AI has dominated discussions over the past few years, with concerns about its potential to replace jobs taking centre stage. While some remain fearful, others are clearly excited about embracing an AI-driven future as global web searches for ‘AI workers’ continuously rise an average of 80% each month.

The biggest reason marketing fails for small businesses isn’t that “marketing doesn’t work” – it’s that they haven’t built a system that does.

Marketing and brand visibility are the top priorities for small business owners aiming to grow this year, with new research revealing that 71% want to focus on these areas in 2025.

It’s 2025, and your reliable Google Ads campaigns produce only half the leads they produced three years ago, your organic search rank is in free fall, your target audience spends less and less time on older platforms, and your long-term strategies no longer yield fruit. Sound familiar? Don’t fret, you're not alone. Marketers worldwide are grappling with this seismic shift in marketing trends. But here’s a silver lining: with each challenge comes opportunity.

Forget the fancy logos, the killer website, and the perfect pitch deck. While those are all important, the most crucial element for any startup, particularly in today's cutthroat environment, is something far less tangible: your reputation.

If I were asked to describe the major hallmark of digital marketing in 2025, I would say it’s brands choosing to adhere to “no-strategy” marketing. Instead of creating a solid 5-year plan with a step-by-step route to success, plenty of businesses today are merely reacting to rapid technological evolution, natural disasters, political shifts, and TikTok trends; our time is rich with Black Swans of all scales.

Today’s startups face the typical set of challenges when it comes to launching a new company in a crowded market. With a niche product or service, you need to cultivate a strong brand identity with a marketing campaign that will be visible. Speaking to potential customers, and gaining their trust are all increasingly important to make your mark entering a market. 

Branding is not just a nice-to-have in venture capital. In an industry built on relationships, trust, and differentiation, a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets a firm can cultivate. Yet, many VCs overlook its importance, treating branding as secondary to deal flow, performance, or network effects.

For startups, creating your branding can feel like choosing your personality. Deciding whether you want to come across as fun and frivolous, safe and serious, or peaceful and personable can be the difference between boom or bust for your company. Throw in the fact that trends come in and out of season, and suddenly the prospect of nailing your visual branding can feel like a daunting task.

Social media in all its forms has become a marketing must-do. Its reach is enormous and its shareability potential far beyond any other marketing channel. But TikTok has a certain reputation. The younger sibling of the social media dynasty, it’s relatively new to the party, and largely associated with frivolous content – viral trends for Gen Z and the impressionable generations.

"In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible," said Seth Godin.

Startup founders have a huge list of things to think about, and somewhere pretty high is the company name. It’s like naming your child, so much emotion and pressure to get it right can lead to a disproportionate amount of time and concern being expended at the expense of other vitally important jobs-to-be-done.

The world of startups and scaleups can prove to be a bit of a shock for some brand and communications professionals, finding that their corporate-leaning playbooks may offer limited usefulness.

Starting a business is an exciting but daunting journey. The sobering statistic that 90% of startups fail highlights the significant challenges new businesses face. But success is out there – and branding and messaging play a pivotal role. Establishing a strong, cohesive brand with a clear and compelling story can dramatically improve a startup’s chances of success.

Zubr Capital is a private equity firm focused on investments in fast-growing private companies with high potential value in international markets. As the Brand Manager, Darya Ksianzova's role involves nurturing the Zubr Capital brand and developing the brands of the fund's portfolio companies. Her primary focus is on establishing sustainable processes to develop and strengthen these brands. It's well-known that companies with strong brands are valued more highly.

Customer retention is a foundation for stable business growth, and email gamification is just the right equipment. Getting customers involved and entertained forms a deeper sense of loyalty. How is that?

As we approach 2025, personal branding is no longer optional for entrepreneurs. It has evolved into a necessary component to achieve personal and professional success.

As we move into 2025, businesses of all sizes – from emerging startups to established industry leaders – face the challenge of capturing and maintaining consumer attention in an era of endless distractions.

As someone who designs for startups, it’s clear that not everyone knows how to work with this group of founders. 

Let’s start with a question: How many people do you think it takes to run a top-tier social media account? One? Maybe two? Here’s a spoiler; it’s more. A lot more.