From short-form movies to website positioning to influencer advertising and marketing, right now’s entrepreneurs have extra advertising and marketing channels to select from than ever earlier than.
In relation to figuring out which channels to give attention to, all of it comes all the way down to your particular firm, product, and goal market. However I do know firsthand how useful it’s to see how your fellow entrepreneurs are navigating the evolving panorama.
That’s why I’m excited that the HubSpot group surveyed over 1,700 B2B and B2C entrepreneurs to discover probably the most used advertising and marketing channels.
Beneath, I’ll share the highest advertising and marketing channels recognized in that survey. I’ll additionally talk about how these channels may help amplify your attain and the way actual entrepreneurs are planning to implement them into their 2025 methods.
Desk of Contents
High B2B Advertising Channels
Earlier than I dive into the channels entrepreneurs are specializing in, I need to spotlight who they’re advertising and marketing to.
Over 70% of B2B and B2C entrepreneurs plan to focus on Millennials in 2025, adopted by Gen Z at over 30%. In the meantime, entrepreneurs’ curiosity in reaching Gen X and Child Boomer audiences is down 30%.
In relation to how entrepreneurs plan to succeed in these decision-makers, our survey discovered that the channels seeing elevated funding in 2025 are:
Model consciousness.
Web site/weblog/website positioning.
Paid social media content material.
Natural social media content material.
Video advertising and marketing.
Of entrepreneurs, 92% plan to take care of or improve investments in model consciousness in 2025, making it the highest advertising and marketing channel throughout the board. Moreover, 13% of entrepreneurs plan to put money into model consciousness for the primary time in 2025.
Model-led advertising and marketing campaigns have gotten a prime precedence as customers search authenticity. Entrepreneurs plan to make use of brand-led campaigns to speak their model values, akin to social duty.
I’m not shocked by this response, on condition that 65% of entrepreneurs reported that addressing social points in advertising and marketing campaigns in 2024 was efficient for his or her model.
The highest B2B advertising and marketing channels that resulted in the very best ROI in 2024 have been:
Web site, weblog, and website positioning.
Paid social media content material.
Social media procuring instruments.
For my part, some of the fascinating findings from the HubSpot survey is that each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs are leveraging visible content material over text-heavy content material.
As a B2B marketer and author, I’m personally drawn to textual content content material like weblog posts. However I can’t deny the influence of visible storytelling. Consideration today is restricted, so it is sensible for each business-facing and consumer-facing companies to make use of sturdy visuals to seize their viewers’s consideration.
The content material codecs that B2B entrepreneurs are utilizing most are short-form video (30%) and pictures (29%), adopted by interviews (24%) and weblog posts (23%).
With rising content material wants, particularly on the visible aspect, entrepreneurs are turning to AI instruments to assist them generate extra content material. One in 4 entrepreneurs plan to leverage utilizing AI to show textual content into multimedia campaigns.
Furthermore, the survey discovered that there’s nonetheless a studying curve that comes with AI for B2B and B2C entrepreneurs alike. Entrepreneurs are reporting that they really feel overwhelmed by the concept of incorporating AI into their advertising and marketing methods and workflows, with lower than half saying they’ve a transparent understanding of the best way to use AI of their advertising and marketing technique.
In relation to social media channels, the info exhibits that LinkedIn is a extra essential platform for B2B manufacturers than B2C, with B2B entrepreneurs considerably extra more likely to report investing on this platform.
Lastly, the highest advertising and marketing methods that B2B entrepreneurs are turning to in 2025 are:
Utilizing AI to show textual content into multimedia campaigns.
Utilizing AI-powered reporting instruments to judge the ROI of campaigns.
Automating advertising and marketing technique and execution with AI.
Creating content material that displays your model’s values.
Character-led content material, creators, and genuine engagement.
High B2C Advertising Channels
Many B2C entrepreneurs use platforms just like their B2B counterparts however with a couple of key variations. For B2C manufacturers, the highest advertising and marketing channels with the very best ROI in 2024 have been:
E-mail advertising and marketing
Paid social media content material
Content material advertising and marketing
Like B2B, the highest content material format for B2C advertising and marketing was short-form video. Of B2C entrepreneurs, 30% say they use short-form video as a part of their content material technique. In comparison with B2B entrepreneurs, B2C entrepreneurs included extra user-generated content material (UGC) and reside streaming of their content material.
