The Marketing Survival Guide for 2025: What You Need to Know

Key Takeaways from Marketing Land Festival

By Sophie Carr, Head of Marketing at Salesdrive?

I recently attended the virtual Marketing Land Festival, and I have to say, it was both inspiring and fun.

We had DJs, MCs, and industry experts dropping marketing wisdom so fast you start questioning if the video has been sped up.

It’s safe to say I’ve never typed notes so fast in my life. Luckily, that skill came in handy during the festival’s marketing themed games. YAY - I won a $25 Amazon voucher!

But the real prize? The actionable insights I’m about to share with you.

So, let’s cut to the chase. Here’s what you need to know to succeed in 2025, with a focus on human creativity, AI as your assistant, and a sprinkle of bold experimentation.

1. Discovery Over Efficiency: Stop Playing It Safe

"Psycho-Logical: Finding Marketing Solutions to Most Problems" by Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy UK

Rory’s message was clear: discovery beats efficiency. Sure, metrics and optimisation are essential, but focusing solely on efficiency limits creativity.

He urged us to dedicate 10-20% of our marketing budgets to experimentation and discovery. This isn’t just about finding new platforms or trends but about allowing space for innovation.

“Optimise for discovery, not just for efficiency."

If you rely too much on Meta and similar platforms, you're playing by their rules, and you'll lose your edge.

Take a page out of Uber’s playbook. They didn’t just reduce waiting times; they reduced the anxiety of waiting by introducing real-time updates.

They focused on the customer experience, and that’s what we need to do.

Key Actions:

• Allocate 10-20% of your budget to test new platforms and strategies that may not give immediate ROI, but could lead to breakthroughs.
• Focus on reducing customer anxiety through smoother, more intuitive experiences—because it’s not always about speed, but about making the journey enjoyable.

2. AI Is Here to Assist, Not Replace

"$0 CAC Strategy: Using Content to Fuel Growth" by Kyle Coleman , CMO, Copy.ai

AI is fantastic for handling the boring work—think transcribing, basic blog drafts, and data crunching.

But as Kyle Coleman emphasised:

"AI can’t replace the human creativity that makes your brand unique."

Your audience still craves stories, emotional connections, and bold ideas that a machine simply can’t generate.

One of the best tips from the talk? Have a 15-minute conversation with your C-suite team, record it, and let AI do the legwork. Upload the transcript into GPT (or similar tools), and you’ve got yourself blogs, infographics, and social media content that reflects your leadership’s unique voice and vision. It’s a win-win: human authenticity meets AI efficiency.

Key Actions:

• Use AI for the mundane tasks—let it transcribe, draft, and automate—but keep the creative strategy in human hands.
• Interview your leadership team for 15 minutes, record it, and use AI to generate content. You’ll stay true to your brand’s thought leadership while making the process more efficient.

3. Ads That Stick: The Right Mix of Art, Science, and Data

"How To Make Great Ads" by George Mack, Helped 3x billion dollar companies get their best ads

When it comes to ads, the Ad Professor has a simple formula: art, science, and math. You need a balance of stunning visuals (the art), emotional engagement (the science), and careful optimisation for ROI (the math).

He also spoke a lot about "Sticky Marketing". The type of marketing that makes people want to share it privately or in a group chat. He runs it through a series of tests:

1. How do I respond to this advert? Does my facial expression change?
2. How do others react to this advert? Does it evoke an emotional response?
3. What do my favourite and most loyal customers think of this ad?

“Great ads need to evoke an emotional response. If it doesn’t make you feel something, or give people a reason to share, it’s not good enough.”

But don’t over-test. If you keep running A/B tests without direction, you’ll lose your brand’s core identity.

Stick to your vision, but use data to tweak and refine.

Key Actions:

• Brainstorm creatively for 20 minutes without referencing other ad libraries to spark original ideas.
• Test ads based on emotional responses: Analyse how people’s facial expressions change when they view your ad.
• Optimise for sharing: Your content should encourage sharing—consider the “group chat effect” to assess its conversational value.
• Don’t over-test: A/B testing is great, but don’t dilute your brand’s message. Keep your core values intact and refine based on emotional engagement.

4. Zero-Click Content: Platforms Are Hoarding Traffic—Here’s How to Beat Them

"Living in a Zero-Click Marketing World" by Amanda Natividad

Let’s get straight to it—organic traffic is drying up. Amanda Natividad, VP Marketing at SparkToro, revealed some startling stats: 60% of Google searches now end without a click, and of the searches that do result in clicks, 25% go to Google-owned properties. So, if you’re still banking on traditional SEO to drive traffic, it’s time for a reality check.

Search engines, social platforms, and other web giants are hoarding traffic like it’s the last biscuit in the box. Even worse? Some platforms suppress posts with external links, and if they do allow them, they bury them so deep in the algorithm that they’re virtually invisible.

Remember Elon Musk’s admission that Twitter (now X) marks posts with links as spam? Not so shocking anymore.

Amanda calls this the rise of Zero-Click Content—the idea that your posts need to deliver so much value upfront that people don’t need to leave the platform to get what they need. Think about it—Google answers your question before you even click, and LinkedIn rewards posts that keep users engaged without sending them off-site.

Key Actions:

• Create value-packed content on LinkedIn—your audience should learn something right there in the post. Whether it's a quick how-to, industry insight, or mini case study, make it so good they don't need to click away.
• Skip the links or hide them (put "link in the comments")—minimize the platform’s ability to bury your content. Platforms like LinkedIn reward content that doesn’t force users to leave.
• Grow your email list—this is one space where you have complete control. You don’t need to worry about algorithms, ads, or platform suppression. Regularly engaging your audience through newsletters builds lasting relationships.

