Want to know which digital marketing strategies to embrace and which to ditch in 2025? We’ve done the research for you! This post reveals the key trends that are on the rise and those that are on their way out, helping you focus your marketing efforts where they’ll have the biggest impact in 2025.
Going up
AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is continuing to be a core part of digital marketing, helping with customer service, content creation, and trend prediction. AI can also personalise ads for specific customer segments.
Immersive experiences
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will be used to create more immersive shopping experiences.
Voice search
Adapting content for voice search is important for improving discoverability and search rankings.
Sustainability
Consumers are choosing brands that align with their values, such as eco-friendly packaging and fair trade sourcing.
Real-time engagement
Consumers expect brands to respond promptly and genuinely to their enquiries and feedback.
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is shifting to focus on genuine, long-term partnerships that show your brand honestly and openly.
Short-form video content
Brave the camera! Nearly 90% of consumers say they want to see more videos from brands. In small businesses, videos showing the real you behind the business always perform well.
Brand authenticity
Polished, overly curated content is losing its appeal. What makes you… you?
Data privacy
Data privacy remains essential for maintaining trusting customer relationships.
And going down
We’re leaving these trends in 2024…
Over-reliance on “going viral”
While viral moments can be beneficial, chasing fleeting attention without a solid strategy for conversion and brand loyalty is becoming less effective. Marketers are focusing more on sustainable, targeted content that resonates with specific audiences.
Spammy, impersonal email blasts
Generic email marketing with irrelevant content is losing ground. Consumers expect personalised, valuable communication. This means more segmentation, dynamic content, and automation based on user behaviour.
Blind faith in AI-generated content
While AI is a powerful tool, relying on it to solely create content without human oversight can lead to generic, unoriginal, and sometimes inaccurate outputs. The focus is shifting towards using AI for data analysis, personalisation, and enhancing human creativity, not replacing it.
Neglecting mobile optimisation
This should have been left behind a long time ago, but it’s worth reiterating as it is still going on! With the majority of web traffic coming from mobile devices, websites, emails, and ads must be optimised for mobile viewing. Businesses still lagging in this area will be significantly disadvantaged.
Excessive use of intrusive pop-ups
While pop-ups can be effective for lead generation, using too many or poorly timed pop-ups can create a negative user experience and drive visitors away. Marketers are moving towards less intrusive methods like slide-ins, welcome bars, and strategically placed calls to action.
Keyword-stuffing and outdated SEO tactics
Search engines are becoming increasingly sophisticated, penalising websites that use black-hat SEO tactics like keyword stuffing. The focus is on creating high-quality, user-centric content that naturally incorporates relevant keywords.
Effective digital marketing is about more than just jumping on the latest trends. It’s about understanding the evolving landscape and strategically adapting your approach.
By understanding what’s becoming more effective, you can better prioritise emerging trends and strategies that will drive results in 2025. This allows you to position your business as forward-thinking and adaptable, which is crucial in the ever-evolving digital landscape.