What 2025 Taught Us About Marketing: Lessons, Shifts and What Small Businesses Should Take Into 2026

Sarah Ferraina
6 days ago
7 min read

What actually worked in 2025 and what small businesses should leave behind.

This wrap-up highlights the biggest shifts we saw in marketing this year, with practical takeaways and questions to help you refocus for 2026.

A Year That Changed the Game… Again

2025 was a big year for marketing. Not because we discovered something entirely new, but because we finally started letting go of what wasn’t working.

For small business owners, this year wasn’t about chasing the latest trend or posting endlessly just to stay visible. It was about getting clear, building with intention and choosing what to leave behind.

We saw platforms shift, algorithms change and audience behaviours evolve… again. But amid the noise, something stronger emerged: business owners who led with strategy, simplicity and a more grounded sense of purpose.

In this wrap-up, I’m sharing the key shifts I saw across the year from my own clients, broader trends, and the global reports I’ve been tracking; and what they mean for your marketing in 2026.

If you’ve been stuck in hustle mode, unsure where to focus next… this is for you.

The Rise of Strategy-First Marketing

This year, more business owners started asking a better question: “What’s the plan?”

After years of content fatigue, platform pressure and “post every day” advice, 2025 saw a clear shift toward strategy over scattergun tactics. More business owners stepped back to rethink where their time, energy and money were going - and whether it was actually leading to growth.

At Save My Marketing, we saw it firsthand. Our Marketing Strategy Program was our most in-demand offer this year. Not because people wanted to slow down, but because they were tired of burning out with nothing to show for it.

And the trend isn’t isolated. According to the 2025 State of SEO & Marketing in Australia report, 74% of Australian businesses now have a documented content or marketing strategy - up from just 58% in 2023. That’s a clear sign that strategy is no longer seen as a “nice to have”... it’s becoming essential.

Why? Because strategy gives you:

A clear message that cuts through noise
A plan that supports your actual business goals
A filter to say no to what doesn’t serve you

It’s not about ditching creativity or speed. It’s about building aligned, intentional momentum and that became the new superpower in 2025.

This shift isn’t slowing down. It’s the foundation for everything we do moving forward into 2026.

Short-Form Video Fatigue Is Real - But It’s Not Dead

We’re calling it: 2025 was the year many small business owners hit the wall with short-form video.

What started as a fresh, fun way to engage became a relentless treadmill, and the fatigue was real. Trying to keep up with constant trends, transitions and audio swaps quickly turned into overwhelm.

But here’s the nuance: short-form video didn’t die, it matured.

Business owners who saw results in 2025 weren’t posting daily just to stay relevant. They slowed down, thought strategically, and focused on intentional content that offered value and built trust. That meant:

Sharing tips, how-to’s and answers to FAQs
Posting behind-the-scenes moments that actually showed their process
Talking to the camera to build familiarity, not just entertainment

And importantly, they repurposed instead of reinventing.

One strong idea became a blog, an email, a video, and a caption. Not four different ideas on four platforms.

What does this mean for 2026?

Show up consistently, but with purpose
Focus on storytelling, education and connection

The algorithm might reward speed, but your audience rewards value.

Email and SMS Became Power Tools Again

While social platforms continued shifting algorithms and reach dipped across the board, two tried-and-true channels made a serious comeback: email and SMS.

In 2025, small business owners began to realise something critical: You can’t build a sustainable business on borrowed land.

Social media has its place, but when your content only reaches 2–5% of your audience organically, you need owned channels that cut through.

That’s where email and SMS came back into focus.

Email continued to deliver a huge return: The average ROI was $36-$42 per $1 spent in 2025 (Statista AU)
SMS emerged as a powerful way to drive action: 95% open rates with most messages read within 3 minutes (Mailchimp AU)

But the real magic happened when small businesses started combining the two. They started:

Warming up the audience with helpful emails
Following up with time-sensitive SMS for offers or last-chance reminders
Using both to drive sign-ups, sales and retention without relying on the algorithm gods

The lesson heading into 2026? Own your audience. If you’ve been putting email or SMS on the back burner, it’s time to bring them front and centre.

