9 Top Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025

10 min read

August 18, 2025

Marketing is evolving at record speeds.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we create, optimize, and personalize campaigns. Cookies are disappearing. And community is becoming more valuable than ever.

To help you stay ahead, we surveyed two dozen marketing leaders from top brands about what’s working now and what’s coming next.

We’ve combined those insights with insights from our own marketing strategies at Semrush to create this guide.

Here are the top marketing trends to watch in 2025—and how to capitalize on them.

1. AI-Powered Marketing Continues to Surge

Every single marketer we surveyed said they are either already using AI or automation in their marketing or have plans to.

The good news?

Only 47% of marketers understand how to use AI effectively. Which means that if you learn to use AI in your marketing now, you’ll be ahead of the curve.

Here is how to get started with AI-driven marketing:

Create content faster. Tools like ChatGPT and Jasper help teams brainstorm, draft, and edit blog posts, email copy, and social content at record speeds.
Optimize ad targeting. AI in Google Ads and other platforms adjusts bidding and targeting strategies based on behavior data.
Enhance customer support. Chatbots like ManyChat answer FAQs and qualify leads, freeing up sales reps to handle higher-value conversations.
Personalize outreach. Tools like ActiveCampaign’s Predictive Sending tailor email campaigns and landing pages based on user behavior, industry, and lifecycle stage.

Remember, AI can still hallucinate (make things up).

To counter this, use AI for first drafts and have a human editor fact-check and refine the content for tone and voice.

2. SEO Makes Way for GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

To stay visible in AI-powered search, brands are shifting from traditional SEO to generative engine optimization (GEO) by structuring content for AI readability, prioritizing user intent, and showcasing trust and expertise.

Here’s why:

BrightEdge reports that Google’s organic search clicks dropped by 30% in the past year—largely because some users now get instant answers from AI tools like Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode and Microsoft Copilot.

To optimize for AI-powered search:

Structure your content for scanning. Use clear headings, short answers, and Q&A formats.
Implement schema markup. Use FAQ, HowTo, and other markup to make content easy for AI to parse.
Showcase E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Include original insights or firsthand results in your content.
Prioritize intent. Focus on intent and topic coverage over exact-match keywords.

3. Cookies Are Being Replaced By Privacy-First Marketing

Third-party cookies—which marketers have relied on to track user behavior, personalize experiences, and deliver targeted ads—are being phased out.

According to Cisco, 86% of U.S. adults support privacy legislation—which makes third-party tracking a potential trust issue with the majority of the U.S. population.

Here’s how to prepare for a cookieless future:

Collect your own data. Offer value to your visitors in exchange for email signups and survey responses.
Track website analytics. Use Google Analytics to monitor audience behavior on your website.
Use contextual advertising. Focus on placing ads based on the content of the page.
Audit your martech stack. Identify tools that rely on third-party cookies.
Leverage privacy-compliant tools. Explore solutions like Google’s Topics API.

4. Short-Form Video Continues to Dominate

Short-form video content like TikToks, Reels, and YouTube Shorts drive some of the highest engagement across marketing channels.

Here’s how to use short-form video marketing:

Choose the right platform. Use LinkedIn or YouTube Shorts for professional content.
Repurpose existing content. Slice long webinars or interviews into 30-60 second clips.
Keep it real. Authentic, unscripted content builds trust and performs better.

5. Marketers Are Turning to Micro-Influencers

According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 53.8 % of brands engage nano‑influencers and 21.6 % use micro‑influencers.

Here’s what to know if you want to hop on this trend:

Build long-term relationships. Ongoing partnerships feel more authentic than one-off promotions.
Explore diverse platforms. For B2B, look at LinkedIn influencers or niche Slack/Discord communities.
Stay compliant. Ensure influencers disclose sponsorships per FTC guidelines.

6. Marketers Are Capitalizing on User-Generated Content (UGC)

Marketers are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) because it builds trust, drives purchases, and outperforms brand-created content.

Here’s how to capitalize on all this free content:

Encourage UGC. Run campaigns, use branded hashtags, or ask happy customers to share their story.
Moderate for quality. Not all UGC is on-brand. Set clear guidelines for what great content looks like.

7. Marketers Are Using AI to Personalize at Scale

AI enables hyper-personalized content at scale. Here’s how you can use AI personalization:

Use dynamic content blocks. Show different CTAs or headlines based on user behavior.
Deploy account-based personalization. Customize landing pages based on company size or funnel stage.

8. Marketers Are Investing Heavily in Building Communities

According to a 2024 report by Higher Logic, 76% of brands with active communities say they boost customer retention.

9. Quality Content & Thought Leadership Still Matter

In a world flooded with AI-generated text, content grounded in genuine experience and personal perspective will be the only way to rise above the noise.