Content marketing has long gone beyond ordinary publications on social networks. In 2025, the emphasis was on quality, technology and live communication with the audience. Semrush is an online service that helps businesses and marketers better understand their market. Therefore, the following will be insights based on their research: which trends this year are worth remembering in order to be “on the horse” in 2026.
Content that really helps
Your audience wants specifics, not banalities. Semantics are changing, and Google prefers clear answers. Semrush advises adding interviews with professionals, real cases and simple answers to difficult questions from the audience. People appreciate content that covers their problems.
People behind the brand
It’s cool when you can see that real people are behind the brand. Every content manager, marketer or specialist can become a kind of brand ambassador. If the team talks about work, cases, and even mistakes, it inspires trust.
Motivate employees to share useful content on their social networks, shoot for brand media videos, or simply provide “live feedback” – the effect will be pleasantly surprising. This approach inspires trust and makes the brand more human and understandable.
AI: a partner, not a replacement
Artificial intelligence greatly simplifies content creation (whether texts or visuals). At the same time, content marketing is not just the use of AI, but a skillful combination of technology and human knowledge.
For example, Semrush Content Toolkit AI offers to create a structure and content based on entered data, where the content manager can edit and enhance it with unique ideas. Because if you simply publish unedited AI content, there is a risk of losing authority and violating the brand’s voice.
A study by the Content Marketing Institute shows that approximately 89% of marketers are already using AI tools in their work, with the most popular areas being idea generation, writing drafts, and optimizing content. But the most important thing is not to forget that it is people who edit and add uniqueness.
Optimization for new search algorithms
In 2025, it will become important for content marketing to be able to optimize content with long-tail and thematic keywords that have natural language.
Semrush advises actively using tools to search for such keywords and updating content to be in the focus of the new algorithm. That is, to remain visible, you need to write naturally, focus on long-tail keywords and real user problems. This will make content more relevant and useful.
Video: short and bright
89% of companies use video as a marketing tool. Content marketing is no longer possible without high-quality videos, especially short ones – up to 60 seconds, which hold attention and have the highest engagement rates. Here are some generalizations about the topics of videos used by international companies:
For example, Wyzowl published a study that videos up to a minute long have an average engagement level of 50%, while long videos are watched by only 16% of viewers. Because short formats up to 1 minute are easy to “consume on the go”. Therefore, you need to focus on strong, bright beginnings and relevant topics. This is confirmed by the love of users for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok.
Content from users
There is no better advertising than sincere reviews and photos from customers. But there is a difference between ordinary photo or video reviews and the user-generated content (UGC) that we are used to. They both increase trust and attract new customers, but the concept of UGC in Ukraine and abroad is slightly different.
In any case, Semrush emphasizes that UGC is an invaluable resource that cannot be ignored. User-generated content generates 50% higher engagement than content created by the brand itself. It shows 8.7 times better results in attracting an audience
What does a content manager do in 2025?
Content marketing is a systematic work: from developing a content plan to its implementation and analyzing the results. It is important to understand that the work of a content manager is not only about creating texts, but also about strategy, monitoring and improvement. It is he who coordinates the work that ensures the result and effectiveness of content marketing services, the price of which on the market depends on the complexity and volume of work.
A quick checklist of where to start
Conclusion
Content marketing 2025 is about real benefits, technology and live communication. Trends are good, but the basis remains this:
Considering general “mood” in marketing and your niche, we believe that you will be able to bring your content to the top level!