Why 2025 is the Year Marketing Changed Forever — And How to Stay Ahead

Marketing trends have always evolved quickly, but 2025 is on a whole new level of change.

In just the last six months, many digital marketing strategies and online marketing techniques that used to work perfectly have suddenly stopped delivering results.

What I’m seeing is that the businesses thriving right now aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets or flashiest ads. They’re the ones who’ve embraced some key marketing shifts that most service businesses haven’t even noticed yet.

Why You Can’t Ignore These Changes Anymore

Think back to how you found the last new restaurant you tried. Last year, you probably Googled something like “best sushi near me” and scrolled through websites or Yelp reviews.

Today? Maybe you spotted it on a friend’s Instagram story or watched someone enjoy it on TikTok. Or maybe you just asked ChatGPT, “Where should I eat tonight?”

This little change in how we find places isn’t just about restaurants. It’s happening across the board — from plumbers to financial advisers.

The old way — Google search, visiting websites, and getting in touch — is disappearing fast. Now it’s all about discovering businesses through video marketing or getting direct recommendations from AI.

If your local marketing still looks like billboards on a deserted highway, you’re basically invisible.

The 5 Big Marketing Shifts Every Service Business Needs to Ride

1. AI Deep Client Research: Talk Their Talk, Not Yours

This is the first thing you should do because it sets everything else up perfectly.

Most of us talk about our businesses using jargon we love — but our clients? They think and talk totally differently.

Say you’re a financial adviser. You might be banging on about diversified investment strategies and tax-efficient withdrawals.

But your clients? They’re worrying about stuff like, “Will I run out of money?” or “I don’t want to be a burden on my kids.”

That’s a massive gap. It’s like you’re speaking French and they’re speaking Spanish.

What you do: Fire up ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google Gemini on the deep research setting. Ask it to comb through forums, Reddit threads, reviews — anywhere your clients hang out — to find how they really talk about their problems and dreams.

It’ll give you a report packed with their exact words, emotional triggers, and the problems they want solved.

Real example: One of my students, a web designer, was all about responsive design and UI/UX optimisation. But no one was reaching out. After using AI to research client language, he rewrote his site to say things like “a website that doesn’t look terrible on my phone” and “a site that won’t embarrass me in front of customers” — and guess what? His enquiries doubled in two weeks.

2. Video Is The New Search Engine

Google isn’t dead, but it’s definitely not the go-to anymore.

Young adults use TikTok way more than Google when searching for stuff. And almost everyone turns to YouTube to learn new things.

Think about it — if you had a leaky tap, would you rather read an article or watch a quick how-to video showing you how to fix it? Video wins every time.

Plus, when hiring, video is gold because clients can see your face, hear your voice, and get a feel for whether they trust you — like a mini meeting on their own time.

How to start: Write down the five most common questions new clients ask you. Then make simple videos answering each one. Upload them to YouTube — it’s better than TikTok for most service businesses because your videos stick around forever.

Don’t worry about fancy gear. All you need is your face and your voice. Faceless videos with robotic voices? They just don’t cut it anymore.

3. Be Ready for AI Recommendations: Get Found Without Google

More people are skipping Google altogether and asking ChatGPT things like, “Who’s the best accountant for small businesses in Manchester?”

Why? Because ChatGPT doesn’t just give a list — it recommends specific businesses.

How to get picked:

• Make your Google Business Profile shine — fill out every section, add photos, answer Q&A.

• Get more 5-star Google reviews by sending simple follow-up texts after work asking for a review.

• Be super clear on your website about exactly what you do and who you help.

• Some businesses even write “best of” articles listing the top businesses in their city — including themselves at number one. It’s a bit cheeky, but it works for now.

If you’re the first in your area to do this, you’ll get a huge head start in local SEO and AI-powered marketing.

4. Use AI to Create Killer Images and Graphics

Save money and look way more polished by using AI tools for images.

ChatGPT’s new AI image creation feature is like having a graphic designer on call 24/7 — but without the extra cost.

Say you’re a chiropractor: tell ChatGPT, “Create an Instagram ad with a split image — one side a person hunched over in pain, the other with perfect posture. Add text: ‘Life without pain starts here. Book your first adjustment today.’”

Boom — you get a sharp, custom ad that hits your patient’s pain points without needing design skills.

Use it for social media posts, ads, website headers, even logo refreshes.

5. Vibe Marketing: Let AI Be Your Marketing Team

This is the biggest game changer.

Instead of learning every complicated marketing skill, just tell AI what you want and let it do the heavy lifting.

It’s like being the director of a film rather than the camera operator.

Need a Facebook ad for your plumbing business? Just say: “Show rusty leaking pipes on one side, shiny new plumbing on the other. Make it urgent but trustworthy.” AI creates it for you.

Want new website copy or an email marketing campaign? Tell AI about your business and target audience — it’ll write it all, perfectly aligned and professional.

One student with an accounting firm told AI about his clients’ worries and results they wanted, and within an hour he had new website copy, Facebook ads, and a month’s worth of email content. No fuss.

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing in 2025 moves faster and feels totally different than it did six months ago.

If you’re stuck in the old ways, you’re missing out.

Focus on:

• Using AI to speak your clients’ language

• Creating simple video marketing content your clients actually want to watch

• Getting ready for AI-powered business recommendations

• Making stunning images with AI for your social media marketing

• Letting AI do the heavy marketing work for you

These aren’t just trends — they’re the new way of winning clients.

If you want to see how wild AI image creation can get, check out my next video where I dive into ChatGPT’s mind-blowing new tools.

Welcome to marketing in 2025 — it’s smarter, faster, and more personal than ever.