Top Content Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2025 (Part 1)

[00:00:03] [SPEAKER_00] Hey guys, welcome back to Content Is Profit. Today is a very interesting episode. I have here the booklet that we discussed about three episodes ago with the marketing secrets from our partners here at the hotspot. And today we're going to be talking about marketing trends, specifically for marketing trends that you as a consumer and also as a business owner don't want to miss. So here we go.

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_00] So there is no lie that audiences want to connect with brands that are present where they are, right? So we've had this conversation in the past where it's like, if you are a creator, where do you want to be? Where is the platform? Where's the best platform? We get that question all the time in our studio. Are we going to be a podcaster? Are we going to be a video podcaster? Do I need to create short form content?

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00] At the end of the day, if you're creating content for business purposes, you need to be where your audience is and be relevant there. So consumers spend a lot of time online reading, listening and watching, and they build trust with creators they connect with. I recently saw this specific clip that is this incredible Spanish influencer from Spain. And he's talking about how do you develop a brand content versus a personal brand?

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00] And which one do you do first if you're a CEO or if you're a consumer, if you are a CEO or if you're a personality, right? And he says, lean on the personal brand first because people are going to connect with you. And then from there, have a professional page where you can send people to that page specifically. And then they'll be like, oh, this guy does podcast productions. Awesome. Let's go and check out the studio. Then they have information there. They trust you and so on.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_00] So over the course of this episode, we're going to be going through four trends of this report, right? So we enter the area of visual brand storytelling and creator economy. Like I said, we're going to be putting this report in here and I'm going to put the links right below. So if you want to download it, that's fine. But in 2025, we expect to see premium on visual content with compelling storytelling, even more authenticity and increase in niche influencer partnerships.

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_00] So for B2B brands, the top marketing channels resulting in ROI in 2024, where number one, website, blog and SEO. Number two, paid social media content. And number three, social media shopping tools. So for B2C brands, the channels with the best ROI were email marketing, paid social media content and content marketing. So interesting to see those trends. Where do you fall? Are you B2C? Are you B2B?

[00:02:53] [SPEAKER_00] You know, for both B2B and B2C brands, the top performing content format in 2024 was short form video. Like I said, this is no lie because or I don't think like this is strange news to anybody because the platform's really invested in all the creators to be creating in the short form type of content. Right. So the top channel that brands plan to use for the first time in 2025 is AI chatbot. So this is pretty interesting. I've been kind of diving in a lot into AI and what you create.

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_00] Obviously, you know, last week or the last couple of weeks, it's been all over, you know, all these AI images that ChatGPT can create. I saw a post yesterday, like one probably one of the most on demand positions, I guess, that's coming to town will be an AI video editor, which is super interesting. Maybe we can do an episode on that. But here are some of the trends that we're going to be looking at today. Number one, visual storytelling is overtaking text heavy content formats.

[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_00] And, you know, we've talked with a lot of like SEO experts and SEO people around this and they're seeing a trend on this as well. But that doesn't mean stop doing that. Number two, podcasts and audio content are growing for B2B and B2C. We're going to go specifically in like how the examples, what are some examples for B2B, B2C? It doesn't necessarily involve you talking head, interviewing people. There are more interesting things that we can do here.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00] And the top social channels for 2025 are YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. That's number three. And number four, marketers are finding success with influencer marketing, specifically with those in niche audiences. So if you haven't listened yet, go back and listen to the last episode because we interviewed this guy that has a specific platform for not only influencer marketing, for user generated content, which is really incredible and an incredible opportunity for a lot of B2C companies.

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_00] So trend number one, visual storytelling is overtaking text heavy content formats. So the content formats that marketers say deliver the highest ROI are short from video by 24 percent, images 19 percent, and live stream video is about 16 percent. And marketers plan to invest more in these channels in 2025.

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_00] So important here to highlight that if you are a creator or a business, start testing your formats in different platforms and start testing your content in different formats as well. Right. So obviously here you have short form images and live stream videos. All those could be packaged. If you apply the M2M method that, you know, we talk about all the time, long form to short form, you can be live streaming. Then that turns into a podcast and you have a team member or AI can create graphics for you.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00] And then that can be clipped in different ways. You can also structure your episodes or your content from day one before you even record. So you can accommodate for that type of editing. Right. A good example of these are talk shows or late night talk shows where they have these segments. So what they do, they're concentrated like they have the long form.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00] And if I ask you a question, it's like the question I would ask you right now would be, have you watched like if you are into talk shows or late night talk shows, have you watched like a full length talk show? And when I got asked that question, my answer was not really, but I'm a big fan. It's like, why are you a big fan? Because I continue to see the segments on YouTube, for example. Right. So think about examples like that. It's like how can we craft the content in that way? Super interesting here.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_00] You know, which of the following media formats does your company leverage as part of its content strategy? So we have on red B2B. And if you're listening, we have this on YouTube so you can watch it. And on black B2C. So video live streaming, B2B about 17%. B2C about 22%. I think interesting here will be short form video, both of them about 30%. So it's definitely the biggest one. And you have your images. Interviews on B2B. Super powerful.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00] About 24%. Why? It's because you're creating an incredible relationship with maybe somebody that could help you in your business endeavors as a lead, referral source, partner. Super interesting. So we can definitely dive into this. And then you have, you know, blog posts, long form video, user generated content, and so on. So let me know in the comments. Why do you think it was very interesting? Tools of the trade.

