In partnership with
Find your customers on Roku this Black Friday
As with any digital ad campaign, the important thing is to reach streaming audiences who will convert. To that end, Roku’s self-service Ads Manager stands ready with powerful segmentation and targeting options. After all, you know your customers, and we know our streaming audience.
Worried it’s too late to spin up new Black Friday creative? With Roku Ads Manager, you can easily import and augment existing creative assets from your social channels. We also have AI-assisted upscaling, so every ad is primed for CTV.
Once you’ve done this, then you can easily set up A/B tests to flight different creative variants and Black Friday offers. If you’re a Shopify brand, you can even run shoppable ads directly on-screen so viewers can purchase with just a click of their Roku remote.
Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.
If your digital marketing results are dropping — even though you’re “doing everything right” — this might sting a bit.
Because chances are… you’re still following tactics that used to work — but don’t anymore.
The digital landscape in 2025 has shifted faster than most people realize. Algorithms evolved. Buyer psychology matured. Attention spans shrank.
So today, I’ll expose 5 outdated marketing tactics quietly choking your reach, and what you should do instead to stay relevant — and profitable.
1. Posting Daily Just to Stay “Active”
There was a time when volume was everything.
The more you posted, the more visibility you got.
Not anymore.
What’s changed:
In 2025, social algorithms don’t reward quantity — they reward engagement depth. Posting daily without meaningful interaction signals spam behavior. Your content gets buried.
Modern replacement:
👉 Focus on signal-rich content, not frequency.
One powerful, story-driven post that gets people to comment or share beats 7 low-effort posts every week.
Use storytelling, personal insights, or behind-the-scenes lessons. Quality builds authority.
2. Chasing Viral Hashtags
Remember when adding 30 hashtags could boost your reach overnight?
Now, it does the opposite.
What’s changed:
Platform algorithms (especially on Instagram and TikTok) now detect hashtag stuffing as low-quality behavior. It dilutes your authority score.
Modern replacement:
👉 Use contextual hashtags (3–5 max) that are hyper-relevant to your niche or audience intent.
Better yet, rely on SEO-optimized captions and keywords in your visuals or subtitles — that’s how algorithms understand your content now.
3. Using Clickbait Titles to Drive Traffic
“Number 3 Will Blow Your Mind!”
“Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know!”
Sound familiar?
It might still get clicks — but it kills trust.
What’s changed:
People are now immune to clickbait. They crave authenticity. Search and social algorithms also track bounce rate and retention time. If people click and leave, your future reach tanks.
Modern replacement:
👉 Replace hype with curiosity + clarity.
Example: Instead of “The Secret to Explosive Traffic,” say:
“Why Most Businesses Lose 80% of Their Traffic (and the Simple Fix).”
Real curiosity. Real value.
4. Focusing Only on Paid Ads
Many marketers are still addicted to paid reach.
But in 2025, ad fatigue is real. CPMs have doubled, targeting is stricter, and audiences scroll right past ads.
What’s changed:
Relying on ads alone is a dangerous game. Without organic depth, you’re renting attention — not owning it.
Modern replacement:
👉 Build a hybrid strategy:
Paid ads to capture attention
Email newsletters or communities to build loyalty
Retargeting based on engagement, not just traffic
Example: Instead of spending $1,000 boosting every new product, spend $300 to bring people into your newsletter — and nurture them with real content that builds trust.
5. Ignoring AI & Automation Tools
This one’s ironic.
Some marketers still treat AI as a gimmick. They say things like, “I prefer to do everything manually.”
But the truth? In 2025, manual means slow — and slow means invisible.
What’s changed:
AI-driven personalization, audience segmentation, and predictive analytics now power the biggest marketing wins. Ignoring them means wasting time and missing opportunities.
Modern replacement:
👉 Use AI as your assistant, not your crutch.
Let it:
Analyze your audience behavior
Draft outlines (you humanize them)
Automate repetitive tasks like scheduling or analytics reporting
That way, you stay creative — while AI handles the grunt work.
The Harsh Truth
The internet doesn’t reward hard work anymore.
It rewards smart adaptation.
Doing “more of what used to work” is like pressing harder on the gas when you’re in neutral — lots of noise, no movement.
The marketers who win in 2025 are the ones who evolve faster than the algorithm.
So, do an audit today.
Look at your content calendar, ad strategy, and engagement numbers.
Ask yourself honestly:
“Am I still playing the 2020 game in a 2025 world?”
Quick Recap
❌ Outdated Tactic | ✅ Modern Replacement |
Posting daily just to stay active | Quality storytelling with real engagement |
Stuffing 30 hashtags | 3–5 contextual, SEO-rich keywords |
Clickbait titles | Curiosity + clarity |
Relying only on paid ads | Hybrid organic + paid ecosystem |
Ignoring AI tools | Smart automation & personalization |
Final Takeaway
Digital marketing has always been about one thing — attention.
And attention follows evolution.
Don’t hold onto outdated tricks hoping they’ll suddenly start working again. They won’t.
Instead, focus on depth, relevance, and trust. That’s what scales now.
And if you want to stay ahead of these changes — not chase them — keep reading this newsletter.
Every week, I break down what’s actually working right now in the online business world.
Because in 2025, the ones who adapt early… don’t just survive — they dominate.
🔥 Bonus Insight for Subscribers:
Next week’s issue — “The 3 Hidden Growth Systems Top Online Entrepreneurs Use to Multiply Revenue Without Ads.”
You’ll want to read that one.
