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Martech Tips for 2025: Why Human-Centric Content Is the Future of Success
- Chris Perez, Director of Marketing, Perforce
- Content Strategy and Marketing, Customer Experience (CX)
The martech landscape is poised for a transformative shift in 2025. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday marketing workflows, the challenge is clear: how do you adopt cutting-edge technologies without losing the human connection that drives real customer engagement?
Audiences are increasingly drawn to authentic, relatable stories over polished marketing messages, and they are finding those messages in different ways than before. Martech tools, including AI products, can help you become more agile and proactive in delivering those human-centered messages.
We recently interviewed Chris Perez, Director of Product Marketing at Perforce Software, who offered insights into this evolving balance.
“People don’t want to hear from brands, they want to hear from people. They don’t want to hear about products, they want to hear about use cases and projects,” he says. “These ways to tell a story are really powerful and more powerful than traditional marketing approaches.”
Putting humans and human interaction at the center of your content strategy means you know your audience, including where and how they want to engage. Here are some of Chris’s tips to get ahead in 2025.
Audiences are increasingly drawn to authentic, relatable stories over polished marketing messages, and they are finding those messages in different ways than before. Martech tools, including AI products, can help you become more agile and proactive in delivering those human-centered messages.
We recently interviewed Chris Perez, Director of Product Marketing at Perforce Software, who offered insights into this evolving balance.
“People don’t want to hear from brands, they want to hear from people. They don’t want to hear about products, they want to hear about use cases and projects,” he says. “These ways to tell a story are really powerful and more powerful than traditional marketing approaches.”
Putting humans and human interaction at the center of your content strategy means you know your audience, including where and how they want to engage. Here are some of Chris’s tips to get ahead in 2025.
Know your audience: Persona-aligned content creation
A pillar of Chris’s strategy is aligning content with the personas you’re trying to reach. Whether addressing a C-suite executive or a hands-on practitioner, tailoring your message to their unique needs and perspectives is essential.
For example, Chris says, “If the content is for a director, it needs a director-level byline. If it’s for an engineer, it needs an engineer-level byline.”
This approach not only builds trust but also ensures your content resonates on a deeper level.
He shares the following tips for persona alignment:
For example, Chris says, “If the content is for a director, it needs a director-level byline. If it’s for an engineer, it needs an engineer-level byline.”
This approach not only builds trust but also ensures your content resonates on a deeper level.
He shares the following tips for persona alignment:
- Map your audience: Identify the key decision-makers and influencers within your target market.
- Craft tailored messages: Write content that speaks directly to their challenges and goals.
- Leverage byline credibility: Assign content creation to team members or collaborators with relevant expertise.
Rethink content discovery: Create network-led content
The work isn’t over once you’ve personalized content to personas. Traditional content strategies have focused heavily on optimizing for search engines to get content in front of the right audience. However, Chris notes a significant shift in how audiences discover content, in part because of AI.
“With AI reshaping SERPs [search engine results pages], even top-ranking content faces reduced visibility,” Chris explains. “Marketers need to pivot toward strategies that resonate on a deeper, more personal level.”
This shift requires marketers to prioritize distribution channels where audiences naturally engage. Social media platforms, recommendation algorithms, and peer networks are becoming the go-to sources for content discovery. To remain relevant, companies must craft strategies that cater to these changing behaviors.
“I’m not searching for content—I’m finding it through feeds like LinkedIn,” he says.
Chris asserts that this network-led approach leverages the trust and credibility of industry professionals who can amplify your content within their circles.
“With AI reshaping SERPs [search engine results pages], even top-ranking content faces reduced visibility,” Chris explains. “Marketers need to pivot toward strategies that resonate on a deeper, more personal level.”
This shift requires marketers to prioritize distribution channels where audiences naturally engage. Social media platforms, recommendation algorithms, and peer networks are becoming the go-to sources for content discovery. To remain relevant, companies must craft strategies that cater to these changing behaviors.
“I’m not searching for content—I’m finding it through feeds like LinkedIn,” he says.
Chris asserts that this network-led approach leverages the trust and credibility of industry professionals who can amplify your content within their circles.
Build your own network-led content strategy
Maximize the reach of your content by considering the following strategies:
If creating content for your network-led strategy seems overwhelming, don’t despair, Chris says. Creating content for different networks doesn’t have to involve a lot more work. A single webinar or interview can be repurposed into blogs, infographics, video clips, and more. This multi-format approach not only extends the lifespan of your content but also ensures you’re meeting your audience wherever they prefer to engage.
