Every year, trend lists promise a revolution. Most of the time, it turns out to be a year of small adjustments. Even so, some shifts do show up in your figures, because they change how customers find you and how advertising platforms work.
In this article we cover five of them. For each trend, you will read what is happening, what it means for your marketing and what you can do first. We have deliberately left out what is mostly noise.
1. Search is spreading across more places
People still search on Google. But they also search in AI assistants such as ChatGPT, on TikTok and YouTube, and on marketplaces such as bol. Younger audiences in particular often start their search outside Google.
For you, this means that being found no longer has to happen in one place. Nor do you need to be present everywhere at once. Choose the places where your customer actually searches.
Here is what you can do first:
- Ask your last ten customers where they found you and what they looked up first.
- Answer your customers’ questions on your website, in clear and simple language.
- Check that your business details are correct everywhere, for example in your Google Business Profile.
- Create explanatory content, such as short videos or articles, for the platform where your audience spends time.
SEO remains the foundation here. SEO is the practice of making your website easier to find in the regular, unpaid search results. AI assistants also draw their information from the web. Clear and reliable content therefore helps on both fronts.
2. Advertising platforms are taking over more decisions
Google and Meta are automating their advertising systems further. Think of Performance Max at Google and Advantage+ at Meta. The platform decides where your ad appears, how much to bid and which combination of image and text works.
This leaves you with fewer controls to adjust. But you still have influence. It shifts to three other areas:
- Measurement. The algorithm learns from the conversions you report. A conversion is a desired action, such as a purchase or an enquiry. If you report the wrong actions, the system learns the wrong things.
- Creative. The system can only choose from what you supply. So provide enough variety in images, videos and copy.
- Goals. Do not optimise for the cheapest click, but for the value of a customer or lead.
Automation is therefore no reason to sit back. Your work moves from settings to input. Those who supply good data and strong creative get more out of the same budget.
3. Your own data becomes your best audience
A cookie is a small file that a website uses to recognise visitors. Safari and Firefox have blocked third-party cookies for some time. Google is keeping them in Chrome for now, but visitors are given more and more choice and have to give consent. As a result, advertising platforms have less visibility of what visitors do.
Your own data, also known as first-party data, helps you absorb this. This is information that customers give you themselves, such as email addresses, purchases and enquiries. You can put it to use in several ways:
- Upload your customer list as an audience in Google Ads or Meta.
- Exclude existing customers, so you do not waste budget on them.
- Let platforms find similar people based on your best customers.
- Send relevant emails based on behaviour and interests.
Do keep an eye on the privacy rules. Only use data you have consent for, and explain clearly what you use it for. In 2025, a clean, up-to-date customer list is worth more than a large list full of outdated addresses.
4. Video keeps growing, in B2B too
Short video has become the standard on almost every platform. Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and LinkedIn all give video priority. That also applies if you sell to other businesses. Buyers and directors also look at their phones after working hours.
You do not need a film studio. What counts is that the video is clear and says something useful. A few rules of thumb:
- Make sure the first few seconds grab attention.
- Add subtitles, because many people watch without sound.
- Deliver one message per video.
- Use one recording several times, for example as an ad, as a post and on your website.
Video also supports the first trend. People increasingly search on platforms where video plays the leading role. Good visual explanations can therefore help you in two ways.
5. Reporting on revenue instead of clicks
Clicks, impressions and reach say something about activity. They do not say whether marketing earns money. Management teams increasingly want to know what is left at the bottom line. Those who can show that find it easier to secure budget.
Consider an installation company that receives a report with clicks and impressions every month. The director keeps asking what it delivers. The marketer links the enquiry forms to the customer system and, from then on, shows per channel how many quotes and orders have come in. The conversation is no longer about costs, but about where extra budget will return the most.
Here is how to start:
- Choose two or three figures that management genuinely cares about, such as revenue, cost per new customer or payback period.
- Connect your ads and website to your webshop or customer system, so you can see which lead became a customer.
- Report on a single page every month and explain what you are going to change.
You will never get a perfect picture. Customers arrive through several channels and not everything can be measured. An honest estimate with a clear explanation is more valuable than a report with nothing but isolated figures.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to respond to all five shifts at once?
No. Start with measurement and your own data, because they make everything else better. After that, look at where your audience searches and which form of video suits your business.
Is SEO still worthwhile now that people also use AI assistants?
Yes. Clear, reliable content helps both in Google and on other platforms that use information from the web. What is new is mainly that you want to be visible in more places.
How do I report on revenue if I do not have a customer system?
Start small. Use a spreadsheet to track which enquiries come in, which of them become customers and what they bring in. Also ask new customers how they found you. Later, you can link this to a CRM, a system in which you keep track of customer contacts.
Book a free 30-minute introductory call
Do you want to know which of these shifts will affect your figures the most? Then book a free 30-minute introductory call with Adventio Marketing in Amersfoort. Together, we will look at your current approach, your measurement and your goals. You will receive concrete recommendations you can act on yourself, even if you decide not to continue with us. Get in touch via the website and choose a time that suits you.
