Dark social refers to the private sharing of links via messaging apps, email, and closed groups — traffic that often appears as “direct” in analytics. For small businesses, this is digital word-of-mouth: authentic, trusted, and high-intent. In 2025, embracing dark social means creating shareable content, making private sharing seamless, and applying smart tracking with URL shorteners and UTM codes. While attribution is complex, surveys and traffic patterns reveal its impact. Unlocking dark social gives small businesses a cost-effective edge in building loyalty and driving growth.