Marketing Trends & Insights

As we move through the summer and into Q3, the marketing world continues to accelerate — powered by AI, shifting social media trends, and evolving consumer expectations. July 2025 brings fresh data and developments that every SME marketer should have on their radar.

Here’s your data-backed roundup of what’s driving marketing performance this month — and how to stay ahead.

Marketing Teams Are Leaning Heavily on Automation

Stat of the Month: According to Forrester’s 2025 Marketing Technology Report, 68% of SMEs now use some form of marketing automation, up 15% year-on-year.

Why it matters: Leaner teams are achieving more by automating repetitive workflows like email sequences, lead scoring, and customer follow-ups — freeing marketers to focus on strategy and creativity.

Action: Audit your current marketing processes. Identify 2–3 tasks that could be automated with your CRM or AI tools to save time and reduce human error.

Social Media Attention Is Fragmenting

Data Insight: Threads’ daily active users grew 21% in June, while TikTok engagement flattened in several Western markets, according to GWI’s Global Social Media Trends Report.

Trend: Audiences are seeking community-driven and conversational platforms, not just passive entertainment. Micro-influencer collaborations and niche communities are driving higher engagement than mass-market campaigns.

Action: Reevaluate where your audience spends time. Consider testing short conversational posts on LinkedIn or Threads, paired with video content on Reels and Shorts to maintain visibility.

AI Content Is Evolving from Drafts to Decision-Making

Finding: HubSpot’s 2025 AI in Marketing Report notes that 71% of marketers now use AI for content ideation, and 34% use AI analytics tools to optimise campaigns mid-flight.

Key takeaway: AI is shifting from a creative helper to a strategic partner. The winners will be the brands that combine AI insights with human judgment, using data to make smarter, faster marketing decisions.

Action: Start small. Use AI to analyse campaign performance weekly, then experiment with predictive suggestions for ad spend, subject lines, and audience segmentation.

Search Traffic Continues to Decline in the SGE Era

SEO Alert: SEMrush data shows that Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is now live in 14 countries, reducing organic click-throughs by 19% for informational searches.

Implication: SEO is no longer enough to guarantee traffic. Brands must diversify with email, social media, and owned content hubs to retain audience attention.

Action: Build a direct relationship with your audience through newsletters, gated resources, and webinars. Your CRM will be your most valuable distribution tool.

Consumers Want Authentic AI, Not Just AI

Survey Insight: A 2025 Adobe Consumer Trust Study found that 59% of UK consumers are happy for brands to use AI in marketing — if it leads to more helpful content, but only 27% trust “faceless AI” content without human review.

Balancing act: AI is now expected, but authenticity and brand voice remain key. Human oversight is what keeps AI-powered marketing from feeling generic or robotic.

Action: Use AI to speed up production, but have a marketer or copywriter review and humanise all customer-facing content before publishing.

Events and Campaign Opportunities for July & August

• Summer Travel Season: Great for campaigns in hospitality, leisure, and B2C lifestyle brands.

• Back-to-School (Late August in the UK): Early campaigns can target parents planning ahead.

• Mid-Year Performance Reviews: Perfect for B2B thought leadership and strategy refresh content.

Final Thought

July 2025 is a reminder that agility and authenticity are the twin engines of modern marketing. AI and automation can help you do more with less, but human insight and brand storytelling remain the secret to standing out.

Marketers who can balance data with creativity, automation with empathy will own the second half of 2025.