Organizations of all sizes and industries share many of the same goals, chief among them the desire to develop a loyal customer base, boost revenue and profitability, and beat the competition. Achieving these results requires staying in step with—or ahead of—what customers want, showing up where they gather their information, and capturing their interest with messaging that resonates. This is where the marketing department can shine. Advanced technologies that streamline marketing workflows; create, personalize, and optimize authentic content; and drive online engagement have become undeniable tools and trends of the trade. This article examines how these technologies, along with emerging trends in content, commerce, and data privacy, will shape marketing in 2025.
What Are Marketing Trends?
Marketing trends reflect the dominant strategies and methods that organizations use to connect with current and potential customers, whether to persuade them to buy a product or service or to take a particular action, such as signing up for a newsletter or downloading a mobile app. Over the decades, outreach has evolved from traditional forms of marketing—think: newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, and direct mail advertisements—to digital marketing on websites and blogs, search and social media tools, video, email, and texts. Content marketing and influencer marketing have also become important, while messaging has become personalized, automated, and AI-generated—all amid a fluctuating economy and global pandemic that has manifested in ongoing shifts in consumer behavior.
Key Takeaways
- Artificial intelligence is reworking marketing strategies that range from content creation and personalization to new forms of search optimization for generative, voice, and visual platforms.
- As a result, marketers must shift their tactics for optimizing content.
- Video content created by influencers, customers, and even a company’s own employees helps build marketing authenticity and trust.
- Marketers must balance data collection and security with consumers’ growing demands for privacy and control over their information.
Top Marketing Trends of 2025
For the most part, this year’s marketing trends build on existing strategies, though a few signal changes in consumer behavior and technological capabilities. A closer trend analysis reveals that these developments fall into four broad categories: technology, content and engagement, commerce and ethics, and regulatory and security. Each category presents opportunities and challenges for marketing teams as they adapt to an ever more digital and privacy-conscious marketplace.
Technology-Driven Trends
More than 5.5 billion people—or just about 68% of the global population—use the internet, according to the newly released “Digital 2025: Global Overview Report” from DataReportal. What’s more, nearly 56% of those people say they purchase a product or service online every week. So it stands to reason that technology is playing a pivotal role in the ways marketers are appealing to their target audiences.
1. Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Nearly two-thirds of marketing professionals say they are using AI and automation—and 95% of them say their marketing strategies are likely more effective as a result, according to HubSpot’s 2024 ”State of Marketing” report. Indeed, AI continues to be busy collecting and crunching the numbers that help marketers unlock data-driven marketing insights, such as channel effectiveness, and automating repetitive administrative and operational tasks, such as data entry and real-time ad bidding. AI and natural language processing are also driving sentiment analysis, which helps marketing teams gauge public perception as gleaned from social media posts, surveys, and other forms of customer feedback.
At the same time, advances in generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, are powering chatbots to interact more like humans, freeing customer service, sales, and marketing teams to take on higher-level work. GenAI tools are also a boon to content creation, assisting marketers in brainstorming ideas, building outlines, and writing copy. In addition, GenAI is well suited for repurposing content into new formats, such as turning snippets of text into images or blog posts into video scripts. Per HubSpot, one in four marketers say they intend to use GenAI to transform text into multimodal campaigns.
2. Generative Engine Optimization
Approximately 15 million internet users turn first to GenAI tools to search online; by 2028, that number is predicted to reach 36 million, according to Activate Consulting’s 2025 “Technology & Media Outlook.” The question is, how can marketers improve the chances of their content being presented in AI-driven search results? This is where generative engine optimization (GEO) comes into play, building on “traditional” search engine optimization techniques to boost content visibility in AI-driven platforms.
GEO focuses on creating high-quality, authoritative content that AI search engines can easily synthesize into detailed, contextually relevant answers. Marketers must consider how consumers query AI tools, using more of a question format about how to solve specific problems rather than typing keywords into search engines. For example, a business in need of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is more likely to ask an AI tool “What is the most suitable ERP software for a midsize retail company with global reach and omnichannel operations?” In Google, they’re more apt to type “best ERP software.”
Best practices for optimizing AI-friendly content include the incorporation of multimedia assets, current data from reliable sources, and structured information, such as the use of clearly designated headers, FAQ sections, and behind-the-scenes schema markup code.
3. Voice Search Optimization
Nearly 21% of internet users ask Siri, Alexa, and other voice assistants integrated in smartphones, smart speakers, and even vehicle infotainment systems weekly to find information. To reach these people, marketers need to optimize their content for long-tail keywords and natural speech patterns to closely match searchers’ voice queries. Similar to the GEO example above, while a user typing in a search engine may write “best Italian food in Boston,” a voice search is likely to be more conversational, asking, “Where is the best Italian food in my neighborhood?” Importantly, voice searches are frequently related to a local need, such as a store’s address and hours; companies should optimize for these searches by ensuring that their content includes this information, loads fast, and features concise text snippets that voice assistants can easily read aloud.