People Bought From People, Not Logos

If 2025 proved anything, it’s this: connection converts better than polish.

We saw a rise in founder-led storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, and brands that weren’t afraid to show the real humans behind the business. Whether you sell products, services or something in between - trust became the deciding factor.

The shift was clear:

Clean logos and generic posts were ignored
Personality, perspective and honesty got noticed
Relatable > perfect

Even product-based businesses leaned into more personal content, such as showing the maker, the process or the purpose behind what they sell.

If you felt uncomfortable showing your face or sharing your thoughts this year, you weren’t alone. But the brands that built momentum were the ones who found a way to show up as themselves, not just as a business.

Because in a year where automation and AI content exploded, the brands that stood out were the ones that still felt real. Human voices, real experiences, genuine connection - that’s what built trust in 2025.

What does this mean for 2026? People don’t just want to buy from you; they want to believe in you.

So whether it’s through your content, your emails or your offer messaging, lead with your voice. Not just your visuals.

AI Is Here, But Strategy Still Matters More

AI took centre stage in 2025 and for good reason.

It saved time. It streamlined content. It made marketing feel more manageable for time-poor business owners.

But it also exposed something big: If your message isn’t clear, AI can’t save you.

Small businesses that jumped headfirst into AI-generated content without a strategy found themselves with more posts… but fewer results.

The copy was fine, but it wasn’t them. It lacked a voice. It lacked connection. It lacked purpose.

The brands that saw the best results?

They used AI to scale, not shortcut
They had a clear message and a strategic plan - then used tools like ChatGPT to draft, brainstorm or repurpose content within a framework that already made sense.

Here’s what we tell our clients (and practised ourselves): AI can support your marketing. But it can’t replace the thinking, clarity or leadership behind it.

As we head into 2026, it’s not about ignoring AI. It’s about using it wisely and making sure you still sound like you. After all, YOU are your most important asset.

What I Saw in My Work With Small Businesses This Year

Behind every trend or headline, there’s a real business owner trying to make sense of it all.

In 2025, I worked with dozens of small businesses from solo service providers to growing teams, and while their industries and offers varied, the same themes kept showing up.

They weren’t looking for hacks.

They weren’t asking for more content ideas.

They were looking for clarity, confidence and consistency.

They wanted to know:

What to focus on and what to ignore
How to connect their marketing to actual business growth
How to make decisions that felt strategic, not reactive.

One of the biggest mindset shifts I witnessed this year was around ownership. Moving from “I’m bad at marketing” to “I just didn’t have a structure that worked for me.”

And when that switch flipped? Everything else followed. Content got easier. Campaigns got simpler. Results started stacking.

That’s why we built our Marketing Strategy Program and why we’re launching our new mentoring experience in 2026. Because small business owners don’t need more noise. You need a sounding board, a plan and someone in your corner as you grow.

Three Questions to Take Into 2026

Before you start planning next year’s campaigns or chasing the next shiny tactic, take a moment to pause.

Ask yourself these three questions - they’ll tell you more about where to focus than any trend report ever could:

Are your marketing actions aligned with your business goals? Are you posting because it helps move the needle OR because you feel like you should?
Are you building something sustainable or just trying to keep up? Is your marketing system something you can maintain, or does it rely on constant output?
What’s one thing you want to do differently next year? Maybe it’s email. Maybe it’s your message. Maybe it’s finally choosing clarity over chaos.

Write them down. Sit with them. Then use your answers to guide how you show up in 2026 - with intention, not just activity.

Marketing will keep evolving. Algorithms will keep shifting.

But the one thing that won’t change? The power of a clear, focused strategy led by someone who actually understands their audience and their offer.

If 2025 left you feeling scattered or stretched, know this: you’re not behind, you’re just ready for something better.

Whether you need structure, support or just space to think, we’ve got you.

🔹 The Marketing Strategy Program

Perfect for small business owners who want to get strategic fast. You’ll walk away with a clear strategy, practical campaign plan and complete confidence in your next steps. Get started now →

🔸 Coming in 2026: The Marketing Academy Growth Circle

A high-touch mentoring experience for business owners who want deeper support, accountability and momentum all year round.