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WHAT 70 SMB LEADERS EXPECT FROM MARKETING IN 2025
CallRail asked 70 small-to-medium businesses about their predictions for the year ahead [5]. The survey reveals some surprising (and some less surprising) trends:
Parse notes
Sponsored
CallRail asked 70 small-to-medium businesses about their predictions for the year ahead [5]. The survey reveals some surprising (and some less surprising) trends:
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Millennials' net worth has increased, primarily due to rising home values. However, many still don't feel wealthy due to the concept of "phantom wealth" - assets like home values or retirement plans that are illiquid and don't impact day-to-day cash flow. Inflation and debt have kept millennials feeling financially stretched despite higher income and rising wages, with many identifying as "high earners, not rich yet" due to increased living costs.
AI is reshaping social media marketing with new tools and challenges. AI-driven characters are set to boost engagement, though concerns about reliance on digital interactions persist. The rise of AI-generated content raises risks of misinformation and manipulation, especially in subtle, targeted forms. Democratized creation empowers more users but may dilute quality, while AI agents revolutionize user behavior by automating tasks, altering how brands attract attention.
Great content focuses on transforming the reader's perspective instead of simply conveying information. There are several behavioral cues that can be leveraged to do this effectively, including mirroring the audience's language to articulate their needs, using side-by-side comparisons to show what is at stake if they don't act, and using unexpected data, an unusual analogy, or an interesting story.
Meta's new memory feature lets users tell the chatbot personal details, such as dietary preferences, for tailored recommendations in future conversations. The feature is live in the US and Canada but lacks an opt-out option for data use.
LinkedIn employs strict anti-scraping measures. Exceeding limits or accessing private data can result in account bans. Tools like Snov.io, Lemlist, and PhantomBuster streamline data extraction while offering features such as bulk scraping, email finding, and CRM integration. Scraping public data is generally legal but scrapers must adhere to local regulations like GDPR and LinkedIn's terms of service to avoid legal issues.
Superfy is a social networking app that connects Gen Z users for real-time Q&A through AI-powered matching, delivering responses within 20 secs. With over 500K users aged 18-21 across the US, U.K., and Canada, it shows a shift in online behavior where subjective answers and personal recommendations are favored over traditional search results. The platform boasts high engagement, with users spending 40 mins daily and an 85% active participation rate, outperforming platforms like Quora and Reddit.
HubSpot's blog experienced a sharp decline in organic search traffic in 2024. Traffic dropped from 77% of the site's total in January to 42% by December, coinciding with Google's core updates. The decline primarily affected high-traffic articles on less relevant topics like "shrug emoji" and "famous quotes." Business-focused content saw stable or improved performance. Competitors such as Microsoft, Adobe, and Zapier gained traffic where HubSpot lost ground. Despite a 23.2% decrease in total traffic, HubSpot retained strong rankings for critical commercial and transactional keywords. Google's updates now prioritize subject matter expertise and business alignment, making quality and relevance essential for SEO success.
Content has evolved from traditional advertising copy to playing a central role in digital design. It transitioned from persuasive writing to creating clear, accessible, and engaging user experiences. Future roles, such as content architects, narrative engineers, and experience shapers, may emerge to address technological advancements like AI, AR, and VR. These roles could focus on organizing complex ecosystems, crafting adaptive narratives, and overseeing cohesive user journeys.
Three-quarters of Gen Z shop in-person at least once a week.
Focus on creating content that changes minds and grows revenue.