Marketing in 2025: Trends, challenges and how to keep up.

As we move into 2025, business owners are navigating an increasingly complex marketing landscape. The rapid evolution of technology, shifting consumer behaviors, and rising competition make staying ahead more challenging than ever. 

Here are the top trends and challenges shaping marketing in 2025—and how you can leverage technology to stay competitive.

Key Trends in Marketing for 2025

1. AI-Powered Personalization – Customers expect tailored experiences. AI tools like ChatGPT can help create hyper-personalized emails, social media posts, and ad campaigns.
2. Voice and Visual Search – More consumers are using voice assistants and image-based search. Optimizing for voice SEO and using high-quality visuals is crucial.
3. Short-Form Video Domination – Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continue to drive engagement. Small businesses must prioritize video content.
4. Privacy-First Marketing – With stricter data regulations, businesses must balance personalization with transparency in data collection and usage.

Challenges for Business Owners

• Keeping Up with Technology – Rapid advancements in AI and automation make it tough to stay updated.
• Time Constraints – Managing marketing while running a business is overwhelming.
• Budget Limitations – Competing with larger brands on ad spend is challenging.

How to Keep Up and Stay Competitive

• Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT for content creation, customer support, and data insights.
• Automate marketing tasks using platforms like HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Hootsuite.
• Invest in short-form video with simple, engaging content.
• Stay adaptable by continuously learning and experimenting with new marketing strategies.

By embracing technology and staying agile, businesses can thrive in 2025’s fast-changing marketing world. 🚀

7 Tips for Small Business Owners

7 Tips for Small Business Owners

1. Learn from your Customers.  Negative comments sting but that's where you learn the most.  I chose a mechanic based on how he responded to the One Star Reviews he received.  He was sincere and laid out plainly how he had offered to resolve the conflict.  Google Reviews is a start but don't forget comments on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and any Social Media Channel your customers use.
2. Make Customer Service your priority.  This is related to point #1.  Respond quickly when you hear from a customer with a problem.  Thank them for bringing their issue to your attention.  Acknowledge their problem and offer to fix it to their satisfaction.  This is a person who purchased your product or service...you worked hard to get them.  It's cheaper to keep them!
3. Stay in your lane.  You're a small business owner, not a global conglomerate.  You worked hard to find your niche. It's how you differentiate yourself from your competition and why your customers pay for your products and services.  Replicating your successful business model is how you maximize profit.
4. Be time-efficient.  There are 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week.  You already work more than the average corporate employee.  Don't waste time on unproductive, time wasting tasks.  Hire professionals to do the tasks that don't focus on growing your business and taking care of your customers.
5. Don't fear larger competitors. The bigger they are, the less agile they can be.  Take advantage of your ability to move quickly. If you can deliver the product or service before they respond to the quote, you win!  
6. Market like a pro.  Focus on three things:  email marketing, SEO, updates to your website.  Email is the underappreciated and underutilized marketing tool for small business.  Use MailChimp or Constant Contact to send professional emails to your customers and prospects.  Keep on top of what search terms your prospects are using to search for your business to keep your SEO fresh.  And...update your website with fresh content based on keyword search results.  Add a weekly blog post for more relevance.
7. Be flexible.  It's important to stay within your niche but be ready to pivot if the market changes...or if an opportunity presents itself.

Until next time...

Chris Morales

Google My Business: Ground Zero for Online Marketing

Ground Zero, the foundation for every business that wants to be found online is Google My Business.  It's the first thing I recommend to all starting-up business owners.  There are a lot of online tutorials for how to access your My Business listing page but basically once you are logged into your Google Account, search for the 'My Business' icon and you'll be directed to your main page.  From there, it is relatively straightforward to follow each of the steps to completely and accurately set up your My Business page.

From your My Business page, your Google Reviews are visible and accessible.  Your online reputation matters.  Both to the search engines and to real people.  Ask for reviews and respond to them right from your My Business Page.

Build up your content two ways on your My Business page.  First, upload photos and videos.  They can be of anything related to your business.  The more content you post, the more of an authority you become and again that benefits both your customers and the search engines.

Second, you can create posts.  Like blog posts, you can share your opinion on various topics related to your business.  Take advantage of this feature with regular updates.

There are other valuable features available and as you gain experience, you'll learn how to take advantage of them.  For more on Google My Business, here's an informative infographic:

Until next time...

Chris Morales

Helping Startups Get Started Online

You've been itching to start your own business  You have an idea that you know will just crush it.  You've done your homework:  Analyzed your strengths and weakness;  Assessed your potential market;  Prepared your Business Plan. 

You've read all about online marketing.  You know you need a website.  And you've read all the success stories about how Instagram and Facebook can connect you with your most rabid fans.  And of course there are Google AdWords to wrap your head around.  Now you're ready to take the leap of faith but...how do you get from concept to market?

