The 11 Hottest Content Marketing Trends to Follow in 2025

Content material advertising is altering. And it’s altering quick. 

I’ve not often seen any business remodel so quickly in just some years. 

The primary drivers? AI and shifting shopper habits. 

On this information, I’ll stroll you thru the 11 hottest traits that can assist you perceive the place our business is headed. 

Let’s get began.

1. Content material with Authentic Opinions Is Extra Essential Than Ever

Efficient content material advertising has all the time been about creating unique and helpful content material. However this pattern is turning into a lot stronger in 2025.

Why?

As a result of LLMs resembling ChatGPT can now fulfill most generic informational queries. 

So, if you wish to generate engagement and visitors, you want to transcend offering fundamental data obtainable elsewhere. 

That is confirmed by our recent study, which revealed that Google tends to draw extra navigational intent, whereas ChatGPT customers usually tend to be in search of informational content material.

Whereas actually unique content material requires extra effort and assets, it might actually repay.

I’m excited to see extra firms following this method. They write with an unique perspective, interview consultants, conduct unique analysis, and create content material that’s stuffed with character. 

For instance, I’ve all the time favored how the consultants at Animalz method this. They publish data-backed insights and contemporary views as an alternative of the identical previous generic recommendation. 

Of their content material—as in this blog post—they share real-world classes from their experiments, classes you’ll be able to’t find out about wherever else.

Right here’s how one can additionally create content material like this:

• Let consultants write to your weblog: Give inner consultants a platform to share firsthand data
• Interview consultants who can’t write for you: If they will’t totally commit, see should you can query them about their distinctive insights
• Carry out unique analysis: Conduct surveys, analyze inner knowledge, or run experiments—and share the outcomes 
• Publish case research: Spotlight real-world outcomes that your clients achieved together with your assist

2. Utilizing AI Is Now Changing into the Norm

AI instruments are in all places. Your rivals are utilizing them too. 

And I’ve by no means been—and by no means will likely be—a supporter of “zero AI insurance policies.” AI is the innovation you’ll be able to’t ignore, and it helps us obtain higher outcomes sooner.

What makes the actual distinction is how you utilize it. 

In case you depend on AI to churn out mass-produced articles with none human contact, you received’t stand out. 

However should you use AI to hurry up analysis, generate concepts, and streamline your writing course of, it might allow you to produce high-quality content material and give you profitable campaigns.

Listed below are some numbers I discovered fascinating after we interviewed 700+ Semrush customers:

• 31% say AI content material performs in addition to human-written content material in the case of web optimization
• 33% say it performs even higher
• Solely 9% suppose it performs worse

We additionally noticed the same image after we requested customers about conversions from their natural content material.

This and different findings in our examine confirmed that Google doesn’t penalize AI content. It additionally confirmed that content material created with AI help doesn’t must be dangerous content material.

Right here’s the right way to do it proper:

• Use AI as a helper, not as alternative for human enter: Use AI to generate first drafts, summaries, or concepts, then refine the content material your self.
• Add human perspective and unique concepts: Share private tales, opinions, or knowledgeable insights that AI can’t replicate.
• Preserve high quality excessive: Verify information, tighten up wording, and keep your model’s voice.

3. Diversifying Your Advertising Channels Helps to Fight Visitors Drops

2024 was all about visitors drops and fluctuations. 

What brought on it?

Largely, Google’s algorithm updates mixed with shifts in search habits. 

Within the first occasion, Google launched AI overviews in SERPs in addition to a number of core updates. This led to much more zero-click searches that carry no web site visitors, inflicting dramatic visitors drops in lots of niches.

All of us heard about HubSpot’s natural visitors drop:

Moreover, extra folks at the moment are utilizing various platforms to seek for data—together with LLMs like ChatGPT and social media platforms like LinkedIn. 

One examine on this subject exhibits that Google’s approximate share in search now stands at about 84%, which means that its monopoly is slowly eroding.

However this is the factor: shedding some web site visitors is not essentially dangerous information. 

In 2025, platforms don’t need you to go elsewhere. LinkedIn restricts the attain of posts with exterior hyperlinks, and Google now solutions easy queries immediately with AI responses.

Nonetheless, the web site visitors you retain would possibly really be larger high quality. Your guests could possibly be customers who’ve already discovered their fundamental solutions by AI or different channels however wish to study extra. This may trace at the next intent to interact and convert.

Which means your web site and web optimization can’t be your solely focus anymore. It’s necessary to diversify, though you need not abandon your previous techniques altogether.

