?? Tagged for Success - Tag Digital’s Newsletter - #10 - 2025 Predictions ??
Welcome to a special edition of Tagged for Success – your go-to newsletter for the latest in digital marketing, events, and AI-driven innovation.
To round off the year, we’re looking ahead to 2025 and have asked our team to share their bold predictions for 2025 by answering 3 questions...
From AI advancements to sustainability, here’s what our experts think will shape the year of marketing ahead...
This is a long one so we'd suggest getting yourself a cuppa or a hot drink before you dive into all of the predictions from our team, enjoy ???
?? What are your predictions for digital marketing or paid advertising trends in 2025? ??
Charlotte Meil , Paid Social Team Lead, predicts that there will be more video ads on the new LinkedIn video feed and more AI features on Linkedin for both creative and video!
As well as a rise in paid advertising on LinkedIn as Meta loses more control of their target audience in the EU and finally predicts that costs will continue to rise across all platforms.
Laura Davidson, CEO, predicts that B2B will become more memorable with a focus on warm and credible creative.
With 6-10 stakeholders in B2B decisions and shared awareness being the main driver of alignment as marketers, it is our role to understand this group and their different needs.
We are working to support our clients and build that emotional connection with their audience and make sure it is backed up by credibility. In a crowded digital landscape the best thing you can be for 2025 is memorable.
Conall Owens, Paid Media Team Lead, predicts there will be paid ads in Google AI's Overview answers and ads on Netflix available in Google (Netflix is already available in DV360 ??).
Nicola Shaw, Head of Growth, predicts that still images won't be on ads next year.
Gemma Whyte, Marketing Executive, predicts that there will be a focus on building online communities with high quality content and video will continue to be the top performing marketing asset!
Jack Butler , Head of Paid Media, predicts that there will be a continued move towards privacy, with further loss of control and measurement on ad platforms. This means robust creative testing structures and process will be imperative along with more complex and sophisticated modelling for measurement of activity.
Adam Campbell , Senior Paid Media Manager, predicts that Google Search Ads are likely to see shifts in performance with the rollout of Google's AI Overviews and the platform will adapt how ads are presented with this in mind.
We will also see at least one new AI-Powered Search Engine rollout with advertising that will overtake Bing in users.
Kitty McKee , Paid Social Manager, predicts there will be a focus on short-form content to engage audiences and we will lean into an always on / 365 strategy with a stronger emphasis on the awareness stage and post-show.
Also that there will be less targeting opportunities and broad targeting will become the norm which means creative and copy need to be our biggest focus.
Nicole Rao , Paid Media Executive, predicts that digital marketing will be booming in 2025, AI and machine learning will make these marketing tools feel personal.
As competition grows, brands will be expected to have more immersive visuals and interactive content, allowing their audience to connect in a more meaningful, customised way. It’s all about delivering a seamless experience across every platform.
Ashley Hamilton , Head of Products, predicts that 2025 will be the year we master measurement ??
With a big focus on data, combining from multiple sources (e.g. paid media and email) to really drive value in marketing efforts.
That we will see a shift into more ethical marketing, 2024 seen big changes with consent mode and changes in third-party cookies but I predict there will be an even bigger shift towards being mindful of how we are targeting our audiences.
No surprise here...but I also predict more AI and video in 2025!
Lee MacNicol , Paid Media Manager, predicts that AI will become more clever and be able to follow best practices across platforms particularly with relevant ad copy and creatives.
Campaigns such as Performance Max on Google & Advantage+ on Meta will give advertisers more options and continue to grow in popularity for advertisers.
First party data will become even more important to advertisers as users become more sensitive with how their data is being used.
Asif Ali , Paid Social Manager, predicts that SEO principles will be more immersed by AI, making longer term strategies obsolete and gaming platforms may incorporate ads with ad placements while the user is playing online.
Emman Reyes , Paid Media Executive, predicts that AI powered campaigns will dominate, video, short-form content will remain king, alongside the rise of the Metaverse and augmented reality (AR) advertising
Kane O'Neill , Paid Media Executive, is interested to see what developments AI large language models like ChatGPT makes with Search and what marketing opportunities arise.
