Top 7 Marketing Trends For 2025
Key Points:
- Lean into authenticity and trust through influencer collaborations and UGC
- Focus on re-engaging existing customers while balancing new customer acquisition.
- Strengthening first-party data and prioritizing strategies is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have.
- Diversify ad placements beyond traditional digital channels.
- Utilize shoppable videos and live streaming to merge product discovery with audience engagement.
- Increase integration of generative AI while maintaining ethical standards to keep trust and personalization at the forefront.
Looking Back on 2024 Marketing Trends
Before we dive into 2025 and leave 2024 in the literal past, let’s take a moment to reflect on the key marketing trends that shaped the industry in 2024.
In our 2024 marketing trends report, our experts noted the dominance of short-form videos, sponsored/native content, micro-influencers, and user-generated content (UGC).
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok continue to gain traction for short-form videos. Brands saw success by seamlessly integrating content into their ad strategies, and authenticity reigned supreme, with smaller influencers and UGC being key drivers of engagement.
These trends remind us that staying agile and consumer-focused is key to thriving in an ever-changing industry.
So, what will digital marketing look like in 2025? Let’s look at emerging and evolving trends and how to implement them into your 2025 marketing strategy. Let’s dive in.
7 Major Marketing Trends to Consider in Your 2025 Strategy
1. Micro-Influencers Outshine Big Names
Influencer marketing is undergoing a significant shift, with a greater focus on micro and nano influencers. These smaller influencers, with their highly engaged audiences, are proving to be more effective for brands than macro-influencers, as they are seen as more trustworthy and relatable voices.
In 2025, we expect more brands to form deeper, long-term partnerships with micro and nano influencers.
How To Leverage Micro and Nano Influencers in 2025
- Identify micro and nano influencers with high engagement rates in your industry – platforms like Collabstr help search for influencers within your niche.
- Utilize these influencers to create content that resonates with their community and your target audience.
2.Weighing Marketing Priorities vs. Consumer Demand
According to Klaviyos State of E-commerce Report, “acquiring new customers (50%) and driving repeat purchases with existing customers (43%) are the top two objectives for e-commerce marketers globally.”
This means that more businesses are focusing on increasing average order value and re-engaging existing customers rather than solely focusing on new business. In 2025, brands should consider how to maintain customer loyalty and where to invest marketing dollars to achieve these goals.
How To Align Marketing Priorities with Consumer Demands in 2025
- Regularly gather customer feedback to understand shifting preferences and gaps in your strategy.
- Pay attention to gaps between marketing activities and consumer influence – and look for opportunities.
- Prioritize investing in areas that align with your target customers, e.g., price and quality.
3.Prioritizing First-Party Data Strategies
With Google threatening to deprecate cookies (and then cancelling these plans), first-party data is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity.
In 2025, brands need to build robust, cookie-free segments. However, navigating legal and logistical challenges in data sharing and compliance remains a critical hurdle.
How to Strengthen First-Party Data Strategies in 2025
- Build data collection points, whether on your website, within articles, or even your ads. First-party data can be collected through different formats like forms, quizzes, and surveys.
- Encourage sign-up through offering webinars, ebooks, loyalty programs, and exclusive offers.
- Segment audiences based on behavior and interests to ensure they receive the most relevant experience with your brand.
4.Expanding To New Ad Networks
Expanding your advertising networks beyond traditional platforms like Facebook and Google Ads to include options like Taboola and Connected TV (CTV) can provide several strategic advantages in 2025. From diversifying your revenue streams to accessing new audiences and exploring new content formats, expanding into new networks opens up new opportunities for your brand.
Getting Started on New Ad Networks in 2025
- Research different ad platforms, such as Taboola, Pocket, Outbrain, and CTV platforms, like MNTN, outside of social media to understand their content formats and user demographics.
- Start with a small budget and test different content and strategies. Optimize and iterate on what works best for your brand.
- Work with a performance marketing agency to scale opportunities and maximize return on investment. Let the experts step in to ensure your budget is spent wisely! A performance marketing agency like GeistM can help get you set up with the best ad networks based on your brand and campaign goals.
5.Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos are a game-changer in digital marketing and we can expect to see more in 2025. These dynamic videos allow viewers to purchase products directly from the video, creating a seamless viewing and purchasing experience. By merging product discovery with the purchase process, shoppable videos can significantly shorten the customer journey and boost conversion rates.
How to Add Shoppable Videos to Your Strategy
- Add links to YouTube videos directly to your e-commerce platforms. YouTube offers features that allow you to integrate your product feed so that any products featured in the videos can be clicked on and purchased directly?.
- Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok all have shoppable features that allow users to tag products directly in posts and videos and enable viewers to purchase them in-app.
6.Generative AI Continues to Rise
AI made significant strides in 2024 and will continue to rise in 2025 for marketers and brands alike. With generative AI, brands have been able to create content at scale. However, as this use expanded, so did the focus on ethical considerations. Kantar Media reported that 43% of consumers say they don’t trust AI-generated ads. So, what can you do in 2025 to adopt generative AI while being ethically responsible?
Generative AI Tips for 2025
- Generative AI can help you diversify your content. Explore using AI to create text, images, videos, and voiceovers.
- Focus on personalizing what you create with GenAI. This can significantly enhance customer engagement. Ensure that your AI and data tools are integrated to leverage insights effectively.
- Implement ethical guidelines and establish transparent AI practices to secure trust with your audience.
7.Livestreaming
In 2024, live streaming grew massively, especially on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, as creators can build their communities and provide more personalized experiences through live content.
In 2025, brands can collaborate with creators on live streams to tap into these existing communities or explore reaching new audiences via live streaming from their own channels. Brands like Apple have proven that livestreaming can work when done right, through their live product launches, so how can your brand reap the benefits?
Tapping into Livestreaming in 2025
- Explore shoppable live streams on TikTok and Instagram, allowing viewers to purchase products directly during the stream while combining real-time engagement.
- Include interactive elements such as polls, Q&As, product demonstrations, and more to make streams more immersive.
- Enable cross-platform live streaming with maximum reach and engagement.
Key Takeaways for 2025 Marketing
As we leap into 2025, embracing these dynamic marketing trends could set your brand apart. There’s much to consider, from more profound engagement with micro-influencers to the strategic use of first-party data and the exciting opportunities in shoppable videos and live-streaming. And let’s not forget about the innovations that can be opened by integrating generative AI and new ad platforms!
Ready to dive deeper and truly transform your marketing strategy this year? Contact GeistM to see how we can help elevate your game in 2025 and beyond. Let’s make it a year to remember!
