Key market research trends for 2025: Insights and strategies

The market research landscape is being shaped by rapid technological advancements, shifting consumer expectations, and the growing demand for actionable insights. 

Whether you’re a seasoned professional refining your strategies or a newcomer eager to understand the fundamentals, we offer an overview of the latest market research trends that are redefining how businesses gather data. 

In this guide, we’ll explore key developments that are reshaping how businesses approach consumer understanding — from the rise of predictive analytics to the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in real-time decision-making. You’ll gain insights into how these trends can support your strategic initiatives, sharpen your competitive edge, and drive meaningful consumer connections.

The influence of consumer behavior on market research trends

Consumer behavior is a driving force behind the evolution of market research and shapes the questions businesses ask and how they seek answers. Today, companies need to rethink traditional research methodologies and adopt more agile, real-time approaches to collecting data and analyzing consumer insights. 

Tracking real-time behavior — what people are clicking, what they’re buying and even why they’re making those decisions — is central to this. More than that, we need to understand the why behind the what.

McKinsey research indicates that 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences. This proves that customers want bespoke experiences and companies that ‘get’ them.

Shifting consumer values is another driving factor resulting in new trends in market research. For instance, eco-conscious purchasing is growing in popularity, with more consumers prioritizing sustainability in their buying decisions. 

Additionally, platforms like TikTok are influencing shopping habits as trends go viral and dictate what products people want in the here and now. 

The good news? New tools like AI and predictive analytics are making it easier to read between the lines and see what’s really driving consumer behavior. If you adapt to these changes in real time, you have a better chance of staying on top in your market.

Top market research trends to watch in 2025

Market research trends are pivoting to meet the demands of consumers who expect personalized experiences, value transparency, and interact with brands across diverse channels. These trends are shaping how businesses gather, interpret, and act on data to stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

1. The rise of AI and automation in data collection

AI is everywhere, shaking up market research in the best way possible. Tasks that used to take hours, days, or even weeks can now be done in a fraction of the time. 

According to research, 89% of market researchers already use AI tools regularly or in experimental phases. It supports them in tasks such as data cleansing, summarization and reporting. Of those, 83% reported that their organizations plan to increase AI investment in 2025 significantly. 

Automation can also handle your repetitive tasks, like distributing surveys. At the same time, AI processes mountains of data using predictive algorithms to help you understand what your customers want before they know it themselves.

In this respect, natural language processing (NLP) tools are advancing sentiment analysis, providing a deeper understanding of consumer emotions and preferences.

AI-powered tools also improve accuracy by spotting patterns and trends that human analysts might miss or take weeks to uncover. For example, AI algorithms can detect anomalies in datasets and adjust analyses accordingly, ensuring more reliable insights.

The result is a faster, more efficient research process that delivers actionable insights with unprecedented depth. Researchers can focus on higher-value strategic work using more consistent methodologies. 

2. Growing emphasis on real-time data analytics

Real-time data analytics allow businesses to see what’s happening now — not last week or last month. With 80% of companies reporting revenue uplift due to real-time data analytics, this market research trend is poised for impact.  

What if you could tweak your marketing campaign mid-rollout based on how customers are reacting in the moment? Or catch a dip in sales before it becomes a problem? Imagine using social media listening tools and live data dashboards to gauge the impact of a product launch or a viral event within hours, not weeks. 

Real-time insights give you that power — helping you make decisions when they matter most. You can draw customer insights that prompt meaningful actions, such as adjusting marketing campaigns mid-flight or responding to sudden changes in customer sentiment. 

It’s about being proactive, not reactive, and staying one step ahead of the competition. 

This trend also supports the growing importance of personalization. With live data, you can personalize content and offers to customers at the exact right moment, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

3. The shift toward combining quantitative and qualitative research and hybrid research

While quantitative data gives you the big picture facts and figures, qualitative research digs into the human details. Methods like interviews and focus groups are increasingly popular, helping brands uncover the stories, emotions, and motivations behind consumer behavior.

Want to know what really drives your customers’ decisions? Or how they feel about your brand on a deeper level? Qualitative research delivers the context and emotional insights you can’t get from a spreadsheet alone. Blending the stats with the stories is becoming increasingly important.

Going forward, the most successful brands will be those that can combine both qualitative and quantitative research methods, creating a more holistic view of their customers. While data can tell you what is happening, qualitative insights will explain why it is happening — and that’s key to crafting messaging and strategies that resonate on a personal level.

And this combination extends beyond just consumer research. Knowing your current customer base is super important. And being able to make smart decisions with complete understanding of your current and future customers is becoming more important.

4. The importance of diversity and inclusion in research

Customers have diverse stories, backgrounds and perspectives. They don’t all think the same, shop the same, or have the same experiences. To connect with people as a brand, your market research needs to reflect that diversity. The more perspectives you gather from your target market, the better you’ll understand the needs and wants of your audience.

