Dark Site
A pre-built website kept offline and ready to publish instantly during a crisis to provide stakeholders with critical information.
Definition
A dark site is a crisis communication website that is designed, built, and tested in advance but kept unpublished until a crisis event triggers its activation. When a crisis occurs, the site is made live within minutes, providing a centralized information hub for affected stakeholders, media, employees, and the public.
Dark sites typically contain holding statements, company background information, leadership biographies, FAQ templates, and contact information that can be quickly customized with crisis-specific details. They are designed to handle high traffic volumes since crisis events often generate massive spikes in web visitors seeking information.
Why It Matters
During a crisis, the first hours are critical for controlling the narrative and maintaining stakeholder trust. Organizations that can publish accurate information quickly are perceived as transparent and prepared, while those that leave an information vacuum allow speculation and misinformation to fill the gap.
Dark sites also protect the main corporate website from being overwhelmed by crisis-related traffic and prevent crisis messaging from dominating the regular brand experience.
Examples in Practice
An airline activates its dark site within 15 minutes of a safety incident, providing affected passengers with rebooking information, a dedicated helpline number, and regular status updates that are referenced by media covering the story.
A food manufacturer publishes its dark site during a product recall, offering lot number lookup tools, return instructions, and health guidance that reduces call center volume by 60% while maintaining public confidence.
A financial institution tests its dark site quarterly with simulated crisis scenarios, ensuring all team members know their roles in content approval and publication, so the site can go live within the one-hour target.