Kristie C. , Senior Paid Media Manager has predictions for multiple paid media channels..
As we are entering a cookie-less future with stricter user privacy regulations this means there will be less accurate reporting data and the rise of server-side tracking.
Google Ads will steer away from traditional keyword targeting to a more intent-approached targeting which will be defined by AI.
An increase of Generative AI content in search results will result in lower engagement, Google Search will see less clicks because users can get answers from the AI search result. This means we need to utilise site links and other extensions more on Google ads to provide users with more depth in content.
Video and visual content will become an even higher priority, potentially appearing in search results.
Kristie also predicts that there will be more comprehensive reporting data in Google Analytics 4 to incorporate both Google and social platforms to consolidate the data into one single user journey. There will also be more AI-powered predictions to predict user behaviours.
Summary: Our teams predictions for digital marketing in 2025 highlights the increasing integration of AI to personalise campaigns, optimise ad placements, and enhance analytics.
Privacy-driven approaches, short-form content, and immersive visuals are expected to dominate. Advertising platforms like LinkedIn and Google Ads will evolve with advanced targeting tools, while creative testing and ethical marketing will remain crucial for success.
What is your prediction for digital marketing or paid advertising trends in 2025? Let us know in the comments ??
?? What are your predictions for event trends in 2025? ??
Charlotte Meil, Paid Social Team Lead, predicts the rise of large scale events in the Middle East, lots and lots of AI advancements in the event space and the rise of tech events – both the number of events and the popularity of them!
Laura Davidson, CEO, predicts that experience will be everything – whether this is education, social or networking, the experience will make the whole thing fun which in turn drives more digital promotion for the events.
Conall Owens, Paid Media Team Lead, predicts that there will be growth in more smaller scale and local events as the cost to travel to attend events is increasing significantly.
Nicola Shaw, Head of Growth, predicts that all events will have a relax and recuperation stations for attendee wellbeing.
Gemma Whyte , Marketing Executive, predicts that there will be a rise of smaller events that are focused on the events community and creating a unique and intimate experience for attendees.
Jack Butler, Head of Paid Media, predicts there will be more use of AI tools, however, in person, human connection will still be the key USP for events.
We'll also see some organisers start to catch up with E-commerce in terms of measurement, this means moving away from pure registration platform data being source of truth.
Adam Campbell, Senior Paid Media Manager, predicts that more events are going to introduce AI as part of their experience, with AI mascots & semi-automated registration forms, or the use of conversational sign-up forms.
Adam also thinks we will start to see more and more of the negative impact of long, manual forms on sign-up rates.
Kitty McKee, Paid Social Manager, predicts that people will be craving in person interaction and networking. From client feedback from our own event DigitX Moments London, it was clear that people got a lot out of being around other people in the same industry and opening up their minds to new ideas.
Also a greater emphasis on solutions and innovations, for example, future predictions for industries and how we can get ahead of these trends.
Nicole Rao, Paid Media Executive, predicts that marketers can enhance their event promotion by using Google Lens and QR codes to optimise visual ads and event images, offering attendees easy access to details, registration, or ticket purchases.
AI tools that could pair attendees based on shared interests, making networking more strategic and impactful.
Ashley Hamilton, Head of Products, predicts that there will be integration of AI with the likes of AR (Augmented Reality) and gamification bringing an extra level to our experiences on the show floor.
Also a continued focus on leading speakers and tailored audiences, as we integrate more with AI, both of these factors become increasingly important.
Lee MacNicol, Paid Media Manager, predicts that events will become more immersive with the growth in technology.
The likes of AI and AR (Augmented Reality) will be used more to provide attendees with more personalised and immersive experiences.
Virtual Reality will be a big player and we might even see people attending events in the MetaVerse!
