Keywords, SEO, Blogging \u2014 the list of tactics marketing soothsayers have declared dead is long and not exactly accurate. But potentially dying marketing trends are something to keep an eye out for.<\/p>\n
As marketers, we\u2019re at the mercy of the world around us. Our strategies need to align with buyer behaviors and what they care and talk about, and honestly, that seems to change with every refresh of an explore page.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n If we\u2019re going to stay effective, we need to stay current \u2014 which brings us to today\u2019s obituary.<\/p>\n Friends, we\u2019ve gathered here today to discuss four outdated marketing trends that, according to new data from the 2025 State of Marketing<\/a>, may not survive 2025.<\/p>\n Ok \u2014 maybe this is dark phrasing, but these tactics certainly won\u2019t stick around with our current approaches. Let\u2019s unpack what they are and how to pivot.<\/p>\n If you market to everyone, you market to no one. Marketers have known this for ages, but we need to take it more seriously as consumers demand a personalized touch<\/a> from brands.<\/p>\n I mean, admit it. It\u2019s kind of nice to open an email or app and get a message no one else has received. It feels special \u2014 exclusive even \u2014 and most people agree on this.<\/p>\n Twilio\u2019s State of Personalization<\/a> report found that 49% of consumers say they\u2019ll likely become repeat buyers after a personalized shopping experience with a retail brand.<\/p>\n (I know I get a little giddy seeing my name in things like my Spotify Wrapped.)<\/p>\n\n Moreover, Zendesk found that 70% of customers<\/a> expect<\/span> anyone they interact with at a business to have the full context of their previous engagement and actions.<\/p>\n So, they\u2019re not messing around.<\/p>\n That said, mass marketing \u2014 that is, marketing with no specific target audience, general messaging, and a \u201cone size fits all\u201d experience \u2014 needs to be abandoned.<\/p>\n Successful marketing in 2025 will require greater emphasis on personalization and community engagement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Last year, this was the number one area marketers reported focusing on, and this year, our research found that 85% of marketers consider their strategy somewhat or very personalized. On top of that, just about 94% said personalization impacted sales.<\/p>\n Recently, Grace Kao<\/a>, Head of Global Business Marketing at Spotify, discussed the importance of creating emotionally resonant experiences tied to users’ personal moments as a brand.<\/p>\n She said, “It\u2019s about the value you\u2018re actually bringing to your customer. For us at Spotify, what we\u2019re really trying to bring is some sort of personal element.”<\/p>\n “It\u2018s a \u2019Oh, wow! Thank you for providing something that speaks to me specifically.\u2018 That\u2019s what keeps users coming back, feeling like their moments matter.\u201d<\/p>\n Learn everything you can about personalizing your marketing<\/a> and brand experiences. This can look like:<\/p>\n Addressing your buyer by name in emails<\/a><\/p>\n Making product recommendations based on past purchases on your website. And don’t forget: AI can help with scaling all of this. More on that here:<\/p>\n How to Use AI Personalization Tactics to Scale Marketing Growth<\/a> For over a decade, successful content marketing has largely been focused on creating keyword-packed website\/blog content and earning traffic and links back to their websites.<\/p>\n However, marketers in our survey rated visual formats like short-form video, images, and live streaming higher in return than those like blogging (though this did still make the top five), buyer behaviors are increasingly favoring social media<\/a> and AI chatbots, and<\/em> Google\u2019s EEAT regulations are not letting up.<\/a><\/p>\n With all these factors, it\u2019s clear traditional search tactics alone won\u2019t cut it anymore.<\/p>\n Kevin Indig<\/a> from Toast predicted that traditional SEO tactics, such as link building, will decline in importance and that brand mentions, authority, and reputation will matter more in a competitive search landscape \u200bmoving forward.<\/p>\n He explained, “In my worldview, the idea of links shifts a bit more to mentions \u2014 In other words, what context and how often is our brand mentioned? The more often your brand is mentioned across the web, the more people potentially hear about it.\u201d<\/p>\n In this context, Indig isn\u2019t just referring to getting discovered through search engines but also through mentions and discussions on social media, in the press, and eventually by AI assistants.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s something to be said about the training data,\u201d He continued. \u201cEssentially, you want to grow the surface at which it is possible that an LLM [large language model] <\/a>finds your brand in a certain sentiment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the New York Times, for example, writes about HubSpot being the most successful B2B company, that obviously has a different weight than when somebody on Reddit says, ‘Oh, you know, Salesforce is better than HubSpot.