If there’s one thing we can count on in digital marketing, it’s that nothing stays still for long. With technology evolving faster than ever, businesses need to stay sharp and be more than just a little bit brave. We’re halfway through the year now, which makes it the perfect time to take stock of what’s happened so far – and gear up for what’s still to come. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or an organisation looking to level up its marketing, here’s your no-nonsense guide to the digital trends shaping 2025. There’s so much to cover, we’ve had to split it in two! So, grab a coffee (or a herbal tea – we’re not judging), and let’s dive into Part One of what lies ahead…
Generative AI
AI is transforming all industries – and marketing’s no different. Generative AI refers to the type of artificial intelligence that creates content: text, images, videos, and even music (much to Elton John’s dismay!). Chat GPT is a great example and certainly the best known. But now other technologies are springing up, each specialising in a slightly different area.
The beauty of generative AI is that it has so many applications. It can help you to communicate with customers, create content, edit imagery, optimise campaigns, personalise materials across multiple channels, and automate workflows. Phew! It is transforming how quickly we can do things – and that’s great news for agencies and clients alike.
But there’s one big caveat. Like all technologies, it’s not fool-proof. Much like the humans it has been trained by, it’s imperfect! AI technologies are prone to “hallucinations”, which is where it takes something as fact, that is not evidenced, and includes that fact or uses it, in whatever content it’s creating for you. It’s also prone to bias, copyright infringement, and privacy violations. So, it needs full and detailed human oversight.
So much of marketing as a discipline is based in creativity and delivered to drive meaningful connection with customers. By using that human creativity and combining it with the power of AI, is how we’ll reap the very best results in the future.
Search is changing
Gone are the days were appearing on Google’s page 1 was the only box you had to tick to win those search queries! This has been a slow and gradual shift over the last few years, as other platforms search algorithms becoming increasingly sophisticated. Users no longer need to click out of an app and into a browser now to search – and in a world where convenience is king – why would they?
Gen Z’s use of Google for search has dropped by 25% compared to Gen X, according to research compiled by Forbes[1], while eMarketer reports that 46% of Gen Z and 35%[2] of Millennials prefer social search to traditional search engines. Pretty shocking, right? The increase in social search is also being aided by the growing preference for video content, social proof in recommendations from trusted parties (maybe a friend, maybe your favourite influencer), and even the built-in commerce to apps like TikTok (more on that, coming later).
On top of this we have the rise of voice and visual search. Through home systems like Google Smart Home and Amazon Smart Home, people are finding the answers they need without the touch of a button, but instead with their voice. Visual search (where an individual uses an image to search for information) is also becoming increasingly prevalent – made possible, once again, by the advancements in AI.
And here’s a trend we’ll dive into more in Part Two: more and more people are now using AI tools as their search engine. Whether it’s to get quick answers, solve a problem, or research a topic, AI is becoming a go-to source. What does that mean for marketers? We’ll unpack it soon…
Our tip-top talented Head of Digital, Jena Wilson commented:
“If your business relies heavily on search engines at the awareness or consideration stage of the customer journey, it’s definitely time to adapt what you’re doing, and look at how you perform when being ‘socially searched’.
Which platforms you need to consider depend entirely on the nature of your business, but TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn all have sophisticated algorithms that allow users to effectively search – and that’s exactly where we’re seeing them shift to.”
Content trends: short-form, “Edutainment”
It’s true. Short-form video really is still king. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Youtube shorts are really driving this preference (and maybe shortening our attention spans?). But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s style over substance!
“Edutainment” is the term being coined for what’s popular right now. It’s content that teaches you something but is super entertaining and engaging too. This is what audiences love and brands who do it well are reaping the benefits! Check out the Washington Post, The RSPB, and Red Bull for brands who are smashing it with Edutainment.
If you’re thinking about trying to do this yourself – keep one key thing in mind. Real, raw footage that feels authentic is preferred now to overly polished brands. Be a bit brave, don’t be too refined, but most of all create something that’s going to be interesting to your target audience, communicated in a way they’ll enjoy.
Influencer marketing 2.0
Influencer Marketing is still a biggy. But like everything else in this fast-paced world, it’s changing too.
Micro and nano influencers are holding increasing amounts of trust from their audiences and that power is shifting from a mega-popular few, to a larger group with small (but still mighty) audiences. The content these influencers post is changing too. Like we’ve already mentioned, real and raw content is becoming more prevalent – and perhaps that’s helped by the fact that video is the preferred format, and it’s much harder to ‘curate’ that some perfectly captured images.
AI Influencers are also becoming a thing now, with huge audiences that are attracting big brand partnerships. It’s an unusual one… but definitely one to watch. If you’re curious check out lilmiquela on Instagram for a feel for what it’s about. Created in 2016, she’s had brand partnerships with Prada, Calvin Klein, and Samsung. Wowza!
Data collection in a cookieless future
As we increasingly prioritise our privacy, search engines like Google are phasing out third party cookies, in a surprisingly ethical response to what users want. This means that ad tech and data companies won’t be able to collect and sync information about you, that allows them to hyper-personalise the ads you’re served.
This will mean that companies will have to place higher priority on first-party data – the information you collect and store on your customers. Use the information you have to build trust and add value through personalisation. You also might want to seek out ‘zero party data’ from your customers and audience. This is where you actively survey them, or get them to take part in a poll, or ask for their preferences; it’s information they readily volunteer to you, to help you better understand what they want and how your business can satisfy that need.
Phew – that’s a lot to take in right? Technology is advancing and whilst there’s a lot of help for us on offer, we need to cater to the changing behaviours being driven by new, intelligent tech. In Part Two we’ll cover more trends like social commerce, sustainability in marketing, and measuring ROI. Don’t forget to call on Team Flourish if you need support with your marketing as we enter this brave new world!
[1] https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/social-media-new-google/
[2] https://www.emarketer.com/content/search-behavior-being-redefined-thanks-generational-shifts
