Making a prediction is easy; getting it right is the hard part.
That’s not to say we haven’t done it before. Check out this post from 2020, where we explained why Google’s algorithms can now determine why you’re searching for something other than what you’re looking for. We take this for granted now, especially with the advent of AI over the past year.
So, we will have another crack at it. We’ll look ahead to the next 12 months delving into the digital marketing predictions you need to know about.
Why worry about 2025 now?
Ok, first things first. Like everything else in marketing, digital or otherwise, you must look 6-12 months ahead. This gives you time to plan, structure, budget and organise. You also need to consider what trends might be popular this time next year, which, while not always easy to do, can give you a significant advantage over your competitors if you get it right.
We’ll break down the rest of this post into three areas we think you should look at, starting with…
AI – is it changing the world or not?
It’s almost two years since ChatGPT first exploded onto the scene, with everyone thinking the days of copywriters were numbered. But, as the months went on, people started to notice something – AI-generated content seemed to be getting worse rather than better.
People could tell when something was written by AI (words like “delve,” “tapestry,” or “landscape” are always dead giveaways), so what was going on?
Well, AI isn’t real intelligence—not yet, anyway. Instead, it simply predicts the next word, using a massive database of previous content. So, AI started using itself as a reference, thus creating a loop, writing content based on already written content. And just like photocopying a photocopy, the quality gradually got worse over time.
People caught onto this pretty quickly and started getting turned off by this robotic language with no heart or soul, preferring content with the human touch.
But here’s the thing: AI is here to stay whether you like it or not.
The problem isn’t AI but rather how it’s being used. In the coming 12 months, we can expect to see brands using AI more sensibly rather than as a shortcut to quick and easy content.
AI should be used strategically to help reach the final goal – not the final goal itself.
Social media is only going to get bigger
If your business has a Facebook page, you may think you’re on social media and there’s nothing to worry about.
Wrong.
First of all (and we’re sorry to break this to you), no one under 30 uses Facebook. All those young people are on TikTok and Instagram. Gen Z in particular don’t like Facebook (it’s hard to be cool when your Granny has an account), so if you want to appeal to a younger clientele, then you need to have a complete rethink of your social media and a dedicated budget going towards it.
Instagram and TikTok stand out from Facebook because of one thing: video. Over the past five years, video has grown to become the most important marketing medium, with nine out of 10 marketers saying video has helped them directly increase sales and leads.
As we head into 2025, social media platforms will only grow and become even more important to a brand’s success.
Hubspot data says one-in-five consumers now use social media rather than a search engine to find something. When we specifically look at Gen Z, a recent study showed that Instagram and TikTok are the preferred search engines, with Google in third place.
The eCommerce apps used on these sites make life easier for millions of people, and we can expect to see more brands adopt sales through social media. If you’re still directing people to your website to buy things, then you need to streamline the process and allow those purchases to be made via social media.
Chatting to your device might finally be here
Okay, we know you’ve been able to ask your phone or tablet questions for a few years now. Amazon’s Alexa just celebrated her 10th birthday this month, but let’s be honest, no one asks their device complicated questions. It’s usually things like “set an alarm,” “will it rain today,” or “how many litres in a gallon.”
But now, with advancements in speech recognition, AI, and the increasing adoption of smart devices in the home, 2025 might see the take-off of voice search.
Instead of simple questions, you might soon be asking things you would ordinarily type, such as “Who would win in a fight between Batman and James Bond” or “Do ghosts snore?” or “If there’s a first aid kit, does that mean there’s a second aid kit?” (these are all questions my 6-year-old has asked me).
Most searches now are on mobile devices, mostly phones, so voice search is becoming more popular due to its convenience and accessibility. In addition to the developments in natural language processing, we’re about to see an explosion of voice-related searches, so the question is, how can you prepare for it?
Here are three things to do now to take advantage
Focus on conversational keywords: Voice search queries are longer and more conversational than traditional text-based searches. People might ask, “Where can I find a nearby coffee shop that’s open late?” instead of typing “coffee shop open late.” Businesses can optimise their content for voice search by including natural language phrases, question-based queries, and long-tail keywords.
Provide clear, direct answers: Voice search results are often read aloud to the user, meaning that concise and direct answers are more likely to be selected by voice assistants. Structuring your website content to answer specific questions (think FAQs, blog posts, and headers that feature question phrases) can increase your chances of being featured in voice search results.
Optimise for local searches: Voice search is frequently used for local queries, such as “restaurants near me” or “where’s the closest pharmacy?” Make sure your business is optimised for local search by keeping your Google My Business listing accurate, updating your location information and including local keywords in your website content.
Things to do now to stay ahead of our digital marketing predictions
The internet doesn’t rest. Every year, businesses need to adapt to something new or find a way around. We suggest looking into these three things as we head into 2025.
First: Get your social media sorted!
Facebook has been around for 20 years now. It took almost 10 years before the first businesses appeared on it.
Instagram used to be for artists to showcase their work. Then the influencers took over.
TikTok was for children to make short dance videos. Now it’s the most downloaded app in 2024.
As a business, you need to be on social media. It’s not going anywhere and is only going to get bigger. Video content is where it’s at, and make sure you’re selling whatever it is you sell on these platforms.
Second: Start using AI correctly
AI is here, but over the next 12 months, brands will figure out how to really get the most out of it. You need to be one of those brands.
Simply using it to write your content quickly and cheaply is backfiring and damaging your brand. People don’t want to read rubbish and Google will actively punish you for using it.
Hire a copywriter.
Third: optimise for voice searches
Even though voice searching has been around for a while, 2025 is the year it will really take off.
Now is the time to make sure your website is optimised for it. Make your content voice-search-friendly, providing clear, direct answers to conversational questions.
If you don’t know how to do this or don’t have the time, hire someone to do it for you.
