Marketing Trends & Strategic Imperatives for 2025

The start of a new year is the perfect moment to step back and reevaluate your marketing strategy. Maybe you crushed all your marketing goals for 2024, and you’re ready to set the bar even higher in 2025 — or maybe it’s time to say goodbye to outdated tactics and embrace bold new ideas. 

Set yourself up for success by tapping into the latest marketing trends and tools. From artificial intelligence (AI) and vertical video to fractional marketing leadership, the trends below are changing how businesses connect with their audiences. Embracing these innovations can help you stay ahead of the competition and deliver even better customer experiences. 

Luckily, you don’t need a crystal ball to see where the industry is headed. Here are 10 noteworthy 2025 marketing trends to add to your toolkit. 

1. Popularity of Vertical Video 

The days of booting up the PC to watch videos are long gone. Today, over 50% of global website traffic comes from mobile devices. Social media creators have adapted to this shift by producing vertical videos, which are filmed in portrait orientation with a 9:16 or 4:5 aspect ratio. 

In 2025, more businesses will cater to mobile users with vertical videos. This format is already popular on Instagram Stories, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. It’s perfect for ads, product videos, and other content often consumed on smartphones.   

Vertical videos offer numerous benefits for marketers. These videos fill most of the user’s smartphone screen, making them less likely to get distracted by other content or an incoming text message. Additionally, a 2021 study found that vertical videos generate more customer interest and engagement than horizontal ones. 

However, filming eye-catching vertical videos isn’t as simple as flipping your camera. For the best results, use plenty of close-ups and tight framing to create an immersive experience. Add captions and text overlays in large font to increase accessibility for people with disabilities or those watching on mute. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different video formats. This innovative content will express your authentic brand voice while standing out from generic social media trends. At Avalaunch Media, we can help with stop motion and live-action videos, user-generated content, motion graphics, and more!

2. Rise of Fractional Marketing Leadership 

Fractional marketing leadership is quickly becoming a standout trend for 2025, offering businesses a powerful way to access high-level expertise without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. Rather than outsourcing specific tasks or projects, fractional marketing leaders step in as long-term partners, dedicating a portion of their time to your brand’s marketing strategy.

With fractional marketing leadership, companies without a strong organizational strategy for marketing can benefit from the guidance of experienced professionals without the overhead expenses. Whether it’s leading a marketing transformation, providing mentorship to internal teams, or overseeing specific projects, fractional leaders bring a fresh perspective that injects creativity and innovation into your marketing efforts.

Avalaunch Media is proud to be a trendsetter in fractional marketing leadership. We’re the only organization in Utah offering Fractional CMO (FCMO) services with the backing of a full-service digital marketing agency! Our executive FCMOs bring years of experience in digital marketing and work closely with your team to evaluate your audience, develop highly engaging content, and drive growth. 

With our FCMO services, you get seasoned leadership that works seamlessly with your team to build tailored strategies aligned with your company’s goals and vision. Our FCMOs become deeply embedded in your organization and take the time to understand your business, its challenges, and unique opportunities. This hands-on involvement enables them to create high-impact strategies that drive growth and align with your long-term objectives.

3. Potential for Less AI-Generated Content

The European tech news outlet Sifted declared 2024 “the year of AI.” As artificial intelligence became mainstream, businesses used the technology for everything from automation to job candidate screening. 

However, several companies faced backlash for using AI to create marketing materials. For example, Coca-Cola drew ire for its “The Holiday Magic is Coming” holiday commercial, produced with the Real Magic AI platform. Critics dismissed the ad as “soulless” and compared the company’s red logo to “the blood of out-of-work artists.” Similarly, an AI-generated Toys ‘R’ Us ad featuring a younger version of the company founder that viewers found unsettling and uncanny. 

As the reactions to these ads indicate, customers now crave authenticity and human connection in marketing content. They want to experience genuine creativity and powerful storytelling, not generic AI-generated material. In response, many companies will likely take a step back from AI-generated content in 2025. Instead, they will focus on producing original, emotionally engaging content that leaves a lasting impression on their audiences and find other ways to harness AI.

4. AI for Predictive Analytics and Hyper-Personalization 

McKinsey research reveals that 71% of customers expect personalized interactions, and 76% feel frustrated when companies fail to deliver these experiences. 

In 2025, businesses will increasingly rely on AI to hyper-personalize marketing content. AI-powered predictive analytics tools, such as Improvado and Domo, aggregate customer data and create custom dashboards for deeper insights. 

For example, by analyzing clients’ browsing behavior and demographics, you can forecast their purchasing needs. Based on this data, you can create hyper-personalized product recommendations or tailored email marketing campaigns for each customer. You might send one client an exclusive discount for a product they’ve added to their cart while offering another an accessory related to a past purchase. 

Using AI to hyper-personalize content lets you deliver more value to customers and strengthen your relationship. This strategy also offers significant financial benefits. According to Deloitte’s “Connecting with Meaning” report, hyper-personalization can increase sales by 10% or more and deliver up to 8x the return on investment for marketing spend. 

5. Shift From Organic Search to LLMs

When looking for information online, you probably turn to a search engine to find what you need. However, this habit may soon become a thing of the past with the rise of ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs). Gartner predicts that traditional search engine volume will decline by 25% by 2026 and could plummet as much as 50% by 2028. 

