Top Content Marketing Trends for 2025

It’s been another huge year for marketing; from Google’s Helpful Content Update severely impacting websites and businesses around the globe to Jaguar wiping their iconic brand off the face of the planet…. as we approach 2025, the industry is gearing up for another year of advancements. Fueled by technological advancements such as AI and new consumer expectations – particularly diversity, equity and inclusion in marketing, content marketing strategies are becoming more complex than ever before.

That being said, these are my thoughts on some of the top content marketing trends for 2025.

Hyper-Personalization Through AI

Hyper-personalization uses AI and machine learning to create highly tailored content experiences for individual users. In 2025, I expect it to become more significant, especially in e-commerce content marketing. Unlike regular personalization which targets wider audience segments, hyper-personalization can use real-time data and analyze historical data to personalize experiences for smaller, more impactful segments of users.

This trend is growing because customer expectations for personalization are at an all-time high. According to Adobe around 4 in 5 marketers see a positive ROI when they use personalization in their campaigns (Adobe). Additionally, 86% of businesses report improved results from hyper-personalization. As competition for consumer attention grows, hyper-personalization will help brands to stand out by adapting their content to be directly relevant to their targeted customer.

How to Use Hyper-Personalization

Gather old and collect new data: Gather as much relevant customer data as possible, such as demographics, browsing habits, and purchase history.
Follow laws and data privacy: Check compliance with privacy laws like GDPR and be transparent about data usage.
Use advanced analytics tools: Use AI to learn more about customer preferences and behaviors for improved experiences.
Segment your audience: Group customers into detailed segments based on their actions, needs, and preferences.
Start Personalizing: Create and deliver personalized content, recommendations, and promotions based on what you have identified.
Automate and optimise: Use marketing automation tools and continuously test strategies to improve performance.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Focused Marketing

Diverse and inclusive marketing is more than a trend, think of it as a requirement for brands now. Adopting this in content marketing involves implementing diversity through different forms of content, mainly consumer-facing content like advertising – where studies show that 50% of people are more likely to recommend a product or service if their advertisements are diverse and representative. It’s also implemented in ’employer branding’ strategies which uses content to demonstrate that the company is inclusive and diverse.

Without mentioning the benefits directly, it’s good practice to be inclusive and diverse without hoping for returns. However, from a marketing perspective, it also brings a positive impact. For example, inclusive advertising delivers a 3.5% boost to short-term sales and a 16% lift in long-term sales for brands (source). It’s still a sensitive area and I think some brands are doing it right – some are not (Jaguar). Brands should still maintain their purpose and image – while adapting to current social needs.

How to Adopt Inclusive Marketing

Understand your audience: Conduct research to identify diverse customer demographics, including age, ethnicity, gender, ability, and cultural preferences.
Audit your current content: Review existing marketing materials to ensure they reflect diverse representation and avoid stereotypes or exclusion.
Collaborate with diverse voices: Partner with creators, influencers, and team members from varied backgrounds to gain authentic perspectives.
Use inclusive language: Ensure all messaging is respectful, culturally sensitive, and free from bias.
Design for accessibility: Make content and platforms accessible by following guidelines like WCAG, including alt text, captions, and screen-reader compatibility.
Use diverse imagery: Feature real, diverse people in your visuals to authentically represent your audience.

(Further) Increase in User-Generated Content

If you don’t know, UGC is brand-focused content that is created by customers or someone who doesn’t work for the brand. This content is free marketing for brands and is more powerful than paid campaigns that are created in-house. Although as few as 16% of brands have a strategy with user-generated content, I think this is going to increase over the next few years. With people becoming sceptical of AI and not finding the value in in-authentic content, honest – UGC will become more powerful than ever. Not to mention the performance and power of influencers, which is a similar thing.

The numbers speak for themselves, for example, one report by Stackla found that 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Additionally, one-quarter of search results (25%) for the world’s biggest brands are links to user-generated content. It’s free, it’s easy to manage, and it’s powerful – so if you aren’t using UGC in your marketing strategy, 2025 is the time to start!

Tips for UGC

Encourage participation: Invite your audience to share their experiences with your brand through social media challenges, contests, or calls to action.
Use hashtags: Create branded hashtags to make it easy for users to tag and share their content while driving reach.
Feature user content: Feature user-generated photos, videos, and reviews on your website, social media, or marketing campaigns.
Engage and acknowledge creators: Interact with users who create content, thanking them and giving them recognition to build stronger relationships.
Offer incentives: Reward participants with discounts, exclusive access, or shoutouts to encourage ongoing contributions.
Provide clear guidelines: Set expectations for tone, style, and quality to ensure user submissions align with your brand.
Collaborate with advocates: Partner with loyal customers or micro-influencers to co-create and amplify authentic content.
Curate and organize content: Use tools like TINT or Stackla to collect, manage, and repurpose UGC efficiently.

