Conversational commerce can significantly boost a brand’s interaction with customers by providing quick, targeted services and guiding users to take the next step with ease. This high level of immediacy and interactivity ensures a smoother sales funnel.

According to Harvard Business Review, brands or e-commerce platforms that respond to customer inquiries within one hour are 7 times more likely to close a sale than those with slower response times. Initially, chatbots relied on pre-designed FAQ directories to provide automated responses for tasks like checking inventory or offering after-sales guidance. While useful for basic customer support, this model was limited in scope.

As AI technology evolves, chatbots are becoming essential tools for conversion optimization. By integrating first-party customer data, brands can continuously label and categorize visitor behavior. This enables intuitive and personalized interactions when customers have needs, such as joining memberships, subscribing to newsletters, or making additional purchases.

Today, many brands leverage conversational commerce to integrate interactivity, service, and data analysis, which collectively enhance conversion rates. However, unlike traditional digital advertising focused on simple impressions or clicks, conversational commerce requires a comprehensive service ecosystem. This includes a robust platform, effective customer data management, a seamless user experience, and well-designed service content. Without these elements, even the most advanced chatbots may fall short if their responses fail to address customer needs effectively.

–

5. The Rise of Voice Search

Voice search is rapidly transforming how consumers seek information, interact with technology, and make purchasing decisions. With the growing adoption of voice-enabled devices such as smart speakers and virtual assistants, digital marketing is shifting toward more conversational and hands-free interaction models. Businesses must adapt their SEO and content strategies to meet the rising demands of voice search users.

Voice search is not just a passing trend but a fundamental shift in how people access information. Recent statistics show that a significant number of searches are now conducted via voice, driven by its convenience and efficiency—especially on mobile devices and home smart speakers.

The rise of voice search has altered the way users frame queries, moving from short keyword searches to more natural, conversational language. For marketers, this means rethinking traditional SEO strategies to accommodate the nuances of voice-initiated queries.

With advancements in voice recognition accuracy and AI technology, voice search has become more reliable and widely adopted. As this technology evolves, it will play an increasingly important role in the customer journey, from initial discovery to final purchase.

Voice Search and Content Strategy: Creating Conversational Content

The proliferation of voice search demands content that mirrors natural speech patterns. This involves moving away from keyword-stuffed content and focusing on writing conversational narratives that meet specific user needs.

Key Content Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

• Answer Audience Questions: Voice queries often begin with “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” or “how.” Businesses should create content like FAQs, blog posts, or dedicated pages that directly address these questions, positioning themselves as go-to resources for voice search users.

• Write Engaging Conversational Copy: Content should adopt a conversational tone that mimics natural speech. This not only optimizes content for voice search but also makes it more approachable and engaging for users. Avoid overly technical language or jargon, prioritizing clear and simple explanations.

• Focus on Mobile-Friendly Content: Since most voice searches occur on mobile devices, it’s critical to ensure content is optimized for mobile viewing. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and headers to make text easy to skim, and ensure multimedia elements are mobile-compatible.

• Leverage Conversational AI for Content Creation: Advances in AI and natural language processing make it easier to generate content tailored to voice search patterns. Conversational AI tools can help businesses create content that not only aligns with voice search trends but also performs well in search engine rankings. These tools can analyze voice search trends and recommend potential topics and keywords for optimization.

The Growing Importance of Voice Search in Digital Marketing

By 2025 and beyond, voice search is expected to significantly influence marketing strategies, acting as a driving force for change. Integrating voice search with AI, machine learning, and IoT will deliver a more personalized and user-centric search experience.

As technology matures, businesses will need to prioritize multi-language optimization to reach global audiences. Content must be localized to align with cultural norms and language habits in different regions.

Additionally, voice search will play an increasingly prominent role in e-commerce. As more consumers use voice commands to search for products, businesses will need to predict user needs and provide highly relevant, personalized results in real-time to align with evolving consumer preferences.

–

6. The Popularity of Omnichannel Marketing and Programmatic Buying

Programmatic advertising refers to the use of computer programs to deliver the right ads to the right target audience. This trend has emerged as a solution to the challenges faced by modern marketing teams, including the diversity of ad formats, the proliferation of media platforms, and the complexity of repetitive processes. Unlike traditional ad buying, where brands could only purchase ad space on specific websites, programmatic buying offers more flexibility in matching target audiences (TAs) with precise segments.

–

In Western markets, the scope of programmatic ad buying extends beyond online media to include streaming TV, digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising, in-store TV, podcast programs, and more. This creates a broader and more complex range of channels for advertisers to choose from. According to eMarketer, global programmatic ad spending will reach $146 billion in 2024, accounting for 45.3% of total digital ad expenditures.

Several factors will drive the future growth of programmatic ad buying:

• AI and Machine Learning: These technologies will enable more comprehensive precision targeting and personalized ads, delivering better ROI.

• Mobile Devices and Short-Form Videos: These platforms and formats will continue to provide advertisers with more options.

• Data Privacy and Security: As transparency and data protection become increasingly important, programmatic buying will align with new privacy standards, enabling advertisers to adopt trends such as Facebook advertising with greater confidence.

–

7. Enhancing Personalized Advertising

As consumer data accumulates, businesses can gain deeper insights into consumer behaviors and preferences, enabling more precise personalized advertising. According to data from HubSpot, a leading marketing automation solution provider in the U.S., 80% of consumers say they are more likely to engage with brands that offer personalized experiences.

Personalized marketing involves delivering tailored messages and experiences based on consumers’ needs and interests. This approach can build trust and loyalty, boost conversion and retention rates, and reduce churn and costs. However, personalized marketing heavily relies on technologies such as big data analytics, AI, and machine learning to collect and process consumer behavior data, preference data, and contextual data, transforming these insights into actionable recommendations.

