2024 was a banner year for the marketing industry. We watched social media apps rise and fall and observed some brands launch sweeping, gorgeous campaigns while others seemed to miss the mark. More than anything, though, technology boomed and put more tools than ever at our fingertips to make our lives easier — at work, at least!

With what we saw this year, we can only expect great things from 2025. Here’s what we see on the horizon:

AI Shoots for The Stars 

Generative AI: It’s our modern space race. Companies across the globe are competing to release the newest, smoothest, and, frankly, coolest tool.

There seems to be software to help almost every industry, and marketing is no exception. We firmly believe that marketers can ethically use AI, and if you don’t start now, you’ll be left behind in 2025.

AI Content Tools aren’t there for just spitting out complete copy, which can sound ingenuine without a human’s creative prowess. However, next year, more marketers will take advantage of tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini for content ideation, quick research, outlines, and rewrite inspiration.

Additionally, as the year goes on, these tools will continue to learn and mature and will likely start producing more consistently usable content.

AI Design Tools, to be honest, haven’t hit their stride. Generators like Photoshop’s Generative Fill and Canva’s Magic Design are still rife with errors and often are accused of lacking creativity and needing significant human edits. However, 2025 could be a growth spurt year for design tools working to be as reliable and helpful as their content-generating cousins.

AI Reporting saves time and money for businesses, cutting down hours spent pulling lists of data analytics. But in 2025, we expect marketers to use AI as a partner in crafting data analysis and strategies, not just pulling numbers.

AI Advertising is becoming increasingly popular, especially on Facebook. The Meta platform has released several options for AI-controlled advertising campaigns, suggesting that its understanding of the platform’s algorithm and backend calculations can build better, more successful initiatives.

Video Reigns 

We believe video will continue to outshine other digital content. TikTok has become ingrained in society’s everyday conversation, with other powerhouse social media platforms hot on the trail.

Snackable, short-form videos remain more popular and profitable than long-form videos. In that vein, we expect:

• YouTube will push YouTube Shorts as a competitor of TikTok. The video-sharing platform has a one-up on TikTok with a more robust, reliable monetization system. YouTube has the unique advantage of helping creators leverage both long- and short-form content.

• Facebook will continue to optimize its video-sharing abilities. Currently, 60% of time spent on Facebook is spent watching videos, which is why the Meta app built a dedicated video tab in 2023. We believe it’s hustling to set itself up as a viable new home for content creators.

• TikTok will leverage its AI-generated influencers for advertising, a feature the platform made available to all users. While this is a big money-saver for brands, many people are uncomfortable seeing the uncanny beings on their feed and find them unauthentic.

• Instagram will put its time into growing Reels, the main growth driver on the app. Reels’ strength is its broad age demographic compared to TikTok’s Gen Z-driven audience, and Instagram still boasts the most overall users.

The platform is privy to Meta’s growing AR capabilities, and we can expect to see more intricate and advanced filters in 2025 to compete with TikTok’s ever-growing library. We also believe Meta will continue fighting to close the engagement gap between Reels and TikTok and keep improving the Instagram shopping experience, which is currently more popular than TikTok Shop.

IRL Meetups

30% of U.S. adults report feeling lonely once a day or several times a week. People are looking for more ways to engage with IRL events, and social media apps should take notice.

Snapchat, for example, is adding new features to its Snap Map. These will be able to show users what places their friends have visited and events they’ve attended, giving a little inspiration for things to do in their community.

Speaking of community, a new app is here to get people together. Pie is fighting social isolation and building bigger and better in-person gatherings. It’s been extremely successful, with the Chicago-based company already expanding to San Francisco.

We think marketers will take advantage of this movement since it’s the perfect fit for brands looking to offer pop-ups or host networking events.

Time to Get Personal 

This growing trend is more crucial than ever, and marketers should take note. Consumers want to feel like brands care about them, their needs, and their customer experience.

The key is finding more ways to personalize interactions in 2025, whether that means customized product recommendations, personal and helpful responses on social media posts, or being more transparent about your brand values and how you live up to them every day.

In 2025, it’s time to stop thinking of your audience as a monolith and understanding the individuals investing in your products.

Get Ready, Get Set…Go!

We know that it’s a lot to process! Looking ahead at next year’s marketing predictions can always feel overwhelming, especially since we don’t know what the future holds. But with these ideas on the brain, as you plan for the year ahead, you’ll be more prepared to navigate the challenges and come out on top.

Our content experts and marketing strategists are here to help you take advantage of these trends and build a successful and profitable marketing strategy for your business. Let’s talk!