The marketing landscape is evolving unprecedentedly, marked by a monumental shift from the Age of Information to the Age of Intelligence. Staying ahead of marketing trends in this environment is necessary for sustainable growth.
Marketers who strategically align their efforts with emerging trends won’t just keep up—they will lead in this transformative era.
As a growth marketing agency partnered with HubSpot, we’ve analysed HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing Report to distil the most impactful trends shaping the marketing landscape.
Whether you’re a marketer, part of one of the top growth marketing agencies, or a business leader, this blog post will provide actionable insights to help you navigate the ever-evolving marketing ecosystem.,
Social media is the go-to platform for product discovery, sales, and customer service. Its influence spans every stage of the buyer’s journey, making it an essential channel for businesses to create awareness and engage with their target audience.
Social media platforms are Gen Z and Millennials' top product discovery channels.
Beyond discovery, the rise of social selling is undeniable. 17% of users report purchasing products directly through social media, and 87% of social sellers highlight its effectiveness.
Influencer marketing is one of the key drivers of today’s social media environment. Influencers are seen as thought leaders or credible experts, breaking down institutional brand images in a more relatable way.
This is especially true for micro-influencers, who focus on a specific niche and are committed to providing their followers with the most impactful products and services within that niche.
To fully leverage the potential of social media, businesses should:
Chatbots are no longer just automated tools—they have evolved into intelligent systems capable of adapting to customer behaviour, delivering tailored responses, and gathering valuable data to enhance future interactions.
Research shows that customers prefer using chatbots over search engines to find answers. This trend underscores the growing demand for conversational experiences that are faster, more intuitive, and highly personalised.
Similarly, mobile messaging platforms like SMS, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp have emerged as significant drivers of ROI.
Personalised messaging through these channels has been shown to increase sales conversations by 21%, further enhancing customer engagement and expanding reach.
By leveraging the ability to collect and analyse data across these touchpoints, businesses can continuously refine their strategies, ensuring they remain agile and responsive to evolving customer needs.
Data-driven decision-making should guide every step, empowering businesses to plan for the short term while maintaining flexibility to pivot as customer needs and industry trends evolve.
The way marketers collect data is undergoing a significant shift, driven by increasing concerns about privacy.
In response to growing pressure for better data protection, Google's initiative to phase out third-party cookies has led businesses to focus more on first-party data and other privacy-conscious data collection methods.
Unlike third-party data, which often relies on tracking user activity across multiple sites, first-party data is collected directly from customers through interactions like form submissions, email signups, or direct feedback.
About 25% of marketers plan to prioritise first-party data to enhance their marketing strategies. First-party data not only addresses privacy concerns but also improves the data quality.
Currently, only 65% of marketers report having high-quality data on their target audience, highlighting the need for more reliable and direct sources of information.
Email is an ideal channel for collecting first-party data. Through self-reported data from email signups and form fills, businesses can directly ask customers what they want and how they prefer to be marketed.
Now is the time for businesses to use email as a central hub for customer insights, applying this data across all touchpoints to deliver a more cohesive and personalised experience.
Another powerful tool for enhancing personalisation is generative AI and automation.
77% of marketers using generative AI report that it helps them create more personalised content, while 72% say AI and automation tools help enhance customer experiences.
As a result, personalisation is becoming more accessible, efficient, and scalable, enabling businesses to deliver tailored experiences that resonate with their customers.
Generative AI is revolutionising marketing by improving efficiency, effectiveness, and creativity.
More marketers have adopted AI technologies, 64% have integrated AI and automation into their strategies, and 62% consider them crucial for their marketing success.
Marketers are finding AI particularly useful for automating repetitive tasks. While 20% see AI as a tool for handling mundane duties, the majority (60%) view it as an assistant that helps streamline various aspects of their work.
Notably, 81% of marketers using generative AI (GAI)report that it significantly supports them in tasks ranging from content creation to research.
Key benefits for marketers:
Generative AI is not without its risks, such as bias, plagiarism, and misalignment with brand values. However, emerging solutions are addressing these concerns. AI tools now include source and fact-checking features.
Additionally, companies are investing in AI training and role-specific experts to ensure the responsible and effective use of AI tools.
To successfully navigate these trends, businesses need to implement strategies that are not just reactive but forward-thinking. Here are some tips:
To fully capitalise on these trends, businesses must work with the best growth agencies—especially those that specialise in growth marketing consultancy.
The right agency brings a blend of expertise, tools, and insights that can help companies maximise their marketing efforts and navigate complex challenges.
At NBT, we are proud to be recognised as one of the top growth marketing agencies, with a strong track record in guiding businesses toward scalable growth.
As a growth agency for startups and established companies alike, we offer comprehensive strategies that blend performance marketing, data-driven marketing, and content strategy.
Our team helps businesses analyse their target audience, optimise engagement through innovative content, and implement sustainable growth strategies.
We can help you achieve sustainable business growth with our full-service growth marketing approach.
Let’s join forces to build your path to success in 2025! Explore our services and join the growth revolution here.
