Sourced from Forbes
There’s no time like the start of a new year to refresh your goals or put a new spin on an old strategy. This is especially true in the world of marketing and communications, where customer preferences and interests are constantly changing, and leaders need to be ready to switch things up whenever necessary.
After a year of trailing new methods and experimenting with fresh ideas, marketing and communications pros are ready to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and what they plan to do differently next year. Below, 14 members of Forbes Communications Council each discuss the marketing or communications goal their company is setting for 2025 and why they think other companies may want to set a similar goal come January.
1. Creating Unique Content To Stand Out In AI-Driven Search
AI is taking over how we search online and what content shows up in summarizations and top results. We’re focusing on creating unique content to stand out and boost our site visibility in AI-driven search by focusing on expert opinions, user stories, proprietary research and human connection. We’re also continuing to spread the love across channels and leveraging the power of video content. – Sherri Schwartz, OvationCXM
2. Unifying Global Communications And Culture
Our 2025 goal is to unify global communications and culture at Anteriad. With four acquisitions and a larger multinational team, we’re focusing on consistent messaging that connects everyone. Through our new Life@Anteriad Instagram page, we’ll share cultural moments and personal highlights across regions, fostering a sense of unity beyond business updates—something valuable for any expanding company. – Dee Blohm, Anteriad
3. Becoming Indispensable To Customers
One key marketing (and companywide) goal for 2025 is to make ourselves indispensable to our customers. That means that our product is a “must have,” not a “nice to have.” It means that our customer service is top of the line and solving every challenge our customers might have. That also means that our pricing and packaging represent the value that our customers expect. I want our customers to love us. – Kelly Hopping, Demandbase
4. Improving Personalized Marketing
One goal we’re setting for 2025 is improving personalized marketing through AI and data-driven insights. This allows for highly targeted, customized customer experiences that meet individual needs. As the digital landscape becomes more competitive, many companies will prioritize this level of personalization to enhance customer loyalty and increase ROI. – John Schneider, Betterworks
5. Fostering More Employee Engagement
We plan to place more emphasis on fostering employee engagement through transparent leadership to strengthen our teams and enhance overall communication. Employees who feel more connected to leadership are often more engaged, motivated and productive. By openly sharing company goals and challenges, we can build trust and create a stronger team that presents a unified message. – Meredith Rosenberg, Chartwells Higher Education
6. Making Sure Customers Understand The Value We Bring
The breadth of partnerships, tools and services we offer is so extensive that our big goal is to make all our customers aware of the value we can provide them. The key will be to provide timely, relevant and personalized communication. We’ll tailor our messages to their specific needs and preferences, ensuring they receive the right information at the right time. – Lisa Maynard, Awin
7. Building Community Through Internal Collaboration And Training
Building community through internal collaboration and training is one of Old Dominion University’s 2025 goals for University Communications. By bringing internal stakeholders into the marketing and communications fold with training on mar-comms tools, we develop brand ambassadors who are empowered to act. This is the old concept of “one message, many voices” through collaboration and training. – Kimberly Osborne, Old Dominion University
8. Gaining A Competitive Advantage
Our goal in 2025 is to gain a competitive advantage. We study data closely to analyse ROI on existing channels, as some naturally become less effective and are replaced by faster, smarter access for our candidates. We identify opportunities to leverage the innovation and enhancements of our marketing automation partners to refine and reinvent. We sample AI enhancements and new business intelligence to break through. – Lauren Pasquale Bartlett, Ingenovis Health
9. Increasing Engagement With Underserved Communities
In 2025, CAN Community Health will focus on increasing engagement with underserved communities to expand access to wellness and healthcare resources. Similar goals could benefit other organizations by fostering trust, broadening reach and demonstrating a commitment to equity—key elements in building lasting community relationships. – Kal Gajraj, Ph.D., CAN Community Health
10. Engaging Employees As Brand Advocates
We’re going to be doing more to engage and empower our employees to be advocates of the brand as part of our marketing and communications framework. Employee-generated and -shared content creates reach and engagement on social media that’s superior to the official brand account. Known as employee advocacy, it is a cost-effective way to build brand awareness and generate new business in both the B2B and B2C space. – Kerry-Ann Betton Stimpson, JMMB Group
11. Building Trust Through Authentic, Personal Interactions
Our 2025 goal is to be more relational in our interactions with leads and customers. Authentic and personal interactions that focus on the individual are key—not simply offering a solution to a problem. Build trust and relational equity through simple handwritten notes or gifts celebrating milestones and achievements coupled with marketing automation for a more holistic approach. – Clay Tuten, KeyMark Inc.
12. Working With Podcast And Newsletter Creators
The media landscape is changing drastically, and these channels are emerging as places where consumers are spending significant time engaging with long-form content—both the written word for newsletters and the spoken word for podcasts. If you are not experimenting here, it’s something you should be testing in 2025. – Keith Bendes, Linqia
13. Focusing On Organic Advocacy Over Paid Influencer Strategies
We aim to build an authentic, engaged community by focusing on organic advocacy rather than paid influencer strategies. By staying clear in our messaging, we’re hoping to foster genuine connections that reflect our values. Other companies should consider this approach to build trust, long-term loyalty and impactful relationships that resonate beyond transactional and disingenuous interactions. – Mallory Walsh, Teal Health
14. Revisiting Our Value Prop And Larger Brand Experience
Branding is never over. As organizations work to respond, remain fresh and stay true to who they are, it’s imperative to set goals that provide space for evaluating their brand portfolios. In 2025, we’re revisiting our value proposition and larger brand experience, with plans to examine changes we’ve made previously to ensure we’re still focused on solving the right challenges. – John Jorgenson, Cambium Learning Group
Feature Image Credit: Getty
