In 2024, AI surged ahead proving its power and becoming a go-to tool for brands, marketers and creatives. But as we move into 2025, it’s time to rethink that reliance–or get smarter about how we’re utilising the bots–and review where we’re seeing saturation when it comes to tactics. The focus will be on authenticity, and finding new ways to connect with and involve your community. 

We went across industries, asking experts to share their predictions for 2025, and a few tips on positioning and marketing your brand against an even wilder backdrop.

Rehumanising SEO content after the AI boom

Bruno Rodríguez Armesto—Head of Organic at Orange Line

2025 will mark the third year where generative AI solutions are publicly available. For the SEO industry and creators, this will mean having a better grasp on the limitations of AI and using it more discerningly.

In the past 18 months, marketers discovered how the promises of cheap traffic or attention through AI content were a mirage. As people and algorithms discriminate better between something crafted by humans and AI creations, human taste and experience are becoming a differentiator and a necessity. 

SEO professionals will rehumanise their content and find subject-matter experts instead of good curators. Strong points of view will beat synthesising content that is already on the web. Smart creators will bet on content ecosystems (videos, podcasts, social, email, written web content) focusing on content reutilisation and efficiency, to derisk from written web content discoverable through Google, which will continue to decline as a channel.

As a result, expect SEO professionals to talk less about technical elements and keywords, and more about marketing basics, CX, chat search interfaces and holistic organic/inbound strategies.

Broadcast is back — but not as you know it

Mia Barry—Social media expert and Founder at Sunday Lunch

Stop trying to “reach” your audience. The smartest brands are building owned fanbases: dedicated communities of subscribers who are already drinking the Kool-Aid—and loving it.

With viewers changing the channel on free-to-air, TikTok’s time ticking in the US, and Meta’s relentless nudge towards paid content, in 2025, it will be more important than ever to get that extra ‘opt-in’ from your audience.

After all, is an audience really yours if they’re not seeing your content?

That’s where new-age broadcast enters the chat: a direct line to your curated, cultivated fanbase and a means to reach, reward, and retain those who already love what you do. Your very own inner circle, so to speak.

How you broadcast may vary—whether through niche-interest newsletters, putting a relatable ‘creator’ face to your brand’s name, or Instagram’s aptly titled Broadcast channels. But the common outcomes are clear: guaranteed eyeballs and increased conversions.

There’s a caveat to this, of course. While broadcast is one-way communication, it should always be a two-way value exchange. If your fans are giving you their time, it’s your responsibility to keep them engaged—welcome to the eight-second attention economy.

Investing in strategy (i.e. quality) over volume is a wise decision here, and content with charisma is the way to go. There’s no need to declare it Brat Girl Summer or replicate other high-performing campaigns, either; simply back your brand’s voice and express it with purpose.

Launching brands will look very different

Elle—Creative Strategist at Your Creative

In 2025, brand strategies will evolve from static rulebooks to dynamic playbooks. These strategies will be reverse-engineered, creating living, breathing brands that don’t just talk to their audiences, but genuinely collaborate with them.

What does this look like in reality?

• User-generated content and contributions will be integrated from the start, not just after rollout. Best practices will incorporate diverse consumer voices within the initial narrative framework.
• Brand strategies and guidelines will become more adaptable, with AI-powered writing assistants helping to accommodate post-launch adjustments.
• Success will come from designing adaptive brand systems that seamlessly blend polished brand content with authentic, raw storytelling. 

The Bottom Line: create brand strategies that remain firm in vision while staying fluid in execution. 

Motion that makes you feel

James—Creative Director at Your Creative

Expect to see motion graphics harnessing rich, human-centred storytelling where timing, transitions, and sound elicit deeper emotional responses. Last year, we saw a lot of motion graphics templates being used across both B2B and B2C markets to grab attention in an ever-crowded digital marketplace.

This year, we’ll see a shift with the emphasis no longer solely on “grabbing attention” but on immersing viewers in a narrative experience. Taking inspiration from cinematography, this new wave of motion will guide audiences with purposeful shifts in tempo – emphasising pacing, tension, and sound design. In 2025, we’ll see the role of motion graphics shift to crafting emotional resonance, not just visual noise. 

You heard it here first…

Digital strategy is shifting gears – out with bot-driven SEO, in with human-centric engagement. Brands are going all-in on platforms that connect them directly to their superfans. Meanwhile, brand creation is getting a makeover, focusing on ‘the experience’ through user co-creation and emotive, tactile motion design.