After listening to countless first-time business owners over the past 5 years voice their stress over online marketing, I realized that there was a need to help them take their first step.  I've put together the Small Business Online Marketing Startup Kit to help first-time small business startups get started.  This Kit includes all the basics to set up a professional online presence.  Plus, I've included a special bonus to make sure you have the knowledge to grow:

• Brand Logo:  Your brand is what your customers will see first.  It is important to have a strong brand identity.  We will design your Brand Logo and give you all the versions you need across all online platforms
• Google My Business:  This is the heart of your online presence.  Setting this up properly is the first step in setting up a professional online presence so that you can be found by potential customers when they search for your business (Includes Keywords)
• Website:  This is your online home.  We set up a simple yet robust presence that tells your customers who you are and what your products or services can do for them.  We write content that is relevant to your business...and to the search engines so that you get served up most effectively (Content Marketing)
• Instagram:  We set up your Instagram page using your Brand Logo and linking back to your website.  We'll show you how to post photos and short videos (Social Media Marketing)
• Facebook:  We set up your Facebook page and integrate it with your Instagram page and your website.  We'll show you how to leverage these two key Social Media platforms

And there's more...

Included in the Small Business Online Marketing Startup Kit in addition to the 45 minute Virtual Kickoff meeting is an additional 60 minutes of consulting!

The Small Business Online Marketing Startup Kit is $799.  It includes all of this:  Brand Logo, Google My Business, Website, Instagram, Facebook and 60 minutes of consulting!

Contact me at chris@chrismorales.ca to sign up and book your Kickoff Meeting.

6 Web Design Trends for 2021

6 key design trends for 2021:

1. Photography with graphics
2. Use bold fonts
3. Use a clear visual hierarchy
4. Create personalized content
5. Keep your eye on mobile, particularly ecommerce
6. Faster loading speeds

For more on each of these, check out this infographic, Web Design Trends:

Link to this infographic:  Web Design Trends

Until next time...

Chris Morales

The Marketing Mix in 2020

As we emerge from the COVID Pandemic, now's the time to re-visit the marketing basics:

1. What is your core product or service?  Does it satisfy a real consumer need?  Will people pay for it?
2. What's your price?  Does it provide value?
3. How do you create awareness, consideration and preference?  Online has been the flavour-of-the months for the past 15 years but there are other ways to reach people
4. How will your place stand out, online and/or in the physical world.

These are deep questions and you may need to talk to specialists.  Use the marketing mix template below to frame the conversation...and ask better questions:

Until next time...

Marketing Tips For Small Business

It's challenging to market your business while running your business.  I know...I've tried!  Through trial and error, I found that my particular secret sauce centred on product/service promotion.  I created a limited-time offer (not always price) and used  Facebook Ads to get the word out.  I also sent emails on a regular basis to the database I had built up over time.  These two tactics proved most effective for me.  For more tips on how to market your small business, check out this infographic:

Until next time...

Chris Morales

10 Small Business Marketing Tactics for 2020

Last week I spoke with a couple of budding business owners.  They are in the planning stages for a new business venture in the food and beverage industry.  This is a crowded field with a high failure rate.  Their business will compete with National Chains and Independent operators.  It will be challenging.  But they have a secret weapon:  They have stories.  Real stories from their travels around the world that they can use to market the uniqueness of their business.  That's an edge...and it may be just what they need as they take the leap of faith to start it up.  

Stories...content...one of the top 10 marketing tactics for small business owners.

Until next time...
Chris Morales

Taking the Scare out of 2020 Marketing Trends

As a small business owner, keeping the doors open is a big challenge.  Prospecting for new business while delivering service to current customers is an important balancing act.  In all the courses I teach at George Brown College, we talk about this a lot.  And in my Fundamental Skills Workshop, learning how to sell benefits versus features is a key learning takeaway.  

Predicting the future is always a mugs game.  What I can say with some certainty is that the pace of change will continue to speed up.  That presents an extra challenge for small business owners who have to decide on what to spend tight resources on.  As always it depends...

One piece of advice I give to myself and my clients is 'Focus':  You can't be all things to all customers and neither can you do all the things that are available.  In the list below of the upcoming digital marketing trends in 2020 the one that stands out is 'Going Live'.  The top Social Media Channels now make it easier than ever to 'go live':  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and of course YouTube all have 'live' features.  All are optimized for smartphones that have become the primary we all access and communicate with each other...and companies we want to do business with.

Until next time...
Chris Morales

How To Build A Brand Online

We live in a knowledge based economy. Business success is driven by digital branding that is defined as:

1. Identity:  Who you are, the way you are viewed and the characteristics that define you
2. Credibility:  The quality of being trusted and believed in
3. Visibility:  Being able to be seen

Identity and Credibility are interlinked in Social Media:  Content you publish, how users interact with you and the content and users opinions, what they think...and share...about their experience with your brand.  Here are some ways to develop your digital branding:

5 Marketing Trends for 2019

5 Digital Marketing Priorities

The 5 digital marketing priorities harken back to the basics:  Being in the right place at the right time with messages that resonate and are engaging

Digital Marketing for the Manufacturing Industry

The Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends in 2018

Who doesn't love a top 10 list? For Small Business Owners two stand out:

1. Data and Analytics.  It's time to sharpen your skills in understanding data and how to make better decisions from the insights gleaned.
2. Live Streaming.  Facebook Live is a good example of live streaming.  In my case, I use it to communicate important information and updates about the Reggae Marathon.  I reach a higher percentage of our Facebook Fans and enjoy increased engagement.

