2025 Digital Marketing Predictions – PLUS What We Learned From 2024

Small business owners go the extra mile to create innovative, eye-catching marketing campaigns. 

However, aside from grappling with a limited budget, they also have to compete against brands with more resources and established reputations. 

Fortunately, technology is making it easier for small businesses to compete. Social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and other online strategies are helping SMEs step up their marketing without overspending. 

In this vein, let’s explore 12 marketing lessons from 2024 to help business owners get ready for the coming year.

Keep reading to learn more. 

Lesson #1: Embrace AI-Powered Marketing Tools. 

AI-powered marketing tools are essential for small businesses seeking to compete with larger brands. With relatively minimal additional expense and effort, these tools help personalise content, segment customers, and automate campaigns. 

Lesson #2: Optimise for Voice Search. 

Voice-activated devices like smartphones and smart speakers are becoming increasingly popular. Thus, voice search queries could rival traditional text searches in the future. Businesses, therefore, should adjust their SEO strategies to focus on natural language and question-based keywords. 

Lesson #3: Build a Strong Email Marketing Strategy. 

Email marketing is still a key part of digital marketing, providing a direct and personalised way to engage with customers. As such, small businesses should create strong email strategies by segmenting their audience based on demographics, behaviour, or purchase history to deliver tailored and relevant content. 

Lesson #4: Focus on Hyperlocal Marketing. 

Small businesses should focus on local customers by using tools like Google My Business, geo-targeted ads, and location-based promotions. Supporting community events or partnering with local influencers can also help boost brand loyalty and credibility. 

Nike partners with regional sports stars to highlight its products in culturally relevant ways. This approach makes the brand more relatable as these athletes reflect local values and aspirations. 

Lesson #5: Create Immersive Digital Experiences. 

Immersive digital experiences like 3D, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) are changing how businesses engage with customers. 

These technologies provide interactive and dynamic ways to showcase products and services, creating memorable and personalised experiences. 

For example, furniture retailers like IKEA use AR apps to help customers visualise products in their homes, while VR tours can showcase real estate properties or travel destinations. 

Lesson #6: Invest in Short-Form Video Content. 

Thirty-second content dominated video marketing in 2024. These short videos are ideal for storytelling, product highlights, or tutorials. Brands using short-form videos can boost visibility, connect emotionally with viewers, and increase conversions by appealing to an audience with an increasingly short attention span. 

In 2018, the New York Times claimed that Marc Jacobs had “fallen out of fashion,” claiming that the brand no longer understood what customers want. 

However, in 2024, Marc Jacobs revived its popularity with viral TikTok campaigns featuring Sabrina Carpenter, Sylvanian Drama, and Teletubbies in comedic skits wearing the brand’s pieces. These campaigns reached millions and brought the brand back into the spotlight. 

Lesson #7: Tap into the Power of Influencer Marketing. 

Partnering with the right influencers can help small businesses build trust and boost brand visibility. Collaborating on product reviews or unboxing videos allows influencers to create engaging narratives that resonate with potential customers and drive conversions. 

Glossier, for example, works with micro-influencers to share authentic experiences. They also encourage customers to post photos and reviews of their products on social media.

Lesson #8: Make Sustainability Part of Your Brand Image.

More and more consumers favour businesses that prioritise eco-friendly practices and transparency. Thus, small businesses can stand out by using sustainable packaging, reducing waste, or adopting renewable energy. 

Highlighting these efforts builds trust and loyalty, especially with environmentally-conscious customers. 

For instance, Lush Cosmetics creates handmade cosmetics and innovative product design. They offer “naked” products such as solid shampoo bards and packaging-free soaps, which reduce waste. 

Lesson #9: Adopt a Community-Driven Approach. 

Creating online groups, hosting local events, or collaborating with customers on product development helps form a sense of community. 

Moreover, sharing user-generated content, celebrating customer achievements, and listening to feedback further deepens these connections. 

A good example is TOMS’ One for One model which donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every purchase. This approach set a new standard for corporate responsibility and inspired other businesses to pay it forward to the community. 

Lesson #10: Invest in Data-Driven Decision Making. 

Tools like Google Analytics, CRM systems, and social media insights help businesses track performance and measure return on investment (ROI). 

By collecting and analysing customer data, brands can easily identify trends, preferences, and behaviours that guide marketing and product development. 

Lesson #11: Stay on Top of Marketing Trends. 

By monitoring developments like AI advancements, shifts in social media algorithms, and changes in consumer preferences, businesses can quickly adapt and take advantage of new opportunities.

With the rise of AI, parody ads like the viral Pepperoni Hug Spot, a fully AI-created commercial, gained popularity. Pizza Hut joined in by temporarily renaming one of its stores in Canada “Pepperoni Hug Spot” for a day, inspired by the ad.  

Lesson #12: Master the Art of Storytelling. 

Tell stories to humanise the brand and make your message more relatable and memorable. 

Create authentic, well-crafted stories through blog posts, social media content, or video campaigns to keep your customers engaged and invested in your brand.  

Yara International, the world’s leading crop nutrition company, used storytelling in their “Growers for the Future Campaign” to establish an emotional connection with farmers. They primarily addressed the challenges that come with succession plans for the farm by combining emotional stories with practical business insights. 

Conclusion 

Marketing is both an art and a science. 

It blends creativity with data-driven strategies, encouraging brands to use insights while telling compelling stories that capture customer’s attention. 

Small business owners must embrace innovation and technology to succeed in the future. They need to think big and act fast – especially if they want to survive and thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. 

Interested in more digital marketing campaign ideas for the holidays? Check out these 10 digital marketing strategies you can’t afford to miss. 

Also looking for CX technologies to bring in more sales for the next year? Click here.

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