2025 mobile marketing predictions

The mobile landscape is constantly evolving, and you need to stay ahead of the curve to reach your target audience effectively. With 2025 just around the corner, let’s dive into some exciting predictions for the future of mobile marketing. 

Multimedia messaging services (MMS) on the rise

MMS is gaining popularity as it offers a more engaging and dynamic channel for brands to connect with their audience, surpassing the limitations of plain text SMS. 

Consider receiving a captivating MMS message featuring a product demo or a personalized birthday offer with a playful GIF showcasing a new clothing line. 

MMS opens up exciting possibilities for interactive campaigns that deliver bite-sized content, capturing attention and encouraging user engagement. MMS allows you to convey your message in a more visually appealing and interactive way, resulting in a higher likelihood of customer engagement and interaction.

For example, brands like Track Optics are using MMS to re-engage customers. The brand successfully used Dotdigital’s MMS capabilities to send visual campaigns across Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas 2023.

Augmented reality (AR) revolutionizes shopping

Augmented reality is no longer a novelty; it’s a powerful mobile marketing tool poised to revolutionize the shopping experience. AR allows users to seamlessly interact with digital content in the real world through smartphones.

Imagine virtually trying on clothes before purchasing, eliminating the hassle of fitting rooms. Picture visualizing furniture placement in your living room to ensure that the perfect couch complements your décor.

One brand that tapped into the potential of AR ‘try-ons’ is the luxury fashion house, Christian Dior. The brand created an interactive campaign to advertise its Dior Addict Lipstick over Eid 2023, a time during which – according to internal data by Google – searches for beauty products and inspiration increased by 35%.

The ad would load a panel that displayed different lipstick shades on models of various skin tones, before inviting the user to ‘try it on’ using their smartphone camera’s selfie mode. The video ads were also shoppable, with a ‘shop now’ call-to-action taking the viewer straight to the Dior website to buy the product.

The video era continues

Video is undeniably popular and continues to dominate social media. Short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have become incredibly influential, and this trend is expected to continue into 2025.

Marketers aiming to make an impact in this competitive space will need to adjust their strategies. We anticipate a rise in short video ads that immediately capture attention, educational content that simplifies complex topics in an engaging format, and user-generated video challenges that foster brand participation and community building.

The key is to create easily consumable video content that evokes emotion, sparks discussions, and seamlessly fits the platform’s format and audience preferences.

Social commerce booms

Social commerce isn’t just booming, it’s changing how we shop. Forget siloed websites and impersonal apps – social commerce seamlessly blends shopping into the social experience we already love, right on our phones.

Imagine discovering a gorgeous pair of shoes on Instagram, clicking the link, and buying them within seconds, all without leaving the app. That’s the power of social commerce. It’s projected to be a trillion-dollar industry by 2028, fueled by our constant mobile connection. As mobile marketers, ignoring this trend would be a missed opportunity.

Zara is using social commerce in its mobile marketing strategy by allowing users to directly purchase clothing through TikTok shop. The fashion retailer offers a curated selection from its women’s, kids’, and menswear ranges on TikTok. Items are available in various sizes and additional images can be viewed by scrolling down on the listing page.

Authentic user-generated content (UGC)

Forget perfectly polished ads – the future of mobile marketing is all about authenticity. UGC isn’t just photos and reviews anymore. It’s creative videos showcasing product uses, funny memes, and stories about how your brand impacts people’s lives. In 2025, this authentic voice will be even more powerful.

Why? Because consumers crave connection and trust. They see through traditional marketing tactics and connect more with genuine experiences shared by their peers.

Smart brands are capitalizing on this by using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to run engaging UGC campaigns.

Think contests that encourage users to share their creations, or product challenges that spark user-made tutorials. This fosters a sense of community and builds trust, ultimately leading to loyal brand advocates.

Take Crocs, for example. They’ve ditched the staged photos and embraced #MyCrocsEra – a hashtag encouraging customers to showcase their unique Crocs styles. It’s a win-win: Crocs gets free, authentic marketing, and customers feel part of a vibrant community. Crocs also works with UGC creator platforms to generate cost-efficient UGC on demand.

App personalization reigns supreme

Imagine this: You open your fitness app and see a personalized workout plan based on your recent activity and goals. Or, you open your news app and find a curated feed of articles tailored to your interests. This is the future of mobile apps – experiences that feel designed just for you.

By 2025, generic apps will struggle to compete. Customers will crave personalization that goes beyond simple product recommendations. They expect apps to understand their behavior, location, and in-app activity to deliver relevant content, features, and promotions.

Personalized ads will become the norm, ditching the generic retargeting that bombards users today. Imagine seeing ads for items you genuinely might be interested in, based on your past purchases and app behavior. This creates a more positive user experience and leads to higher engagement and conversions.

Location data becomes a powerful tool for personalization. Picture strolling past your favorite coffee shop and receiving a notification for a special offer. This location-based personalization makes apps more relevant and keeps users coming back for the tailored experiences they crave.

So, how can you make this a reality? You can utilize hyper-personalization features to incorporate dynamic content into your mobile apps. This allows you to create unique and tailored experiences for each user directly on their mobile devices.

Targeted in-game marketing

Mobile games have become more than just a form of entertainment. What’s interesting is that the appeal of mobile games goes beyond the gameplay itself. These platforms are turning into vibrant social centers where players connect, chat, compete, and build lasting friendships.

Statista predicts that the number of mobile gaming users will reach 1.9 billion by 2027, creating a huge audience for brands to interact with. This allows brands to use mobile games for marketing.

By 2025, we can expect to see more focus on targeted in-game marketing. Mobile games provide a unique advertising environment. Unlike traditional ads that can disrupt the user experience, in-game marketing can be seamlessly integrated into the gameplay itself.

Industry giants such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are actively exploring mobile gaming as a marketing channel. In 2021, both companies partnered with the popular mobile game “Honor of Kings” in China. McDonald’s integrated its restaurants into the game environment, allowing players to participate in virtual quests that involved visiting physical McDonald’s locations.

On the other hand, Coca-Cola launched a co-branded virtual avatar skin within the game, allowing players to customize their characters with Coca-Cola-themed clothing. This campaign not only offered a unique and engaging way to promote the brands within mobile gaming, but it also highlighted the creative possibilities of targeted in-game marketing.

Conversational AI takes hold

The future of mobile marketing is all about conversation. Gone are the days of static websites and impersonal interactions. Instead, imagine a world where your favorite brands chat with you directly on your phone. That’s the power of conversational AI, and chatbots are leading the charge.

These chatbots are becoming more advanced, enabling brands to connect with customers on a deeper level. Think of a virtual assistant living inside your favorite shopping app, ready to answer your questions 24/7. Track your order? Done. Need personalized product recommendations? No problem – the AI can analyze your browsing history and suggest items you’ll love.

Amazon Alexa is a prime example of a conversational AI. This AI voice assistant is seamlessly integrated across platforms, including mobile devices. Customers can use Alexa to search for products, place orders, and even receive personalized recommendations based on their past behavior. It’s a frictionless, interactive shopping experience that builds customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The future of mobile marketing

By embracing these mobile marketing trends, you can create engaging experiences, reach your target audience effectively, and ultimately achieve your marketing goals. The future of mobile marketing is constantly evolving, and we’re excited to see what innovations emerge in the years to come.