The Top Challenges Marketing Leaders Expect to Face in 2025 & How You Can Solve For Them [Expert Insights & Data]

Advertising and marketing is a wild experience – tendencies flip in a single day, and it’s a relentless sport of catch-up. In 2025 , it’s essential to know the place to focus and what roadblocks would possibly lie forward.

That’s why I dug into the most important challenges entrepreneurs predict subsequent 12 months and easy methods to deal with them, utilizing insights from:

• 300+ world advertising leaders who took our Annual Advertising and marketing Technique & Traits survey
• 500+ U.S. advertising leaders who participated in our Government Advertising and marketing Management Survey
• Unique interviews and insights from Microsoft, ZoomInfo, and Sprout Social leaders.

Desk of Contents

Microsoft’s International Head of Programmatic Evangelist, Daniel Godoy, advised me that it‘s crucial entrepreneurs hold first-party knowledge in thoughts in the event that they’re aiming to broaden their attain in 2025.

“Entrepreneurs really feel the stress to win the adverts race in a wild WWW. Throughout this race, it is value mentioning that shopper media habits is altering, and promoting methods, too,” he stated. “With the cookies deprecation coming (though it has been delayed by Google), it ought to be on our radar that at the very least 40% of browsers right this moment do not get indicators.”

Godoy provides, “Shaping your technique by leveraging 1P or 3P trustable knowledge turns into essential to broaden potential attain and begin piloting your knowledge technique for the longer term.”

First-party data can finally enable you to make sure you’re reaching the precise audiences together with your adverts and turning these audiences into high-quality leads.

When you‘ve outlined your audiences and correctly segmented them, you’ll must develop distinctive messaging that resonates together with your prospects.

2. Integrating AI into advertising workflows.

Why It is a Problem

AI is a life-saver, however numerous entrepreneurs are nonetheless determining easy methods to profit from it.

Although 52.76% of respondents in our survey say they perceive easy methods to use AI and 53.73% can measure its impression, comparable percentages point out a big hole in each understanding and making use of AI successfully.

Moreover, SurveyMonkey found that 69% of promoting execs are pumped about AI and the way it’s altering their jobs, whereas 17% really feel a mixture of pleasure and fear.

On high of that, 60% are feeling actually good about the place the business is headed, and simply 1% are tremendous pessimistic. Total, the sensation is optimistic.

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What are you able to do?

To shut the data hole, entrepreneurs must sharpen each their technical know-how and their means to trace and measure outcomes.

40% of companies have already made a proactive transfer by bringing in specialised AI specialists to enhance their advertising efforts.

Concentrate on studying easy methods to implement AI and analyze its impression.

3. Mastering the transition to short-form video content material.

Why It is a Problem

Video is stealing the highlight in advertising, particularly short-form content material on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. LinkedIn now not falls behind, too.

The actual problem for entrepreneurs is maintaining with the shift towards social video, the place youthful audiences are turning to have interaction with manufacturers greater than on engines like google. So that you’ve received to be fast and sensible about creating content material that captures consideration.

What are you able to do?

Ramp up your concentrate on short-form video — it’s anticipated to see probably the most development in 2025.

Use social listening and sentiment analyzing instruments to determine the questions your viewers is asking, and have your content material crew develop content material that resonates.

Even higher, faucet into your model advocates to assist share the solutions, increasing your attain and credibility.

4. Bridging the personalization hole in buyer experiences.

Why It is a Problem

56.35% of marketers agree that advertising has modified extra prior to now three years than within the final fifty. That’s enormous.

The largest shift? The demand for customized content material. Whereas 65% of shoppers say model content material feels relatable, solely 35% of entrepreneurs consider their clients are literally experiencing true personalization.

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Although 65% of entrepreneurs declare to have high-quality viewers knowledge, it’s clear many aren’t utilizing it successfully to construct stronger, extra significant connections with their audiences.

What are you able to do?

To shut this hole, double down on utilizing your knowledge extra successfully:

• Enhance viewers segmentation by dividing customers into micro-segments.
• Scale up personalization — craft advert messages that talk to micro-segments’ wishes and fears.
• A/B take a look at and refine creatives.