4. Visual Search
Powered by AI, visual search technology lets users upload an image to a visual search engine, such as Google Lens or Pinterest Lens, that then returns information about the contents of the image, similar images, or related products. Though adoption is still in its early days—only 10% of adults use visual search, according to Emarketer—42% express interest in the concept. In industries such as retail and fashion, for example, visual search can help shoppers distinguish products with nuanced differences in color or pattern. Marketers should make sure their images are high-resolution, include descriptive “alt” text and captions, are mobile-friendly, and are saved with relevant file names.
5. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
AR combines real-world imagery with computer-generated 3D content that users can interact with on their computers or mobile devices or by using specialized hardware, such as AR glasses and in-store displays. VR creates a fully immersive simulated experience, often delivered through a headset, using computer-generated images. Both technologies help shoppers visually experience how the products they’re considering would, for example, look in their homes or help them complete a project. In addition, companies can create virtual showrooms and tours, so shoppers from distant locations can explore products and properties for sale, which, in turn, would expand market reach, instill greater shopper confidence about a potential purchase (and result in fewer returns), and improve the overall customer experience.
Content & Engagement Trends
Content is the backbone of marketing, helping drive consumer engagement, increase brand visibility, and improve conversion rates, among numerous other marketing key performance indicators. Content marketing encompasses short- and long-form types of communication, such as blogs, case studies, in-depth articles, white papers, e-books, infographics, videos, and social media posts.
In 2025, leading companies are focusing on content that’s both personalized and personable—highly tailored to consumers’ individual needs and tastes while being relatable.
6. Personalized Messaging and Content
Some of the most potent uses of personalization include product recommendations, emails or texts related to browsing behavior, notifications when an out-of-stock item is back in, and announcements about new styles for a product a customer previously purchased. A retail customer who leaves a blender in their online shopping cart, for example, might receive a reminder email or be served a social media post with a video of an influencer using the blender to make a smoothie.
Done right, 96% of surveyed marketers say personalization leads to repeat business, and 94% say it increases sales. “Done right” hinges on access to high-quality, real-time customer data. If “done wrong,” 38% of consumers say seeing an irrelevant ad would cause them to lose trust in the platform where the ad appears, according to Deloitte, which could undermine a company’s marketing strategy.
7. Short-Form Video and Influencer Marketing
Unlike traditional celebrity endorsements, influencer marketing involves social media personalities with established followings on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Goldman Sachs has estimated that the value of this “creator economy” of influencers could reach $500 billion by 2027.
From conducting makeup and hair tutorials to demonstrating pet products and modeling athletic apparel, influencer marketing has become an integral method of increasing brand awareness, credibility, and sales. Shorter videos are recommended, especially among the 62% of Generation Zers who say they watch videos of 90 seconds or less on social media. It also helps that shorter videos are less expensive to make, easier to watch at any time, and simple to share across multiple platforms. Influencers may be compensated for their efforts, receive commissions on the products or services they sell, or get to keep—for free—the products they hawk, among other incentives.
8. User-Generated Content (UGC)
While brands work directly with influencers and other partners to create and promote content, UGC is created by everyday customers. In fact, 65% of shoppers say UGC, including ratings, reviews, testimonials, photos, and videos, is critical to their shopping experiences, according to Bazaarvoice. The numbers skew even higher among younger shoppers, who prioritize authenticity.
Contests in which brands challenge customers to use their products to create something new or redesign them can be an excellent source of UGC. Participants are encouraged to share photos of their creations on social media and tag the brand, which can opt to include the fan photos in its digital marketing campaign. Another way to prompt UGC is by asking customers to upload pictures of themselves with a product in an exotic locale, such as guzzling down the company’s energy drink at a beach in Costa Rica. These creative approaches not only generate engaging content, but they also drive sales: Nearly two-thirds of shoppers say they are likely to make a purchase based on UGC, Bazaarvoice found.
9. Employee-Generated Content (EGC)
As the name implies, EGC is created and distributed by a company’s employees, in forms including images, videos, and social media posts that may highlight their personal stories, industry expertise, or community involvement. As opposed to heavily scripted content from dressed-up executives, EGC helps build more genuine connections and can elevate social issues that matter to the company.
EGC is also a useful tool for recruitment, providing interested job candidates with an inside look at day-to-day life and culture at a company. It’s cost-effective, as well: Employees are already familiar with a company’s messaging, so marketing teams don’t need to spend a lot of time briefing them or editing their work. Plus, in the spirit of authenticity, EGC need not be as polished as the professional-looking content often outsourced to agencies.