Ross Simmonds, founding father of Foundation Marketing, additionally suggests embracing a multi-channel method:

The search behaviors of our viewers are not restricted to Google. For many who wish to put together for it, the most effective factor they may do is to conduct in-depth channel-specific analysis round their viewers, their clients, and their search intent related to extra numerous channels. Upon conducting this analysis, they need to be capable to get extra readability into understanding how they will rank—not simply in Google, but additionally on different channels. And because of that, they are going to be capable to implement generative engine optimization efforts to affect the responses which might be getting back from AI overviews and different LLMs, by merely being in additional locations than their rivals.

Ross Simmonds, founding father of Basis Advertising

To additional help this concept—whereas HubSpot misplaced all this natural visitors, their monetary outcomes have really been fairly spectacular. The corporate reported a complete 2024 income of $2.63 billion, reflecting a 21% improve from 2023.

Right here’s how one can deal with all this:

• Diversify your channels: Discover YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit. Discover the place your viewers spends time.
• Experiment with codecs: Transcend weblog posts. Strive newsletters, movies, podcasts, or in-depth case research.
• Give attention to high quality over amount: Create in-depth content material that goes past the fundamental solutions that AI can present.
• Optimize for AI instruments: Optimize your content material so it exhibits up in AI-generated solutions, not simply in search outcomes.

4. LLMs Drive Extra Web site Visitors and Model Consciousness

Sure, search habits is going on increasingly more on AI platforms. However that doesn’t imply manufacturers can’t profit from these conversations.

For instance, ChatGPT is not simply answering questions anymore—it is really sending important visitors to web sites.

The numbers inform us an fascinating story.

In response to Semrush’s analysis of 80 million clickstream data, the variety of domains getting visitors from ChatGPT jumped from 10,000 to over 30,000 in just some months throughout 2024. That is an enormous shift in how content material will get found.

What’s much more fascinating is how folks use ChatGPT in a different way from how they use Google.

In our analysis, about 70% of ChatGPT queries had been fully distinctive—issues folks would not sometimes seek for on Google. We’re seeing an entire new method of discovering content material.

Crystal Carter, Head of web optimization Communications at Wix Studio, places it completely:

As SEOs we don’t must abandon the techniques we have all the time relied on, however we do must evolve them… We now want so as to add in retrievability—that’s, taking additional steps to ensure that core details about our manufacturers is obtainable, accessible, and prioritized for LLMs.

Crystal Carter, Head of web optimization Communications at Wix Studio

In a earlier study of SearchGPT, we additionally discovered that, when in comparison with Google and Bing, SearchGPT tended to return smaller domains in its outcomes.

Which means that, even should you’re a startup or a small enterprise, there’s a superb likelihood you may get featured.

Here is the right way to adapt your technique to this pattern:

• Create content material for distinctive search patterns: Give attention to problem-solving situations and question-based content material. For instance, as an alternative of “the right way to write emails,” create content material about “the right way to write gross sales emails that work for each B2B and B2C audiences.”

• Write for AI visibility: Place clear, direct solutions within the first 100 phrases of every part and use structured knowledge markup. This helps AI instruments rapidly discover and cite your content material when answering consumer questions.

• Construct actual authority in your area: Create unique analysis, share distinctive knowledge factors, and embody knowledgeable insights. For instance, as an alternative of summarizing others’ findings, run your personal experiments or analyze your inner knowledge to share insights no person else has.

• Use pure language: Write how folks really discuss. Our analysis exhibits ChatGPT queries are extra conversational than Google searches, averaging 23 phrases when customers chat freely with the AI.

• Assume past direct visitors: Keep in mind that even when customers do not click on by to your web site, having your content material cited by AI instruments nonetheless builds your model consciousness and authority.

I additionally advocate being proactive and analyzing your AI model visibility. Verify what precisely individuals are trying to find, the way you seem within the AI mentions, how your rivals are featured, and so forth.

Questioning how to do that? 

Use Semrush’s AI Toolkit, which analyzes your model’s presence throughout varied AI platforms resembling ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. 

It then makes use of AI to translate this knowledge into actionable ideas for your corporation, product, and advertising technique based mostly on recognized patterns.

Right here’s what it appears like:

5. Actual Individuals Are Fueling High-of-the-Funnel Content material

I’ve additionally observed a rising pattern of firms leaning on particular person creators to drive consciousness. This may embody workers, founders, and/or exterior influencers.

This shift is particularly clear on platforms like LinkedIn, the place customers can study new insights immediately from actual folks.

To be sincere, it’s one of many key sources of academic content material for me too.

For instance, David Baum, CEO at Relato, makes use of LinkedIn to drive consciousness of his model.

His and different consultants’ posts are so useful that I usually bookmark them for reference. 

