Explore the future landscape of digital marketing. Our expert insights highlight the ten key trends poised to influence the industry in the upcoming year.
The digital marketing realm is evolving, and the industry is striving to adapt while navigating through uncertainty.
Consider a different strategy for this year.
Gather all the essential decision-makers within your organization—this includes C-level executives and leaders in digital analytics, digital advertising, SEO, content marketing, and social media marketing—for an off-site meeting. This will provide them with a comprehensive understanding of how the ten digital marketing trends outlined below will impact your digital marketing strategy for 2025.
This is a pivotal moment, and it is essential to determine whether your new digital marketing strategy will equip your organization to navigate the challenges ahead.
To facilitate important discussions, I would like to share my perspective on the top 10 digital marketing trends anticipated for 2025:
1. Digital Marketing Fundamentals
In the section on Digital Marketing Fundamentals, I referenced a survey conducted by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs, which revealed:
“Content marketers are resilient. Most have met the challenges of the pandemic head-on.”
In light of the pandemic, both B2B and B2C marketers have:
Enhanced engagement with customers.
Reassessed customer and buyer personas.
Reevaluated the customer journey.
Modified targeting and messaging strategies.
Revised the distribution approach.
Updated the editorial calendar.
Allocated additional resources to social media and online communities.
Redesigned the website.
Altered products and services.
Revised key performance indicators.
Adjusted content marketing metrics, including the implementation of new analytics and dashboards.
I concluded:
“Both B2B and B2C marketers completely transformed the process of developing a digital marketing plan from start to finish. For some, 2025 was the year of swiftly adjusting their digital marketing strategy. For others, it was the year to finally establish one.”
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
From the perspective of a senior executive, the growing dependence on AI for data analysis, customer segmentation, and personalized marketing campaigns raises concerns about maintaining a balance between automation and the human element.
Some may contend that your organization should concentrate all its efforts and resources on the AI trend. To illustrate this, I utilized a generative AI tool to generate 10 sub-trends related to this overarching trend below:
Hyper-Personalization: Employing generative AI to develop highly customized content and user experiences tailored to individual behaviors, preferences, and demographic information.
AI-Driven Content Creation: Streamlining the generation of various content types, including blog articles, social media posts, and product descriptions through generative AI tools, allowing marketers to enhance their productivity effectively.
Voice and Conversational Marketing: Improving customer engagement and facilitating the buying process by integrating voice search optimization and conversational AI technologies, such as chatbots.
Predictive Analytics for Customer Insights: Utilizing data-driven insights to empower marketers in making strategic decisions and refining their approaches in real time.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Integration: Allowing customers to visualize products in their own environments prior to making a purchase.
AI-Powered Customer Journey Mapping: Leveraging AI to assess customer interactions, pinpoint critical touchpoints, and enhance the customer journey to reduce friction and increase satisfaction.
Sustainability and Ethical AI: Focusing on sustainable marketing practices and the ethical application of AI, ensuring transparency and accountability in its use.
Enhanced Data Privacy Measures: Adopting AI solutions that honor user consent and protect data, ensuring compliance with regulations while gaining valuable insights.
Integration of Ecommerce and Social Media: Creating seamless shopping experiences within social media platforms to enhance engagement and drive sales.
AI-Enhanced Marketing Automation: Advancing campaign management through sophisticated automation features, including A/B testing, real-time optimization, and tailored email strategies.
Indeed, these sub-trends are influenced by the progress in AI technology. Furthermore, it can be argued that AI should be regarded as the singular digital marketing trend to prioritize in 2025.
Nevertheless, it is essential for everyone to strike an appropriate balance between automation and the human element, which is a primary concern for senior executives.
3. Digital Analytics
I would begin with measurement, as no topic captures the attention of C-level executives quite like the evaluation of results.
According to an industry report, business outcomes such as website visits, leads, and sales have emerged as the foremost success metrics.
Since the introduction of video advertising by YouTube in August 2007, brands and their agencies have consistently emphasized reach and frequency. Consequently, the fundamental criteria for digital video investments have evolved.
However, two-thirds of buyers, especially smaller advertisers focusing on niche markets, have reported challenges in nine critical areas of measurement.
Co-viewing.
Transparency in placement.
Safety and suitability of brands.
Viewability metrics.
