Marketing has changed more in the last few years than it did in the decade before.
Yeah, AI is an absolute part of that story but it’s not the headline. The real shift is how fast platforms change, how quickly trends move, and how important it is to understand why those changes matter to your business and in my opinion how much initiative we have as business owners to roll our sleeves up and get what we want done in the way we want it.
AI didn’t and won’t replace marketers but it does expose weak strategies. I’ve been seeing it pop up all the time, for example a place you might see it is in magazines. Example: photos of AI generated models for skincare and clothing promotion with the AI Prompts show how it was created. It’s actually wild the time we are living in. However, for us at Milberry, it’s about the integrity and ethics of how a business rolls and we appreciate creativity and the time it takes to make things happen.
If marketing was treated as an afterthought, a checkbox, or something to “get back to later,” the cracks are showing now. Algorithms are smarter. Audiences are more selective. And posting without intention simply doesn’t work anymore. It’s why in March of 2025 we completely did a rebrand and reinvestment into our marketing strategy and how we show up and what our standards are.
The Real Value Isn’t Tools , It’s Understanding.
Every platform we rely on like Instagram, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, Google console is constantly evolving. Features change. Reach shifts. What worked last quarter might be invisible today. Hell what might have worked last week might be gone to shit at this point.
The businesses that win aren’t chasing every trend or AI tool. They’re paying attention. They’re learning what’s changing, where to pivot, and how those shifts affect their customers. They are also working with people that understand their brand, working with people that give them their time back and ultimately growing their business more sustainably. People pay attention to what they pay for.
That understanding doesn’t come from software. It comes from experience, testing, and being willing to adapt. It comes from critical thinking, sometimes putting a lot of fires out, HR crisis and honestly just life. It comes from wanting to lean into better customer service, something to be remembered for and we dig that big time.
I see this every day through my work in marketing both personally and through Milberry Marketing where staying curious and responsive matters more than chasing every new tool. Giving a shit about our clients day to day vs scaling our own business allows us to be part of our clients teams not just an invoice, therefore we know how important it is to stay on top of data, reporting, real return on action and investment and if you don’t know about this marketing stuff in 2025 now is the time buds.
Growth, Mistakes, and Responsibility
I didn’t plan on building an agency. It grew out of necessity and with that came responsibility.
Clients aren’t just trusting me anymore. They’re trusting the people I show up with. This has forced personal and professional growth, a lot of learning, and more than a few mistakes. A lot of headaches and worries but a lot of delight, inspiration and seeing clients in a better place because of the crew that showed up for them and that makes me really freaking proud.
Every misstep reinforces one thing: marketing is not something you backburner if you want your business to survive. You got to pour gas on it buds and like really see where it can go otherwise someone else will or already is.
Marketing Isn’t Optional Even When Money Is Tight.
I understand budgets are tight. Everything costs more. We’re all likely a paycheck from an emergency and that can be daunting.
But the cost of pulling back entirely is worse. As business owners, or self employed people we have to remember why we are doing what we do, why were good at it and tell people we have capacity, not everyone knows what were doing, what business were lacking or how to support us so we have to use communications in a sincere way as we fight for attention spans in 2026 with shorter form content and Ai generated content.
Marketing is how you stay visible, relevant, and competitive when times are hard, not just when things feel comfortable or you have a little extra to see what happens. The brands that last are the ones that stay consistent, not perfect.
Advice: Grab your phone, record a video, put it out and watch what happens. People get informed, they share it, and you are in a better awareness and position for a sale by just showing up saying what you do. If you have employees, or people you take care of, put the worry, the ego, the fear aside and think what would happen if we lose this?
A Simple 30-Day Reset
You don’t need a massive strategy overhaul. You need momentum.
In 30 days:
- Review what’s working (and cut what’s not)
- Clarify who you’re talking to and what problem you solve
- Engage instead of just posting and AB test it.
- The best camera is the one that’s on you. Got something to say, get on and say it.
- Test one new idea or format and measure the result
Marketing is like a field. Ignore it and it dries up. Nurture it even imperfectly and it grows.
That’s the work. And it’s worth doing. I think anyway.
We all can’t do it all ourselves. That is honestly why I had to grow my business. Half-assing my business with my name on it or not getting the best for my clients is a no go, so understanding how all these trends, tools and how marketing changes keeps me and my team competitive and we’re open to working with a few more select clients in 2026 and will be hosting a lot of in person and online workshops. Encourage you all to follow Milberry Marketing and to download the free E-book under resources.
