Top Small Business Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025 & Beyond

Hyper-local is in. Videos are getting shorter. And the small business world is now AI-driven.

Marketing has always moved fast, but 2025 is pushing small businesses to adapt faster and faster. Customers expect instant responses, content personalized for them, and a strong sense of connection from their favorite stores.

At the same time, rising competition means that relying on the strategies that worked only a few years ago might not be enough. The upside is that small businesses no longer need huge budgets to keep up. Affordable tools now make it easier to connect with your audience, try out some new tactics, and track what’s actually working.

The trends shaping 2025 aren’t just hype. They’re strategies that businesses like yours are already using to grow. If you act early instead of playing catch-up, you’ll be in a much stronger position to stay ahead and keep building momentum.

Here are some small business marketing trends to keep an eye on and test out in 2025.

Short-Form Video Continues to Dominate

If you’re not using video yet, you’re already behind. In 2025, nearly 90% of businesses consider video a valuable marketing tool, and short-form content is leading the charge. In late 2024, a Wyzowl survey found that 78% of consumers prefer not only video for learning about new products but specifically, short videos.

So what exactly counts as short-form? Technically, Google defines it as anything under 10 minutes. But for most marketers, the target is closer to 60 seconds. That’s the sweet spot recommended by HubSpot and the standard across platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

So, why do these short videos work so well for small businesses? As Speaking of Psychology put it, attention spans just keep getting shorter and shorter. If your video doesn’t hook someone in the first three seconds, chances are they’ll just scroll past it.

One of the best parts of this marketing trend for small businesses is that you don’t need a huge production budget to make videos that get attention. A quick customer testimonial filmed on your phone or a 30-second demo can go further than a long, polished clip. Focus on being real and not perfect.

Personalized SMS & MMS Marketing Is Booming

Thought text messages were just for reminders? Think again. SMS and MMS are now two of the most effective ways to reach customers. With SMS open rates as high as 98%, compared to email’s average of just 26.8%, it’s clear people are paying attention to what shows up on their phones.

Adding MMS into the mix takes it even further. A well-timed product photo, event flyer, or behind-the-scenes snapshot adds personality to your message and helps it stand out. Visual content makes the experience feel more like a conversation and less like an ad.

Personalization is key here. Instead of blasting the same message to everyone, segment your contact list based on things like location, past purchases, or appointment history. It makes your texts more relevant and more likely to get a response.

Tools like DialMyCalls make it easy to send personalized SMS and MMS campaigns at scale. You can schedule texts, add media, and even manage replies, all from one dashboard.

Done right, it’s fast, personal, and hard to ignore.

AI-Powered Marketing & Automation Tools

In 2025, AI is more accessible than ever. As a result, adoption rates are up. In fact, 75% of SMBs are already investing in AI tools. According to Salesforce, growing businesses are twice as likely to use AI compared to those falling behind. Why? Because 91% of them say it helps boost revenue.

The best part is that you don’t need a whole tech department to get started. Many small businesses are using AI for simple, high-impact tasks like sending reminder texts at the right time, answering FAQs through chat, or following up when a cart gets abandoned.

It’s also useful for figuring out when your customers are most likely to open a message and respond to it. Combined with automated text message sending, small businesses can use AI to generate contact lists and use smart scheduling and campaigns to send messages to customers and places where they’ll make the most impact.

AI sounds complex at first, but when it’s used well, it can free up your time and help you connect smarter.

Voice & Conversational Marketing

More people are talking to their devices instead of typing. Whether it’s “pizza near me” or “what time does the hardware store close,” voice search has become so common that voice search SEO now sits alongside on-page and local SEO as a serious strategy.

For small businesses, that means your messaging (online and off) needs to sound like something a person would actually say. Keep it natural. Use short, simple phrases in your website content, product descriptions, and even your text messages.

There’s also an accessibility angle. Conversational language makes your content easier to understand for everyone, including people using screen readers or voice assistants.

And if you’re using voice broadcasts for things like appointment reminders or community updates, keep the tone friendly and the message short. Tools like DialMyCalls can help you record and send these kinds of messages with just a few clicks.

Authenticity & Mission-Driven Branding

In a crowded market, people want to support businesses they believe in. Recently, Outbrain’s trends highlighted that 55% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand if they relate to its story. That connection is what turns casual buyers into loyal fans.

Small businesses have a real advantage here. You’re close to the work, the team, and the community—so show it. A photo from your team’s volunteer day or a quick video explaining why you started the business can go a long way to build trust.

You can use SMS and MMS messages to tell your business story to your customers. For example, you could send an MMS with a photo and a message about a recent milestone or use SMS to link directly to a blog or social post that gives people a peek behind the scenes.

First-Party Data & Feedback Loops

It’s 2025, and third-party cookies are on the way out. Now, small businesses are turning to more direct ways of understanding their customers. Learning from real interactions, like purchasing and feedback, gives you insight that no algorithm can replicate.

The approach is often called experience-led growth, or simply listening to your customers and acting on what they tell you. According to McKinsey, it’s one of the most effective ways to create long-term value.

One of the easiest ways to start is with a quick SMS survey. After a purchase or appointment, send a short message asking how things went. A single question is often enough to spot trends or catch issues early.

DialMyCalls makes it simple to send out feedback requests and keep responses organized. You can schedule them automatically and follow up with those who respond.

When you ask the right questions and actually listen, customers are more likely to come back and tell others why they did.

Omnichannel Consistency

It’s one thing to show up on different channels. It’s another to show up in a way that actually feels connected. When your email says one thing, your social media says another, and your texts feel completely off-brand, customers notice. Once they do, they tend to lose trust quickly.

A consistent message doesn’t mean repeating the same line everywhere verbatim. It means creating a clear story about who you are, what you offer, and why it matters. From the first time someone sees your ad to the moment they decide to buy, each touchpoint should feel like part of the same conversation.

Start by mapping a simple customer journey. What do people see first? What happens next? Where does your message land strongest? By text, email, or social? Once you know the path, it’s easier to keep it consistent.

DialMyCalls helps businesses keep messaging in sync by managing SMS marketing campaigns alongside other outreach efforts. It’s one more way to keep your communication clear and your brand easy to trust.

How DialMyCalls Supports These 2025 Small Business Marketing Trends

All of the trends in this list have one thing in common: the need for fast, reliable communication that actually feels personal. That’s precisely where a tool like DialMyCalls can help.

If your small business is looking to build loyalty, promote an event, or ask for feedback, DialMyCalls helps small businesses reach customers and stay connected with tools that are built for scale. With DialMyCalls, businesses can:

Personalization

Send personalized SMS and MMS campaigns in minutes.

Scheduling

Schedule messages to reach customers at just the right time (rather than at 3 a.m.).

Feedback

Collect real-time feedback through quick SMS surveys.

Two-Way Conversation

Create two-way conversations to boost engagement.

Stay on budget with pricing that works for smaller teams. You don’t need a full marketing department to start communicating better. DialMyCalls gives you the communication tools to act fast, stay consistent, and grow smarter—all under one roof.

Keep it Simple, Stay Connected

You don’t need to follow every one of these trends at once. The best results will come from picking out and trying a few ideas, testing them out, and building from there. Whether that’s sending your first few MMS messages to customers or recording your first short-form video, what matters most is staying consistent and focused on the experience of your customers.

These trends aren’t reserved for big brands with even bigger budgets. Small businesses can use them to build loyalty, stand out, and grow in smart and sustainable ways.

Start simplifying your customer communication today with DialMyCalls. Start a free trial today and see how easy it can be to stay connected.

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