Advertisements displayed on made-for-advertising sites (MFAs).
Ads shown on televisions that are powered off.
Acquiring sell-side data.
Utilizing various currencies.
Standard targets for the sell-side.
What should digital analytics prioritize for 2025?
“Incrementality in marketing: Business outcomes resulting from marketing strategies that would not have happened otherwise.”
He further elaborated:
The ultimate demonstration of Marketing's worth is found here. This is the singular response that an astute CFO seeks, and upon its delivery, will empower your CMO with the necessary budget to secure additional revenue and profit.
He summarized:
“Only a handful within our industry prioritize the measurement of incrementality. One contributing factor is that it demands advanced analytical skills, which are frequently lacking. Additionally, while incrementality may be assessed, the organization often dismisses the findings due to their unfavorable outcomes.”
4. Digital Advertising
As the leader of digital advertising within your organization, it is essential to strike the right balance between artificial intelligence and the human element in 2025.
For instance, decision-makers at your company are likely aware of the backlash surrounding Coca-Cola's recent AI-generated holiday advertisements.
Critics have labeled these three AI iterations as “the biggest branding blunder of the year,” with some suggesting that the campaign “earns Coca-Cola a lump of coal.”
In a study assessing the emotional resonance of holiday ads, Ian Forrester compared the current AI-generated ads to the original human-crafted version from 2020. He noted:
“The contrast between the AI-generated content and the original was most pronounced in their ability to evoke warmth, a crucial aspect of Christmas advertising. The original ad elicited a strong sense of warmth in 33.0% of viewers, while the AI versions fell significantly short. Although the AI produces visuals that may appear charming and heartwarming at first glance, viewers can often sense their artificiality, which diminishes their overall effectiveness.”
“Some members of the advertising industry, feeling a looming threat, may quickly adopt a pessimistic view. While I understand their concerns, the reality is that the shift has already begun. We must all take an active role in steering the hybrid human-AI Christmas campaign for Coca-Cola to ensure we have a say in the future.”
Therefore, if you are not actively participating in similar human-AI initiatives in 2025, it is likely that someone else will take the lead.
5. Social Media Marketing
As the leader of social media marketing within your organization, it is essential to take note of the rising popularity of BlueSky.
On November 6, following the US presidential election, both website traffic and app engagement for BlueSky surged in the United States. It became the preferred platform for journalists, thought leaders, and their followers who opted to reduce their activity on X or abandon it altogether.
In fact, usage of the BlueSky app has increased by 519% compared to the first ten months of the year. The trend is similarly reflected in the UK, where BlueSky usage has risen by 352% during the same period.
Before you hastily incorporate another platform into your social media strategy, it is advisable to examine the latest insights from Similarweb.
The following chart, shared by Carr, illustrates the leading social networks globally based on desktop and mobile web visits in October 2024.
If you rely on data, here are the statistics:
YouTube received 29.1 billion visits that month.
Facebook attracted 12.5 billion.
Instagram garnered 6.0 billion.
X (formerly Twitter) had 4.6 billion.
Reddit recorded 3.5 billion.
TikTok achieved 2.2 billion.
LinkedIn saw 1.8 billion.
Pinterest reached 1.2 billion.
Threads accumulated 154.1 million.
Snapchat obtained 130.3 million.
Although not shown in the chart, Bsky.app received 75.9 million visits in October 2024.
Therefore, if your social media marketing team consists of 1,000 members, consider reallocating one of them to BlueSky. However, according to Similarweb’s latest findings, 99.9% of your focus should be directed towards YouTube.
6. SEO
As the head of SEO within your organization, you may find it beneficial to explore the insights presented in "A New Era Of SEO: Leveraging YouTube, LinkedIn, And Cross-Channel Strategies For Success."
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It is essential to rethink your career trajectory at this juncture.
Moving forward, you will need to dedicate time to mastering four additional areas: digital analytics, digital advertising, content marketing, and social media marketing.
Moreover, showcasing critical thinking regarding digital marketing strategies will be crucial for advancing within your organization.
Since the publication of that article, Rand Fishkin posed the question, "What is ChatGPT’s market share in the search landscape?" Utilizing data from SimilarWeb and Datos, Fishkin estimates that in October 2024, Google held a cross-platform search share exceeding 83.5%.