5. Overcoming challenges with content material advertising.

Why It is a Problem

Discovering contemporary concepts for brand new content material tops the record of struggles, with 16% of entrepreneurs agreeing on it. In flip, 16% of entrepreneurs outline it difficult to create content material that drives excessive ranges of on-line engagement — like clicks, shares, and feedback.

For 15% of entrepreneurs, creating content material that draws extra site visitors to their web site is a serious problem.

What are you able to do?

Tip #1: Lean into E-E-A-T

To obtain extra clicks, “Your content material technique should begin with what customers want, not what’s most effective for you. In the event you have a look at current Google updates, you’ll discover that Google has been refining what “useful content material” means and prioritizing the “E” for “expertise” in E-E-A-T.

Your content material have to be private, display expertise, and tackle actual wants. And also you’re already enjoying catch-up.” — Ben Steele, Senior Editor at Search Engine Journal

Tip #2: Create higher headlines.

To drive preliminary site visitors from the net, work in your headline sharpness. A Danish information outlet, TV 2 Fyn, carried out A/B assessments to enhance CTR utilizing ChatGPT to generate headlines. Over three weeks, they ran 46 A/B assessments. AI-generated headlines gained 46% of the assessments, whereas human-created headlines gained 24%.

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An amazing learn: Is AI-Generated Content Good for SEO?: 300+ Web Strategists Weigh In

Tip #3: Social listening.

To idiate, lean into social listening (aka research thematic subreddits, X, Threads, LinkedIn feedback, and so on). It’s also possible to automate this work with AI instruments.

Plus, put your viewers’s wants first — a single matter will be lined in a number of methods with distinctive angles for every.

Take a look at new content material codecs with video embeds, infographics, or interactive quizzes.

6. Aligning the precise influencers together with your viewers.

Why It is a Problem

Influencer advertising can backfire if the influencer doesn’t align together with your viewers’s wants. Maris Laatre, CMO of Bully Max, recounts a marketing campaign:

“Whereas we received good engagement, the gross sales didn’t match up … we realized that the influencers weren’t talking on to our core viewers.”

The precise message paired with the precise viewers is essential for conversions.

What are you able to do?

Maris emphasizes the significance of specializing in influencers whose viewers matches your goal market, relatively than simply the scale of their following.

Additionally, the influencer’s message ought to be genuine and resonate with their followers in any other case it’ll simply be a waste of cash and power.

And bear in mind, micro-influencers will typically carry you far more advantages than the massive ones.

7. Optimizing content material by strategic pruning for higher search engine optimisation.

Why is it a problem?

Deciding to prune or merge a good portion of your content material is a high-stakes choice for any advertising crew. It’s not nearly chopping low-performing pages — it’s about taking a calculated threat. Entrepreneurs should weigh the lack of current site visitors (even when small) towards the potential for long-term development.

Emilia Korczynska shared a great post on this topic. Userpilot eliminated 23% of their weblog content material, equal to $261,443 in manufacturing prices, and pages that drove over 24,000 guests in 2024 alone. But, this led to a 16% improve in customer’s depend.

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What are you able to do?

Take a data-driven strategy to resolve what content material to prune. Emilia’s technique highlights key steps:

• Concentrate on underperforming content material — posts with low conversions, minimal site visitors, or outdated relevance.
• Consolidate duplicate or redundant posts to scale back cannibalization and enhance search intent alignment.
• Take away content material optimized for key phrases with zero or low search quantity.
• Consider backlinks and prioritize pages that add measurable worth.

8. Discovering the stability between creativity and knowledge.

Why It is a Problem

The stress between creativity and knowledge is a problem many entrepreneurs face. Roland Jakob from BlazeKin.Media explains: “Early on, I leaned closely into analytics, considering numbers alone would cleared the path. However I noticed that creativity typically speaks a language knowledge can’t quantify — at the very least not instantly.”

What are you able to do?

Mix knowledge with storytelling. “Throughout my time at Pagnolia, our marketing campaign with a refined message didn’t resonate with the viewers till we pivoted to a extra uncooked, story-driven strategy. This shift turned the marketing campaign into one in every of our most participating, leading to a 30% increase inside six months” continues Roland.

He additionally suggests utilizing so-called “buyer co-creation.” By bringing clients into the method — not simply as patrons, however as collaborators — manufacturers can construct stronger loyalty and create campaigns that resonate extra deeply.