Equally, many professionals choose genuine voices.

So after we printed our latest research, we had our workforce share it on their LinkedIn feeds, increasing our attain. For instance:

Right here’s how one can do this method:

• Put money into worker advocacy: At Semrush, we encourage workforce members to submit on social media or converse at occasions. It positions them as consultants and brings extra consideration to the model. I strongly advocate you do the identical.
• Assist founder-led advertising: Founders and CEOs can share behind-the-scenes tales, classes, or product updates. This authenticity resonates with potential clients.
• Encourage private branding: Provide assets like mini-workshops or content material templates to your workforce members, so workers really feel snug creating LinkedIn posts or weblog articles.

Once you let actual folks be the face of your model, you open the door to extra partaking conversations. The private contact and on a regular basis experience they create can considerably improve consciousness. 

6. Investing in Product-Led Content material Is Key to Driving the Backside Line

As we already established, AI is now dealing with a number of fundamental informational searches. 

Does it imply it is best to cease producing informational content material?

In fact not. SEO is far from dead, and there are different channels you should utilize to distribute your content material. 

Nonetheless, such content material mustn’t be the solely format you’re producing. 

You also needs to create product-led, middle- and bottom-of-the-funnel content material to drive conversions and stand out from generic AI content material.

Use codecs like:

• Product-led content material that integrates your choices into workflows
• Helpful, step-by-step case research of your clients
• Interactive instruments that permit customers mess around together with your product

For instance, Modash’s Instagram Engagement Rate calculator helps its viewers discover the product’s worth firsthand. It is a distinctive, interactive content material format that gives distinct worth to customers.

Listed below are some tricks to create content material on this method:

• Use product knowledge: Create analysis items based mostly on actual utilization stats and use them to translate your USPs.
• Provide free instruments: Let potential clients check out related ungated instruments. This may immediate them to transition to the principle resolution.
• Create case research: Share actual tales of how your product solved buyer issues.
• Cowl necessary workflows: Determine widespread use circumstances and the questions your viewers asks (e.g., “how can we X and Y with this product?”). Then, create textual content/video content material to handle them.
• Construct comparability pages: Present the way you stand out from rivals.

For example, our customers saved asking if it was protected to make use of AI for web optimization. 

To handle their considerations, we analyzed 20,000 keywords and proved that AI detection doesn’t really damage your rankings. 

The consequence? That analysis outperformed our conversion targets.

7. Content material Entrepreneurs and SEOs Must Study New Abilities

As increasingly more firms use AI to create content material and web optimization visitors is (considerably) reducing, the job market is shifting. 

In Q1 2024, web optimization job listings dropped by 37%, senior-level roles rose by 3%, and entry-level by 1%. Nonetheless, mid-level positions fell by 6%. 

This pattern suggests firms are restructuring their content material groups: holding senior strategists to information AI initiatives and entry-level workers to execute them, whereas decreasing mid-level positions that AI can now assist automate.

That is creating a brand new mannequin the place groups are smaller however extra specialised—combining AI effectivity with human experience at each ends of the spectrum.

Content material advertising isn’t immune, both. 

A 2025 study discovered that one in three entrepreneurs confronted layoffs in 2024, partly due to AI. 

It’s ironic—web optimization and content material advertising groups are downsizing attributable to AI, but those that stay are counting on it all of the extra. It jogs my memory of this picture:

So, what are you able to do to remain aggressive?

Reply: broaden your skillset. 

Sure, mediocre writers and SEOs would possibly wrestle on this new world. However those that keep on prime of expertise traits and deepen their advertising data will stay in demand.

Listed below are some ideas for staying related:

• Perceive your viewers deeply: AI can’t exchange real empathy for buyer wants, and as a marketer, you want to grasp viewers analysis and evaluation. 
• Discover ways to suppose strategically: Perceive how your content material suits into the larger enterprise image.
• Develop into a product knowledgeable: Whether or not you freelance or work in-house, you want to have an in-depth understanding of the services or products you promote. 
• Don’t neglect analytics: Nothing in content material or web optimization needs to be performed until there’s a particular, trackable objective—one thing extra substantial than self-importance metrics resembling web site visitors. 
• Preserve evolving: Proceed studying about new platforms, instruments, and methods to make use of AI successfully. The “zero AI” method received’t make you extra aggressive—most certainly, the other). Be prepared to clarify your AI expertise in job interviews, as that is a part of our new working actuality.

8. Construct a Loyal Following to Improve Your Content material Attain

With so many firms creating expert-driven content material and branching out into new channels, it’s robust to face out. 

I’ve discovered that constructing a loyal following is essential. 

