The 19 Marketing Channels in 2025 You Need to Know

In 2025, when we mention marketing, a majority of people immediately think of either social media or digital marketing. But there are actually 19 different marketing channels that small business owners can choose to use to promote their business in 2025:

• Viral Marketing
• Public Relations
• Unconventional PR
• Search Engine Marketing
• Social and Display Ads
• Offline Ads
• Search Engine Optimization
• Content Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Engineering in Marketing
• Blogs, Vlogs, etc.
• Business Development Sales
• Affiliate Programs
• Existing Platforms
• Trade Shows and Events
• Offline Events
• Speaking Engagements
• Community Building

What Are Marketing Channels?

Marketing channels are the tools and mediums available to business owners to use to reach their target audience, allowing them to interact and pitch their business.

Why Are Marketing Channels Important?

As a small business owner, your ultimate goal is to make sales. If you are unable to reach and interact with potential customers – you’re not going to make any sales. 

These channels give you access to audiences, each one in a different way from the other.  Not only that, but each one is unique. This allows you to diversify your marketing efforts and be able to find what works best for your small business. Do NOT put all your efforts into one channel! 

There are many businesses out there currently that are focusing all their efforts on social media marketing. Don’t get it wrong, social media is a powerful marketing tool. However, when you put all your efforts into one marketing channel, you are setting yourself up for disaster. What if TikTok gets banned again? What if your profile is banned? Using the other marketing channels to diversify your marketing will help you find a larger quantity of potential customers, AND help you prevent disaster.

What Marketing Channels Are There?

There are 19 marketing channels that small business owners can choose from, each being a little different from the next. Let’s go through each marketing channel.

1. Viral Marketing

Here in 2025, everyone knows what viral marketing means. However, this is NOT exclusive to social media. Viral marketing is specifically creating content or EXPERIENCES that people enjoy so much that they want to share it with as many people as possible. Yes, this can include social media, but word of mouth (which is the key here) does not have to solely happen online. 

It could be that your small business has created a new, fun way to make coffee. It’s so unique and enjoyable to your customers that they go back and tell their friends, family, everyone they can think of.

This marketing channel is a powerful tool because it relies on word of mouth (AKA, it’s a free option). The issue is it can be very difficult to achieve. 

2. Public Relations

Public Relations, or PR, is a well known marketing channel – but many small businesses tend to write it off as an option. PR is easier than you think, especially in 2025.

When we think of PR, we tend to think of news channels. That is an option, however there are so many other options now in 2025. YouTube channels, podcasts, blogs/vlogs, these are all options for PR. PR not only allows you to tap into someone else’s audience, but it also helps you build credibility in your field and business. The best part? It’s free.

If you are interested in PR but have never contacted anyone before, have never sent a press release to news stations, or simply don’t know where to start – The Seasoned Marketer has a ton of resources for you to check out. There are YouTube videos/tutorials, templates/guidelines, and more information out there for you to read.

3. Unconventional PR

We just touched on PR, but what is unconventional PR? Unconventional PR is when your small business does something so dramatic that it generates buzz and attention from news sources (without you having to seek them out). This includes stunts or tactics done specifically to stir conversation. 

This does not have to be a big stunt that costs lots of money. You could do something simple, as long as it helps you stand out in your community enough for local news to want to talk with you.

4. Search Engine Marketing

This marketing channel focuses on running paid ads on search engines specifically (i.e. Google). This is popular because it funnels potential customers to your small business’s website, who are actively searching for what you have to offer.

This is a paid channel, but it can be as expensive or inexpensive as you wish. If anything, this option will likely convert at a higher rate than others because it does lead potential buyers directly to your website (where to buy), if you can create a highly effective ad.

5. Social & Display Ads

This is probably one of the most used marketing channels in 2025. Running ads on social media and display platforms. Display platforms are simply groups of websites, apps, etc. that have agreed to run these ads. A great example of this would be ads you receive while playing mobile games. 

This channel is popular not just because social media is huge now, but also because of how niche your targeting can be. You are able to focus your ads on specific age, gender, parental status, and more to narrow down who sees your ad. This will allow you to focus your ad efforts on your specific target audience, and who you believe is most likely to make a purchase.

6. Offline Ads

This marketing channel is what most would consider as “traditional advertising”. These options include billboards and/or print ads. Basically any marketing campaigns that come to mind when you think “old school” marketing tactics.

Just because these advertising options are considered “old school” or “traditional”, does not mean that they do not work. These are still effective marketing strategies for small businesses, it just depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

Let’s say you just opened a boutique in your local neighborhood. Purchasing billboards that surround that community can absolutely help you get more customers through the door. Or you could find a local newspaper or magazine to advertise in. These options help you focus on your local community, those who are nearby and therefore more likely to stop by your boutique.

7. Search Engine Optimization

Marketing overall is a long term game, but search engine optimization (SEO) is definitely NOT an overnight success. SEO is all about making sure your website is built in such a way that it will rank higher on search engines algorithms, and therefore be shown to more people.

SEO has changed drastically over the years, with new rules and tips for success. The Seasoned Marketer has multiple resources available to help you feel more confident in your SEO strategy (which every small business should have). We have blog posts, podcast episodes, YouTube videos, and even free downloads available.

SEO allows you to tap into free organic marketing, which is why it is one of the more popular marketing channels. When your SEO game is on point, Google will be sharing your content with their users – for FREE.

