At GRIT, we’ve established something of a tradition for our first blog post of the year, kicking things off by spotlighting the digital marketing trends that are set to shape the months ahead. In 2025, changes are already coming fast—from daily headlines about TikTok’s status in the United States to AI’s growing impact across content creation, ad targeting, and more. One thing is certain, though. These shifts aren’t distant predictions. They’re already happening all around us, and they’re happening now.
In this edition of our annual trends report, we’re digging deeper into a few key developments so you can stay ahead of the competition. Buckle up, because these trends have the potential to shake up the status quo and redefine how businesses and organizations connect with their audiences.
Trend #1: The Changing Social Media Landscape Continues to Shape-Shift
If there’s one constant in digital marketing, it’s that social media never stops evolving. We covered this fact in last year’s update, and if changes were coming at a dizzying pace in 2024, they have only accelerated. We’ve noticed three big themes in particular for this year: the rise of employee-generated content (EGC), the growth of social platforms as a search tool, and the potential shake-up of everything social media-related caused by ongoing efforts to establish TikTok regulations. Let’s look at each a little bit more closely.
The Rise of Employee-Generated Content (EGC)
Authenticity has become the currency of trust online, and that’s where EGC shines. People love seeing the real faces and stories behind a brand or business. When employees share insights from their day-to-day experiences—such as behind-the-scenes photos, personal takes on company culture, or quick video clips explaining a product—they create a genuine connection with audiences.
As this article from Digital Marketing Institute underscores, the rise in popularity of EGC is easy enough to understand—it’s a fun, collaborative way to build trust. Potential customers get an inside look, while employees feel more connected to the business they represent. The key to success is offering clear guidelines and even incentives—such as a monthly highlight or even a small reward for contributing to posts. Done right, EGC goes far beyond “marketing.” It humanizes a company or organization in ways that highly curated influencer campaigns often can’t match.
At GRIT, we’ve worked with clients to help them embrace EGC by advising them on ways to encourage team members to post about their work, wins, and challenges. We also assist in directly creating unique content, like impactful spotlights informed by employee interviews.
Social Platforms as a Search Tool
Increasingly, people aren’t just scrolling through Instagram or TikTok for entertainment. They’re using these platforms to discover products, trends, and even local businesses, which used to be the exclusive jurisdiction of search engines. Spout Social called out this trend back in late August 2024, asserting “social media is the new search engine,” and this shift means marketers have to think beyond Google. It’s no longer enough to simply optimize for search engine keywords on websites and in blog posts. You now need to consider where your audience is actively searching.
That’s where SEO (or search engine optimization) principles can inform your approach on social media. From selecting the right hashtags to crafting keyword-rich captions, and even applying search engine marketing (SEM) best practices here can help your brand stay visible in an increasingly crowded space. Even YouTube, long regarded as an entertainment hub, has emerged as a go-to resource for research and how-tos. The bottom line? Treat social platforms like additional search engines, because that’s exactly what they’re becoming.
P.S. We talked about social SEO in this blog post from 2024, and encourage you to take a look if you want a little bit more background!
The Potential TikTok Shake-Up
Rumors and debates around a possible U.S. TikTok ban have swirled for a while, and while the situation remains fluid, the buzz itself is enough to send ripples through the social media ecosystem. Even if the platform remains accessible after current negotiations are settled, whispers of regulation often push users and advertisers to explore other short-form video options like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. If you rely heavily on TikTok for visibility, this uncertainty underscores the importance of diversification. Keep an eye on how—and where—your audience is spending time and be prepared to pivot if regulations or user preferences change.
Trend #2: The AI Takeover Is Becoming More Obvious
Artificial intelligence has long been the talk of the tech world, but in 2025, its impact on digital marketing is impossible to ignore. From chatbots and predictive analytics to automated content generation, AI solutions continue to multiply. Microsoft’s recent integration of Copilot into its 365 apps earlier this month is a prime example of how quickly these tools are becoming embedded in our daily work processes.
Balancing Efficiency with Authenticity
AI can supercharge your digital advertising and paid digital marketing efforts, helping you create and distribute content faster than ever. But while tools exist to automate writing and analyze campaign data for paid digital advertising, the real magic comes from maintaining a human touch at the center of it all. That’s why the best strategies blend data-driven insights with the creativity and empathy that only a top-tier marketing and communications agency can bring—qualities technology can’t easily replicate.
Still, the benefits are huge. AI excels at pattern recognition, which means better ad targeting and personalized recommendations for your audience. It can help segment your customer base, predict which campaigns will convert best, and even craft preliminary versions of blog posts or emails. The risk, of course, is sounding too robotic or losing sight of your brand’s unique voice. We recommend using AI as an assistant rather than a replacement, ensuring that authenticity remains front and center in your digital marketing strategy.
Trend #3: Updating Older Content Has Surprising Value
One content marketing tactic we see businesses and organizations overlook far too often is refreshing existing content. It’s easy to assume you need to keep churning out new posts to stay relevant, but a targeted approach to updating and re-optimizing what you already have can yield surprisingly strong results. It begins with a practice that sounds about as fun as doing taxes (but can be just as much a source of money back in your pocket each year): performing a content audit.
Why a Content Audit Matters
By reviewing your site’s existing blog posts, landing pages, and product descriptions, you can identify which pieces have potential for a second (or even third) act. Perhaps you wrote an evergreen guide that drew solid traffic two years ago but has since lost momentum. Updating statistics, integrating new SEO keywords, and clarifying any outdated references can breathe new life into that same piece, boosting your standing in search (yes, it does still matter despite the rise of social SEO) and helping you reclaim valuable digital real estate by tidying up your website or other digital properties.
Getting the Most Out of a Refresh
A good content refresh goes beyond words and the quality of your copywriting. We recommend taking a hard look at the overall user experience (UX). Are there any broken links or large blocks of text making the piece less inviting? Could you add short videos or infographics for better engagement? Sometimes, small upgrades—like adding more recent data, improving headings, or incorporating a Q&A section—can propel an old post back to the top of search results. In a landscape this crowded, even a modest increase in visibility can make a big difference.
Are You Ready to Stay Ahead of 2025’s Biggest Trends?
Whether you want to leverage the power of employee-generated content, navigate the evolving world of AI, or revitalize your older content, our team at GRIT is here to help. As a full-service digital marketing agency rooted in York, PA, we offer a wide range of digital marketing services with a reach that extends wherever our clients need us.
From crafting a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to implementing paid digital marketing campaigns and beyond, we’re ready to work with you to tailor these trends (and more!) to meet your organization’s unique goals and overcome any challenges.
Connect with GRIT today and let us show you how to make these trends work for you.