January 29th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Top Digital Marketing Trends of 2025
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7 minutes reading

Anticipating what’s to come is a big part of being a business owner. This comes double when it comes to marketing. While you can snooze the changes surrounding SEO, web design, and content and still have successful outreach and communication with audiences, you can’t afford to sleep through all the changes going on in marketing.
Now, there is some good and bad news regarding those changes. The bad news is that digital marketing trends are changing rapidly. The good news is that there are rarely any big surprises. So, as long as you are following the trends, you can easily see what will work in a few months. With a bit of experience, you can predict where things will end up: 12 months for now or even more. You know where we’re going, right?
We’ve been following the digital marketing trends throughout the year. Moreover, we’ve seen where SEO and Content are going as well, along with the shifts in customer behavior and decision-making.
So, we prepared a quick list of a few of the major digital marketing trends for 2025.
Over-Personalization Is Upon Us.
The future of marketing is personalization, and we all know that. Thanks to the rapid evolution of AI and data analytics, marketers can now produce hyper-targeted marketing campaigns. These campaigns no longer target segments of the population based on broad criteria. Instead, they are targeting individuals based on their online activity, personal preferences, and views.
In 2025, this over-personalization will become the norm. In the battle for ever-declining user attention, marketers will start providing content tailored to promising individuals who are most likely to buy their product.
Before AI, this would have meant significantly reducing the potential outreach. But today, AI tools can analyze massive amounts of data in a blink of an eye. So, using data like browsing history, purchase behavior, social media interactions, and even real-time location, brands can predict what customers might want before they know it themselves. For example, AI-driven platforms like Amazon and Netflix already provide personalized product and content recommendations, and this capability is set to become even more refined and widespread.
This over-personalization will be most obvious in email marketing, where the message will be crafted specifically for the individual, down to size, color preferences, and style.
However, in 2025, this will go beyond product placement. Your behavior will be analyzed so any industry will be able to show you precisely what you are looking for. For an exaggerated example, if you bought a dishwasher in the past 6 months, Netflix will find a correlation with a specific show you might enjoy. A bit Orwellian, but AI can create such online profiles.
So, while in 2025, over-personalization will be just setting in through the big brands, small businesses will better prepare to follow suit.
Voice Commerce Will Be A Hit
To say that Voice Commerce has been exploding is an understatement. It has increased by nearly 322% between 2021 and 2023 and is expected to have risen another 55% this year (finalized estimates are usually done the following year, so we don’t have concrete data for 2024 yet).
Looking at the statistics, Voice Commerce can easily remain dormant for a few more years. So far, only 22% of customers purchase directly through voice-activated devices, and another 17% place reorders in the same way. This is far from the crucial mass required to enforce a drastic change in marketing.
However, considering that there are about 142 million voice assistant users in the US alone and that 71% of customers prefer voice-placed queries rather than typing, the trend is much clearer.
It’s hardly a surprise that Voice commerce is making waves. After all, it’s much more convenient and time-saving for regular products like toilet paper, for example. Just saying “Order toilet paper” to your device is easier than going to a website.
In 2025, this will expand to much more than everyday consumptives. We expect voice commerce to become the norm for fashion, footwear, and other fast-paced industries.
The big brands are already adapting their marketing strategies, using much more natural language in their marketing messaging. This will only increase the following year, pushed by the inevitable SEO changes.
Looking at 2025, voice commerce will play a critical role in omnichannel marketing strategies. Businesses will combine voice technology with other channels to create cohesive customer journeys. For example, a consumer might use voice search to learn about a product, visit a store for a tactile experience, and complete the purchase online—all within a seamless ecosystem.
AR And VR Will Still Be On The Edge Of Becoming Relevant
AR and VR have been on such lists for the past 4 years. Ever since the Pandemic, experts have been putting way too much faith in this technology as a game-changer in their marketing efforts. Alas, these predictions are still to be proven right.
That, of course, doesn’t mean that AR and VR are not slowly and steadily climbing toward mainstream relevance. In 2025, this trend will continue. Augmented reality and Virtual reality will still be somewhat of a novelty in marketing, especially outside big brands with enormous budgets. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t influence marketing in the following 12 months.
