2025 Marketing Trends – Q2 Mid-Year Review
Which trends are holding strong… and which are losing steam?
Explore which digital marketing trends are thriving mid-year and which are fading. W+M's Q2 analysis highlights what to focus on for the rest of 2025.
Hello,
Every January, Services W+M shares five major digital marketing trends for local businesses. But a trend only matters if it actually plays out in the real world. Six months in, it’s time to pause and evaluate.
Q2 is the moment to adjust our approach, double down on what works, and cut what wastes our time.
MusicScore: The writer was listening to this song while working on this report: Animotion - Obsession.
Listen to the MusicScore complete list on YouTube! Enjoy the Music at Work!
Recap: W+M’s Top 5 Digital Marketing Trends for 2025
1. Digital tools that deliver essential info quickly
Q2 Status: Confirmed and accelerating
Businesses that highlight key information (pricing, contact, availability) at the top of their pages or via interactive FAQs are seeing higher conversion rates. Google now prioritizes "clear and quick" content in its AI-generated snippets.
“According to recent Google updates in the Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) and the Helpful Content Update, pages that surface essential info quickly are favored in AI results.”
Tip for Q3: Review your homepage and service pages to enhance clarity and speed of access.
2. Return to clear, direct, and human sales copy
Q2 Status: Gaining ground, slowly but surely
Over reliance on AI has led to bloated, unnatural writing. Endless synonyms, elaborate intros, and overly generic tones are tiring for readers. Brands that use regionalized, straightforward language are regaining traction. Email and ad campaigns that are short and direct perform best.
Tip for Q3: Simplify the language in your sales pages, newsletters, and even social media posts.
“Campaigns with short, direct messaging often outperform storytelling-heavy formats, according to Litmus (2024).”
3. Relevant, verifiable information sharing
Q2 Status: Rising fast
Credibility is becoming a core advantage. In a landscape where AI-generated content creates doubt, brands sharing real facts and verifiable experiences stand out. Long-form content like podcasts, blogs, and newsletters performs well—especially when it includes sources.
Tip for Q3: Add real data, citations, and testimonials to your communications.
The Edelman Trust Barometer 2024 reports that 71% of consumers trust businesses that publish transparent, evidence-based content.
4. Personalized visual design
Q2 Status: Growing, but slowed by convenience culture
Too many still rely on the same templates and stock photos. But custom visuals remain a major differentiator. Brands that invest even a little time in unique design elements are seeing stronger engagement and brand recognition.
Tip for Q3: Create custom visuals for your homepage, social media campaigns, and shop pages.
5. Intergenerational tech knowledge sharing
Q2 Status: Underused by businesses, growing in community spaces
While this trend isn’t widespread in commercial settings yet, it has huge potential. Companies that incorporate tech accessibility into their messaging can stand out in meaningful, human ways.
Tip for Q3: Consider creating content or a campaign aimed at making digital tools more accessible for all generations.
Extra Insight: The Role of Business Websites in 2025
Directly connected to Trend #1, we recommend reading our full article on how websites are evolving this year:
Websites and Marketing in 2025
Here are 5 must-have elements for a trustworthy, effective site:
Clear presentation of services and pricing on the homepage
Fully optimized mobile experience
Transparent data usage policy (cookies, privacy)
Verified business address and trustworthy location data
Human presence on About pages and team sections
This article expands on key points discussed in this Q2 review—especially the need for trust, speed, and ease of use in today’s digital environments.
#itSAMarketingThing
Keep up with monthly marketing insights tailored to small business realities via our ongoing series: Get to Know It’s A Marketing Thing!
Q2’s Unexpected Trends
Several new trends have emerged over the past three months:
Micro-communities on the rise: Private groups like Discord servers, niche newsletters, and closed online communities are growing fast. They enable deeper engagement and stronger loyalty.
Shift back to local: After years of international expansion efforts, many businesses are refocusing locally. Google Business Profiles, geo-tagged social posts, and community-based events are proving highly effective.
Web simplicity revival: Over complicated websites are losing ground. Users prefer clean, fast-loading, intuitive layouts with fewer deep pages and more surface-level info. This shift affects both SMBs and creators alike.
Together, these trends suggest a movement toward more human, focused, and locally grounded marketing. Don’t be surprised if they dominate the Q4 review.
Conclusion
Digital marketing is constantly evolving. What mattered in January may already be outdated by July. But one thing holds true: the trends that last are the ones that actually serve real client needs.
This Q2 review reminds us that clarity, accessibility, trust, and personalization are the cornerstones of success.
Stay tuned this fall for the Q4 wrap-up—and in the meantime, take good care of your content.
Jeff
Sources:
Google Search Generative Experience (SGE): https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-search.
Google Helpful Content Update (2023–2024): https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/08/helpful-content-update.
Litmus 2024 Email Marketing Benchmarks: https://www.litmus.com/resources/email-marketing-benchmarks.
Edelman Trust Barometer 2024: https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer.
Global Web Index (GWI) – Online Community Report: https://www.gwi.com/reports.
Images credit: W+M Services.
Other Blog tickets
Websites - creation, management and design
I edit the content of existing sites via CMS in addition to creating sites with WordPress and Squarespace. I have been producing website content as a webmaster since 1998.
I help companies get their first website up and I improve the performance of existing sites.
Yes, I’m Mr. Analytics and my reaction time to new digital marketing is daily, which allows my clients to have optional and trend-cutting tools.
Follow the content of the marketing blog and participate in the articles by commenting, with respect, on the content of the site, intended for Quebec companies operating in the digital market.
Learn how to produce effective member emails to build loyalty and boost engagement. Practical tips, common mistakes, and recommended tools.