B2C entrepreneurs are additionally prioritizing authenticity of their advertising and marketing in 2025 and can seemingly use social media channels to take action.
HubSpot’s survey provided additional assist for the significance of social media, discovering that B2C manufacturers are planning to put money into Fb, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok in 2025.
Lastly, the highest B2C advertising and marketing methods for 2025 are:
Consumer-generated content material.
Creating content material that displays your model’s values.
Leveraging AI to show textual content into multimedia campaigns.
Utilizing social media DMs (direct messages) for customer support.
Utilizing AI-powered reporting instruments to judge the ROI of campaigns.
Social Media Advertising
In 2025, I anticipate to see the rise of visible social media content material pushed by compelling storytelling.
The HubSpot survey discovered that buyers are in search of much more authenticity than ever earlier than, and I believe entrepreneurs will meet that expectation with brand-led social content material and elevated partnerships with content material creators.
In truth, advertising and marketing leaders are prioritizing hiring for social media, inventive, and content material roles in 2025.
The highest advertising and marketing position that leaders are making a recruiting precedence in 2025 is a social media coordinator. Different top-priority roles embody a content material creator and social media strategist.
In response to HubSpot’s survey of selling professionals, the highest performing content material format in 2024 was short-form video. This factors to the influence of social media — one that can proceed to develop in 2025.
The highest social channels for 2025 are YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. These channels make sense to me on condition that all of them supply alternatives for short-form video.
Video Advertising
Now’s the time should you’ve but to put money into video advertising and marketing.
Throughout industries and markets, I’ve discovered that video might be a good way to spice up conversions, enhance ROI, attain new audiences, and aid you construct relationships with present clients.
Which may be why entrepreneurs report that video is the highest media format they leverage right now.
That being mentioned, there are quite a lot of totally different sorts of movies. Concerning advertising and marketing, short-form content material takes the cake for each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs.
21% of entrepreneurs say that short-form video delivers the best ROI in comparison with different visible content material codecs.
Apparently, the advertising and marketing channels seeing elevated funding in 2025 are YouTube (30%), adopted by Instagram (29%), and TikTok (28%). All three channels permit entrepreneurs to train their short-form video expertise, so it is sensible that they’re focusing their time and assets there within the 12 months to return.
I used to be curious why entrepreneurs consider short-form video is efficient, and Jay Kallman, Founding father of Revvy Advertising, describes it like this:
“Let’s be trustworthy, consideration spans are brief, and customers reply to the type of stimulus that feels private and relatable,” she says. “Folks need to really feel seen and understood, and short-form video is participating, actual, and confirmed to work.”
Going into 2025, Kallman plans to lean additional into short-form video to construct consciousness, belief, and genuine connections.
“You’ll see us exhibiting up on platforms like LinkedIn in ways in which really feel approachable and actual,” she says. “We’re additionally encouraging our shoppers to ditch overly polished movies — customers don’t want ‘excellent,’ they want genuine.”
Influencer Advertising
Each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs discovered success with influencer advertising and marketing in 2024, telling me that it will proceed to be a prime advertising and marketing channel in 2025.
Entrepreneurs report seeing the best ROI from influencers on the next social channels:
Fb (28%).
Instagram (22%).
YouTube (12%).
So far as spending goes, manufacturers spent anyplace from 50-74% of their advertising and marketing funds on influencers or content material creators.
Our survey additionally discovered that entrepreneurs discovered probably the most success with micro-influencers — these with audiences within the vary of 10K-100K followers.
In my expertise, micro and even nano influencers have probably the most influence on their audiences. Area of interest influencers and content material creators have constructed quite a lot of belief inside their tight-knit group, so any model they accomplice with mechanically features extra credibility.
That is particularly essential as analysis has proven that buyers right now gravitate in direction of authenticity. This implies they have a tendency to draw back from conventional lead-generating content material, as an alternative turning to influencers for product suggestions.
I requested Nicole Ponce Sanchez, Influencer Advertising Workforce Lead at Semrush, how influencer advertising and marketing is affecting the B2B house.
“The Martech influencer house is altering, and the truth of the panorama is that each customers and types are getting smarter,” she says. “Manufacturers are actually in search of influencers who create participating, significant content material that drives actual outcomes — not simply leisure for the sake of it.”
She provides, “In 2025, entrepreneurs will give attention to genuine storytelling and constructing communities. We’re seeing an enormous rise in nano-influencers, which is sensible as they’re usually extra reasonably priced and have deeper connections with their audiences.”
