EMARKETER clients’ top 10 topics of 2025: From AI to YouTube

The trends: Across 2025, marketers searched for clarity amid inflation pressures, artificial intelligence acceleration, platform volatility, and rapid shifts in consumer behavior. Clients increasingly relied on our coverage to explain where attention is moving, how commerce is changing, and which technologies are reshaping advertising outcomes. Below are EMARKETER clients’ 10 most-searched topics of the year and the developments that made each one essential reading. #10 Social commerce What fueled interest: Shoppers blended discovery and checkout more fluidly across TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, and creator-led storefronts, raising expectations for frictionless product paths. Key developments: TikTok Shop celebrated its second anniversary , then followed that up with its $19 billion in Q3 that put it within striking distance of eBay. Its US sales topped $500 million between Black Friday and Cyber Monday . TikTok accelerated AI-powered commerce tools, including Smart+, GMV Max reporting, and integrations that turn user-generated videos into shoppable ads. Pinterest partnered with Walmart for a shoppable recipe pilot . Later and Mavely drove more than $2.4 billion in annualized GMV as affiliate and link-in-bio ecosystems matured into full performance channels. #9 Social media What fueled interest: Platforms refined feeds around AI curation, remix culture, and short-form video as younger users
Read More