CMI surveyed marketers to see if they felt pressured to deliver results despite having limited budgets and resources. The response? A significant 56% said they feel this pressure “to a great extent,” while 39% admitted they feel it “to some extent.”
Just 5% reported feeling no pressure at all and a recent Deloitte study found that 79% of C-suite respondents expect gen AI to drive substantial organizational transformation in less than three years.”
However, the study also found that most organizations prioritize tactical advantages, such as boosting efficiency and cutting costs, over broader goals like driving growth and fostering innovation.
In the article above, Robert Rose recognizes an inconvenient truth: generative AI magnifies what already exists.
So, if you use a content calendar to crank out dull social media posts, boring in-person events, and bland emails, then AI will simply amplify those weaknesses.
Conversely, if your content strategy makes videos worth watching, creates content worth sharing, and provides experiences worth the price of admission, then AI will enhance those strengths.
So, AI isn’t a magic wand. It’s more like a booster that accelerates your existing efforts.
As this year’s findings demonstrate, successful demand generation remains a human-centered and complex task. Efficiency alone won’t transform ordinary efforts into extraordinary success.
True success lies in creativity, uniqueness, and the thoughtful execution of ideas.
In the end, the story is yours to tell — make it exceptional.
7. Social Media Marketing
If you’re the head of social media marketing for your organization, then you might want to pay attention to the growth of BlueSky.
Similarweb reported:
“On Nov. 6, the day after the US presidential election, both website traffic and app usage spiked for Bluesky in the US as it became the destination of choice for journalists and opinion leaders (as well as followers of those people) who decided to either stop using X or begin using it less.
Usage of the Bluesky app is up 519% compared to the first 10 months of the year. The UK echoed the trend, with Bluesky usage up 352% compared with the first 10 months of the year.”
Before you rush to add yet another platform to your social media portfolio, dig a little deeper into the latest data from Similarweb.
Below is the chart that Carr sent me of the top social networks worldwide based on desktop and mobile web visits in October 2024.
Image from author, December 2024
If you’re data-driven, then here’s the data:
YouTube got 29.1 billion visits that month.
Facebook got 12.5 billion.
Instagram got 6.0 billion.
X (formerly Twitter) got 4.6 billion.
Reddit got 3.5 billion.
TikTok got 2.2 billion.
LinkedIn got 1.8 billion.
Pinterest got 1.2 billion.
Threads got 154.1 million.
Snapchat got 130.3 million.
Although it doesn’t appear in the chart, Bsky.app got 75.9 million visits in October 2024.
So, if you’ve got 1,000 people on your social media marketing team, then shift one of them to BlueSky. But based on Similarweb’s latest data, 99.9% of us should shift more people to YouTube.
8. Digital PR
It may seem odd to include Digital PR in your list of the top 10 digital marketing trends for 2025.
But Spencer Stuart noticed that 34% of Fortune 500 CMOs lead functions in addition to marketing, such as communications.
So, if your organization is one of those companies, then you’ll want to invite your head of corporate communications to your off-site meeting.
You may also want to respectfully recommend that they read 7 Steps To Building A Kickass Digital PR Campaign before attending.
And your organization would really benefit by building a kickass digital PR campaign.
9. Influencer Marketing
Invite whoever heads up influencer marketing to your off-site – even if they report to the head of digital advertising, content marketing, social media marketing, or corporate communications.
The head of influencer marketing should argue that “schmooze optimization” is the cost-effective way to achieve your marketing goals.
And, suggest to your head of SEO that they read “SEO Industry Trends Report 2024: The Search Revolution Has Already Begun.”
Kasumovic says:
“Kevin Indig reveals that only 6% of AI Overviews (AIOs) include the search query – indicating that the future of SEO lies in understanding user intent rather than keyword targeting.”
Kasumovic argues:
“The brands that rise to the top will be those that leverage the intersection of human expertise and AI automation – a balance that requires both creativity and data-driven discipline.”
He recommends:
“Collaborate with industry experts, influencers, and knowledgeable creators to build content that demonstrates deep expertise and credibility.”
10. Omnichannel Marketing
Your customers expect a seamless experience across all platforms. But if your marketing strategy is still siloed, then you might as well be using carrier pigeons to get your message across.
That’s why your organization needs to hammer out an agreement on a customer-centric strategy that integrates all your channels to create a consistent brand experience for customers.
But who is the voice of the customer in your organization? If there isn’t an obvious choice, there are three potential candidates:
A digital analytics expert who recognizes a seamless customer experience across multiple channels will be essential.
A digital advertising expert who knows that integrating PPC campaigns across multiple channels (search, social, display) will be vital for a cohesive customer journey.
An SEO expert who understands search engines are increasingly considering user experience (UX) metrics as ranking factors.
In Summary: Get Key Decision-Makers Involved
This is my take on the top 10 digital marketing trends for 2025 which will hopefully give you a starting point to tailor a version for your organization.
What is important to remember is to get all the key decision-makers in your organization involved.
I suggest you take time to outline your priorities and where you need to go in 2025.
Get ready for the storm to face it head on.
More Resources:
Featured Image: Hurca/Shutterstock