Kallman provided an identical sentiment after I requested about utilizing influencer advertising and marketing as a channel:
“For 2025, I’d say lean into area of interest and native influencers who align together with your model values,” she says. “They may help construct belief, foster connections, and expose your model to the precise folks. On the finish of the day, belief goes to be what wins in 2025, and micro-influencers are the proper bridge to get there.”
Search Engine Optimization
One other crucial part of any fashionable marketer’s technique is Search Engine Optimization or website positioning advertising and marketing.
In case you efficiently optimize your internet content material, it can place your model as an authority in your area, finally serving to you improve natural site visitors and your conversion charge.
It’s essential to notice that website positioning isn’t nearly your web site. Your entire internet content material must be search engine optimized.
That features your YouTube channels, Google enterprise profile, and podcast episodes, which must be optimized utilizing goal key phrases.
And I’ll go forward and level out what you’re in all probability considering: sure, AI is altering the way in which folks seek for content material on-line — but it surely’s not but a nasty factor for entrepreneurs.
Practically half of each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs report their internet site visitors has elevated on account of customers utilizing AI for search.
Moreover, HubSpot’s survey discovered that 15% of entrepreneurs are rising their funding in website positioning in 2025, and 19% plan to construct an website positioning technique for generative AI in search.
Working example: Ksenia Busheva, Co-Founder and CMO at Pronounce AI, shared with me that in 2025, her group plans on investing in creating high-quality web site and weblog content material to drive natural site visitors — a technique that’s confirmed to work nicely for the startup.
“In 2025, our natural site visitors technique is changing into much more fascinating,” says Busheva. “Now, we’re not simply competing with different web sites for Google search rankings, however we additionally must optimize for AI search outcomes.”
She provides, “We’re optimizing our web site and weblog for the Bing search engine, as this may help us seem as a supply on ChatGPT. To successfully rank in AI search outcomes, we’re updating previous articles, implementing higher information markups, and including FAQ/QA blocks. The website positioning recreation is altering, and now is a good time to implement new methods.”
Podcast Advertising
In 2024, podcast listening reached an all-time excessive. Analysis by Edison discovered that 100 million Individuals hearken to podcasts weekly.
Audio content material is in excessive demand, so for a lot of manufacturers, podcasts could be a nice platform to succeed in bigger audiences.
The HubSpot survey discovered that 91% of entrepreneurs plan to take care of or improve their investments in podcasts and audio content material in 2025.
It’s simple to see the enchantment of podcasts, particularly for a enterprise. Podcast hosts assist exhibit the human aspect of your small business whereas additionally serving as brand-specific influencers.
As well as, as a result of folks can hearken to podcasts passively whereas doing different issues, this may be a wonderful channel for reaching folks throughout their morning commutes, strolling their canines, or cleansing the home.
Featured Useful resource: How To Begin a Podcast For Your Enterprise
Podcasts can be compelling as a result of the human mind is programmed to crave, search out, and reply to a well-crafted story.
The audio medium might be a wonderful alternative to inform a compelling story, capturing your viewers’s consideration whereas making your model extra personable.
My Takeaways on the High Advertising Channels
Primarily based on what labored for entrepreneurs in 2024, I anticipate the 2025 developments to construct naturally on these methods.
The extra customers are uncovered to advertising and marketing, the much less they belief it. It is sensible to me why authenticity has been changing into extra of a precedence in recent times. In 2025, I believe genuine, creator content material will drive advertising and marketing methods throughout B2B and B2C industries.
One other takeaway is that visible content material is right here to remain. Quick-form movies exploded in 2024, with TikTok and Reels main the way in which and YouTube Shorts falling shut behind.
There’s no scarcity of video content material, which implies entrepreneurs should now give attention to getting consideration from their viewers. In my expertise, that is no small feat. However with the assistance of influencers, a robust model POV, and the usage of AI instruments, entrepreneurs can discover success.
Totally different advertising and marketing channels include totally different advantages, however most companies can discover a manner to make use of totally different channels of their advertising and marketing methods to satisfy their distinctive enterprise objectives.
Utilizing a variety of various advertising and marketing channels might be a good way to create these a number of factors of contact, nurture your leads over time, improve conversions, and aid you obtain your advertising and marketing objectives.
Editor’s Be aware: This submit was initially printed in April 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
