6 Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore (If You Want to Stay Relevant)

If you're still running your 2024 playbook, it might be time for a refresh.

The marketing landscape in 2025 has levelled up—and fast. From AI-powered strategies to the slow death of third-party cookies, brands are shifting the way they connect with consumers. And guess what? The brands that win are the ones that adapt, not the ones that hold on to “what’s always worked.”

Let’s dive into the six key marketing trends shaping the way brands grow in 2025—and how you can use them to your advantage.

🤖 1. AI Marketing is Changing the Game (and the Job Description)

92% of marketers say AI has already transformed how they work. From predictive analytics to automated content creation, AI tools aren’t replacing marketers—they’re making them more strategic.

📈 What this means for you:

• Use AI to forecast influencer ROI before you launch
• Leverage tools like TRF’s Value Predictor for real-time pricing recommendations
• Streamline creator vetting and matchmaking based on performance signals, not just gut feel

💡 Reminder: AI is your assistant, not your voice. Let it handle the heavy lifting—but keep the human touch where it matters (storytelling, relationships, and brand tone).

🧠 2. The Attention Crisis is Real—And Short-Form Video is Winning

In a world of scroll fatigue and 8-second attention spans, short-form video is delivering 10X higher engagement than traditional blogs or long-form content.

🎥 Where to invest:

• TikTok, Reels, and Shorts with purpose-driven storytelling
• Super UGC: creators who know how to hook, hold, and convert in under 30 seconds
• Repurpose influencer content into multi-channel assets (email GIFs, ad snippets, landing page loops)

🔥 On TRF: Find creators who specialise in vertical video storytelling across platforms.

🍪 3. The First-Party Data Revolution Has Begun

As cookies crumble and privacy reigns, brands are prioritising first-party data—aka the data your audience chooses to give you.

👀 How creators can help:

• Drive email signups through gated UGC
• Use giveaways and creator-led campaigns to build opted-in audiences
• Segment new data based on creator audience behaviour (e.g. skincare lovers vs. fitness junkies)

💡 TRF Tip: Pair influencer discovery with CRM-friendly call-to-actions. You’ll grow your brand—and your own data list.

📣 4. Brand Content Creators Are Beating Traditional Ads

Here’s a wild stat: Creator-led content is delivering 3X ROI compared to traditional ads. And it’s easy to see why—it feels real, native, and trustworthy.

💼 What to do:

• Treat creators like creative partners, not media channels
• Run always-on collabs for continuous engagement (not just launch spikes)
• Use UGC and influencer content across your funnel—don’t just post and ghost

🔥 Need Super UGC? TRF connects you with creators who deliver conversion-optimised, ad-ready content at scale.

🎯 5. AI-Powered Ad Targeting is Boosting CTRs by 40%

Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) is making paid ads smarter than ever—serving different versions of your ad to different segments in real-time.

🔧 What you need:

• A library of diverse UGC and creator content
• Modular assets: multiple hooks, styles, audiences
• A plan to test, optimise, and scale what’s working

🧠 Strategy tip: Run multiple UGC angles in TRF-powered briefs—one product, five creators, five different approaches. Let the data tell you what hits.

🔍 6. Social Search is Replacing Google (Yes, Really)

Gen Z is turning to TikTok and Instagram before Google to discover brands, products, and how-to content. If you’re not visible on-platform, you’re invisible.

🔍 What this means:

• Your brand needs searchable content on social
• Partner with creators using trending formats and SEO-style captions
• Think like a user: What would someone search to find you on TikTok?

💡 TRF Insight: When you brief creators, encourage keyword-rich copy, relevant hashtags, and TikTok SEO best practices to help your content surface naturally.

Don’t Just Keep Up—Stay Ahead

The brands leading in 2025 aren’t louder—they’re smarter.

They’re blending AI with human creativity, building trust through creators, and turning content into conversions across every touchpoint.

And lucky for you? You’ve already got the right tool to make it happen.