Chris M Morales
chris.morales@bell.net
@ChrisMoralesTO
647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Building Your Marketing Technology Stack

The marketing technology stack of the modern CMO looks something like this:

The key functionality is data interpretation.  With the disparate sources, it challenging to visualize the data across the enterprise especially when there are some many sources.  

Another way to look at the building blocks of the marketing technology stack:

For more on building your marketing technology stack, check out this LinkedIn Course by David Booth:  Building Your Marketing Technology Stack.

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Next Level Marketing At Digital Dealer

I downloaded the Digital Dealer Conference App last week and poured over the Digital Marketing Sessions that are packed into two and a half days.  After scheduling the daily keynotes and obligatory Cocktail Party, I've got back-to-back-to-back sessions from early Monday morning right up until the Conference ends on Wednesday afternoon.  I'm pretty excited about attending and not just because it is at Paris, Las Vegas!  The Digital Dealer Conference & Expo is the place to be to sift through the noise in digital marketing to find the signals and tools to help get digital marketing working more effectively for my Dealerships...and across my Brand.  I'm particularly looking forward to the sessions on Data Analytics and Online Lead Management.

• Digital Dealer Conference & Expo 
• Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/digitaldealerconference
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DigitalDealer
• Hashtags:  #DD23

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Digital Dealer

The Digital Dealer:  Website, Online advertising on Google and Facebook (Instagram too), Call Centre (Lead Management System).  

Make sure it's all Mobile...70%+ of New and Used Vehicle searches begin on Mobile Devices...if the vehicle a consumer is searching for can't be easily found on a Smartphone, they will pass you by.  

These form the heart of the business for a Digital Dealer.  Here are some additional insights...

If you're going to the Digital Dealer Conference Sept 18 - 20, see you in Las Vegas next week!

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

7 Digital Marketing Trends That Rule in 2017

The number one trend for me is my continued move away from the laptop/desktop to mobile for the majority of my communication needs.  This is borne out in every survey from virtually every source. But you need look no further that Google who now reports that over 75% of Searches begin from a handheld mobile device.  We move to larger screens as necessary but the 'One Number/One Device' world rules!

As we move to the final quarter of 2017 and the future forecasting season begins, here's a look at the dominant trends throughout 2017...with an eye to 2018:

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

Connecting in Micro-Moments

The moment of truth.  More correctly, the 'moments' that trigger action that keep marketers up at night.  At least they do for me. It's the daily conversation with Managers and Business Owners revolving around how to generate more traffic to our websites and convert more of that traffic into leads.

Conversations with our website partners go something like this, "We need to optimize both our organic and paid search traffic...how do we add or improve calls-to-action so that we increase the opportunity of the Searcher to contact us directly?"  

At a recent event hosted by 6S Marketing and Google, we dug into this more deeply with three key insights:

1. The four micro-moments are, I want to know, I want to go, I want to buy, I want to do.
2. The force of mobile in triggering follow-up actions
3. The speed at which conversions occur in mobile searches:  It's fast!

Moving forward my challenge to our website and online advertising partners is to bring solutions that will encourage a higher percentage of visitors to our websites to find what they are looking for faster...from their mobile devices.

I found this slide very interesting:  75% of mobile searches trigger follow-up actions.  It leaves no doubt that we are now living in a 'give it to me now' world!

In the Automotive Retail business we talk about best in class response times of less than 15 minutes. Knowing that the majority of searches are happening via mobile devices and that conversions happen with the hour drives home the need for speed.

I want to know;  I want to go;  I want to buy;   I want to do.  

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization

AI and the Hockey Stick

Are we at the point on the hockey stick curve when Artificial Inteligence (AI) explodes exponentially?  Are you afraid of AI or are you charging forward?

I had a Luddite moment on Saturday morning.  I'd just finished listening to an interview on NPR where the Interviewee, the founder of a recently public AI software company, waxed on about how AI was changing the nature of work from drudgery to creativity.  He noted that companies embracing AI would find new and innovative uses for displaced and reduncant workers. 

I shuddered. Sure...that's what companies do with existing workers who become redundant...they re-train them.  I flashed back to the Industrial Revolution as the 'Satanic Mills' swept over the Cottage Industries throwing countless people into turmoil. Progress is double-edged:  On one hand there will be disruption and people will endure hardships if they can't adapt fast enough;  On the other hand there will be disruption and new opportunities will rise. For example:  Social Media Marketing didn't exist barely 10 years ago!

I'm no fortune teller but it feels like we are at the inflection point on the Hockey Stick growth curve.  If you haven't already, embrace the pace of change!

Chris M Morales

chris.morales@bell.net

@ChrisMoralesTO

647 393 3855

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization