Top B2B Predictions for 2025: How Marketers Can Prepare

Recently we looked back on the data and services our clients wanted the most from us in 2024 – from B2B2C data for identity graphs to custom audience building for email acquisition and media activation campaigns. This week we’re looking ahead, taking a big-picture view of what’s in store for B2B marketers in 2025, with predictions from Gartner and Forrester, two leading research firms that our team follows closely. Here are our five top takeaways from their recent B2B marketing predictions, along with our recommendations for marketers:

1. Digital Self-Service Transactions: Forrester predicts that over half of large B2B transactions (valued at $1 million or more) will be conducted through digital self-service channels, such as vendor websites or marketplaces. This shift is driven by Millennials and Gen Z buyers who prefer digital interactions. Our message to marketers: Get your digital properties ready for the new era of younger buyers and modernize, update and expand your self-service content and the customer and buyer journeys it supports.
2. GenAI Adoption: Both firms highlight the growing integration of GenAI in marketing strategies. Gartner notes that by 2026, 80% of creative professionals will use GenAI daily, enhancing efficiency and creativity. Forrester emphasizes that B2B organizations will test GenAI's potential as a growth driver, preparing for both its benefits and challenges. Our message to marketers: Train your team on GenAI – not just once each year but on an ongoing basis, because what it can do and how you can best use it changes rapidly. Staying ahead of the curve is essential in today’s competitive landscape.
3. Evolving Buyer Preferences: Forrester observes that younger business buyers will continue to reshape the B2B landscape in 2025, necessitating adaptations in marketing and sales approaches to meet their digital-first expectations. Our message to marketers: Know your audience. Speak their language. Engage them on the channels they prefer. Younger buyers – and their propensity to blend their personal and professional lives -- is one of the reasons we launched our B2B2C file earlier this year. It provides both personal and professional attributes for your prospects, allowing you to gain more complete insights into their profiles for improved targeting and personalization.
4. Content Authenticity and Trust: Gartner anticipates that by 2026, 60% of CMOs will implement measures like content authenticity technologies and enhanced monitoring to protect their brands from misinformation and maintain trust. Our message to marketers: Trust is the most valuable currency for today’s brands. Invest in the training and technologies that not only protect the trust you’ve built but also enable you to grow it successfully. For our team, ensuring that our data is of the highest quality is essential for building and retaining customer trust. That’s one reason why all OMI contact data is backed by a 30-day 95% email data validity guarantee.
5. AI-Free Brand Positioning: Gartner states that by 2027, 20% of brands will differentiate themselves by emphasizing the absence of AI in their products and services, appealing to consumers seeking authenticity. It’s a trend to watch for sure. Our message to marketers: As your use of AI expands, don’t lose sight of the fact that the human connection will always matter. Finding the right balance will be key for brands as the AI journey continues.

These insights underscore the importance of digital transformation, AI aptitude and balance, and maintaining brand trust in the evolving B2B marketing landscape.

Check out our recent blog post on building customer trust and reach out to our team for guidance on scaling your reach and resonating with the right prospects in 2025.