Spring Marketing Group 2025 year-in-review:

Ready for 2026? One thing is clear: B2B marketing teams are navigating one of the fastest-evolving landscapes we’ve ever seen. Across industries, leaders are being asked to do more with sharper focus –– integrating AI, responding to changing buyer expectations, and proving impact in increasingly complex environments. At Spring Marketing Group, we partner with brands across technology, healthcare AI, analytics, consulting, financial services, professional services, and emerging markets to build reputation, attract new clients, deepen relationships, and stand out in crowded categories.

Over the past year, clear patterns emerged in our strategy sessions, partner conversations, and client engagements. These trends directly influenced how clients prioritized investments, evolved their marketing strategies, and adapted to a B2B buying journey being reshaped in real time.

Below, we share our point of view on what mattered most in 2025 — and what leaders should be preparing for as they head into a wild and opportunistic 2026 when it comes to marketing.

AI evolved from shortcut to strategic lever 

AI’s presence in B2B marketing matured significantly this year. The conversation shifted away from “Can AI create content?” to “How do we create content that performs in AI-driven environments?” 

Several ideas surfaced across our internal conversations and client work:

• GEO (generative engine optimization) changes how people search
  AI Overviews and ChatGPT-driven search changed how buyers discover information. We focused on message clarity, consistent narratives, higher-quality content, foundational SEO practices, and selective PR efforts, knowing that these elements support discoverability in both traditional and AI-driven search.
  
  

• Structured content rose in importance
  Studies showed that generative tools often favor structured, scannable formatting, such as tables, frameworks, summaries, and FAQs. We began incorporating more structured elements into our own content and recommended similar approaches to clients where appropriate.
  
  

• Content repurposing turned scalable
  We explored and adopted tools that break long-form content into multiple assets, helping teams deliver more without increasing workload. In many cases, these tools created meaningful efficiencies. But human oversight remained essential for voice, accuracy, and nuance.
  
  

• AI governance became a must-have
  We spent time discussing how to use AI responsibly and transparently in client work, balancing speed with trust, and ensuring everything we deliver reflects the quality and accuracy clients expect from Spring Marketing Group.
  
  

Mindshare remains a critical metric

This year reinforced a core truth: B2B buyers gravitate toward brands they think of first.

Across industries, we saw a shift toward programs that build sustained mindshare through thought leadership, PR, consistent content, and clear brand messaging. In many cases, these initiatives made a measurable impact; in others, clients had the intention and strategy but limited resources to fully execute.

Even when not every tactic could be activated, the emphasis was clear: mindshare is earned through clarity, consistency, and repetition.

The dark funnel made thought leadership even more critical

Buyers are increasingly researching in places that can’t be tracked via Google Analytics, including private groups, communities, analyst reports, AI tools, and peer recommendations.

Because of this shift, attribution became less linear and content quality mattered more.

While we supported clients on a range of thought leadership efforts (from blogs to bylines to industry narratives) not every client was able to execute a full program. Budget, time, internal bandwidth, and competing priorities shaped what was realistic.

Still, the trend was unmistakable: trusted content influences buying decisions long before a prospect fills out a form.

Personalization needed to balance privacy and practicality

Hyper-personalization technologies advanced this year, but regulatory pressures and buyer expectations forced marketers to rethink what personalization should look like.

Our POV (and what we encouraged with clients) focused on segmenting only where it creates meaningful value, being transparent about data use, and prioritizing high-quality, broad-appeal thought leadership.

Some clients embraced advanced segmentation. Others paused personalization efforts in favor of stronger brand and content foundations.

Video continued its rise

Short, engaging video content became one of the fastest-growing formats on LinkedIn and YouTube. We supported several clients in experimenting with video, ranging from animated explainers to executive POV clips. For other clients, video remained an aspiration but not a budgeted priority.

Across the board, the direction of the market is clear: video is no longer optional in B2B.

Websites remained critical as the virtual front door

Even with AI reshaping how buyers search and gather information, websites remained the center of the brand experience—the place where positioning, credibility, and storytelling all come together.

We partnered with clients on website updates ranging from full redesigns to light refreshes, helping strengthen their message, structure content, and improve UX. In many cases, clients wanted deeper overhauls but prioritized elements that fit within timelines or budgets.

Regardless of scope, one theme held steady: your website has to keep pace with your business, your buyers, and your message.

Human expertise became more valuable, not less

As AI accelerated content production, clients relied even more on experts who could connect dots, shape narratives, and provide strategic clarity.

Human insight became a differentiator in message development, brand positioning, analyst relations, executive communications, and ethical decision-making.

AI can accelerate the “how.” Humans still define the “why.”

How we showed up for clients this year

Across our programs—strategy, Springboard sprints, websites, PR, thought leadership, social, awards, and content—we helped clients move their brands forward in meaningful ways.

At the same time, we recognize that not every program could be executed at full depth. Budgets, timing, internal changes, emerging priorities, and marketplace shifts influenced what was possible for each client.

Even so, the progress we saw was significant. Clients strengthened their messages, launched refreshed digital experiences, increased brand visibility, earned credibility through awards and PR, and expanded their thought leadership presence.

Our outlook for 2026

Looking ahead, we anticipate several forces shaping the year:

• GEO and AI-enhanced search becoming standard

• Video continues to grow as a content format for B2B engagement

• Websites being adapted to support AI consumption

• Buyers relying more on communities and private channels

• Analyst, media, and award visibility increasing in importance

• Category ownership outshining keyword tactics

• Human judgment remaining a strategic differentiator

A final note from the Spring Marketing Group team

2025 challenged teams to adapt quickly, test new tools, refine processes, and make tradeoffs between ambition and capacity. Yet through all the change, one foundational truth remained clear:

Strong marketing comes from clarity, consistency, and human-centered storytelling—supported, not replaced, by AI.

To our clients, collaborators, and extended team: thank you for an impactful year. We’re ready for what’s next—and excited to help you make 2026 your strongest marketing year yet.