Marketers are asking the same questions on repeat: “Which content marketing types really worked in 2025?" and "How do I know which ones will still matter in 2026?”
It’s no surprise. Content marketing is evolving faster than anyone expected. AI is changing how we create, short-form video is rewriting how audiences consume, and new communities are transforming how trust is built online.
In this article, we’ll unpack the different types of content marketing that actually blew up this year and show why they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
15 Popular Types of Content Marketing in 2025
1. AI-Driven Content Creation
According to one survey of 1,900 marketers, 40% of respondents say they’re experimenting with AI in their marketing strategies.
That shows how quickly artificial intelligence content went from novelty to necessity in modern marketing strategies.
Think about tools like StoryChief, Jasper, Writer, or even custom GPTs. They can help draft blog posts, generate ad copy variations, localize content across markets, and create scalable assets for social campaigns.
But as AI takes on more of the creative workload, AI security has become a growing concern. Brands are now investing in safeguards to protect proprietary data, prevent model misuse, and ensure compliance when integrating generative tools into their workflows. In 2025, marketers learned that responsible innovation isn’t just about creativity; it’s about protecting trust and maintaining data integrity.
Coca-Cola launched its “Create Real Magic” campaign using AI. It let fans generate branded artwork with AI tools, creating millions of shareable assets and positioning Coca-Cola as a forward-thinking brand.
Image source: Coca-Cola
2. Short-Form Video
Short-form videos saw triple-digit growth in visibility over two years. Their prominence in search results rose from 5% to 15%.
That means the TikTok-style format has moved from “social feed filler” to a serious distribution channel.
Brands are learning that 15 seconds is sometimes all you need to make a connection. And distribution options keep multiplying with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels battling TikTok for dominance.
Duolingo leaned into short-form content on TikTok with its irreverent owl mascot. Those clips went viral, generating millions of views and sparking organic conversations about language learning.
Image source: TechRadar
3. Interactive and Immersive Experiences
Static content isn’t enough anymore. Audiences expect to participate, not just consume. That’s why interactive content marketing types like quizzes, polls, augmented reality (AR) filters, and even virtual reality (demos) grew in 2025.
AR and VR content collect valuable first-party data while giving users a sense of ownership.
IKEA’s AR app lets shoppers “place” furniture in their own homes using their phone. This reduces purchase hesitations and drives conversions.
Image source: IKEA
In 2025, museums also embraced these content marketing types in innovative ways. The Utah Beach Museum in Normandy, for example, experimented with immersive storytelling experiences that combine digital archives, interactive exhibits, and multimedia content to bring D-Day history to life.
By curating survivor testimonies, historical imagery, and guided digital experiences, the museum engaged audiences in a personal and emotionally resonant way, showing that content marketing isn’t just for brands; institutions can use it to educate, inspire, and preserve stories for generations.
4. Community-Driven Content/User-Generated Content
User-generated content feels more authentic than traditional brand-created content.
Consumers trust their peers more than polished campaigns, and platforms like Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram have become breeding grounds for grassroots advocacy.
Smart brands amplify it.
GoPro built its entire marketing machine on UGC. Customer footage of skydiving, mountain biking, and surfing helped build a global lifestyle brand.
Image source: PR Newswire
5. ‘Visionary’ Content
In 2025, thought leadership shifted from “write a whitepaper” to “show us the future.” Visionary content is about planting a flag and telling your industry where it’s going next.
It works because decision-makers want more than solutions. They want a compass.
Tesla’s Master Plans are a form of visionary content. While they provide investor updates, they also frame the entire electric vehicle (EV) conversation, often years ahead of their competitors.
Image source: SlashGear
Free tool: Analyze your target audience, brand voice, content pillars and competitors. Try it now.
6. Ethical and Transparent Marketing
Audiences are paying closer attention to where information comes from, how it’s made, and whether it’s trustworthy. With AI flooding the internet, brands that disclose their use of AI, cite sources, and align with consumer values are winning.
Everlane built its reputation around “radical transparency,” breaking down factory costs and labor practices. This level of openness continues to resonate with audiences who want authenticity over spin.
Image source: Fair Trader Journal
7. Large Language Model (LLM) Optimization
Generative engine optimization (GEO) research found that proper optimization can increase visibility in AI responses by up to 40%.
As more people skip Google and head straight to ChatGPT or Perplexity for answers, being cited in AI responses matters as much as ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Thanks to its GEO-friendly content, NerdWallet consistently shows up in Perplexity finance queries because its content is structured, authoritative, and frequently updated. This is exactly what LLMs look for when pulling citations.
8. Psychological Content
Content that taps into psychology stood out in 2025. That includes storytelling, social proof, scarcity, or emotional resonance. It’s not new, but in a crowded landscape, psychology became the X-factor for engagement.