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_00] You know, how to drive linear growth on YouTube. This is like the next section here on the book, specifically leveraging this type of stuff. Obviously, the example that we're running here is from the hustle, which in just a few months, the team grew the channel to 400,000 views per month, created hundreds of sponsored videos, and built six long-term creator partnerships with YouTubers. So obviously, you know, the example here is specifically to YouTube, but I think there's some lessons that can be shared.

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_00] So here's a list on how to drive the linear growth based on the specific example of the hustle YouTube channel, right? So number one, identify the product use case that aligns with your video. Tap into existing search demand using topic clusters and keywords to align with what your audience is searching for.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00] If this is like too complicated, you can just go to YouTube and search the topic, and you kind of see the videos that are popping up that are popular. This is what YouTube is recommending, so you can grab ideas from there. There's other tools like SEMrush, for example, that you can type the topics. Focus on what your audience needs and what brings value. So at the end of the day, you're going to have customers. You're going to have people that come to your business asking questions, frequently asked questions. What are the things that you continue to hear over and over and over and over?

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_00] You can create content around that and solve their problems, and that way they can discover you, right? Approach the topic with a unique point of view and creative direction. So there's plenty of examples on YouTube. You know, probably us were not the best example because we're talking head. And again, I've explained like this is my favorite type of content to create. If I don't create it like this, it's going to be really challenging to get content out. But hopefully we can make it entertaining and useful for you.

[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_00] But, you know, an example of the presentation that I'm doing today with kind of like sharing my screen, the way that I'm doing it. This kind of like is my creative way of bringing that into podcasting, for example. So we've been investing some time and resources into creating something like this that it looks a little better and different than just me talking to the camera. So that's an example for podcasting. But for YouTube, like how do you craft a story around your product?

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_00] A good example is this specific ad that Apple released for the launch, I think, of their M2 computers. And it was almost like a mini show, about eight minutes, almost like a TV show that first was filmed with iPhones. So that was showcased. And then it was like this crazy story about coworkers. And it was an adventure that went on to save one of their laptops. And I thought that was pretty cool. So number five, hook viewers with compelling titles and thumbnails.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_00] I mean, that's a no brainer, right? There's plenty of resources out there to kind of find out like what a thumbnail. But at the end of the day, it's like if they don't click it, they're not going to watch it. That we should be looking at. And it's that click-through rate. The higher, the better, because more people are going to transition from that to watching your video. Choose on-camera talent. That's relatable, credible, and engaging. So if this is not you, obviously, this is for your host, the people that are in there in the videos. A good example of this is a company like BuzzFeed.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_00] A lot of their creators were so good that they ended up creating their own YouTube channels and being successful. One of them is Michelle with Challenge Accepted. That's her channel. I was actually watching a video last night. She started a BuzzFeed and then moved on and created. So again, what's some talent that you can be recruiting for your company to do something like this? Are you trying to create a podcast? Are you trying to create a video content? Like who's somebody that can represent your company in a good way?

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_00] Include relevant in videos. Call to actions, of course. Add clear, persuasive call to actions in the description and copy. There's people that read those, right? And they can click it and provide an offer that gets viewers to take the next step with your brand. So we had an episode with Adam where we talk a lot about like what is his flow. And for him, it's like from podcast to newsletter to call in his business.

[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_00] And he's been very successful with that because he says, I'm not giving a lead magnet because when they opt in for the lead magnet, they just want the thing. But when they opt in with the newsletter, they want to continue engaging with me. They want to continue reading my emails. They want to continue learning from me. And they're going to continue to open my emails where the offer to the call is. So that makes a lot of sense. So what's a relevant offer for you? All right. That concludes offer number one. Sorry, trend number one.

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_00] And now over here with trend number two, podcasters and audio content are growing for B2B and B2C brands. No kidding. So 91% of marketers plan to maintain or increase their investment in podcasts and audio content. So obviously, this is great news for the industry. Specifically, I think great news for me because we own a studio. By the way, studiopodcaststudios.com. If you want to come and rent the studios.

