Being one of the first brands to adapt to a new trend can have monumental benefits.

And as a new brand, you should always be looking for ways to differentiate yourself from the competition!

In this article, I’ll take you through the importance of marketing trends for startups and some key trends you should consider in your marketing this year.

Short on time? Here are the key takeaways

• As generative AI continues to take center stage, brands will be able to use human touch as a unique selling point.
• As a founder in 2025, you need to consider clever and out-of-the-box ideas to get ahead of the competition.
• With people searching and interacting with brands in new ways, you need to ensure your brand is ready to adapt to those changes.

A Word on Marketing Trends

Before we dive into the trends you should consider this year, let’s talk about the importance of marketing trends for founders specifically. Jumping onto a marketing trend effectively as a brand can have significant benefits, especially for a brand that is just starting out and looking to gain a foothold in the market.

The main reason for this is that lots of marketing efforts at this time are either very expensive or won’t have an impact until much further down the line.

For example, you can write some very high-quality SEO-friendly blog content as a new brand, but without any Domain Reputation or authority in your industry, then Google will not rank your content as high as it maybe should be ranked based on quality alone.

So instead, you’re forced to focus on paid marketing avenues like PPC, which can quickly eat into your budget and take valuable resources.

So, if you are able to jump on a marketing trend, that can lead to a quick boost in awareness, which can have a notable knock-on effect on all your other marketing efforts.

Of course, marketing trends do have their limitations, which is why I’ve focused on picking ones that are more long-term than suggestions like ‘jump on TikTok trends quickly.’ But with that said, staying aware of the most effective trends for the year is a great way for Founders to gain an edge in 2025.

4 Marketing Trends in 2025

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four marketing trends that you should consider for your brand in 2025.

The rise of AI will lead to… a craving for humans?

There’s plenty of chatter at the moment about the rise in AI and what it can do for your company, and I did wonder about including all the potential benefits to brands that engage with generative AI and AI agent capabilities.

But then I also figured you likely can see that information on any other website! Instead, I want to talk about the potential of using human touch as your USP in 2025.

As a small brand or solo entrepreneur, you are in a unique position that larger brands can’t compete with you on, and that is customer care.

Rather than forcing your brand to chat to chatbots and engage with AI agents on your website, why not take advantage of the fact you’re a small brand and build true customer loyalty by personally responding to queries and concerns>

In a world where AI responses are becoming the norm, this approach can be a major benefit for those who are willing to put the time in.

A new social channel may take center stage

There has been a lot of talk in recent months about social media channels, most notably X and it’s ‘eccentric’ owner, and also the lingering potential TikTok ban in the US.

Not to mention Australia’s recent move to ban social media for children under a certain age.

As a result, 2025 could easily be the year we see a new social media channel reach the mainstream. One current contender is BlueSky.

Bluesky is a decentralized social media platform that prioritizes user control over their data and the content they see. Users can customize their feeds using various algorithms, enhancing privacy and offering a tailored browsing experience. 

It’s risen in popularity due to many X users claiming the platform is not as enjoyable as it once was, but we’re yet to see whether or not it will truly take off.

However, as a founder it’s important to keep your eye on these trends, as regular posters on these platforms will put themselves in a great position to gain lots of traffic if consumers flood to the website and other brands play catch up.

Community will be more important than ever

Speaking of communicating with customers, building a community will also be a major USP in 2025. Brands that are able to work and chat with their customers will reap the rewards this year, and there are several ways to do so.

While influencers can still play a large role in your marketing efforts, several brands are moving toward customer collaborations instead, with the influencer world becoming slightly oversaturated and consumers becoming more familiar with that form of marketing.

Not only that, but Google has also introduced a new feature within the search results that highlights the best discussion forums on any given topic. If you’re able to meet your brands in their digital communities, not only will you improve that relationship, but you’re also putting yourself in the shop window for new, like-minded customers.

Optimize for voice search

Lastly, I wanted to include a slightly ‘out there’ suggestion to try and give you as many potential options as possible to stand out from the crowd!
With voice search consistently rising each year, tailoring your content to suit this new approach could be a good way to outperform in the search results.

It’s become increasingly hard to rank for competitive keywords as a new brand using traditional measures, so optimizing for voice search could be the way to go.

But how do you optimize for voice search?

In simple terms, take a more conversational tone with your content. For example, rather than writing an article that focuses on the keyword phrase ‘fitness,’ focus instead on an article surrounding ‘how can I get a bit fitter this year.’

The reason for this is that people are much more conversational in their voice search than in traditional typed search, so accommodating that in your writing will benefit your performance.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of brand marketing, especially as we navigate through 2025, Foundr+ offers a strategic advantage. For just $1, gain access to 14 days of live coaching tailored to the latest marketing trends. 

You’ll also receive support from industry experts, connect with a vibrant community of over 30,000 professionals, and explore over 30 courses designed to fast-track your learning and business growth. Dive into Foundr+ and propel your brand to new heights this year.