Apple’s product launches use psychological levers like scarcity (“limited availability”) and social proof (celebrity endorsements, early adopter hype) to create cultural moments around each release.
Image source: Geeky Gadgets
9. “Be the Source” Content
If you want LLMs, journalists, and other brands to cite you, you can’t just summarize existing knowledge. You have to create it. Proprietary research, surveys, and original data become a power move in 2025.
HubSpot’s annual State of Marketing report is endlessly cited by blogs, agencies, and even competitors. By publishing its own data, HubSpot positioned itself as the reference point for marketing trends.
Image source: HubSpot
10. Data-Driven Storytelling
Numbers alone don’t persuade, but weaving them into a narrative does. In 2025, brands leaned on analytics, customer insights, and visualization to craft stories that felt both credible and compelling.
Spotify Wrapped is the poster child for data-driven storytelling. It takes raw listening data and turns it into a shareable cultural event that reinforces brand loyalty every December.
Image source: Teen Vogue
11. E-Commerce Content Experiences
E-commerce is no longer limited to product grids and static descriptions. Shoppers want interactive and personalized experiences.
That’s why brands are embedding shoppable videos, multimodal content, and even AR and VR tools into their digital storefronts.
Adding this type of content directly into the buying process entertains, streamlines the decision-making process, and fosters confidence.
Features like AI-driven product suggestions and e-commerce features that allow customers to try before they buy are driving the future of online shopping.
Amazon integrates short video content and customer stories alongside product descriptions. Shoppers can watch real users demonstrate items, compare options, and make confident purchases without leaving the platform.
Image source: Amazon
12. Engaging B2B Content
Generating leads is only one piece of the B2B content marketing puzzle. They also need to establish authority and guide decision-makers through a complex buyer journey.
So, brands are expanding their formats, investing in email newsletters, customer stories, and video content that speaks directly to professional audiences.
Research for the Content Marketing Institute shows 92% of B2B Marketers publish short articles or blog posts, while 76% use video content, and 75% create case studies or customer stories. These types of content marketing continue to drive awareness and nurture trust across industries.
Salesforce produces in-depth blog posts, industry reports, and webinar recordings designed for enterprise buyers. Their content ecosystem addresses multiple stages of the decision-making process and consistently reinforces Salesforce’s position as an authority in cloud solutions.
Image source: Salesforce
13. Hyper-Personalized Content Experiences
Personalization went far beyond “Hi [First Name]” in 2025. Marketers leaned on AI, data analytics, and first-party data to create experiences that felt one-to-one. That means every email, landing page, or product recommendation looked different depending on the user's behavior and preferences behind it.
The move toward hyper-personalization is also fueled by the rise of privacy concerns and cookie deprecation. With third-party data fading, brands began investing heavily in their own customer insights to deliver content that builds loyalty.
Netflix has long been the master of personalization, but in 2025, e-commerce platforms like Shopify rolled out tools that allowed small retailers to deliver product suggestions based on browsing history and abandoned carts.
Image source: Shopify
14. Modular Content and Repurposing at Scale
Producing content from scratch every time became unsustainable. In 2025, more brands adopted content creation processes that treated every campaign as a modular system. Instead of publishing a blog and moving on, teams broke it into smaller components.
Examples include snackable social media content, short-form videos, email snippets, and interactive content.
This allows marketing teams to get more mileage out of every idea while staying consistent across social media platforms and channels.
Incorporating event video production into this mix helps brands repurpose live experiences into valuable assets for ongoing marketing and engagement.
Gartner’s Top Strategic Technology Trends report is a masterclass in modular content. The flagship long-form report is published annually, then repurposed into blog articles, LinkedIn infographics, webinar presentations, YouTube explainers, and short-form video content on social media.
By atomizing the report into multiple content types, Gartner remains top-of-mind in digital conversations throughout the year.
Image source: Gartner
15. Live and Ephemeral Content
Ephemeral content like Instagram Stories, YouTube Lives, and LinkedIn Live broadcasts surged in 2025 because they created urgency. This “watch it now or miss it” format gave audiences a sense of connection that polished long-form pieces sometimes lacked.
Nike ran a series of 24-hour-long Instagram Story drops for limited sneaker releases. Fans tuned in not only for the products but for the behind-the-scenes athlete features.
The temporary nature of the content fueled consumer expectations for exclusivity and drove engagement spikes during each drop.
Image source: Pinterest
Wrapping Up
2025 was a year of experimentation that set the tone for where marketing is heading. AI is streamlining content creation, short-form video continues to dominate feeds, and communities are steering conversions in ways brands can’t ignore.
The real challenge now is staying focused on your marketing goals while experimenting with different types of content marketing. It’s easy to get distracted by every new tool or format. The key is to publish with intention and build systems that scale.
StoryChief gives you the structure to do exactly that. It keeps your content organized and ready to distribute everywhere your audience is paying attention. Try StoryChief for free today.