Asif Ali, Paid Social Manager, predicts that we will see immersive events through VR (Virtual Reality) particularly from tech events. This will cater to people that may not be able to travel from different countries and expands the accessibility to the event to a broader target.
Emman Reyes, Paid Media Executive, predicts hybrid events will become the norm with blended experiences including personalised content streams and enhanced networking opportunities with the rise of experiential and immersive events.
Kristie Cheng, Senior Paid Media Manager, predicts more automation in registration, ticketing, engagement, and post event analytics.
Kane O'Neill , Paid Media Executive, predicts that there will be more of an emphasis on the infinity loop as opposed to the traditional funnel strategy. This will put more of a focus on visitor and exhibitor retention with campaigns being centred on building long-term relationships between the brand and user.
Summary: We believe that event trends in 2025 will be shaped by a dual focus on sustainability and immersive technologies.
AI-driven tools, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality could transform attendee experiences, while smaller, local events will grow due to rising travel costs.
Human connection and unique experiences will remain key drivers, supported by innovations like AI-powered networking and smarter analytics for event success.
What trends do you expect to see in events next year? Let us know in the comments ??
?? What has surprised you most in the world of events this year? ??
Laura Davidson, CEO, was surprised by the lack of investment in time to properly understand how to prompt Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Gemini, whilst simultaneously making a lot of noise about generic AI.
Conall Owens, Paid Media Team Lead, was surprised by the competition this year in events, creating bigger and better each year events!
Nicola Shaw, Head of Growth, was surprised by the most that people haven't changed their event and marketing strategies to reach the new GenZ audience.
Kitty McKee, Paid Social Manager, was surprised that for free events, just how last minute it is. This is something we always preach to clients but actually seeing/hearing about this first hand from DigitX Moments was an eye opener and shows how we should continue emphasising to clients that we will see a peak in the final 2 weeks and even on the event start date.
Nicole Rao, Paid Media Executive, was surprised that holographic keynotes are transforming events by bringing life-like speakers to the stage without them being on-site.
This tech enables real-time interaction, global participation, and immersive Q&A sessions, creating a captivating and accessible experience for audiences worldwide. Absolutely incredible!
Lee MacNicol, Paid Media Manager, was surprised by how quickly AI has been integrated into paid advertising platforms.
Asif Ali, Paid Social Manager, was surprised by the lack of influencers utilised within the events space!
Emman Reyes, Paid Media Executive, was surprised by the rapid mainstreaming of AI in the world of events.
Megan Love , Sales Operation Manager, was surprised that there is still a huge market for events after COVID, given the dip in high street shopping etc.
It is nice to see that people want to network, in a world where we are all glued to our phones and social anxiety is at a peak, it's refreshing to see that the event industry is still as alive and busy as ever with visitor registrations at their peak.
Summary: The rapid adoption of AI in events and marketing has been a major surprise to some of us in 2024, alongside the continued appetite for in-person networking.
Innovations like holographic keynotes and last-minute registrations have reshaped expectations, while gaps in utilising influencers and adapting strategies for GenZ reveal opportunities for growth.
What surprised you the most as an event professional or marketer this year? Let us know in the comments ??
?? Wrapping Up 2024 and Exciting News for 2025 ??
As we close out 2024, this year has clearly been a turning point in digital marketing and events.
From the rapid integration of AI into campaign management to the growing demand for sustainable and immersive event experiences, innovation has been at the forefront of our industry.
Looking ahead to 2025, AI advancements, privacy-conscious strategies, and creative engagement will continue to define success.
Starting from January 2025, we’ll be sharing two editions of Tagged for Success every month instead of one!
Our regular edition will keep you informed on the latest trends, while our new edition will spotlight innovation and offer actionable strategies and ideas to add to your marketing plans.
We look forward to continuing to explore the future of digital marketing and events together. Here's to an exciting and successful 2025 for us all ??
We want to hear from you, share your predictions in the comments below or what has surprised you the most in 2024!
See you all in 2025 ?? Make sure you're subscribed to Tagged for Success to be the first to read our new innovation newsletter in the new year ??