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In February 2025, SmartSites hosted a webinar, “What’s In, What’s Out: 2025 Marketing Predictions.” It featured experts from SmartSites, Oddit and Orita. Over the course of an hour, each speaker broke down the key trends shaping digital marketing: what was rising, what was fading and how to stay ahead.
If you missed the event, here are the biggest takeaways, packed with expert insights and practical tips. Most of the advice still holds, and the shift toward AI-driven search and advertising has only picked up since.
Smarter PPC through AI and attribution
Zach Everett, Senior PPC Analyst and Ecommerce Team Lead at SmartSites, opened the session with a look at how paid search has changed. Manual bidding strategies and standard shopping campaigns have given way to machine learning tools like Performance Max and first-party data strategies.
“AI isn’t lazy unless you are,” Zach said. “Use GPT creatively and feed it good inputs.”
Performance Max campaigns, once seen as a “black hole,” are delivering stronger results when paired with solid first-party data. Zach also stressed the importance of centralized attribution to avoid conflicting data across platforms. He recommends tools like Triple Whale for clarity and smarter budgeting.
Design that builds trust and converts
Shaun Brandt, Co-CEO of Oddit, shifted the conversation to user experience and design. His agency focuses on conversion design, which balances aesthetics with performance. One trend he highlighted is the smart use of AI-generated imagery. Done right, AI can help brands create visual consistency without the high cost of photoshoots.
“If your visuals are inconsistent, you’re chipping away at brand trust and price elasticity,” Shaun said.
He cautioned against using AI lazily, because customers can still spot when something feels off. The brands that win will use AI to support a clear creative direction, not replace it.
SEO shifts toward less volume and more value
Brandy Hastings, SEO Strategist at SmartSites, focused on where search is headed. Top-of-funnel content, especially quick-answer pieces, is being cannibalized by Google’s AI Overviews and featured snippets. Instead of chasing volume, she urged brands to create deep, niche content backed by real expertise.
“Go niche, go deep, not wide,” Brandy said. “Focus on authority, not popularity.”
She also stressed how much user experience matters for results. Pages that frustrate visitors, with slow loading, cluttered layouts or hard-to-find answers, tend to lose traffic and conversions over time. The solution is to build content for real users, not algorithms, and to deliver it in a clean, easy-to-navigate format.
Email marketing with intelligence
Aaron Schwartz, Co-CEO of Orita, tackled one of the most overlooked topics in digital marketing: email deliverability and smart segmentation. His company uses machine learning to help brands optimize their email lists, not just clean them.
“Don’t just clean a list, optimize it,” Aaron said. “Being quiet now doesn’t mean they never want to hear from you again.”
He encouraged email marketers to move from blasting everyone to messaging people when it matters. By focusing on incrementality, which means understanding which actions truly drive conversions, brands can increase revenue and protect list health. He also reminded attendees that AI’s real strength is in personalization, not just generating content.
Organic social that entertains and converts
Kymber Heinze, Director of Social Media at SmartSites, wrapped up the session with a look at what works on social media. Short-form video, authentic content and in-app shopping are leading. Static, text-heavy and overly promotional posts are falling flat.
“People want to buy from people, not perfection,” Kymber said.
She said brands need to be more human. Showcasing wins is great, but sharing challenges builds deeper trust. User-generated content, behind-the-scenes footage and interactive elements like polls and quizzes help brands stay relevant and drive engagement.
The common thread: AI works best with human direction
Across every channel, including SEO, PPC, email and social, the message was clear: automation and AI can help, but they must be guided by strategy, creativity and human insight.
Here is what to remember:
- AI tools like GPT and Performance Max are here to stay, but they need your direction.
- Design and visuals must build trust, not just look good.
- SEO is shifting toward depth, niche authority and real expertise.
- Do not send emails just to send them. Use data to know when and how to speak.
- Social media is more than a sales tool. It is where your brand becomes real.
Want help putting any of these strategies into practice? Get a Free Proposal from SmartSites or talk with one of our expert partners.
“The campaigns have helped increase qualified website traffic and generate new leads through paid search.”
Jared ShiffmanCornell surgical co
