In 2025, marketing has entered a new era. Teams are leaner, resources are tighter, and the pressure to create measurable impact has never been higher. The age of testing without accountability or chasing metrics that look good but deliver little is behind us. Today, marketers are expected to deliver results – faster, smarter, and often with less.

AI is playing a central role in this shift. Whether it’s generating subject lines or powering cross-channel automation, it’s helping teams move faster by streamlining repetitive tasks. But while AI brings clear efficiency gains, it’s not a magic fix for tightening budgets or growing performance expectations. To make real progress, marketers need more than automation. They need clarity.

The role of benchmarks in a high-pressure environment

Benchmarks are no longer optional. In a landscape where every touchpoint is under review, benchmarks give marketers the context they need to evaluate performance, course-correct, and communicate value with confidence.

They’re not about reaching unattainable goals or comparing yourself to top performers with vastly different resources. Benchmarks are practical tools for understanding what’s achievable – and worth pursuing – under real-world conditions.

They also empower smarter conversations. Whether defending campaign performance or pitching a bold new idea, benchmarks provide the data foundation that turns instinct into informed strategy.

Why “less but better” doesn’t always hold up

The idea that quality must come at the expense of volume has become a common assumption. But our most recent benchmark data tells a different story: when done strategically, marketers can scale and maintain performance.

Take email. Volumes have increased nearly 24% vs the previous reporting period, but instead of declining engagement, the opposite has occurred. Click-through rates have doubled, click-to-open rates are up more than 50%, and unsubscribe rates remain low at 0.13%.

These results aren’t accidental. Marketers are using automation, segmentation, and personalisation to deliver relevant content at scale, proving that with the right approach, efficiency and effectiveness are not mutually exclusive.

Cross-channel isn’t a trend. It’s a necessity

Email remains a cornerstone of digital marketing, but today’s top-performing marketers are thinking beyond the inbox. The data supports a broader strategy: subscription list growth is up 8%, delivery rates are stable at 99%, and abandoned cart emails continue to deliver strong returns with a 14% click-to-open rate.

SMS is becoming an increasingly valuable part of the mix, delivering click-through rates six times higher than email. Its immediacy makes it ideal for time-sensitive or high-value messages. Meanwhile, WhatsApp is emerging as a powerful channel for engagement, particularly in regions where it’s already a primary communication platform.

The real advantage lies not just in using multiple channels, but in automating them. Customers should expect timely and relevant messages, regardless of where they interact with your brand. Marketers who master cross-channel automation are seeing stronger retention and improved conversion rates as a result.

Where to focus for greater impact

In a cost-conscious environment, marketers need to prioritise the channels and tactics that lead to measurable outcomes.

Email remains a strong performer, but focusing on CTOR (click-to-open rate) can provide a clearer signal of how well your content resonates. SMS offers unmatched immediacy and engagement potential. If your audience is active on WhatsApp, it’s time to meet them there. And underpinning it all, automation remains essential to delivering consistent, scalable experiences across the customer journey.

Using benchmarks to stay grounded

In times of uncertainty, benchmarks offer a clear point of reference. They help marketers understand where they stand, where they can improve, and how to demonstrate impact in a meaningful way.

This isn’t about chasing perfection – it’s about making confident decisions based on evidence, not assumption. It’s also about recognising that reach and relevance can go hand-in-hand.

As marketing continues to evolve, benchmarks provide the insight marketers need to navigate complexity, boost performance, and focus on what truly matters. And in 2025, that clarity could be the edge that sets the best teams apart.

• Juliette Aiken is the CMO at Dotdigital, a martech firm that aims to make personalised cross-channel marketing simple.

Photo by Anastasia Petrova on Unsplash