[00:12:22] [SPEAKER_00] But not only that, but podcasts have become an influential format for people across all ages and stages in life. They're a unique mix of education, inspiration, and casual listening where subscribers get to know their hosts and look forward to new episodes week after week. Around 100 million Americans listen to podcasts weekly. By the way, this stat has been growing in 2025. And as of 2024, podcast listening is at all-time high.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_00] Which, again, this year, that continues to go up and up. There's more active podcasts and so on. And everyone and their mother have a microphone now, which is incredible. It's so awesome. Your message needs to be heard. So get out there and put it up. And obviously, big final podcast over here. Edison Research Show that not only are podcasts popular, but they're also influential. Long form, super important, right?

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_00] 46% of weekly podcast listeners have purchased a product or service after hearing about it on a podcast. And this is not just a product of the podcaster or the business doing it, but from the partnerships and the sponsors. So super interesting, obviously. And there's no secret on why 91% of marketers plan to maintain and increase this. So if you're looking for a way to bury frictionless, create content, I think podcasting is a great vehicle.

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_00] You can start just with an audio podcast and then transition into a video podcast if you have the resources going to that. If you have any questions, we've worked with dozens and dozens of shows in all the platforms. So we're happy to kind of guide you through the process and kind of go from there. So here's an interesting case, right? Like WisDU's co-founder, Chris Savage, hosts Talking Too Loud, a podcast that's part of the Hospital Blackass Network. Shout out to our network here.

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_00] With guests like founder of CEO of Zapier, Wade, Hubs of CMO, and so on, so on, so on. They connect with their audience of marketing leaders and bring value through creative conversations. So if you haven't checked out this show here, you can just screenshot this right there and go check them out. But they have a very interesting format on the conversations. And again, like you can create your own format. It doesn't have to be conversational. It can be – here's an idea. Here's a crazy idea.

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_00] It can be – this is something that we pitched earlier today. So I'm a big fan of cars. A little side note here, but it's going to make sense. And I've always wanted to kind of get to know the people that own supercars and at some point own one. Hopefully, I have my Jeep, which is my dream car. I love it. But I'm like, that would be cool to do that. So I want to know. But also, I'm very curious about the stories of the people that own these cars. Like how do they get there? Like why a supercar?

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_00] And we have this client, Scott Shoutout, that he comes to the studio and he has this incredible Lamborghini. And the first time when he called, I didn't believe him that he had one and he's like, yeah, come down. And he was literally parking it there. So I call him and I'm like, hey, Scott, I have an idea. I have this concept of a show. I want to share the stories and I want you to be the first guest. Guess what?

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_00] Maybe that's an opportunity because he has a company that serves that market to sponsor that show and then connect directly with the guests that we're going to be bringing. So, again, it could be an interesting concept like that where we go, we show the cars, we show the stories, we talk about it, and we'll see if it works out. But you can start playing with these ideas on like how can we engage with not only our guests and our partners, but also how do we activate this in a very unique way, right?

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_00] Here are some tips for something like that. So, number one, choose guests who align with your brand values, obviously. I would challenge this one a little bit. I think maybe a guest that doesn't align could be an interesting conversation just because you can also show your expertise and it creates that polarization and that debate of topics. And I think that's super valuable today when you can expose different points of views. So that's my challenge. Let me know if you agree with me or not.

[00:16:29] [SPEAKER_00] Teach people something in every episode. So hopefully we can, you know, teach a lesson in every episode and move the needle forward for people and then tell stories worth listening to. Encourage hosts and guests to share their personality and create an environment that facilitates honest conversations.

[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_00] So I think that has been probably one of the things that we lean on a lot in our show is whenever we have interviews, we create an environment where it is super easy for them to kind of open up and share the story. So I'll obviously recommend the same thing. All right. So, so far we have gone through the first two trends and they've been awesome. I think there's a lot to unpack there.

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_00] So what we'll do is on the next episode, we're going to continue to with trend number three and trend number four. So just a quick recap over here. Let me find it. Let me find it. Flipping through these pages. Trend number one is visual storytelling is overtaking text heavy content formats. So make sure that you're investing in the right vehicle, like, you know, short form video images, long form video interviews, interviews. If you're B2B, right?

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_00] And then trend number two, podcast and audio content are growing for B2B and B2C brands. If you want something specific for your B2B, where how can you turn your podcast or your platform? It could be a collaborative platform. You can do it with blog. You can do it with podcast. You can do it with videos into an active sales pipeline for high tickets, high services. Let me know. I'm happy to share the playbook that we've done over the years.

[00:18:12] [SPEAKER_00] So invest in those platforms. So thank you so much for staying with me on this kind of like almost like unpacking of strategies, which is super awesome. And we'll see you in the next episode where we're going to be going over trend number three and trend number four. All right. With that said, thank you so much for turning to the Contents Profit Podcast. And I'll see you on the next episode. Take care.