9. Pivoting throughout surprising shifts in shopper habits.

Why It is a Problem

17.54% of entrepreneurs say maintaining with quickly altering buyer behaviors is one in every of their greatest challenges.

Client habits can change in a single day, and the pandemic was an ideal instance. Maris from Bully Max remembers: “When the pandemic hit, we noticed an surprising rise in pet adoption… we needed to pivot shortly and scale up our messaging.”

What are you able to do?

Keep agile throughout such shifts to grab new alternatives and scrutinize behavioral analytics.

10. Adapting to knowledge privateness rules.

Why It is a Problem

Data privacy regulations are continually evolving as nicely, making it difficult for entrepreneurs to remain compliant.

The perfect instance is a current scenario that happened in one Belgian company. A former worker requested for her picture to be faraway from the corporate web site six months after leaving.

The picture included her title, place, and a bunch shot. Underneath GDPR Article 17, folks have the precise to have their private knowledge, together with photographs, deleted when there’s no legitimate purpose for holding them or if consent is withdrawn.

The employer didn’t comply, so the information safety authority stepped in and ordered the picture to be eliminated instantly.

What are you able to do?

Keep knowledgeable on new rules unfolding and be additional cautious with campaigns. Big articles shall be buzzed about on social media, so your job is to get the gist and act on it.

Fines are excessive for violating these guidelines, so it is necessary to remain vigilant.

11. Aligning product positioning throughout groups.

Why It is a Problem

I wager this level offers you shivers. Cus who hasn’t suffered from gross sales and advertising groups clashing over lead high quality, lead nurturing, you title it?

Our analysis additionally highlights that corporations with aligned sales and marketing teams are 103% more likely to beat their goals than corporations that aren’t aligned.

However wait, there’s extra. Product groups may also have their very own perspective, including insult to damage.

Altogether results in discrepancies in messaging and creates confusion each internally and externally.

What are you able to do?

A easy remedy is to have all groups on the identical web page by sharing insights, marketing campaign efficiency and gross sales outcomes and refining the message collectively.

12. Synchronizing campaigns throughout a number of channels.

Why It is a Problem

A serious setback in advertising campaigns typically occurs when different advertising channels don’t align with the first marketing campaign goals, which occurred to Kognic.

“Our web site marketing campaign designed to drive conversions didn’t succeed as a result of we hadn’t constructed concurrent messaging with sufficient scale on our earned and paid channels on the similar time,” shares Steven Spieczny, VP of Advertising and marketing at Kognic.

In brief, this lack of synchronization meant missed alternatives to create a seamless expertise throughout all touchpoints.

What are you able to do?

Whether or not it’s paid adverts, social media, or e-mail campaigns, every channel ought to ship the identical message with unified targets.

Second, coordinate the timing and messaging throughout all touchpoints to construct a stronger, extra constant buyer expertise.

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In the meantime, U.S. leaders polled in our Government Advertising and marketing survey are targeted on the underside line. They’re making ready for monetary challenges like producing income, securing funds, and sales-marketing alignment.

This isn’t stunning. Whereas many international locations are in a time of economic uncertainty following the pandemic, the U.S. has confronted plenty of contradicting information experiences about whether or not we’re or aren’t in a recession.

With this in thoughts, advertising leaders are targeted on saving sources, making certain they get the cash they want, and justifying their work, headcount, or investments by displaying income attribution or business-wide impression.

Fortunately, whether or not you are coping with any of the worldwide or U.S.-based challenges, lots of them will be navigated with the insights and takeaways above, equivalent to:

• Amassing the perfect analytics doable to make data-backed choices, ideally by merging first-party knowledge and GDPR-approved third-party knowledge.
• Understanding how your purchaser is continuous to evolve. It’s also possible to use knowledge and sales-marketing alignment to remain in contact with what your clients and audiences are specializing in.
• Guaranteeing that you simply strategy advertising methods or investments strategically by asking your self, “What’s the ROI, enterprise impression, or income alternative right here?”
• Making ready to pivot. The one fixed factor in advertising is change and many people have already began working backup or pivot-planning into our methods for when tendencies or circumstances round us change out of the blue.
• Constructing a fantastic employer model. By doing so, you may entice all types of promoting expertise who can navigate lots of the challenges above.