Change in Short-Form Video Platforms

Not necessarily a trend, but something to watch out for; In 2025, I expect to see a shift in which platforms are used to post short-form videos. This is based on the upcoming ban of TikTok in the USA which contributes 1.04 billion monthly active users worldwide and 170 million active users (source). Of course, this hasn’t been put into place yet and no one really knows what it will look like exactly, but if TikTok is completely banned, content creators and businesses are going to be looking for somewhere else to capitalize on the short-form video market.

The most likely platform for creators to jump to is Instagram, where ‘Reels’ can be posted, although the audience will be different to TikTok which is something to consider. Another alternative for creators would be YouTube where users can post ‘shorts’, although again, the audience is much different and content is less effective here than TikTok. It’s unclear if there will be a shift in audience preference as a result of the ban, but it’s something to watch out for in 2025.

And if you haven’t started utilizing short-form video in your strategy yet, here are some tips:

Start with a hook: Capture attention within the first 3 seconds with visuals, intriguing questions, or stand-out text.
Keep it concise: Focus on one idea or message, ensuring the video stays under 60 seconds for platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels.
Add captions: Include on-screen text or subtitles to ensure accessibility and engagement, even with sound off.
Use trending audio: Most importantly, use popular music or sounds to increase discoverability and follow platform trends.
Try storytelling: Create a mini-narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end to keep viewers invested.
Optimize for mobile: Shoot videos in vertical format with clean framing to ensure they look great on mobile screens.
Always add calls to action (CTAs): Direct viewers to like, comment, share, or click with clear, engaging prompts.
Show authenticity: Use real people, behind-the-scenes clips, or unpolished clips to connect with audiences emotionally.
Experiment with effects: Use filters, transitions, and text overlays creatively to improve the appeal of your videos.

Shifts in Visual Content Creation

Visual content is advancing at exciting/worrying speeds, especially considering the recent announcement of Sora – an AI video generator by OpenAI. I have seen demonstrations of Sora and in some cases, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between AI and reality. Although the videos are limited to a short length – I am sure users will find creative ways to use clips for advertising, short-form videos, and even using it for b-roll footage.

According to a survey by Venngage, 61.5% of marketers now use AI to produce visual content and I expect to see an increase in this production going into 2025, as marketers start exploring cost-effective and more creative solutions for materials.

There are also tools like DALL·E, MidJourney, and Runway that have the capabilities of creating realistic imagery – which are only improving as time goes on. Even Dall-E, which I think is the worst out of the three, is becoming better at creating infographics and more detailed charts/tables/info-based images – which are highly beneficial in content marketing. I already witness AI imagery in marketing materials, albeit poorly done, but this will likely improve going through 2025.

Tips for Visual Content Creation

Define your vision clearly: Write detailed prompts describing the style, elements, and emotions you want to convey. Tools like DALL·E and MidJourney work best on specific, descriptive input.
Experiment with styles: Test various artistic styles, such as photorealistic, abstract, or surreal, to see which aligns most with your project goals.
Use reference images: Provide reference visuals to guide tools in replicating specific designs or concepts.
Refine through iteration: Generate multiple variations and tweak the prompts iteratively to achieve the desired result. AI tools often improve outputs with slight adjustments to input.
Combine tools for the best results: Use MidJourney to create highly detailed visuals and pair them with Runway to animate or integrate them into videos.
Follow consistency: Maintain the same visual style across assets by using the same AI tool or refining prompts consistently.
Optimize for platforms: Optimize resolutions, formats, and aspect ratios for specific platforms.
Stay ethical and authentic: Disclose when content is AI-generated and avoid misrepresentations.

Voice and Visual Search Optimization

Ok, this has been a trend for the last several years, but it’s not going away, any time soon, especially as there are currently 1 billion voice searches performed every month. Voice and visual search change how people find information online, and content marketers need to adapt to this. It could be optimizing content for voice search that is spoken through outputs on Google Home and Alexa devices. Similarly, visual search is becoming increasingly popular, in particular Google Lens, where users snap an image and request a search which returns similar images.

Optimizing for voice and visual search is not complex, and it should be a part of every marketer’s strategy. It’s also about understanding your audience and your niche, think about whether your content would be asked as a question to a smart device. You might also need to go back over older content and optimize it.

A tip: Test voice search optimization on low search volume keywords or ‘easy ranking wins’. This way you are more likely to rank for voice search and can see whether your optimization efforts work correctly.

Voice and Visual Search Optimization Tips

Use conversational keywords: Optimize content for natural language queries to align with how people speak during voice searches.
Create FAQ pages: Develop FAQ sections that address common questions in a conversational tone to capture voice search traffic.
Focus on local SEO: Optimize for location-specific searches by including geo-targeted keywords and claiming your Google My Business listing.
Add schema markup: Use structured data to help search engines understand your content.
Optimize images: Use high-quality images with descriptive alt text, titles, and captions.
Add metadata: Include detailed metadata on images, such as file names and EXIF data.
Enable image indexing: Use tools like Google Search Console to confirm that your images are properly indexed for visual search engines.
Monitor technologies: Stay updated on advancements in voice and visual search tools like Google Lens or Alexa Skills.
Test your content: Regularly test content performance in voice and visual search to identify areas for improvement.

