Back to the Blog: Embracing Change and Sharing the Journey Again
After months of quiet on this space, it feels both strange and exciting to be typing a new post. 2024 and 2025 have been whirlwind years. Much like many of our readers, we’ve been in the thick of the work—supporting clients, launching new websites and running campaigns that kept the lights on during uncertain times. That focus paid dividends: according to DemandSage, digital marketing spend will surpass $734 billion in 2025, and 58 % of small businesses now rely on digital channels to connect with their customers demandsage.com. The rush of work meant less time for writing, but it also delivered fresh insights that we’re eager to share.
Why return now?
In the earliest days of Nova May we wrote about doing “One Thing” well and about resisting the lure of vanity metrics. Those messages feel even more relevant today. Nearly three‑quarters of workers have begun using generative AI, and 80 % of marketers say AI has had a positive impact on their work coursera.org. We’re watching tools like ChatGPT, Jasper and HubSpot reduce hours of labour down to minutes professional.dce.harvard.edu. At the same time 62 % of consumers are less likely to engage with or trust AI‑generated content coursera.org. The lesson? Technology is here to help, but authenticity and human connection still matter.
Trends we’ve observed during the hiatus
• Authenticity and human faces – Hootsuite’s 2025 social media trends report notes that followers want to hear from real people: front‑line employees, social media teams and customers were far more popular than executives coursera.org. We’ve seen small local businesses grow by sharing simple behind‑the‑scenes updates rather than polished adverts. Authentic storytelling builds trust.
• Purposeful use of AI – AI can free you to focus on strategy and creativity, but only if used wisely. Harvard’s Christina Inge reminds us that “your job will not be taken by AI; it will be taken by a person who knows how to use AI” professional.dce.harvard.edu. Our own experiments with AI tools have been most effective when we use them to draft ideas or automate repetitive tasks, not to replace the human voice. As the U.S. Chamber reports, 60 % of small businesses now use AI, and 82 % of those using AI have actually increased their workforce uschamber.com.
• Short‑form video and entertainment‑first content – Consumers now want educational or entertaining posts rather than constant promotion. Coursera summarises the trend: 60 % of content will prioritise information and entertainment over traditional promotional messaging in 2025 coursera.org. Short‑form video (Reels, TikToks) dominates, and tech giants are even releasing tools to simplify video creation coursera.org.
• Digital as a search engine – 40 % of young people use TikTok or Instagram as a search engine coursera.org. This means your content isn’t just a broadcast; it’s discoverable. Keywords, hashtags and thoughtful descriptions now matter as much as the images themselves.
• A growing appetite for personalised experiences – More than 50 % of consumers say the most memorable brands are those that respond to customers quickly and personally coursera.org. AI can help scale your customer service, but genuine engagement is still the differentiator.
What this means for you
During our hiatus we’ve worked with cafes, wellness brands and professional services across the UK and Ireland. The projects that thrived were the ones that didn’t chase numbers for numbers’ sake. A restaurant we advised built a community of a few hundred local followers instead of thousands of random ones and watched its bookings rise—echoing our old advice that quality beats quantity. Similarly, businesses that used AI to inform strategy rather than replace human voice saw their content resonate more deeply.
Looking ahead, digital marketing is only becoming more essential. The U.S. Chamber notes that eight in ten small business owners credit technology with helping them navigate inflation and supply‑chain disruption uschamber.com. Yet technology alone is not a strategy. As always, the basics endure: know your audience, tell your story, and create content that educates, entertains and adds value. Use AI and analytics to lighten the load and gain insights, but don’t let automation strip away the humanity that makes your brand unique.
We’re back—and here to help
This blog was never intended to be a vanity project. It exists to share ideas and spark conversations that help businesses grow. Over the coming months we’ll explore topics like responsible AI use, building micro‑communities, leveraging video without burning out, and turning authenticity into sales. If you’re a past client or a new reader, we invite you to reach out. We continue to offer website design, social media management, digital advertising and search‑engine optimisation. If you’d like a free consultation tailored to your business, just drop us a line.
Thank you for sticking with us through the quiet period. We’re excited to share what we’ve learned and to continue this journey together.