Top 5 Trends in Digital Marketing

I think one thing we can all agree on is how quickly things are changing. From technology to global politics to business trends, nothing seems to last—or stay the same—for very long. The pace of change can be relentless!

This rate of change is especially true in digital marketing, as we see the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in new tools and platforms that can, in theory, help with many aspects of marketing. However, with the increase in the number of AI tools, there was also a decrease in marketing budgets in 2024, which means digital marketers have had to do more with less while learning how to use new tools effectively.

It’s important to know the coming trends to stay up to date with digital marketing and to see opportunities to leverage channels or tactics that can highlight your business. Here are five trends we are keeping our eye on in 2025:

Transparent Social Content

Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 19 minutes per day across 6.8 platforms, so utilizing social media remains an important aspect of digital marketing. However, social media trends continue to evolve as users shift from using X to BlueSky and Meta’s Threads. Additionally, digital marketers are finding that employee-generated content and customer collaboration content yield more fruitful results than scripted or influencer-based content. The Digital Marketing Institute reports that “…consumers want more transparency from companies…94% are more likely to be loyal to a brand that’s completely transparent.”

AI Is Ok!

A second trend to acknowledge is that AI is now an integral part of marketing. “Rather than seeing AI as this dystopian view as peddled by Elon Musk of robots coming to take our jobs, they will carry out tasks for you. They’re not particularly creative. They’re not particularly strategic. They don’t operate well on small amounts of information. There’re a few models that are getting better at it, but they can’t think like we do,” said Jim Lecinski, Clinical Professor of Marketing at Kellogg School of Management. The key to using AI effectively is to know how to use it to generate the reports you want while maintaining human creativity and responsiveness. AI can help in digital marketing, but it shouldn’t replace what humans can creatively and collaboratively do.

Use Soft Skills

Next, while cultivating AI skills will be important in 2025, employers are looking for soft skills like intuition, curiosity, persuasion, analytical skills, and social and communication skills—skills that are “durable and essential for business growth.”

Shift Search to Social Platforms

Fourth, search marketing has experienced dramatic changes in the last few years, and in 2025, more of the same will happen. For example, people are leveraging conversational searches and platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for searches more than ever before. Digital marketers will want to develop SEO strategies that integrate keywords to create quality content that people want to link to.

Don’t Throw It Away!

Last, it’s important to know that when content stops performing the way it used to, the solution isn’t to ignore it and create new content. Rather, it might be best to simply revitalize the content you have to keep it fresh through including original data such as surveys or research. Doing this reveals the transparency that users appreciate and boosts your authority.

It seems clear that 2025 will continue to be quick-paced and transformative. Staying adaptable and curious will be key to growth.

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