It’s the time of year where Marketing leaders take stock and think. Think about what’s working, and what’s not. Where to invest. Where to play safe, and where to be bold. In this article we look at 5 of the emergent marketing trends for 2025.
Marketing is highly dynamic right now. There’s so much emergent tech. The things people care about are evolving too. The way information is consumed (and decisions made) is more fluid and multi-layered than ever before. The patterns have all changed. So the marketing approach must change too.
With crystal ball at the ready, here are the key future trends to keep your eyes on.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
There’s a number of emergent technologies causing a stir (like AR and VR for example), but the conversation is dominated by the use of, and potential for, AI. So you’d expect it to be on the list. A report from Iterable suggested over 90% of marketers are using AI already – mainly because it’s being baked into the software tools already being deployed. There’s a few focus areas in where it’s more commonly used (read my AI in marketing blog) and it’s is accelerating at warp speed. So you need to be on the case.
Content – AI is used widely used for content creation, and confidence will grow – blogs, scripts and image creation. Although you can brief in different styles, I think you still need human oversight to make sure your content is authentic - true to the unique personality of the writer and brand tone of voice.
Automation and hyper-personalisation: AI is also being used more widely in marketing efficiency, modelling and data driven decisioning. We’re seeing more AI-driven tools for predicting customer behaviours, automating tasks, and optimising marketing ad spend. This is helping marketing teams to create personalised ads, product recommendations and messaging that feels tailored to individual needs, opportunities and pain points. It's an area where AI will showcase it’s huge potential.
Social Media
Social media will remain crucial for marketing, but its evolving too. I've highlighted two areas in particular.
Dark Social - With so much automation in place, more and more people are choosing to go behind the scenes or “off grid” to share and recommend content. No wonder. That means the rise of dark social will continue. It's something to be aware of and embrace. Read my blog on dark social to find out more.
Social Ecosystems – The old-fashioned social post with a click through gets penalised by algorithms, so no longer works. Brands now need to build communities, drive value, and encourage action without asking visitors to leave the site.
Topical Content
Despite the fact you’re reading a written article, short form video content is becoming more and more relevant. In B2B we see more short videos on LinkedIn (they rank well), while TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts dominate as viewers prefer quick, engaging video content. Timing is key to get your content out there – you need Invest in the kit and training to quickly produce studio quality snippets and share topical information. This article will help.
Partnerships and Influencers
Influencers and thought leaders will continue to be important. Collaborating with (and leveraging) industry experts, impartial influencers and joint partnerships will always help build credibility and trust with potential clients – especially with experiential activity like events and webinars.
Brand Purpose, Culture and Sustainability
Brands that are culturally aware, demonstrate (and live by) a clear purpose and prioritise sustainability have the competitive edge. This used to be considered “touchy feely” but it cant be ignored – it’s become increasingly important in both B2B and B2C marketing. The trick is to find ways to communicate it effectively. That means being humble and authentic - corporate chest beating "look at us" tends to be viewed as cynical and has the polar opposite effect.
Next Steps
Hopefully this will shape your thinking of what's to come - and maybe where you need to be more curious. If you need help or consultation with your revenue or marketing strategy, just get in touch.
You can also read the blogs and use the free templates for a range of Sales and Marketing topics, They're all in the Hive Knowledge Hub.
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