What Will the Marketing Profession Look Like?

The report: 2025 Career Outlook: Content and Marketing Professionals

Source: Content Marketing Institute

Why we picked it: The emphasis on specialized skill development in this report speaks directly to the growing need for financial marketers to understand both traditional banking services and emerging digital financial products, while maintaining the trust and personal touch that differentiates banks and credit unions from purely digital competitors. With 76% of marketers saying specialized skills are crucial for career longevity, this creates an imperative for financial institution marketers to develop expertise in areas like data privacy, financial technology marketing and personalized digital banking communications.

Executive Summary

In a revealing new study from the Content Marketing Institute, one in three marketers reported their organizations conducted layoffs in the past year, highlighting ongoing turbulence in the marketing industry. Yet surprisingly, artificial intelligence isn’t the primary culprit behind these changes – only 3% of companies have replaced employees with AI tools.

Instead, the research points to a more nuanced reality where AI is reshaping job requirements and transforming how marketing teams operate, with 23% of teams adapting their roles to accommodate generative AI’s growing influence.

The comprehensive study, which surveyed 704 marketing professionals, paints a picture of a sector in transition, where despite challenges, most marketers maintain optimism about their careers. While 68% believe finding a marketing job is more challenging than five years ago, the majority of those laid off found new positions within three months – suggesting resilience in the job market despite ongoing disruptions. However, this optimism is tempered by growing concerns about “phantom jobs” and increasingly complex hiring processes that often involve battling automated application systems rather than connecting with human recruiters.

Key Takeaways

Marketing professionals earn an average of $108,380 annually, with those in major metropolitan areas commanding 30% higher salaries than their counterparts in smaller markets

84% of marketers work remotely at least part-time, with 68% saying they would leave their current role if forced to return to the office full-time

While 68% of marketers report AI saves them time at work, 69% believe AI-generated content is mediocre, highlighting a complex relationship with the technology

Why we liked the report: Lots of great data and survey-based findings, and the display on the side throughout allows a reader to scroll through and get the gist, without reading every page in depth. Also provides plenty of context to accompany the data.

Why we didn’t: We, of course, prefer to find data that can represent the banking industry’s perspective. This report didn’t have industry breakouts, and was instead taken from marketers across the spectrum.

Remote Working is A Permanent Revolution

The marketing industry has undergone a fundamental transformation in how its workforce operates, with the pandemic-era shift to remote work evolving into a permanent change. Today, only a small fraction – just 16% – of marketing professionals work in the office full-time. This seismic shift has created a new normal where flexible work arrangements aren’t just preferred but expected.

The implications of this change run deep, particularly when it comes to talent retention. More than two-thirds of marketers say they would seek new employment if required to return to full-time office work, a stance that’s particularly prominent among women. The gender divide is striking: 55% of women would leave their positions if forced back to the office, compared to 35% of men.

Most employers seem to have accepted this new reality. The majority have maintained their remote work policies over the past year, with some even becoming more accommodating. However, the 18% of companies that have tried to restrict remote work flexibility have faced significant pushback. Organizations attempting to mandate full-time office returns have learned the hard way that such policies can trigger exodus events, forcing them to reconsider their approach to workplace flexibility.

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Persistent Salary Gaps Thanks to Gender, Location

The financial picture for marketing professionals is complex and often depends heavily on geography. The average marketing salary of $108,380 represents a slight decline from the previous year, a change that’s particularly concerning given current economic conditions. Most marketers believe they should be earning about 20% more than their current compensation, a sentiment that reflects both industry pressures and increasing job responsibilities.

Location continues to play an outsized role in determining compensation. Marketing professionals in major urban centers like New York City, Boston, and San Francisco consistently command premium salaries, earning an average of $122,265 compared to $93,737 in other locations. This disparity becomes even more pronounced at higher levels of the corporate ladder, with directors in major metros earning a staggering 43% more than their counterparts in smaller markets.

Gender inequality remains a persistent challenge. Despite increased attention to pay equity, men in marketing continue to earn 7% more than women. Even more troubling is the leadership gap – men are nearly six times more likely to hold C-level or ownership positions. This disparity creates a compound effect where women not only earn less in comparable positions but also face greater obstacles in reaching the highest-paying roles.

Experience and age continue to correlate strongly with earning potential, though the generational wealth gap shows signs of narrowing. While Baby Boomers still lead in earnings with an average salary of $135,000, followed by Gen X at $126,534, the gap between the oldest and youngest workers has shrunk slightly. Millennials have reached six-figure territory at $101,347, while Gen Z marketers are starting their careers at $65,375.

The AI Paradox: Time-Saving Tool vs. Quality Concerns

The marketing industry’s relationship with artificial intelligence might best be described as “it’s complicated.” While AI has emerged as a powerful force for productivity – with more than two-thirds of marketers reporting that it saves them time – there’s widespread skepticism about its creative output. The same percentage of marketers who praise AI’s efficiency also describe its content as mediocre.

This dichotomy plays out in how marketers actually use AI tools. They’ve embraced AI enthusiastically for tasks like brainstorming and content summarization, where it serves as a helpful starting point rather than a final authority. However, when it comes to creating original content, the enthusiasm wanes considerably. Marketers frequently describe AI-generated content as “soulless” and “unsophisticated,” highlighting the technology’s limitations in replicating human creativity and insight.

Perhaps most concerning is the lack of formal guidance around AI usage. Only 19% of organizations provide any form of AI training, leading to a wild-west scenario where marketers experiment with these powerful tools without clear guidelines or best practices. Some report using AI tools against company policy, while others describe near-misses where AI-generated errors were caught just before publication. This gap between adoption and governance represents a significant risk for marketing organizations.

The Growing Importance of Specialized Skills

As the industry evolves, marketers find themselves caught in a continuous cycle of upskilling. Three-quarters of marketing professionals believe that mastering specialized skills is crucial for career longevity, yet many organizations are failing to provide adequate training support. The result is a growing trend of self-directed professional development, with nearly half of marketers pursuing training outside their organizations.

The skills landscape is shifting rapidly, driven by technological change and evolving market demands. Today’s marketers are focusing heavily on developing technological proficiency, with particular emphasis on new marketing technologies and data analytics. However, the priorities vary significantly across generations. While Gen Z marketers concentrate heavily on technical skills like SEO and new technologies, more experienced professionals tend to balance technical learning with leadership development and strategic capabilities.

Economic uncertainty has driven many marketers to also develop additional income streams through freelance work. About one in five marketing professionals now maintain side gigs, generating an average of $8,250 annually through freelance projects. Women are particularly likely to pursue this path, being 50% more likely than their male counterparts to take on freelance work alongside their full-time positions.

Meanwhile, job seekers face a frustrating new phenomenon: phantom jobs. These are positions advertised without genuine intent to hire, posted either to meet internal requirements, gather market data, or worse, harvest personal information. This trend has added new layers of complexity to job searches, with many marketers reporting extended application processes and frequent ghosting by potential employers.

Despite the challenges, the marketing industry maintains a sense of cautious optimism. Three-quarters of professionals report satisfaction in their current roles, though job mobility is on the rise. The percentage of marketers actively seeking or interested in new positions has increased for the second consecutive year, reaching 35%.