From short-form movies to web optimization to influencer advertising, at the moment’s entrepreneurs have extra advertising channels to select from than ever earlier than.

In the case of 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 workforce surveyed over 1,700 B2B and B2C entrepreneurs to discover essentially the most used advertising channels.

Under, I’ll share the highest advertising channels recognized in that survey. I’ll additionally focus on how these channels will help amplify your attain and the way actual entrepreneurs are planning to implement them into their 2025 methods.

Desk of Contents

Prime B2B Advertising Channels

Earlier than I dive into the channels entrepreneurs are specializing in, I wish to spotlight who they’re advertising 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 the case of how entrepreneurs plan to achieve these decision-makers, our survey discovered that the channels seeing elevated funding in 2025 are:

• Model consciousness.
• Web site/weblog/web optimization.
• Paid social media content material.
• Natural social media content material.
• Video advertising.

Of entrepreneurs, 92% plan to take care of or improve investments in model consciousness in 2025, making it the highest advertising channel throughout the board. Moreover, 13% of entrepreneurs plan to spend money on model consciousness for the primary time in 2025.

Model-led advertising campaigns have gotten a high precedence as shoppers search authenticity. Entrepreneurs plan to make use of brand-led campaigns to speak their model values, corresponding to social accountability.

I’m not stunned by this response, provided that 65% of entrepreneurs reported that addressing social points in advertising campaigns in 2024 was efficient for his or her model.

The highest B2B advertising channels that resulted in the very best ROI in 2024 have been:

• Web site, weblog, and web optimization.
• Paid social media content material.
• Social media procuring instruments.

For my part, one of the attention-grabbing 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 affect of visible storytelling. Consideration lately is restricted, so it is sensible for each business-facing and consumer-facing companies to make use of robust 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 growing content material wants, particularly on the visible facet, 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 methods and workflows, with lower than half saying they’ve a transparent understanding of methods to use AI of their advertising technique.

In the case of social media channels, the info exhibits that LinkedIn is a extra necessary platform for B2B manufacturers than B2C, with B2B entrepreneurs considerably extra prone to report investing on this platform.

Lastly, the highest advertising 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 guage the ROI of campaigns.
• Automating advertising technique and execution with AI.
• Creating content material that displays your model’s values.
• Persona-led content material, creators, and genuine engagement.

Prime B2C Advertising Channels

Many B2C entrepreneurs use platforms just like their B2B counterparts however with a number of key variations. For B2C manufacturers, the highest advertising channels with the very best ROI in 2024 have been:

• Electronic mail advertising
• Paid social media content material
• Content material advertising

Like B2B, the highest content material format for B2C advertising 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 integrated extra user-generated content material (UGC) and stay streaming of their content material.

B2C entrepreneurs are additionally prioritizing authenticity of their advertising in 2025 and can seemingly use social media channels to take action.

HubSpot’s survey supplied additional assist for the significance of social media, discovering that B2C manufacturers are planning to spend money on Fb, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok in 2025.

Lastly, the highest B2C advertising methods for 2025 are:

• Person-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 guage the ROI of campaigns.

Social Media Advertising

In 2025, I count on to see the rise of visible social media content material pushed by compelling storytelling.

The HubSpot survey discovered that customers are searching for much more authenticity than ever earlier than, and I feel entrepreneurs will meet that expectation with brand-led social content material and elevated partnerships with content material creators.

The truth is, advertising leaders are prioritizing hiring for social media, inventive, and content material roles in 2025.

The highest advertising function that leaders are making a recruiting precedence in 2025 is a social media coordinator. Different top-priority roles embrace 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 affect 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 provided that all of them provide alternatives for short-form video.

Video Advertising

Now’s the time in the event you’ve but to spend money on video advertising.

Throughout industries and markets, I’ve discovered that video could be an effective way to spice up conversions, enhance ROI, attain new audiences, and provide help to construct relationships with present clients.

That could be why entrepreneurs report that video is the highest media format they leverage at the moment.

That being stated, there are a number of completely different sorts of movies. Relating to advertising, short-form content material takes the cake for each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs.

21% of entrepreneurs say that short-form video delivers the very best ROI in comparison with different visible content material codecs.

Curiously, the advertising channels seeing elevated funding in 2025 are YouTube (30%), adopted by Instagram (29%), and TikTok (28%). All three channels enable entrepreneurs to train their short-form video expertise, so it is sensible that they’re focusing their time and sources there within the yr to come back.

