Every year there’s a flood of reports that attempt to use data to predict what the world of digital marketing is going to look like in the next year.

While a lot of those predictions turn out to be wildly off base, what’s most interesting is looking at where they are focusing their attention.

So this year, rather than listing out all of the guesses that are being made across the industry, we put AI to work for us to identify the most common topics from a number of experts. While the specifics may not play out exactly how the reports lay them out, those areas of focus are very likely to be the ones that get the most investment, attention, and end up affecting all of our work the most.

So what are we seeing in this year’s predictions?

1. AI and Automation

Maybe the least surprising news is how much attention AI is getting. There’s a lot of talk about how it’s going to transform social media content, search, and data analysis. What they all had in common — and what I believe is the key takeaway — is the need for all of us to be learning as much as possible about working with AI.

While the emergence of the internet in the late 90s was somewhat predictable, the specific innovations of Uber, Airbnb, and TikTok were not. Similarly, we have no idea today exactly how AI will transform our work in the future; However, those of us who arm ourselves with knowledge will be uniquely positioned to take on whatever opportunities come up.

2. Content and Engagement

Everyone seems to agree that the way we’re engaging with content is shifting, but there are a wide range of predictions about the direction of this shift.

The data shows that newsfeed-style content is no longer about your friends’ life updates. Instead, we scroll for entertainment and social sharing happens in groups, chats, or micro-communities.

The takeaways for marketers is that we need to shift our thinking from connecting with a community through public-facing content, to entertaining/educating in-feed and connecting in smaller groups.

3. TikTok

The sources predict that TikTok will continue to focus on expanding its e-commerce capabilities, potentially introducing features like live-stream shopping avatars and “mini-programs.” These predictions suggest that TikTok is aiming to become a more comprehensive platform, taking on e-com, online reviews, and other ways that we engage online. The easiest way to think about TikTok in 2025 is that it’s no longer just competing against Facebook or Instagram, it’s coming for Google and Amazon, too.

4. Instagram

The predictions see Instagram further integrating with Meta’s AR efforts and enhancing its AI-powered filters for user content. They seem to believe that in order for IG to keep growing, it’s going to need to leverage tech to add more features and functionality.

5. YouTube

Rather than big changes, the sources anticipate that YouTube will remain a dominant platform for long-form video content. It’s already the largest video streaming service in the world, and in 2025 it may start to get the respect it deserves, as brands shift their focus away from cable TV and towards the place where a majority of people are spending their time: YouTube.

6. Facebook

Interestingly, predictions for the world’s largest social media platform were light. The future of Facebook, according to the sources, fell into two categories:

  1. As a customer service channel, especially for older audiences
  2. As a short-form video platform that uses Meta’s AI capabilities to serve up relevant content to viewers

7. Snapchat

Predictions for Snapchat center around enhancing real-life connections between users, introducing new features for Snapchat+, and potentially facing challenges in its AR endeavors. The fact is that Snap lacks the scale to compete with the other major players like Facebook, who are ramping up their efforts in VR and other areas that Snap had pioneered.

8. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

I really thought we’d see more of a focus here, as Meta continues its investment in glasses and Quest headset; Apple tries to find a market for Vision Pro; and AI starts to create increasingly more mind-blowing experiences.

According to the reports, however, applications for marketers will be limited in 2025. Maybe this is the year that people actually start using the technology, which may mean that we’ll see more focus on AR & VR in 2026.

9. Digital Advertising

Predictions in this category focus on Meta’s advancements in AI-powered advertising, with a potential shift towards automated optimization for better results. Experts also predict that social media advertising will start to be seen as a primary advertising investment that lives at the core of marketing budgets, rather than an add-on.

10. Influencers and Content Creators

While not a dominant theme, the sources acknowledge the importance of influencer marketing and the rise of outbound engagement strategies, where brands interact with creators’ content. We have seen a rush of budget away from traditional advertising and towards the creator economy, but it’s likely that trend is already well underway, rather than being a new development for 2025.

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To create this breakdown, we used Notebook LM to analyze reports from the sources below. If you’re interested in going deeper, check out the full reports: