test creatives, deliver highly personalized messaging, or run multiple versions of a campaign without cluttering a public profile with duplicates.
While the term “dark post” may sound mysterious, it’s not inherently shady. It simply refers to a type of controlled ad placement that’s hidden from general view.
In the context of social media advertising, dark posts are especially popular on platforms like Facebook (via Meta Ads Manager), Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Marketers use them to serve custom ads to niche segments without affecting their main content strategy or feed aesthetics.
For example:
These posts behave like ads, often labeled as “Sponsored,” and are managed through the platform’s ads dashboard. They may appear in users’ feeds, Stories, or sidebars, depending on placement settings.
Because they don’t live on your public profile, dark posts are ideal for:
Yes. While boosted posts are regular published posts that receive paid promotion to expand reach, dark posts are never published to your profile. They exist solely for advertising purposes.
Think of it this way:
Both serve performance goals, but dark posts allow greater ad customization and control.
Some people associate dark posts with political or manipulative advertising, especially since they’re invisible to the broader public. That said, platforms now offer Ad Transparency Tools (like Meta’s Ad Library), which allow anyone to search and view dark posts run by a specific page.
Marketers using dark posts responsibly find them useful for fine-tuned targeting—not for hiding unethical content. As with any paid strategy, success depends on clear goals, audience insight, and ethical intent.
Q: What is a dark post? A dark post is an unpublished social media ad that’s only shown to a targeted audience and does not appear on your public profile or feed.
Q: Where can I create dark posts? Dark posts are available through advertising tools like Meta Ads Manager (for Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn Campaign Manager, and X Ads.
Q: Are dark posts legal or ethical? Yes, as long as the ad content complies with platform policies and advertising laws. Many brands use them for A/B testing or tailored campaigns.
Q: How are dark posts different from regular ads? They aren’t publicly visible like boosted posts and are often used for specific audience segments, testing, or running multiple versions of a message.
Q: Can users see dark posts? Only if they’re part of the targeted audience. However, some platforms offer public ad transparency tools where dark posts can be searched and viewed.