Some tools like Sephora’s Virtual Artist and IKEA’s Place app utilize AR technology to allow clients to “try on” products through augmented reality. For example, the Ikea’s Place app allows you to see how a piece of furniture will sit in your apartment on your mobile phone. As you can imagine, this functionality skyrockets the user experience extraordinarily. Naturally, by the end of 2025, the AR market will swell to 85 billion dollars.
VR is also making waves, with prime brands like Marriott using it for virtual walks through their resorts and hotels. Still, VR requires specific equipment, which not everyone can afford. Thus, VR is currently restricted to luxurious goods.
As you can see, while those features offer outstanding benefits in marketing, they are still used only by luxurious brands and big names in various industries. There are several barriers to pass before they become widely spread. Thus, in 2025, we don’t expect them to become widespread. For now, they will remain where they were last year – at the edge of relevance.
Video Content Will Be A Must
Video content has been a game-changer for quite some time now. However, in 2025, it will no longer be an option. Gradually, over the course of the next 12 months, it will become the backbone of all marketing strategies. Just like “Video killed the radio stars,” the video will kill the traditional blog post. (Yes, we understand it’s ironic talking about it in a blog post.)
Businesses looking to enhance their video marketing strategies through digital signage should explore Yodeck alternatives that offer flexible and scalable solutions. Digital signage is becoming an essential tool for delivering engaging video content in physical locations, allowing brands to capture audience attention more effectively.
82% of all internet traffic derives from watching video content. That’s hardly surprising, considering that 72% of customers say they prefer watching videos over reading text when learning about products. Most importantly, however, viewers retain the staggering 95% of a message delivered through video, compared to just 10% when reading it.
The numbers paint quite a clear picture. Video is no longer an option. If you want to compete, you need to create quality videos.
Luckily, for now, short video formats are perfectly fine. Indeed, platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have revolutionized how people consume content. These bite-sized, entertaining clips cater to the ever-shrinking attention span, which is characteristic of the newest generation that is becoming economically active.
The bad news for small businesses is that video require far more than just one content writer who can create and publish blog posts weekly. Now, you will need an entire team.
So, while video will definitely be a game changer in most industries when it comes to small businesses competing for a relatively negligible chunk of the market, written content will still be enough to generate organic traffic. However, if you manage to finance a regular video creation, you will have a significant advantage over all your competitors.
In short, in 2025, videos will completely take over the internet. So, it’s time to prepare adequately.
User-Generated Content Will Become The Norm
In 2025, user-generated content (UGC) will no longer be just a complementary part of marketing strategies—it will become a central pillar. Granted, it will still play second fiddle to the main channels of communication and messaging, but nonetheless, it will be significantly more important in 2025’s marketing plans.
With consumers increasingly valuing authenticity over polished brand messaging, UGC offers a seemingly effortless way for businesses to build trust and engage with their audiences.
So, in 2025, we expect to see much more effort in gaining reviews, social media posts, testimonials, and videos. That’s hardly a surprise, as 79% of people insist that UGC significantly impacts their purchasing decisions. Moreover, 90% of consumers trust recommendations from peers over traditional advertising.
This level of trust is particularly important for younger generations, like Millennials and Gen Z, who actively seek out peer reviews and social proof before making buying decisions.
To make UGC a core strategy, brands will increasingly encourage customers to share their experiences through branded hashtags, contests, and interactive campaigns. For instance, Coca-Cola’s #ShareACoke campaign successfully drove user engagement by personalizing bottles and inviting customers to share photos.
Thus, in 2025, UGC will inevitably be the cornerstone of any marketing strategy.
SMM Will Have To Change
Social Media Marketing (SMM) has always been vital to any healthy digital marketing mix. However, SMM seems to have stopped evolving. Instead, it has been slightly changed without adding anything new to the table. This has led to some major problems in these channels of communication.
