Here we are again looking at a new year! As always, I’ve studied dozens of articles from the experts to bring you the 2025 version of Digital Marketing Tips for the New Year. I hope this guide will help you make 2025 your most successful year yet! By the way, the linked text takes you to more detailed articles so you can dig deeper into a topic.
First, let me start with what isn’t changing. Yes, some things still work. Especially, core marketing fundamentals. They always apply, as well as goal-setting, strategic and tactical planning.
Core Digital Marketing Tips
- Know your target audience well. This is who you are trying to reach and connect with. Therefore, write for them but with the search engine in mind. Define your target market personas, find a niche, and research them to understand their buying habits. Use keywords and phrases that they would use. Avoid industry jargon.
- Do your Keyword Research. Know what your potential customers are searching for and incorporate those words into your titles, headings, articles, and website text. Work with high-intent, long-tail keyword phrases. Additionally, this will give you topics to write about! Nothing like writing about exactly what people are searching for!
- Content is Your Anchor! Content Marketing is still the center of your marketing strategy. Whether it’s blogs, videos, social media graphics, infographics, podcasts, ebooks, or white papers, your content tells your potential customers that you’re the expert who has the answer to their problems, pain points, wants, or needs. Make it relatable.
Related: What is Google’s E-E-A-T?
The Challenge of AI Overviews and How to Overcome It
The AI Overview is taking over Search Results Pages (SERPs). When you search Google, Google’s AI attempts to provide the answer. These Overviews take up prime real estate on the SERP — the top. This pushes the standard blue links down. If the searcher doesn’t find their answer in the Overview, they’ll scroll down to peruse the links. Incidentally, the map comes up under the AI Overview for local, brick-and-mortar businesses, too.
Nevertheless, the information in these Overviews has to come from somewhere, right? That’s where your content comes in. Whether it’s a written article or a video, it will come up if it’s the freshest, most relevant response to the search query.
This means businesses must focus on creating unique and valuable content rather than relying solely on AI-generated text.
Arnout Hellemans (independent SEO consultant) (emphasis added)
Related: The Pros and Cons of Creating Content with AI
In other words, you need to create content that AI can’t. What makes you different? What makes you unique? What’s your USP?
Voice Search
People are asking their smart devices questions and queries more and more. For example, someone is traveling and is looking for an “Asian Restaurant Near Me”. More than likely, they’ll be asking Google or Siri. No, you don’t have to put the words “near me” all over your website. The smartphone goes by the GPS on your device and pulls restaurants that match the criteria within a certain radius of the searcher.
For Local Brick-and-Mortar Businesses, please read my post on Local SEO of 2025.
However, sometimes someone wants an answer to a question or is looking for a solution to a problem, pain point, or symptom. They’ll ask in natural language. They could be using devices like Alexa or Google Echo or even their smart refrigerator.
Think Communities
I’m going to write about this more in-depth in future posts. Make sure you’re on my email list!
- Reddit has become a Google star when it comes to SERPs. Start getting used to it and take advantage of it.
- Similar to Reddit are Facebook and LinkedIn Groups. Search for and find your target audience and interact with them directly.
- Remember to Share — Don’t Sell! You’ll get kicked out of groups if you spam them.
Tips for Creative Content Creating
That’s it! Be Creative!
- Rely on YOUR knowledge. Don’t be lazy and let AI write all your content. It’s OK for research, but like it was back in my college days, don’t copy the Encyclopedia. Read the information, digest it, and then spit it out in your own words. Proofread!
- Stay curious and informed. AI and technology are constantly evolving. What worked yesterday may not work today.
- What are your strengths? What are you good at? Learn how to communicate that to your prospective customers. That will also guide you in what type of content you’ll be good at creating.
- Become a Thought Leader. That is, become an expert in your field or industry. Share that expertise on LinkedIn.
- Understand that your experiences are unique. In this computerized age, people still need the human touch.
- Your Branding Needs to Stand Out. There’s a lot of noise out there. How do you differentiate yourself? Showcase who you are to build a following.
- Stick with natural language. Unless you’re in a tech or medical industry — talking to other techies or peers — you’ll want to use language they’ll understand. As I mentioned before, avoid industry jargon.
- Answer questions. You might think they’re stupid or redundant, but someone out there wants to know the answer.
- Create helpful, high-quality content. Don’t be lazy.
- Prioritize User Experience (UX). Take a step back and look at everything from your target market’s point of view.
The Big Tip…
All in all, the point is that AI has to get its information from somewhere — from some subject matter expert. It might as well be you! You need to become that subject matter expert!
Undoubtedly, you’re feeling overwhelmed right now. Where do you start? Well, start by scheduling a FREE 15-minute Zoom call with me so I can review your current marketing efforts, we can talk about your goals, and brainstorm some ideas. CLICK HERE TO BOOK.
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