I used to be curious why entrepreneurs imagine short-form video is efficient, and Jay Kallman, Founding father of Revvy Advertising, describes it like this:

“Let’s be trustworthy, consideration spans are quick, and shoppers reply to the type of stimulus that feels private and relatable,” she says. “Folks wish 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 displaying 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 — shoppers don’t want ‘good,’ they want genuine.”

Influencer Advertising

Each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs discovered success with influencer advertising in 2024, telling me that this can proceed to be a high advertising channel in 2025.

Entrepreneurs report seeing the very 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 price range on influencers or content material creators.

Our survey additionally discovered that entrepreneurs discovered essentially 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 essentially the most affect on their audiences. Area of interest influencers and content material creators have constructed a number of belief inside their tight-knit group, so any model they accomplice with mechanically beneficial properties extra credibility.

That is particularly necessary as analysis has proven that customers at the moment gravitate in the direction of authenticity. This implies they have an inclination to shrink back from conventional lead-generating content material, as a substitute turning to influencers for product suggestions.

I requested Nicole Ponce Sanchez, Influencer Advertising Crew Lead at Semrush, how influencer advertising is affecting the B2B area.

“The Martech influencer area is altering, and the fact of the panorama is that each shoppers and types are getting smarter,” she says. “Manufacturers are actually searching for 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 a giant rise in nano-influencers, which is sensible as they’re typically extra inexpensive and have deeper connections with their audiences.”

Kallman supplied an analogous sentiment once I requested about utilizing influencer advertising 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 will help construct belief, foster connections, and expose your model to the best individuals. 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 important element of any trendy marketer’s technique is Search Engine Optimization or web optimization advertising.

Should you efficiently optimize your net content material, it is going to place your model as an authority in your area, finally serving to you improve natural site visitors and your conversion fee.

It’s necessary to notice that web optimization isn’t nearly your web site. Your entire net content material must be search engine optimized.

That features your YouTube channels, Google enterprise profile, and podcast episodes, which ought to 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 individuals seek for content material on-line — nevertheless it’s not but a nasty factor for entrepreneurs.

Almost half of each B2B and B2C entrepreneurs report their net site visitors has elevated because of shoppers utilizing AI for search.

Moreover, HubSpot’s survey discovered that 15% of entrepreneurs are growing their funding in web optimization in 2025, and 19% plan to construct an web optimization technique for generative AI in search.

Working example: Ksenia Busheva, Co-Founder and CMO at Pronounce AI, shared with me that in 2025, her workforce 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 effectively for the startup.

“In 2025, our natural site visitors technique is changing into much more attention-grabbing,” says Busheva. “Now, we’re not simply competing with different web sites for Google search rankings, however we additionally have to optimize for AI search outcomes.”

She provides, “We’re optimizing our web site and weblog for the Bing search engine, as this will help us seem as a supply on ChatGPT. To successfully rank in AI search outcomes, we’re updating outdated articles, implementing higher knowledge markups, and including FAQ/QA blocks. The web optimization 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 take heed to podcasts weekly.

Audio content material is in excessive demand, so for a lot of manufacturers, podcasts could be a nice platform to achieve 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 facet of your enterprise whereas additionally serving as brand-specific influencers.

As well as, as a result of individuals can take heed to podcasts passively whereas doing different issues, this may be a wonderful channel for reaching individuals throughout their morning commutes, strolling their canines, or cleansing the home.

Featured Useful resource: How To Begin a Podcast For Your Enterprise

Podcasts will also 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 could be a wonderful alternative to inform a compelling story, capturing your viewers’s consideration whereas making your model extra personable.

My Takeaways on the Prime Advertising Channels

Primarily based on what labored for entrepreneurs in 2024, I count on the 2025 tendencies to construct naturally on these methods.

The extra shoppers are uncovered to advertising, the much less they belief it. It is sensible to me why authenticity has been changing into extra of a precedence lately. In 2025, I feel genuine, creator content material will drive advertising 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 using AI instruments, entrepreneurs can discover success.

Totally different advertising channels include completely different advantages, however most companies can discover a manner to make use of completely different channels of their advertising methods to fulfill their distinctive enterprise targets.

Utilizing a variety of various advertising channels could be an effective way to create these a number of factors of contact, nurture your leads over time, improve conversions, and provide help to obtain your advertising targets.

Editor’s Notice: This publish was initially printed in April 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.