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7 Digital Media Trends Set To Take Over in 2025
💸 How to grow and monetize your online audience
Kyle Scott
January 06, 2025
The media landscape changed DRAMATICALLY in 2024.
But that was nothing compared to what's coming this year.
Here are my 7 digital media trends set to take over in 2025:
In the email today:
#1 The Resurgence of Local Media 📰
Decades of awful business decisions and overhead (printing) costs destroyed local newspapers.
But local media is getting rebuilt with digital-first outlets making direct-connections with their audiences through newsletters and events.
Best to do it? Michael Kauffman with Catskill Crew is one of my favorites.
Listen to my recent podcast with him here:
#2 AI Search Optimization (AI SEO or LLMEO) 🤖
Search results are getting eaten by AI chatbots. But someone needs to feed the AI.
Media companies and businesses alike will begin to think about how to output data (not just content) that feeds a chatbot or AI voice assistant.
Best to do it? I would look at Profound.
I put together a thread on some early best practices:
Most people think SEO is dead thanks to AI.
But that's the wrong way of looking at it. ❌
As someone who used to oversee $40M in annual SEO-dependent affiliate revenue, here's what I think every creator, marketer and business owner should be doing RIGHT NOW to adapt.
🧵 x.com/i/web/status/1…
— Kyle Scott Laskowski (@KyleScottL)
6:26 PM • Dec 30, 2024
#3 Online Communities Take Off 👥
In a world where AI generates and curates so much content, human connection will be at a premium.
Communities capitalize on a larger media trend (hyper-specific niches) and offer AI-proof connection to like-minded people.
Best to do it? I like Circle, but don't sleep on social platforms like X and LinkedIn building more robust community features.
TikTok Shops, Whatnot, and Amazon Live will lead the way as brands sell directly where the attention is.
Why send customers to a website when they can buy with one swipe of the thumb on social?
Best to do it? I'm obsessed with what Cole Schaefer and Brian Waddick have done with Smackin’ Seeds -- they built a brand by giving sunflower seeds to Major Leaguers on TikTok.
They just opened a 50,000 square-foot warehouse and achieved 1,000% growth in 2024.
#5 Prediction Markets Quantify The News 📈
Prediction markets went mainstream in the run-up to the election, and they'll grow rapidly in 2025, especially if Robinhood enters the game.
Prediction market data will rapidly find its way into news stories as a way to check lazy narratives.
Best to do it? Kalshi. They paved the way for regulated prediction markets by winning court cases, and feel like the DraftKings of the space.
#6 Beehiiv Becomes The Shopify of Content 🐝
Just like Shopify has become the centralized platform on top of which retail experiences are built, Beehiiv will do this for owned audiences.
They've started by becoming the best content newsletter platform.
They are about to launch an extremely beefed up web editor (on the heels of their acquisition of Typedream):
And I suspect they'll rapidly evolve into messaging and communities, giving creators a one-stop-shop to own, engage and monetize their audience.
I put together a whole thread on this:
I feel like @beehiiv is having its 2016 Shopify moment, and that we're at an inflection point for digital media.
Rented audience -> owned audience
What do I mean by that?
🧵 x.com/i/web/status/1…
— Kyle Scott Laskowski (@KyleScottL)
1:25 AM • Dec 7, 2024
#7 Businesses Acquire Audiences 💸
In 2024, businesses got smarter about owning the relationship with their customers through content.
Many creators and newsletter operators who are having a hard time monetizing their content will sell to brands looking to better engage customers.
The biggest opportunities? Targeted B2B newsletters, and influencers on platforms with social shopping features.
The best to do it? I like what Robinhood has done with Sherwood News (though I hate the design).
Do you feel like I missed a major trend? Disagree with any of these? NAIL IT 🎯?
Reply and let me know!
Subscribe to my podcast, Monetize Media:
Be sure to follow me on X (@KyleScottL) and LinkedIn.
Which trend are you most interested in?Choose one: |
My background:
15+ years experience in digital media
Founded CrossingBroad.com → sold to XLMedia in 2020 as one of the largest US sports betting affiliates
SVP, North America Sports, XLMedia 2020-2022: oversaw $40M annual SEO affiliate business
Now:
Local Newsletters: Founded WalkingTheBoards.com (18k subscribers)
President, Access Media: 15 hyperlocal news websites and newsletters throughout Philly area and South Jersey + sports site OnPattison.com
Owner, Tip News: Tip.News Unbiased daily news newsletter (50k subscribers)
Affiliate Consulting: Help publishers monetize through affiliate marketing
Just hit reply to chat!