This year, marketing has matured. AI-driven discovery, real-time measurement, and long-term creator partnerships are no longer experiments—they’re standard practice. Brands are refining strategies to align experience, trust, and efficiency, proving that relevance and responsiveness now matter more than sheer reach or visibility.
AI-Powered Discovery
AI is reshaping consumer behavior, turning inspiration into instant action. Google reports longer, more complex queries as users leverage AI Mode, shortening the path from discovery to decision. Tools like Google Lens and Circle to Search mean people can snap a photo of something they see and immediately ask, “Where can I get one of these?” For brands, the message is clear: be ready for high-intent, visually driven searches.
Trust by Design
Experience design has become central to marketing strategy. Customer and brand experience teams are now working together to align messaging with delivery, ensuring every interaction reinforces trust and loyalty.
Micro Matters
The era of chasing massive follower counts is over. In 2025, brands are turning to niche, nano (1K–10K), and micro (10K–100K) creators whose tightly defined communities deliver deeper credibility and stronger engagement. Whether rooted in hyper-local culture or specialized industry knowledge, these creators influence with precision, not scale, according to Refluenced. As a result, marketers are increasingly valuing audience relevance and authenticity over sheer popularity, reshaping how influencer partnerships are planned and measured.
Meta Publisher Partnerships
Early December, Meta signed AI data deals with major publishers including USA Today, CNN, Fox News, People Inc., the Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, and Le Monde. The agreements let Meta AI deliver real-time news by linking to publisher content, as the company pushes to grow its AI services after weak reception to Llama 4. Meta, investing billions in AI while trimming metaverse budgets, says more partnerships and features are coming.
Scroll and Shop
Nearly 70 percent of US social media users multitask while watching TV, according to YouGov. Streaming services like Tubi are, therefore, turning second-screen scrolling into opportunity with interactive, shoppable ads. QR codes and gamified elements boost engagement and brand affinity, allowing marketers to drive immediate action instead of relying on recall.
Real-time ROI
Advanced transformer-based models are gradually taking over traditional static dashboards. By modeling real-time budget adjustments across multiple channels, these tools allow brands to optimize ROI more effectively. Marketers adopting this approach now are gaining a competitive edge over those relying on outdated last-click attribution methods.
Always-on Influence
The influencer landscape is moving beyond one-off campaigns toward always-on creator ecosystems. Brands are nurturing long-term relationships with a consistent pool of creators, gaining compounding audience insights, accelerating trust through repeated appearances, and boosting efficiency with smoother onboarding and content synergy. This approach transforms influencer marketing from episodic outreach into a continuous, data-driven engine for engagement and performance.
GCC Creator Boom
The creator economy across the GCC countries has grown a remarkable 75 percent between 2023 and 2025, rising from roughly 150,000 monetized creators to around 263,000 in 2025, driven by lifestyle, travel, fashion, and beauty, but there is also rising interest in verticals like finance, health, and arts, according to a Qoruz report. This signals a mature and scaling creator-economy ecosystem—not just social-media activity, but a real business infrastructure for content, commerce, and influence.
Kuwait Regulates Influencer Activity
Kuwait in September 2025 said it was preparing to roll out strict new regulations governing social media, advertising, and influencer activity. The rules will require influencers, content creators, and advertisers to obtain official licenses, clearly disclose paid partnerships, and comply with government content standards. The framework also targets misleading promotions, unverified claims, and undeclared ads. Authorities say the regulations aim to curb misuse of online platforms and bring greater transparency and accountability to the rapidly expanding influencer and digital advertising sector.