8. Content Marketing

This marketing channel is all about creating valuable and relevant content to attract potential customers. Content marketing, when done right, not only allows you to build trust and credibility with your audience, it also allows you to position yourself as an authoritative figure in your industry.

This marketing channel also allows you to create a line of communication with your audience, which in turn allows you to build a stronger relationship with them.

9. Email Marketing

Email marketing is STILL RELEVANT in 2025. It is not dead or outdated. In fact, email marketing is probably one of our favorite marketing channels here at The Seasoned Marketer. Not only is it a great way to intimately communicate with people who are already interested in your small business, but it allows you to communicate with them on your terms. 

Remember, consent is very important when it comes to email marketing. Sending out spam to people who did not sign up for your email list is a quick way to get black listed.

10. Engineering as Marketing

This marketing channel is one of the best. This is when a business creates resources and tools for their target audience to use, which will in turn funnel them into your small business. This will also provide a lot of value to your potential customers early on in your relationship, which is powerful. 

A great example of this is Hubspot. Hubspot is primarily a business. They are a CRM (customer relationship management software) that is a paid service. Even though their primary goal is to get their potential customers to make a purchase – they offer a LOT of free resources as well. 

Hubspot created a free Website Grader tool that allows small business owners to better understand what their websites might be lacking, and what issues they need to fix to be considered a stellar website.

11. Blogs, Vlogs, Podcasts, etc.

When we talk about these types of outlets as a marketing channel, we are not necessarily saying to create one. (Don’t worry, if you don’t want to create a podcast, you don’t have to.) However, these are still great marketing opportunities for your small business to make a guest appearance. Guest appearing on podcasts, or guest writing for a popular blog, allows you to tap into someone else’s already existing audience. 

It is important to pick the right podcast or vlog to appear on. Make sure that your target audience and the podcast’s target audience overlap. This way you are reaching new people who are likely to be interested in your small business. You can even get very specific and niche with finding a podcast that has a hyper targeted audience.

12. Business Development

This marketing channel is all about partnerships with other businesses. Think in terms of cross promoting, referrals, etc. The relationships you make with other small businesses can be extremely valuable.

A great example of this would be if you opened a flower shop and then sourced all of your vases from a local pottery business. Now you can inform all of your customers that your vases come from the local pottery business, and that business can inform their customers that their vases are in your flower shop.

13. Sales

This is probably the most well known (and most hated) of the 19 marketing channels. Sales still has a place in marketing, and can still be an effective marketing channel. This is when you are reaching out to potential customers, interacting with them one-on-one, and personalizing the experience to their needs. When done correctly, you can get a higher conversion rate. Just make sure you are not harassing anyone.

14. Affiliate Programs

This marketing channel has absolutely blown up over the last couple of years. Every time you see an influencer say, “use my link to buy this product”, that’s an affiliate program. This channel focuses on offering incentives to customers so that they will work to sell your products or services for you. It is also cost effective, you only dish out money when you make money.

15. Existing Platforms

This marketing channel focuses on selling on a platform that already has an existing audience. Great examples are Etsy, Amazon, or resale apps. These platforms exist with or without you, they have their audience, and you selling on there is allowing you to tap into that existing audience. 

16. Trade shows & Events

This marketing channel was originally created as simply tradeshows, but there are so many other like-minded events that we want to include. These are your farmer’s markets, your pop-ups, etc.  Any event where you are setting up a booth or table and selling to those who show up.

Many handmade small businesses (and small businesses in general) find lots of success at these types of events. More than ever, people want to shop locally, they want to find unique products, and this allows them to be face to face with you and your products.

If you are looking to get into this specific marketing channel, The Seasoned Marketer has a plethora of resources for you to check out. We have blog posts, podcast episodes, YouTube tutorials, free downloads, and even an entire course, Rock Your Fair, designed to help you from start to finish when participating in events and markets. We also have a free mini workshop about the top 3 mistakes small businesses make when participating in markets, craft fairs, etc. 

17. Offline Events

The events in this specific marketing channel are hosted by your small business. This includes workshops, meet ups, or even classes hosted by a local brewery. This is a great way to introduce people to your small business, so that they can experience what you have to offer and in turn consider becoming a customer.

Of the marketing channels, this is a powerful one because being in person changes the game. Interacting with others in person helps easily build trust and relationships. 

18. Speaking Engagements

You are an expert in your field, share that expertise! Consider speaking at events, webinars, and workshops. This allows you to position yourself as an expert in your field, reach people you may not have reached on your own, and it helps you build credibility. 

19. Community Building

This is a big one in 2025, and you see so many businesses and brands working on this. Creating communities for those with a shared interest. A place for your target audience to interact in and with others, including your business. This also keeps your small business top of mind. This can be as simple as creating a Facebook group, or as in depth as creating a Skool community.

Here at The Seasoned Marketer, we created the S.O.B. (Small Owned Business) Community. We designed the S.O.B. Community to help small business owners feel comfortable handling their own marketing – while still giving them support and access to professional help. 

A membership includes:

• An extensive library of tutorials .
• A community of like minded small owned businesses.
• Free downloads and templates for you to jumpstart your marketing.
• A weekly hour long Zoom call with marketing professionals to talk shop or answer any questions you may have when it comes to marketing your small business. 

Whichever marketing channels you decide to use in your small business, it is important to diversify. Make sure you are experimenting with multiple channels and finding what works best for you. Marketing is all about experimenting!