Commerce & Ethical Trends
Social media advertising took the online world by storm in the mid-2000s; ever since, it has been one of ecommerce’s top trends. As previously mentioned, social media has led the way to a rise in short-form video content from influencers, everyday customers, and even employees. Marketers are also turning their attention to social media in other ways, with shoppable content on one hand and inclusive and trust-building content on the other.
10. Social Commerce and Shoppable Content
Social commerce is big business, with social media-driven sales in the U.S. projected to surpass $100 billion by 2026, according to Emarketer. Shoppable media turns online content—such as social posts, videos, and what appears on digital displays—into interactive points of purchase, enabling consumers to buy products directly from within their viewing experience. For example, a customer watching a shoppable video about a company’s new product would be able to click on their device’s screen to purchase the item, without being redirected to a separate website.
However, success in social commerce requires more than just enabling in-app purchases. Marketing leaders must create engaging content that naturally integrates shopping opportunities within the storyline. Marketers should be conscious of a few barriers to adoption, including shoppers’ reluctance to enter their payment information directly into social media platforms.
11. Inclusive and Ethical Marketing
Nearly 80% of consumers say a company’s diversity and inclusion efforts influence their purchasing decisions, according to Kantar’s “Brand Inclusion Index for 2024.” This interest extends beyond marketing campaigns to include the way companies represent different groups in their advertising, their workforce composition, and their business partnerships. For example, a company might demonstrate how they’re expanding opportunities for diverse suppliers or show how their marketing campaigns reflect and resonate with different communities.
As part of broader environmental, social, and governance reporting requirements, particularly in markets like the European Union, companies are expected to document their diversity and inclusion efforts, bringing additional transparency and accountability to their initiatives.
Regulatory & Security Trends
Around the world, regulations require companies to be transparent about how they collect data from consumers. While this means marketers must also be mindful of how they use data, when used for worthwhile reasons the process lends itself to better content tailoring and targeting.
12. Data Privacy and Security
As third-party cookies disappear from major browsers, and privacy regulations expand globally, marketing leaders need to rethink their approach to first-party data collection. At the same time, consumers have become more selective about sharing their data, with 79% saying they want more control over how companies use their personal information, according to Deloitte.
One way marketers are addressing this dilemma is by collecting data directly from consumers through their websites, apps, and other owned channels. This approach grants them user consent while complying with various privacy regulations—many of which also mandate that solid security measures, such as encryption and role-based access controls, must be in place to protect sensitive customer data.
This is particularly crucial for mobile experiences, where more than two-thirds of smartphone users say they worry about their data privacy and security, Deloitte states. Allaying concerns involves building trust through transparent data practices and demonstrating clear value in exchange for consumer information. A few other best practices include clearly explaining what consumers will get in exchange for their data (i.e., personalized recommendations) and having the technology and processes in place to honor customer requests to delete their data, opt out of selling their data, and unsubscribe from their email lists.
Boost Your ROI With NetSuite’s Business Strategy Solutions
This year’s marketing trends underscore the growing complexity of customer data management, privacy requirements, and personalization demands—challenges that become all the more difficult when using disparate systems and manual processes. NetSuite ERP provides an end-to-end solution that unites marketers with the rest of the business. An integrated customer relationship management module enables marketing teams to collect and manage first-party data, yet maintain required security controls and consent management. Companies are able to deliver personalized, multichannel campaigns while honoring customer privacy preferences, all managed through one dashboard. By consolidating sales, marketing, and customer data into a single repository, companies can better leverage AI and automation for content optimization and campaign-performance tracking, with the peace of mind of knowing that customer data is being handled securely and ethically.
In 2025, AI will enhance how marketers create, personalize, and optimize content, and the rise of social commerce will blur the lines between content and purchasing. At the same time, marketing teams must be responsive to growing consumer demands for privacy and authenticity, whether through transparent data practices or the offer of genuine content from influencers and customers themselves. Personalized experiences that respect consumer privacy and build consumer trust will distinguish leading brands from their competitors.
#1 Cloud ERP
Software
Marketing Trends FAQs
What is a trend in marketing?
One of the biggest trends in marketing is the growing use of artificial intelligence and, specifically, generative AI to create content. AI also lets marketers dive deeper into consumer data to make recommendations and predict consumer behavior.
What is the fastest growing area of marketing?
Video content has been picking up steam, in the forms of influencer marketing, user-generated content, and employee-generated content. Marketing teams are also capitalizing on video’s popularity by making posts shoppable and optimized for generative engine, voice, and visual search.
What will marketing look like in the next five years?
In the next five years, marketing will become defined by AI-driven personalization and optimization across multiple platforms, including generative, voice, and visual search, while social commerce will continue to transform how shoppers discover and purchase products. Marketers will be asked to balance technological innovation with growing consumer demands for privacy and authenticity.