–

8. Social Media as More Than Just Traffic: A Platform for New Interaction Models

In 2025 and beyond, social media will remain one of the primary battlegrounds for communication between brands and their customers. However, compared to the early days of social media when most people spent significant time on these platforms, consumer attention has now been divided across various content and media platforms, such as streaming TV and mobile games. Brands and advertisers must therefore harness greater creativity, produce content that resonates with consumers, and engage in trending topics like ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), reflecting their commitment to societal concerns.

In the broader context of social media advertising, several trends offer potential breakthroughs:

• YouTube’s Continuing Influence: While TikTok attracts a significant portion of younger audiences, a large consumer demographic still relies on YouTube as their primary platform. For brands looking to build long-term value and loyal customers, long-form videos remain one of the best strategic tools. Furthermore, long-form content on YouTube can be repurposed into multiple short videos, demonstrating the enduring value of both the platform and longer formats.

• Social Platforms as Search Engines: For many Gen Z consumers, social media platforms have become their go-to for daily searches and exploring new information. For brands, this means that social media is no longer just about generating buzz or advertising products. Instead, it should be treated as a “search engine” to enhance interaction with potential consumers and unlock the true value of social media platforms.

• Product Placement Strategies: While live streams and YouTube/Instagram video sponsorships are effective for direct promotion, consumers are increasingly wary of excessive product placements, especially when the sponsored content feels disconnected from the creator’s usual themes. In the future, more brands will invest in selecting the right creators and influencers, focusing on copywriting, content themes, layout, and product placement techniques. By naturally piquing consumer curiosity and building trust, brands can encourage consumers to independently research and purchase products. After all, “people love to buy, but they hate being sold to.”

• Social Listening: Ask most marketing managers or advertising teams, and they’ll likely admit that social media’s built-in audience analytics tools are often incomplete. This is where social listening comes in—analyzing consumer feedback, opinions, and reviews to better understand their needs. These insights can be leveraged to plan product promotions, advertising campaigns, and other marketing strategies more effectively.

• Niche KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders): Beyond using content and ads to promote a brand, leveraging the relationship between KOLs and consumers can directly drive product sales. However, with rising advertising and marketing costs, many advertisers are adopting a different influencer strategy—focusing on smaller, niche KOLs who are more affordable but have highly engaged audiences. Unlike well-known influencers with widespread but diluted fanbases, niche KOLs often attract followers who are deeply interested in specific topics. For brands, investing time in researching and collaborating with multiple niche influencers can yield better results than spending heavily on a few high-profile KOLs.

–

9. The Development of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Advertising

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies are rapidly evolving in the digital advertising space, showcasing impressive current capabilities and future trends. Many brands have already begun using AR/VR to enhance the interactivity and appeal of their digital ads. These technologies not only provide more immersive user experiences but also strengthen brand storytelling and emotional connections.

Looking ahead, AR and VR are poised to become major trends in digital advertising. As hardware becomes more accessible and affordable, users will have easier access to these experiences. AR/VR ads can also offer more precise data analytics, helping advertisers better understand their audiences and improve ad performance. For brands and advertisers, while the immediate impact of AR/VR may lean toward building brand image, these technologies can become a key strategy when traditional advertising methods no longer fully satisfy consumers. Some potential benefits include:

• Creating Unique Brand Experiences: AR/VR technology allows brands to offer distinctive ways for users to interact with their products or services, leaving a lasting impression.

• Enhancing Brand Loyalty: By delivering captivating virtual experiences, brands can forge deeper emotional connections, boosting customer loyalty.

• Data and Analytics: AR/VR advertising provides rich data insights, enabling brands to better understand their audiences, optimize ad strategies, and increase ROI.

• Innovation and Competitive Advantage: Brands that adopt AR/VR early can gain a competitive edge in the market and attract more users.

As early as 2019, Burger King in Brazil executed a highly creative AR-based promotional campaign. Consumers could download Burger King’s official AR app and point their smartphone cameras at competitors’ outdoor advertisements, virtually “burning” those ads. In return, they received coupons for free Whoppers, redeemable at nearby Burger King locations.

–

10. The Repositioning of Live Advertising

Live advertising is a real-time, interactive ad format that helps businesses build closer connections with consumers. According to eMarketer, global spending on live advertising is projected to reach $13.2 billion in 2024, accounting for 4.1% of total digital ad expenditures. Traditionally, live advertising has been associated with selling products directly—commonly used by micro-merchants or various sellers in recent years for categories such as apparel, seafood, antiques, and more. Consumers can view product demonstrations during the live stream and place orders immediately, significantly streamlining the buying process.

For brand management, however, live advertising serves as a critical tool for acquiring new customers. Its key features include real-time audience aggregation, low customer acquisition costs, and high brand interactivity. Live advertising allows brands to quickly gather audiences in one place, using real-time interactions to build lasting impressions with fans. Its interactive nature also offers more leeway compared to one-sided communication through text or video ads, reducing the risk of diminished brand favorability caused by factors like audience inattention or misinterpretation of information.

–

Conclusion

The digital advertising market is constantly evolving, and brands must keep up with the trends to gain a competitive edge. AI-powered big data and generative AI advertising will become powerful tools for brands in designing future campaigns. Retail media advertising and programmatic advertising, leveraging AI to optimize and automate ad placements, will also present significant opportunities in the expansive retail market.

Additionally, various advertising formats, such as voice ads, social media, and AR/VR, offer avenues for brands to integrate into their promotional strategies. By incorporating diverse formats and presentation styles, brands can discover new breakthroughs within their existing processes.