Instead of relying on search engines, internet users will increasingly turn to LLMs and other AI tools for answers. In July 2024, for instance, OpenAI announced that it was testing SearchGPT, “a prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources.” 

While it’s unclear how SearchGPT will rank content, one thing is clear: Marketers must adapt their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts to include LLM optimization (LLMO). This shift might involve creating question-based content, prioritizing expert authorship, and developing topic clusters to capture the attention of AI search tools. 

6. Emphasis on Thought Leadership and Content Quality 

Now that the world is oversaturated with AI-generated content, thought leadership has become more critical than ever. It allows your brand to stand out as an authentic and trustworthy source of information. 

Thought leadership isn’t just about gaining LinkedIn followers or creating viral YouTube videos. It can also deliver tangible benefits for your business. According to the 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, 90% of decision-makers are moderately or very likely to be receptive to marketing outreach from companies that provide high-caliber thought leadership. 

The most impactful thought leadership combines rigorous research and data with practical advice and case studies. For example, Avalaunch collaborated with WorkFront to create data-driven visual content centered on project management. Leading publications like Business Insider and Forbes sourced and shared this content, and it helped to reinforce WorkFront’s reputation as an industry leader. 

7. Continued Growth of AI-Driven PMax Campaigns 

Performance Max (PMax) campaigns allow businesses to reach audiences across all Google Ads channels  — including Discover, Gmail, Google Search, and YouTube — through a single campaign. It’s an extremely convenient way to expand your reach without the hassle of managing multiple campaigns. 

In October 2024, Google announced that it was updating PMax campaigns with new AI-driven features, including: 

• Asset testing capabilities: Experiment with adding images, text, and other assets to your campaigns and track how they affect performance. 
• Advanced image generation: Use Imagen 3, a text-to-image AI generator, to design custom campaign visuals. 
• Video optimization features: Automatically adjust your videos to different lengths and formats without sacrificing key messages. 

These advanced capabilities will help you optimize your PMax campaigns and boost performance. They also give you more creative control over your Google ads. For example, you could use Imagen 3 to design holiday-themed or seasonal imagery tailored to your target audience. 

To stay competitive in 2025, consider combining AI-driven PMax campaigns with organic search strategies. Is there a competitive keyword that’s challenging to rank for organically, despite high-quality content? A paid ad campaign can help you stand out to searchers in the “Sponsored” section and boost visibility. 

8. Improved User Data Privacy Controls and Zero-Party Data Collection

According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 81% of Americans believe that businesses using AI to gather and analyze personal information will use it in ways that make people uncomfortable. 

It’s a valid concern. Several unethical or just plain bizarre misuses of AI made headlines in 2024. For example, Grok — a chatbot created by xAI —  accused Golden State Warriors player Klay Thompson of vandalizing homes. Similarly, iTutor settled a lawsuit after the tutoring company’s AI-powered recruiting software automatically rejected qualified applicants based on age.

To address these concerns in 2025, businesses should use more rigorous data privacy controls. Data protection tools such as two-factor authentication and encryption prevent unauthorized access to sensitive customer information. These measures can reduce the risk of AI bias and data leaks.

Alongside the deprecation of third-party cookies, businesses are also shifting from third-party to zero-party data. This term refers to information that customers willingly and proactively share with brands, often to receive more personalized experiences. Businesses can use many strategies to gather zero-party data, such as: 

• Event RSVP forms 
• Post-purchase surveys 
• Social media surveys 
• Website sign-up forms 

Always explain how your company will use zero-party data to foster transparency and build trust. 

9. First-Party Data Strategies Through Market Research 

While customers knowingly provide zero-party data, they also share first-party data whenever they interact with your business. This includes actions like clicking on email campaigns, liking your business’s Instagram posts, and browsing your website. 

Market research helps you gather, analyze, and apply this information effectively. Here are a few first-party data strategies to try in 2025: 

• Conduct focus groups to learn about your audience’s challenges and preferences
• Survey customers at least once a year about their pain points, needs, and shopping habits 
• Use a consent management platform to get permission to collect data 

These techniques will enable you to better understand your audience, predict their behavior, and deliver more relevant, personalized experiences. 

10. Continuing Omnichannel Integration 

Customers may interact with your brand several times before making a purchase. For instance, they might see a Google ad, watch an influencer unbox your product, and visit your website. Omnichannel integration lets you provide a consistent experience across every touchpoint to build brand familiarity. 

Augmented and virtual reality are two of the hottest digital marketing trends for 2025. Add these technologies to your omnichannel strategy for more immersive and engaging experiences, such as allowing customers to “interact” with virtual models of your products. 

AI-powered chatbots can also help you deliver more seamless and personalized experiences. Customize the chatbot with your brand voice to provide friendly customer support 24/7 and guide customers to the next stage of the buyer’s journey. 

Revamp Your Marketing Strategy for 2025 

The new year brings many exciting marketing trends, from gathering zero-party data to experimenting with vertical videos. Of course, you don’t have to implement every trend at once — that’s a fast track to burnout.

Instead, get started by scheduling an Avalaunch Summit consultation today. We’ll show you how we use market research to help you create an effective, data-driven strategy for 2025 and beyond.