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Future Trends in Digital Marketing You Need to Know

  • Writer: Mike Percy
    Mike Percy
  • May 7
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 30

What’s Next in Digital Marketing—and How Brisbane Businesses Can Stay Ahead


Digital marketing never sits still. For Brisbane businesses looking to stay competitive in an increasingly noisy and fast-changing environment, keeping up isn’t enough, you need to be on the front foot.

From rapid tech innovation to shifting customer expectations, the landscape is always changing. But with that change comes enormous opportunity, if you know where to look and how to act.

At Substrate Media, we don't just track trends. We decode them, test them, and translate them into practical strategy and execution that drives results.

Here’s our view of where digital marketing is heading, and how you can adapt in a way that’s commercially smart and strategically sound.


1. AI Is Reshaping The Rules Of Marketing

AI Is Reshaping the Rules of Marketing

AI is no longer on the horizon, it’s here, shaping the tools and tactics businesses use every day. Applied properly, it gives marketers a powerful edge: faster insights, better targeting, and more time for strategy. It’s behind smarter product recommendations, automated content creation, and campaign optimisation.

We’ve moved beyond the novelty phase and there’s real value to be found if you apply it with real commercial thinking. AI allows your team to spend less time on grunt work and more on big-picture thinking. But like any tool, it’s only as good as the intent behind it. Start with the commercial outcome, then use AI to make reaching it more efficient.


2. Social Commerce Is Redefining Sales Funnels

Social Commerce Is Redefining Sales Funnels

Social platforms have become full-funnel channels. Where once they were used purely for awareness or community building, now they are responsible for product discovery, engagement, and direct purchase. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have closed the gap between interest and transaction.

If your social content doesn’t move people toward conversion, it’s underperforming. Your feed should now function as a storefront, complete with pricing, social proof, and seamless buying options. Attention may still be the hardest thing to earn, but it’s what you do with it that drives growth.


3. Voice & Visual Search Are Disrupting Discoverability

Voice & Visual Search

As consumers shift the way they search (using voice queries and images) search strategy must adapt. Content needs to reflect natural language and be optimised not just for traditional SEO, but for conversational queries and image recognition.

This has real implications. Clear, descriptive alt text and well-structured content aren’t technical nice-to-have, they’re visibility levers. Businesses that build content for the way people actually search will be the ones getting found.


4. Video and Live Content Are Building Real-Time Connections

Video and Live Content

Video continues to dominate in engagement and effectiveness. It’s no longer just an awareness tool; it drives action across the funnel. Whether it’s a 30-second tip, a behind-the-scenes reel, or a livestream Q&A, video delivers scale without sacrificing authenticity.

Audiences want to see who they’re buying from. And they want content that’s not overly polished, but real and relevant. Consistent, low-lift video, especially short-form and mobile-first, can outperform high-production content when it’s grounded in utility and storytelling.


5. Data Privacy Is Moving From Risk to Brand Differentiator

Digital Marketing

With growing regulation and heightened consumer awareness, data privacy continues to be a critical consideration. And no, marketers cannot leave the responsibility to legal teams. Transparency is no longer a regulatory box to tick, it’s a competitive advantage.

Clear data policies, easy opt-outs, and respectful data use all send a message: we care about your experience and we’ll protect your information. That trust translates into stronger customer relationships, higher retention, and more referrals.


6. AR and VR Are Creating New Layers of Experience

AR and VR

Augmented and virtual reality are opening up ways to engage audiences in immersive, memorable experiences. From "try before you buy" features to virtual property tours, these technologies aren’t just exciting and novel, they’re useful. We’ve travelled through the initial hype phase of these technologies and in the coming years we will see them used in more practical, commercial contexts.

For example, when customers can visualise a product in their own space or walk through a digital simulation, their purchase confidence increases. That means fewer returns, stronger conversion rates, and a more interactive brand experience.

What once felt futuristic is now surprisingly accessible. You don’t need a tech lab, just a willingness to explore tools that offer real utility.


7. Consumers Are Backing Brands With Principles

Consumers

Today’s customers are choosing brands that reflect their values. Sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical sourcing have shifted from side notes to decision drivers.

But alignment must be authentic and woven into the whole brand experience. Token efforts or overt virtue signaling do more harm than good. Your messaging should reflect how you operate behind the scene, not just what you say in campaigns.

When done right, values-based marketing strengthens loyalty, builds community, and sets your brand apart in an increasingly values-conscious market.


8. Personalisation Has Moved From Optional to Expected


The modern customer expects a tailored experience. Whether it’s product recommendations, curated content, or personalised follow-up emails, relevance drives response.

The tech is there, what matters is the thoughtfulness behind how it’s applied. Good personalisation feels intuitive, helpful, and respectful. It shows you understand your customer and value their time.

When done well, it creates a feedback loop of engagement: better insights, more relevant offers, and stronger long-term loyalty.


9. Mobile-First Isn’t a Trend, It’s the Front Door

Mobile-First

Most digital engagement happens on mobile. If your experience breaks down on a phone (think slow load times, unclickable buttons, text that doesn’t scale) you’re losing customers before they’ve even started.

Mobile isn’t just a smaller screen. It’s a different context. Navigation, content hierarchy, and calls-to-action all need to be designed with that reality in mind. If it doesn’t work on mobile, it doesn’t work.


10. Influencer Marketing Is Getting Smaller and Smarter

Influencer Marketing

The shift to micro and niche influencers is driving more meaningful engagement. Why? Because their audiences are more specific, more loyal, and more trusting.

Brands that build genuine relationships with creators (based on shared values and mutual benefit) are seeing stronger ROI than those still chasing big names with low relevance.

It’s no longer about reach at all costs. It’s about the right message delivered by the right person to the right audience.


How Substrate Media Helps You Move With the Market


These trends don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re signals. And the businesses that act on them early while keeping their strategy grounded in real business objective, are the ones that outperform.

At Substrate, we help you:


  • Spot the patterns that matter

  • Build strategy that’s market-aligned

  • Avoid over investing in immature trends

  • Execute at pace with measurable outcomes


From AI to mobile UX, social commerce to personalisation, we cut through the noise and get to work on what moves the needle.


Acting Now to Stay Ahead Later


Staying relevant in digital isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about understanding which shifts are reshaping your particular category, and responding in a way that builds lasting competitive advantage.

If you’re ready to get future-fit, let’s talk.

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