Your research efforts should ideally include a broad spectrum of demographic groups, including people of different ethnicities, genders, economic backgrounds and geographical locations. By being more inclusive during the research process, for example, when testing new products or services, you can learn how product designs or marketing messages resonate with various consumer groups. 

In turn, you can ensure there are no missed opportunities or poorly targeted campaigns. 

5. Enhanced data privacy and ethical considerations

When was the last time you stopped to think about how your business handles data? For most consumers, that thought is top of mind. Customers are more cautious than ever about who gets access to their information and what they do with it. In fact, according to Vercara, 75% of US consumers would cut ties with a brand if it suffered a cyber incident.

This growing awareness has turned data privacy into a dealbreaker. 

In 2025, ethical market research is all about safeguarding customer trust. That means going beyond compliance to show your audience you’re serious about protecting their data. You can start by looking into anonymized data collection, secure storage solutions, and clear consent protocols.

However, ethical considerations extend beyond privacy. Research teams must also confront potential biases in their data collection and analysis, ensuring fair representation of diverse groups. Ethical AI use is another growing concern, requiring you to mitigate risks such as algorithmic bias while upholding accountability in automated processes.

6. The growth of omnichannel research

Consumers today hop between devices, stores and apps. In 2025, omnichannel research will help businesses follow them across all these touchpoints, and offer a complete picture of their behaviors and preferences. 

Whether a customer engages with your brand on social media, in-store or online, gathering data from each interaction gives you the insights you need to make smarter decisions.

For example, analyzing how a customer moves from discovering a product on Instagram to purchasing it in-store helps you gain critical insights about their decision-making journey. This allows you to identify gaps, optimize experiences, and tailor strategies for different channels. 

Companies that fail to collect omnichannel data risk leaving holes in their customer journey insights, which could impact customer loyalty and sales.

7. The rise of voice search and audio data

According to Statista, the voice recognition tech market is projected to be worth $50 billion in 2029, up from $12 billion in 2022. As voice search continues to rise, businesses need to tune their market research into how consumers are talking to their devices. 

People use natural language to request information, make purchases and interact with brands. As a business looking to understand this market, you must adjust your research methods to include voice-based data. Analyzing voice search queries, for example, can provide insights into how consumers frame their needs and priorities in real-time, offering a unique perspective on intent. 

In turn, you can optimize your strategies and content for spoken language. Being ready for this change could help you connect with customers in more authentic and meaningful ways.

The rise of voice search also opens up new avenues for market research, especially in capturing the tone and context of customer inquiries. The audio data collected can be analyzed to detect emotional tone, sentiment and even the urgency behind a query, offering increasingly valuable insights into customer intent.

Strategies for leveraging emerging trends in market research

AI, real-time data, and qualitative insights are powerful, but the magic happens when you connect them to your day-to-day strategy. Here’s how to take the market research industry trends we’ve covered and turn them into actionable wins for your business.

• Adopt AI-powered tools: Integrate AI-driven platforms to automate repetitive tasks like data collection and analysis.
• Leverage real-time dashboards: Invest in tools that provide up-to-the-minute data on customer behavior so you can pivot strategies in response to trends as they happen.
• Expand qualitative research: Incorporate focus groups or one-on-one interviews into your process to uncover the “why” behind consumer decisions.
• Prioritize diversity in samples: Ensure your research represents a wide range of demographics so that your strategies resonate with all target audiences.
• Stay compliant: Work with legal teams to ensure data collection practices are transparent and adhere to privacy regulations like GDPR or POPIA.
• Leverage omnichannel research strategies: Combine insights from digital interactions, in-store visits, and social media to formulate a holistic overview of consumer behavior. 
• Use audio data in research: Leverage audio data from voice-activated devices to analyze tone and sentiment.

How Attest can support your market research efforts

Attest is designed to help businesses stay agile and responsive in a rapidly evolving market research landscape. We make collecting rapid, reliable insights as simple as clicking a button. Our platform guides you through building the perfect surveys, ensuring that every question you ask delivers meaningful, actionable feedback for your research projects.

But that’s not all — we don’t just hand you raw data and leave you to figure it out. Attest’s intuitive dashboards help you analyze results in real time, uncover trends, and turn those insights into strategies that work. 

Plus, with access to a global audience spanning multiple industries and demographics, you’ll get a 360-degree view of your market. Whether you’re tracking a new campaign or adapting to changing customer needs, Attest empowers you to make smarter moves without wasting time.

The evolving landscape of market research

Going forward, conducting market research is all about balance: leveraging technology without losing the human touch, gathering data while respecting privacy, and embracing change while staying grounded in your goals. The trends shaping this space are a call to action for businesses ready to grow smarter and faster.

You can turn customer data into strategic insights to enhance your understanding of consumer behavior, improve decision-making, and drive strategic growth. Attest has the tools, the insights are waiting, and the future is yours to shape. Are you ready to take the next step?