First and foremost, consumers, especially Gen Z, are tired of overly polished ads and curated brand personas. Naturally, they stopped responding to messaging. That’s hardly a surprise, considering 86% of customers demand brands to be honest and transparent on social media. This trend will only go in the foreseeable future, as people are tired of “the business talk.” They are sick of brands pretending to care only to pocket their money.
The only winners from this lack of significant SMM transformation were the small and micro mom-and-pop businesses, who genuinely care and actively respond to their clients.
So, in 2025, successful social media marketing will require adaptability, creativity, and a strong focus on genuine connections. This will be a challenge for brands that are used to business talk. Instead, they will have to find a new way to connect with their estranged audience if they don’t want to witness their content receiving less and less organic engagement and visibility. For brands looking to adapt their social media marketing strategy in 2025, Vista Social provides a unified platform to maintain authenticity, track engagement, and manage content scheduling effortlessly. Brands who find a new way to approach their SMM will get a huge boost over the next 12 months and beyond.
The Dawn Of Shoppable Content
Shoppable content is already gaining momentum with platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. These social media apps already integrate shopping features that allow consumers to purchase products without leaving the app. By 2025, these capabilities will expand further, making almost every type of content interactive and transactional. For instance, Instagram’s shoppable posts and TikTok’s live shopping events have shown that consumers are eager to buy products directly from the content they love. In fact, 72% of consumers say they would purchase products directly from a brand’s social media post if given the option.
What makes shoppable content so effective is its ability to combine inspiration and action in a single step. Imagine watching a video tutorial featuring a makeup product and being able to click directly on the product to purchase it. This seamless experience caters to modern consumers’ expectations for convenience and instant gratification.
Brands can leverage shoppable content by creating visually appealing and interactive formats. For example, fashion retailers can showcase collections through videos with clickable tags, while home decor brands can offer interactive room tours where users can “shop around.”
As consumer behavior shifts toward mobile-first and platform-native shopping, shoppable content will become more than a trend. It will become a necessity. Still, 2025 won’t see a massive surge on this front, as smaller brands are not yet ready to fully adopt such technological advancement. However, if you manage to produce high-quality, shoppable content, you will definitely be among the winners in 2025.
Micro-Influencers Will Be The Winners
With a growing demand for people-centric and story-driven content, brands are shifting away from mega-influencers and celebrities, instead favoring relatable creators who can foster authentic connections with niche audiences.
Micro-influencers typically have followers ranging from 1,000 to 100,000. Their content often revolves around personal stories, experiences, and genuine recommendations. Unlike larger influencers, their smaller audience size allows them to engage more directly with their followers. This results in higher trust and interaction rates. Studies show that micro-influencers can generate engagement rates of up to 60% higher than macro-influencers.
This trend aligns perfectly with the broader move toward authenticity in marketing. Consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are drawn to real and relatable stories. They want to see how products fit into everyday life. Micro-influencers excel in this area, offering content that seamlessly blends storytelling and product promotion.
For small brands, micro-influencers represent a golden opportunity. They are often more affordable than larger influencers. Moreover, they can target highly specific audiences that align closely with a brand’s niche. Thus, in 2025, we expect many smaller brands to capitalize on this opportunity and Google’s shift toward people-centered and story-centric content.
In 2025, micro-influencers will be more than just a cost-effective marketing option—they will be a bridge to building meaningful connections with consumers.
Speed Will Be Everything
Finally, we should once again talk about speed. Speed has always been important, but with the oversaturation market, how fast you can go is a driving factor in decision-making. This applies to every aspect of marketing, from launching a campaign to being able to deliver the goods on the same day. The faster you are, the better your reviews will be.
However, when it comes to digital marketing, perhaps the most important speed is that of your servers. They will host your website, apps, and landing pages. Naturally, you must avoid any hiccups when it comes to presenting your product or service.
That’s why you need HostArmada. We offer lightning-fast speed, robust security, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This way, your marketing campaign won’t be blocked by something as trivial as slow website speed or an overloaded server. So, check out our plans and choose the one to ensure your marketing operations will have the infrastructure support they deserve.