A devoted viewers will share your content material, talk about it, and assist unfold it additional. 

This method additionally decreases your dependency on visitors acquisition, as extra folks will have interaction together with your content material by heading to your web site immediately, opening your e-newsletter, and so forth.

One in all my favourite examples of that is Andy Crestodina’s LinkedIn newsletter. Whereas Orbit Media’s web site skilled visitors volatility like so many others, Andy constructed a novel viewers that often consumes the corporate’s content material.

The e-newsletter now has over 260okay subscribers:

Right here’s how one can do this method:

• Collaborate together with your viewers: Contain them in your content material. Use polls, Q&As, or user-generated content material. Instance: In case you run a design weblog, submit a ballot asking which matters readers need subsequent. Or, you would characteristic user-submitted designs in a e-newsletter. 
• Accomplice with business leaders: Work with credible voices in your area to achieve new audiences and construct belief. Instance: Invite a well known web optimization knowledgeable to write down a visitor submit or be a part of a group panel. 
• Promote your content material by way of electronic mail and social media: Share your content material immediately with subscribers and followers to maintain them within the loop. Instance: Ship out a weekly “insider ideas” e-newsletter and submit behind-the-scenes updates on LinkedIn or X. 
• Be clear and genuine: Present the actual course of: your wins, challenges, and classes discovered. Instance: Perhaps your product launch didn’t go as deliberate. Share what went flawed, what you discovered, and the way you’re fixing it. 

Briefly, publish content material price speaking about. 

Don’t be afraid to problem widespread beliefs or handle controversial matters. Intention to create thought-leadership items that spur debate, invite suggestions, and place your model as a frontrunner within the area.

9. The Demand for Video Content material Continues to Rise

Currently, I’ve seen video content surge throughout each channel—social media, search engines like google, and even electronic mail. 

About 95% of marketers now contemplate it central to their methods. Why is that this? 

As a result of shoppers are hooked on video. 83% of individuals wish to see extra model movies, and 78% select quick movies over some other format.

A terrific instance is Veed. 

They publish a number of academic movies on YouTube and have grown their subscriber base to greater than 130,000.

Extra manufacturers are anticipated to undertake or broaden their use of video in 2025.

Dani Stewart, Senior Content material Lead at Kit (previously ConvertKit), highlights how video is reshaping content material methods:

I feel the emphasis on video content material will change many firm’s content material methods this 12 months. Whether or not it is creating video testimonials to reside in your advertising web site for elevated social proof, rising your presence on YouTube, or including extra Reels to Instagram for engagement, including strategic video content material is one thing we must always determine into our methods and budgets this 12 months.

Dani Stewart, Senior Content material Lead at Package

What’s extra, movies can enhance your web site’s web optimization.

How?

• Movies enhance search engine rankings: Internet hosting movies on YouTube and embedding them in your web site can enhance its visibility on Google. It’s because movies can considerably improve the consumer expertise in your web site—an element valued by search engines like google. 
• Movies ship an ideal consumer expertise: By inserting movies in your web site, you’re giving individuals who choose to look at movies precisely what they need. This makes your web site extra partaking, interactive, and gratifying for guests.
• Movies get backlinks: Excessive-quality movies usually tend to be shared and linked to by different websites, which may enhance your web site’s backlink profile. 
• Movies improve dwell time: Participating video content material holds guests’ consideration and retains them in your web site longer. Search engines like google see this as an indication of useful, high-quality content material, which may contribute to raised rankings.

I anticipate much more manufacturers to undertake or broaden their use of video in 2025—each to fulfill viewers preferences and to achieve a aggressive edge in search outcomes.

This additionally spans different content material codecs like BOFU and retention content material (suppose content material to your data base, product onboarding, and so forth.), with AI instruments like Synthesia making this course of smoother.

10. It’s Time for Innovation in Your Content material Campaigns

I not often see actually progressive advertising campaigns. When one does pop up, everybody rushes to repeat it. 

As soon as it’s in all places, it loses its spark—and clients tune it out.

Copying campaigns that labored up to now would possibly really feel protected, however it received’t seize your viewers’s curiosity for lengthy—they’ve already seen it.

I’ve seen this occur many times:

• We all know web optimization blogs can work, so manufacturers churn out submit after submit
• We all know eBooks and whitepapers work, so each model creates them
• We see a viral video, and all of a sudden everyone seems to be attempting to recreate it

For instance, we liked Spotify Wrapped when it first launched. Now so many platforms do a year-in-review, and it feels much less particular.

As an alternative of following traits, deal with creating them. 

That’s how you retain your advertising contemporary, thrilling, and actually memorable.