Why This Matters

According to SparkToro’s research, platforms are monopolising traffic. They want users to stay in their ecosystems—whether that’s through Google’s own properties or social media platforms that punish link-sharing. And although it seems unfair, it makes sense. Billions of clicks are being siphoned away from websites as traffic is leaked to these dominant players.

The only way forward?

Shift your focus from expecting clicks to creating standalone value that builds trust and engagement directly on the platforms your audience frequents. This new model of content distribution is essential to staying relevant in a world where platforms control the game.

Sources:

• SparkToro: Dark Social and Direct Traffic Misattribution
• SparkToro: Who Sends Traffic on the Web

5. Emails Aren’t Dead—They’re Just Smarter

"New B2B Email Tips That are GAME Changers!" by Jay Schwedelson

Email marketing is far from extinct. It's just evolved into a more strategic, data-driven beast. Jay Schweldson shared some hard-hitting stats that prove how email is still a goldmine for engagement—if done right.

First off, personalisation matters—but not in the way you think.

Using someone’s first name is now seen as lazy. Instead, personalise by role. For example, emails with subject lines like “Cheatsheet for HR Pros” show a 38% higher open rate than those with generic name-based personalisation. Why? Because your audience cares about relevance to their role, not just seeing their name in an inbox.

Now, social proof in subject lines is another game changer. Using testimonials like “Transformed my business overnight”can increase open rates by 22%. People are wired to trust recommendations, especially from other businesses.

But the real kicker? Visual cues matter. Adding a screenshot of a video with a play button, followed by a landing page that mimics the same setup, leads to a 28% increase in traffic. It’s a simple hack, but it plays on user expectations for seamless interaction.

And don’t forget cheatsheets vs checklists—a good cheatsheet can boost downloads by 40% over a checklist. When it comes to packaging your content, opt for formats that offer quick, high-value takeaways.

Key Actions:

• Personalise by job function, not name. It’s about relevance, not personalisation for its own sake. Focus on what your audience actually needs in their role.
• Use testimonials in subject lines to tap into social proof and increase open rates.
• Leverage visuals like screenshots and video play buttons to drive more traffic.
• Track open rates and test small tweaks like emojis or preheaders to see what really resonates.
• Use AI for deeper insights—upload competitor emails, use prompts to learn from the best, and adapt accordingly.

The takeaway? Emails still pack a punch, but only if they’re smart, targeted, and optimised for engagement. Make small tweaks, and you’ll see the results.

6. Thought Leadership: Build Trust, Don’t Just Broadcast

"TMM Podcast Episode" with Daniel Murray and Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs

I loved Ann Handley’s talk during the festival—her authentic approach, complete with hand-drawn charts, really resonated with me. The message was clear: Newsletters are still one of the most effective trust-building tools—but only if done right.

The catch? Your newsletter isn’t just a platform to push out news. As Ann put it,

“It’s not about the news, it’s about the letter.”

It should feel personal, almost like a conversation between friends. It’s not enough to fire off industry updates—you need to nurture your audience, building a relationship over time.

Ann shared data on what’s working in B2B marketing today:

53% of marketers are investing in video and thought leadership, and 69% of them consider video to be a major growth area. However, it’s the personal connection—the stories, the trust—that really sets thought leadership apart.

Key Actions:

• Keep it personal: Open your newsletter with a question to engage your audience from the start. Something like, "What’s your biggest challenge this quarter?"
• Engage with responses: Don’t just track open rates—track write-back rates. If people are responding, it shows you’re building trust.
• Build consistency: Keep your voice, tone, and structure consistent. The inbox is one place where people opt in to hear from you directly—take advantage of that trust.

Ann also reminded us that AI is there to assist, not replace.

Sure, 81% of B2B marketers use AI for some tasks, but creativity and connection are still human strengths.

AI can automate workflows, but the real magic happens when you combine human creativity with tech-driven efficiency.

In her view, every newsletter should aim to disrupt the reader's expectations—whether through voice, structure, or personality.

And here’s the best part: Newsletters should nurture relationships, not demand immediate action. So, instead of always pushing for a click, aim to build long-term trust by delivering real value.

Ann’s Pro Tips:

• Ask questions to learn more about your audience. Examples include: “How did you find me?”
• Stay friendly and human: Make your email come from a real person, not a generic brand address.
• Prioritise consistency: Create content that you can sustain long-term—don’t just chase the algorithm.

The final message?

If you can’t do it well, don’t do it at all. Whatever you commit to, make sure you do it extraordinarily well—that’s what builds a lasting connection.

Final Takeaway: AI Can Assist, But Human Creativity Will Lead

As we look towards 2025, the key takeaway from the Marketing Land Festival was loud and clear:

Human connection is irreplaceable.

While AI and automation can handle the boring work and increase efficiency, they cannot replicate the creativity, bold ideas, and emotional intelligence that form the backbone of exceptional marketing.

Yes, AI can crunch data and draft reports, but it’s human creativity that makes campaigns sing. The future of marketing is about finding that perfect balance—use AI as your assistant, but let your creative, human edge lead the way.

So, here’s my question to you: How will you humanise your marketing strategy in 2025?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights in the comments!

If you found this useful, don’t forget to follow me for more tips and strategies on navigating the ever-evolving world of marketing!