2025 Marketing Predictions: What’s In, What’s Out

On February 27, SmartSites hosted a webinar, “What’s In, What’s Out: 2025 Marketing Predictions.” It featured experts from SmartSites, Oddit, and Orita. Over the course of an hour, each speaker broke down the key trends shaping digital marketing in 2025 – what’s rising, what’s fading, and how to stay ahead.

If you missed the event, don’t worry. We’ve compiled the biggest takeaways below, packed with expert insights and actionable tips.

Smarter PPC Through AI and Attribution

Zach Everett, Senior PPC Analyst and Ecommerce Team Lead at SmartSites, opened the session with a deep dive into the evolution of paid search. Manual bidding strategies and standard shopping campaigns are officially outdated. In their place: machine learning tools like Performance Max and first-party data strategies.

“AI isn’t lazy unless you are,” Zach said. “Use GPT creatively and feed it good inputs.”

Performance Max campaigns, once seen as a “black hole,” are now delivering strong results when paired with solid first-party data. Zach also emphasized the importance of centralized attribution to avoid conflicting data across platforms. He recommends tools like Triple Whale for clarity and smarter budgeting.

Design That Builds Trust – and Converts

Shaun Brandt, Co-CEO of Oddit, shifted the conversation to user experience and design. His agency focuses on conversion design – balancing aesthetics with performance. One trend he highlighted is the smart use of AI-generated imagery. When done right, AI can help brands create visual consistency without the high cost of photoshoots.

“If your visuals are inconsistent, you’re chipping away at brand trust and price elasticity,” Shaun said.

He cautioned against using AI in a lazy way, noting that customers can still spot when something feels off. The brands that win will be the ones that use AI to support a clear creative direction, not replace it.

SEO Shifts: Less Volume, More Value

Brandy Hastings, SEO Strategist at SmartSites, focused on where search is headed. Top-of-funnel content, especially quick-answer pieces, is being cannibalized by Google’s AI overviews and featured snippets. Instead of chasing volume, she urged brands to create deep, niche content backed by real expertise.

“Go niche, go deep – not wide,” Brandy said. “Focus on authority, not popularity.”

She also stressed the growing impact of UX on SEO rankings. Sites with poor engagement metrics – bounce rates, short session durations – will continue to drop. The solution? Build content for real users, not algorithms, and make sure it’s delivered in a clean, easy-to-navigate format.

Email Marketing With Intelligence

Aaron Schwartz, Co-CEO of Orita, tackled one of the most overlooked topics in digital marketing: email deliverability and smart segmentation. His company uses machine learning to help brands optimize – not just clean – their email lists.

“Don’t just clean a list – optimize it,” Aaron said. “Being quiet now doesn’t mean they never want to hear from you again.”

He encouraged email marketers to shift from blasting everyone to messaging people when it actually matters. By focusing on incrementality – understanding what actions truly drive conversions – brands can maximize revenue and protect list health. He also reminded attendees that AI’s real strength is in personalization, not just generating content.

Organic Social That Entertains and Converts

Kymber Heinze, Director of Social Media at SmartSites, wrapped the session with a look at what’s working on social media today. Short-form video, authentic content, and in-app shopping are dominating. Static, text-heavy, and overly promotional posts are falling flat.

“People want to buy from people – not perfection,” Kymber said.

She emphasized that brands need to be more human. Showcasing wins is great, but sharing challenges builds deeper trust. User-generated content, behind-the-scenes footage, and interactive elements like polls or quizzes help brands stay relevant and drive engagement.

Across every channel – SEO, PPC, email, and social – the message was clear: automation and AI can help, but they must be guided by strategy, creativity, and human insight.

Here’s what to remember:

• AI tools like GPT and Performance Max are here to stay – but they need your direction.
• Design and visuals must build trust, not just look good.
• SEO is shifting toward depth, niche authority, and real expertise.
• Don’t send emails just to send them. Use data to know when – and how – to speak.
• Social media is more than a sales tool – it’s where your brand becomes real.

Want help implementing any of these strategies? Get in touch with SmartSites or one of our expert partners for a consultation.