Right here’s what you’ll be able to attempt:

• Research traits exterior your business: Search for inspiration in surprising locations. Instance: In case you’re in B2B software program, examine how luxurious manufacturers create exclusivity or how leisure firms construct anticipation.
• Give attention to fixing actual issues: As an alternative of copying viral codecs, determine the distinctive ache factors your viewers faces. Instance: If everybody’s doing year-in-review content material, create a future-forecasting software that helps customers plan forward.
• Check new codecs first: Experiment with rising platforms or options earlier than they change into saturated. Instance: In case you spot a brand new LinkedIn characteristic, take a look at it whereas engagement remains to be excessive and earlier than greatest practices have been established.
• Create signature experiences: Develop one thing distinctive to your model that others cannot simply copy. Instance: As an alternative of one other PDF information, create an interactive evaluation that provides personalised suggestions based mostly in your experience.

11. Digital Influencers Are Changing into a Factor

I used to be scrolling Instagram yesterday and observed a profile of a digital influencer with 1000’s of followers. 

The web page was dynamic—stuffed with photographs, interactive tales, and even personalised responses to feedback. 

What caught my eye was the energetic collaboration between these influencers and well-known manufacturers. 

One other instance, Lil Miquela, an AI influencer with over 2.Four million followers, teamed up with MSI Gaming in April 2024 for his or her “Go Borderless” marketing campaign.

And it’s not simply on Instagram. AI influencers are popping up in all places. 

Marcus Sheridan, co-founder at PriceGuide.ai, sees huge potential in using AI influencers.

However he additionally warns about belief points. 

If manufacturers aren’t clear about who or what these influencers actually are, they threat alienating their viewers.

Right here’s the right way to method this:

• Be clear: At all times disclose the AI nature of the influencers. Transparency fosters belief and helps set the fitting expectations to your viewers.
• Preserve authenticity and model alignment: Make it possible for the AI influencer’s content material and persona resonate together with your model’s core values.
• Monitor belief: Repeatedly assess viewers engagement and reactions to the AI influencer’s actions and be ready to regulate methods if indicators present that viewers belief is diminishing

12. Setting Reasonable Content material Advertising and web optimization Objectives Has By no means Been Extra Essential 

Lastly, I’ve seen many content material groups collapse below the burden of unrealistic expectations, chasing fast wins whereas failing to allocate sufficient assets.

Sure, AI instruments assist us work sooner. However they will’t exchange human specialists or make issues occur immediately. 

Equally, many companies proceed to create content material or goal web optimization key phrases with out a clear objective for his or her enterprise.

In 2025, that’s not an possibility.

Listed below are the widespread errors you want to keep away from:

• Unrealistic output: Objectives resembling demanding day by day weblog posts, 10 movies every week, and or lead magnets each month are sometimes set with out a clear function.
• Unrealistic outcomes: Don’t anticipate immediate wins, resembling large visitors spikes or social followings inside a month or two of fixing your sport.
• Not having particular KPIs: You possibly can deal with model consciousness and observe social media followers or pursue direct conversions—however it’s important that the metrics are there.

The very best resolution? Prioritize long-term, sustainable outcomes. It’s higher to get 10,000 guests and convert 1,000 of them than chase 100,000 guests who don’t convert.

Right here’s the right way to set reasonable expectations:

• Allocate correct budgets: Give your groups the fitting assets to outsource or broaden.
• Settle for the lengthy sport: web optimization and content material advertising usually are not immediate fixes. Give them the time they deserve.
• High quality over amount: Properly-researched content material outperforms rushed work.
• Align with key enterprise targets: Measure leads, conversions, or model consciousness—not simply visitors.

When firms match their expectations with their funds and obtainable assets, content material groups can thrive.

Keep Forward of 2025’s Hottest Content material Advertising Developments

The world of content material is altering, and we will all really feel the affect. 

AI, shifting shopper behaviors, and evolving search preferences are shaping how we create and distribute our work. 

If there’s one takeaway from these traits, it’s that flexibility and authenticity matter greater than ever.

• Strive new codecs: Don’t stick to 1 channel or medium. Experiment with movies, podcasts, newsletters, and even interactive instruments.
• Keep on prime of expertise traits: Optimize your AI visibility, attempt new instruments, discover and innovate. 
• Put money into folks: Empower your workforce members, founders, and influencers to share real tales and knowledgeable insights.
• Give attention to what AI can’t replicate: AI can do so much, however it might’t exchange your distinctive viewpoint, actual knowledge, or model character.
• Plan long-term: Fast wins would possibly really feel good, however sustainable, high-quality content material wins the race—and retains your viewers engaged.