\u201d<\/p>\n “We don\u2019t yet know the exact impact on your visibility in generative AI or in LLMs based on those mentions, but we can assume that there\u2019s probably a pretty strong connection.”<\/p>\n Indig continued, \u201cI see the link-building space shifting much more to web footprinting or exposure \u2014 public relations (PR)<\/strong> is another name for it \u2014 just basically getting your brand out there in a positive sentiment and on the most authoritative sites possible.”<\/p>\n This can take many different forms, but some examples may include:<\/p>\n Brand collaborations<\/a> <\/p>\n Influencer marketing<\/a> (more on that shortly) All of these tactics aim to expand your reach and get you in front of new audiences outside of your owned media.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t the first time we\u2019ve forecasted doom for podcasts and audio content like chatrooms (Remember Clubhouse?). They made our list last year, too.<\/p>\n This year, only about 13% of marketers plan on increasing their investment in the medium \u2014 less than short-form video, user-generated content, images, and live streaming.<\/p>\n But why so few when there are believed to be over 500 million podcast listeners<\/a> worldwide?<\/p>\n Our survey found that most marketers don\u2019t believe podcasts are one of their top ROI drivers. In fact, only about 13% reported it as one of their top three.<\/p>\n\n Blend’s<\/a> Marketing Manager, Dan Stillgoe<\/a> dug deeper into this for us, saying, \u201cIt\u2018s true that you can\u2019t directly attribute leads or revenue from a podcast, but that’s not its purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow HubSpotter Caroline Forsey added, \u201cI\u2018m also assuming some marketers feel the barrier-to-entry is a little high. Creating a full, high-quality podcast episode requires time and resources.”<\/p>\n “It takes more effort than, say, posting an Instagram Reel, and it\u2018s harder to track ROI. But while it\u2019s not easy, it\u2019s worth considering if most of your consumers are podcast listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n Your podcasts don\u2019t have to go away, especially if you\u2019ve got a good listener base, but perhaps you need to revisit your goals and expectations for the medium.<\/p>\n Stillgoe explained, \u201cPodcasts are a long-term brand-building channel that can improve affinity and connection for your brand like no other channel. When you realize the long-term and surrounding benefits, podcasting becomes a clear and obvious investment.\u201d<\/p>\n He adds, \u201cPodcasting is the perfect way to craft engaging and authentic content \u2014 something buyers are beginning to crave in this AI era.\u201d<\/p>\n So rather than turning to podcasting as an avenue for leads or traffic, turn to it for building community.<\/p>\n Read:<\/strong> Podcasting in 2025: What You Need + 9 Steps To Get Started<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret: Consumers like influencers.<\/p>\n 69% of consumers say<\/a> they trust influencers’ opinions, while 49% actually <\/span>depend<\/a> on them for recommendations<\/a>. But this doesn\u2019t mean any old influencer will do.<\/p>\n Consumers like influencers and content creators they find relatable and trustworthy<\/a>. As The Drum<\/a> put it, they opt for those who \u201ccan offer connection, companionship, and aspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n However, as \u201cinfluencer\u201d becomes more of an actual profession and follower numbers reach the millions, the sense of connection consumers crave is harder to come by.<\/p>\n Because of this, more niche influencers are proving more effective for brands.<\/p>\n Our survey found nearly 45% of marketers reported seeing the most success with micro-influencers, the largest of any group, followed by macro and nano-influencers. Mega-influencers (those with over a million) came in last.<\/p>\n Some of the reported benefits of smaller influencers included more trust with their followers, access to tight-knit communities, and more affordability.<\/p>\n\nMarketing Trends That Might Not Survive in 2025<\/h2>\n
1. Mass Marketing<\/h3>\n
How can you pivot in 2025?<\/h4>\n
\n Sending emails with content suggestions based on purchases or past behavior (i.e., pages they\u2019ve visited or offers they\u2019ve downloaded.)
\n Checking in and proactively reaching out with support or help with recent purchases.
\n Asking for feedback <\/p>\n
\n Top 5 Use Cases for AI Personalization in Marketing<\/a> <\/p>\n2. Link Building<\/h3>\n
How can you pivot in 2025?<\/h4>\n
\n Live streaming<\/a>
\n Live events<\/a>
\n Increased social media marketing<\/a><\/p>\n3. Podcasts<\/h3>\n
How can you pivot in 2025?<\/h4>\n
4. Mega-Influencer Marketing<\/h3>\n\n