AI will continue to dominate, social media will take over from search, community will be a priority… the internet is awash with marketing predictions for 2025.
But what can we expect to see in the language world?
Here are my predictions.
1. Messaging will be key to standing out
2024 has seen an explosion in the number of AI chatbots breaking into the language market. And while they’re unlikely to replace teachers and schools, they will change the marketing landscape.
As these brands position themselves as cheaper, faster and ‘less intimidating’ ways to get fluent, it will become more important than ever to differentiate your services.
In other words? It’s time to move away from generic marketing slogans like ‘achieve fluency’ or ‘boost your confidence.’
The robots are adopting these weak promises now. We humans can do better!
How to prepare:
- Get to know your ideal students’ needs
- Highlight the benefits of learning with you
- Avoid buzzwords and generic phrases
2. Authenticity will matter more than ever
While AI tools are convenient, they lack what many students value most—authentic human connection.
According to research by Social Media Today, 86% of people consider authenticity an important factor in deciding which companies to buy from. This gives you a huge advantage.
By bringing your unique expertise, experiences, stories and insights into your marketing, you can connect with students in a way these faceless tech platforms simply can’t.
How to prepare:
- Share personal stories, insights and experiences
- Give your opinion on trends and hot topics
- Develop a clear, recognisable brand personality
3. Native speaker marketing will lose influence
This year, I’ve noticed a big rise in the number of schools and teachers wanting to distance themselves from the native speaker narrative.
Although we’ve still got a long way to go, this marks a promising step forward. I expect we’ll see this trend continue to grow throughout 2025 as brands become more aware of the damaging effects of idolising certain groups based on an accent, nationality or ethnicity.
How to prepare:
- Get crystal clear on your values and positioning
- Review your copy for potentially harmful phrases
- Find out why your students are learning the language
4. Brands will need to share more than language content
Posting language tips on social media used to be the go-to growth strategy for schools and teachers. But as competition grows fiercer and information becomes more easily accessible, brands will need to work harder to stand out.
In other words, it’s no longer enough to post the same kind of content your competitors could share. You need to use your unique insights to create a strategic content plan that guides your ideal students along student journey.
How to prepare:
- Do your market & competitor research
- Make sure your content speaks to a specific audience
- Experiment with new trends, share personal insights and have fun with it
5. Email marketing will outperform social media
Email marketing has been having a moment for a few years now, and it’s not going anywhere fast.
But email is still a relatively underutilised channel in the language world. Very few companies have established proper strategies, let alone created email funnels. This creates an exciting opportunity for forward-thinking businesses. Because unlike social media, email offers a direct line to your most engaged audience. One where you’re not competing for their attention.
I’ve worked with a record number of clients on their email marketing strategies this year. Almost all of them have since seen an increase in sales through email compared to social media. Even those with audience sizes of over 100,000.
If you haven’t already started an email list, 2025 is the time to start.
How to prepare:
- Develop an email marketing strategy
- Plan out your email content for a few months
- Create a lead magnet to incentive people to join
Need support with creating an email marketing strategy? Ask me about my done-for-you copywriting services or check out this Email Marketing Toolkit to DIY.
6. Video content will gain traction
Much to this introvert’s dismay, video marketing is set to become even more important in 2025.
According to Hubspot, 89% of consumers want to see more video content from brands. As such, it’s becoming one of the most effective ways to build the know, like, trust factor with your audience.
Very few language businesses invest time and money into producing high-quality video, which gives you a great opportunity to stand out.
If you’re considering making video part of your marketing strategy for 2025, I recommend following Media Producer, Laura Wilkes, from Communicating for Impact for advice.
How to prepare:
- Consider how video can elevate your strategy
- Set your goals and recording frequency
- Learn how to record and edit
7. Outcome-focused marketing is the way forward
As business coach, Ola Kowalska, points out, students don’t want to spend months studying to reach their language goals anymore. They want to make maximum progress in minimal time.
That means it’s no longer enough to simply promote a ‘B1 English course’. Your marketing needs to be centred around exciting, real-life results—like getting a promotion or exploring the world. The more tangible and desirable the outcome, the easier it will be to stand out.
If your courses are currently built around the CEFR (or HSK) scale, think about how you can make it more specific. What do your ideal students really want? Answering this question will make writing copy a lot easier.
How to prepare:
- Create courses that have clear, tangible outcomes
- Highlight the tangible outcomes in your copy
- Gather testimonials to show how your courses have impacted people’s lives
8. Omnichannel marketing will be key to building trust
Did you know that 69% of consumers don’t trust ads?
As a result, people are taking longer to make purchasing decisions than ever before. It’s said that it now takes an average of 8 interactions (or ‘touchpoints’) with a brand before someone is ready to buy. Even people who have bought from you before need more convincing these days. And that’s unlikely to change as AI, spam and deep fakes become more sophisticated.
As a language school or teacher, you need to take this into account when planning your marketing. Instead of pinning all your hopes on one channel, include more platforms in your plan. This will allow you to communicate with your audience at different touchpoints and speed up the student journey.
The more often potential students see your message, the more likely they are to act.
How to prepare:
- Do research into where your audience is
- Create a comprehensive strategy that includes 3-4 channels
- Unify your message (and voice) across these channels
9. Students will want to see proof of results
Many schools or companies claim to have ‘the best’ or ‘most effective’ language programs. But without evidence, promises like these mean nothing. And consumers see straight through it.
With mistrust in advertising on the rise, it’s more important than ever to back up your claims with proof. Make sure to show how your services have helped real people achieve real results. That could be through testimonials, awards or exam pass rate statistics. Better yet, experiment with user-generated content like video testimonials or case studies. Students like to hear from other students. And the more honest, believable and authentic your social proof, the better.
How to prepare:
- Gather results-focused testimonials (think beyond ‘the school is great!)
- Scatter testimonials strategically throughout your content
- Experiment with video testimonials and case studies
What trends do you expect to see in the language learning world in 2025?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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