YouTube accounted for nearly 7.0%, while ChatGPT's share surpassed 4.3%. The combined share of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, and Perplexity was approximately 3.4%, with Bing capturing nearly 2.0%.
While I acknowledge that SearchGPT is currently a trending topic, it remains 1.6 times more critical to harness the potential of YouTube, at least in the near term.
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7. Content Marketing
As the leader of content marketing within your organization, it is essential to explore the insights presented in "Why AI in Demand Generation Is No Knight In Shining Armor [New Research]."
This research reveals that a majority of demand generation marketers feel compelled to master generative AI to achieve more with fewer resources.
A survey conducted by CMI indicates that 56% of marketers experience significant pressure to deliver results despite constrained budgets and resources, while 39% feel this pressure to a moderate degree. Only 5% reported no pressure at all. Additionally, a recent Deloitte study highlighted that 79% of C-suite executives anticipate generative AI will lead to considerable organizational changes within the next three years.
However, the same study found that many organizations focus more on tactical benefits, such as improving efficiency and reducing costs, rather than pursuing broader objectives like growth and innovation.
In the aforementioned article, Robert Rose points out a critical reality: generative AI amplifies existing content. If your content calendar produces uninspired social media posts, lackluster in-person events, and generic emails, AI will only enhance those shortcomings.
On the other hand, if your content strategy includes engaging videos, shareable content, and valuable experiences, AI will bolster those strengths.
Thus, AI should not be viewed as a magical solution; rather, it acts as a catalyst that accelerates your current initiatives.
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The findings from this year emphasize that effective demand generation is inherently human-centered and multifaceted. Simply striving for efficiency will not elevate average efforts to remarkable achievements.
True success is rooted in creativity, originality, and the careful execution of ideas.
Ultimately, the narrative is yours to craft—make it outstanding.
8. Digital Public Relations
Including Digital PR in your top 10 digital marketing trends for 2025 might seem unconventional. However, research from Spencer Stuart indicates that 34% of CMOs at Fortune 500 companies oversee additional functions beyond marketing, such as communications. Therefore, if your organization falls into this category, it would be beneficial to invite your head of corporate communications to your off-site meeting. Additionally, it may be worthwhile to suggest they read "7 Steps To Building A Kickass Digital PR Campaign" prior to attending. Developing a robust digital PR campaign could significantly enhance your organization's outreach and engagement.
9. Influencer Marketing
Make sure to include the leader of influencer marketing in your off-site meeting, regardless of whether they report to the head of digital advertising, content marketing, social media, or corporate communications. This individual should advocate for the concept of “schmooze optimization” as a cost-effective strategy to meet your marketing objectives. Furthermore, it would be prudent to recommend that your head of SEO review the "SEO Industry Trends Report 2024: The Search Revolution Has Already Begun." According to Kasumovic, Kevin Indig points out that only 6% of AI Overviews (AIOs) incorporate the search query, suggesting that the future of SEO will focus more on understanding user intent rather than merely targeting keywords. Kasumovic emphasizes that the brands that excel will be those that effectively combine human expertise with AI automation, requiring a blend of creativity and data-driven strategies. He advises collaborating with industry experts, influencers, and knowledgeable creators to produce content that showcases substantial expertise and credibility.
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10. Omnichannel Marketing
Customers today anticipate a unified experience across all platforms. If your marketing approach remains fragmented, it may be as ineffective as relying on carrier pigeons for communication.
Therefore, it is crucial for your organization to establish a customer-focused strategy that harmonizes all channels, ensuring a consistent brand experience for your audience.
Who represents the voice of the customer within your organization? If this role is not clearly defined, consider these three potential candidates:
1. A digital analytics specialist who understands the importance of a seamless customer experience across various channels.
2. A digital advertising professional who recognizes that integrating pay-per-click campaigns across different platforms (search, social media, display) is essential for a unified customer journey.
3. An SEO expert who is aware that search engines are increasingly factoring user experience (UX) metrics into their ranking algorithms.
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In conclusion, Engage Key Decision-Makers
Here is my perspective on the leading digital marketing trends for 2025, which should serve as a foundation for customizing a strategy for your organization.
It is crucial to involve all key decision-makers within your organization in this process.
I recommend dedicating time to define your priorities and establish your objectives for 2025.
Prepare to confront the challenges ahead with confidence.
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