Purpose Driven Marketing

Purpose-driven marketing is a strategy where brands align their messaging and actions with a larger mission or social cause to build authentic connections with their audience. It’s already a key consideration in 2024, but I am certain it will become a defining trend in 2025. Audiences are driven toward brands that stand for something and show it, for example, companies like Patagonia, which prioritizes environmental responsibility, or Ben & Jerry’s, known for advocating social justice.

So purpose-driven marketing helps to build and maintain brand reputation, but it also directly impacts business performance. Studies show that 82% of consumers want brands to take a stand on social issues, and 76% say they’re more likely to purchase from a company that aligns with their beliefs. Heading into 2025, companies will need to prioritize transparency and accountability, ensuring their actions match their messaging.

Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips

Understand and define your purpose: Understand and clearly portray your brand’s mission and values across campaigns.
Align with authentic causes: Choose causes that align with your brand’s identity and audience.
Engage employees: Involve your team in your purpose-driven initiatives to create an authentic culture that reflects your brand’s mission.
Collaborate with nonprofits: Partner with reputable organizations to increase impact and credibility in addressing social or environmental issues.
Try storytelling: Share real stories of how your brand’s purpose has positively impacted individuals or communities.
Be transparent: Communicate your efforts and progress honestly, including setbacks, to build trust with your audience.
Involve your audience: Encourage your audience to participate in your mission, such as through donation matching, volunteering, or advocacy campaigns.
Highlight purpose in products: Show how your products or services contribute to your mission, such as eco-friendly materials or charitable donations.

Podcast Growth

I get it, podcasts are old news and everyone knows about them… that doesn’t mean they are dying or people are losing interest, in fact, the numbers speak differently. The number of podcast listeners is still trending upward and is expected to increase over the next few years. So although it’s been a trend for the last few years, it will continue to be a trend for 2025 and beyond.

Therefore if it aligns with your business needs, a podcast should be a key consideration for your content marketing strategy in 2025. If creating a podcast isn’t within your scope, consider advertising on or guest appearing on other podcasts – this can support your marketing efforts and still reach new audiences.

Podcast Tips

Define your target audience: Identify who you’re speaking to and match your content to their interests and needs.
Choose a clear theme: Focus on a niche or specific topic to create a strong identity and attract a dedicated audience.
Invest in good audio quality: Use a quality microphone and editing software to ensure professional sound, as poor audio can drive listeners away.
Plan your episodes: Create a content calendar and outline each episode to stay organized.
Invite interesting guests: Bring in experts, influencers, or thought leaders to add credibility and variety.
Promote across platforms: Share episodes on social media, email newsletters, and your website to maximize reach.
Encourage audience interaction: Ask for listener questions, feedback, or topic suggestions to make your podcast more engaging.
Repurpose content: Repurpose podcast episodes into blog posts, social media snippets, or YouTube videos to reach more audiences.
Stay consistent: Release episodes on a regular schedule to build trust and keep your audience coming back.

SEO Changes

Every year we hear ‘SEO is evolving at a rapid pace’ (which is probably why AI models like to say that sentence so much), but 2025 will be different, actually, it already is now. In 2024 we had one of the most impactful algorithm updates ever (Helpful Content Update) – which was Google’s attempt to reduce poor AI content flooding search and also give the big corporations even more dominance over the little people, including Reddit.

There was also a leak of vital documentation showing how Google’s algorithm works – which revealed that a lot of the guidance Google gave to SEOs was a lie. Both of these in the same year were a huge shakeup to the SEO industry and impacted mainly smaller to medium businesses. As a result, SEO strategies have changed and will need to change going into 2025 – while it’s more of a consideration than a trend, it’s still vital for content marketers.

SEO Tips

Focus on user intent: Create content that answers specific questions and solves problems, aligning with the intent behind search queries.
Use semantic SEO: Use topic clusters and related keywords to target broader search intents rather than relying on exact-match keywords.
Optimize for technical SEO: Optimize images, use efficient coding practices, and use a content delivery network (CDN) to enhance loading times.
Include media: Use videos, infographics, and high-quality images optimized with alt text and metadata.
Add structured data: Add schema markup to help search engines understand your content.
Optimize for voice search: Use conversational phrases and natural language in your content to align with voice query trends.
Build high-quality backlinks: Build relationships and share valuable content to earn backlinks from authoritative and relevant sites.
Use tools: Use platforms like SEMrush and Surfer SEO to identify optimization opportunities and track performance.
Keep content fresh: Update old blog posts, refresh outdated data, and add new links.