Chris explains, “If we record a webinar, we’re going to pull out testimonials, create infographics, and turn it into a case study. Every piece of content has multiple lives.”
- Engage industry influencers: Collaborate with thought leaders whose expertise aligns with your brand. Their endorsements can lend credibility and extend your reach.
- Invest in peer sharing: Encourage customers, partners, and employees to share your content. Peer-to-peer recommendations carry more weight than traditional advertising.
- Collaborate with adjacent technology providers: Work with non-competing adjacent technology providers to open doors to new audiences while enhancing the value of your shared content.
- Capitalize on event collaborations: Host joint webinars, panel discussions, or even in-person events that combine expertise from multiple brands. This creates a richer, more engaging experience for your audience.
- Measure amplification: Use tools to track how your content spreads through networks and refine your approach based on the results.
If creating content for your network-led strategy seems overwhelming, don’t despair, Chris says. Creating content for different networks doesn’t have to involve a lot more work. A single webinar or interview can be repurposed into blogs, infographics, video clips, and more. This multi-format approach not only extends the lifespan of your content but also ensures you’re meeting your audience wherever they prefer to engage.
Chris explains, “If we record a webinar, we’re going to pull out testimonials, create infographics, and turn it into a case study. Every piece of content has multiple lives.”
Don’t forget in-person events
While digital engagement will remain a cornerstone of martech, Chris predicts a strong resurgence of in-person events in 2025.
“Events are coming back with a vengeance,” he observes. “There’s something irreplaceable about face-to-face interaction.”
Why in-person events will matter in 2025:
“Events are coming back with a vengeance,” he observes. “There’s something irreplaceable about face-to-face interaction.”
Why in-person events will matter in 2025:
- Deeper connections: Meeting customers and partners in person fosters trust and builds stronger relationships.
- Immersive experiences: Physical events allow for hands-on product demonstrations and real-time feedback, creating memorable brand interactions.
- Community building: Events create a sense of belonging among attendees, turning them into brand advocates.
Embrace AI to enhance your human-centric content marketing
AI is no longer just about automating repetitive tasks or generating content quickly; it’s a strategic partner in decision-making. Chris emphasizes that AI’s true potential lies in its ability to empower teams to work smarter, not harder.
For example, tools that analyze customer behavior in real time can provide actionable insights immediately, allowing marketing teams to shift from reactive to proactive strategies.
“It’s not about replacing human creativity,” he says. “It’s about giving marketers the tools to make better decisions faster.”
Whether it’s identifying underperforming campaigns or uncovering emerging trends, AI enables a level of agility that will be crucial in 2025.
For example, tools that analyze customer behavior in real time can provide actionable insights immediately, allowing marketing teams to shift from reactive to proactive strategies.
“It’s not about replacing human creativity,” he says. “It’s about giving marketers the tools to make better decisions faster.”
Whether it’s identifying underperforming campaigns or uncovering emerging trends, AI enables a level of agility that will be crucial in 2025.
Choose martech tools wisely
Technology is the backbone of any successful marketing strategy. For example, martech allows you to measure your network-led content amplification by using tools that track how your content spreads through networks and then refine your approach based on the results.
But Chris cautions against overcomplicating your tech stack: “You can’t get caught up in taking too long to implement new tools. Look for solutions that provide quick, actionable insights.”
At Perforce, tools like BrightEdge (SEO), 6sense (customer journey analytics), and Salesforce (CRM) streamline processes while maintaining a focus on delivering value.
But Chris cautions against overcomplicating your tech stack: “You can’t get caught up in taking too long to implement new tools. Look for solutions that provide quick, actionable insights.”
At Perforce, tools like BrightEdge (SEO), 6sense (customer journey analytics), and Salesforce (CRM) streamline processes while maintaining a focus on delivering value.
Establish a technology-driven content loop
In 2025, marketing teams must adopt a more agile approach to their workflows. Chris shares a strategy he uses at Perforce.
“I have a weekly writing team meeting where we run it like a newsroom,” he shares. “We discuss what news is out there, what conversations gave us ideas, and what research sparked new thinking. People can build hypotheses, have discussions—that’s where ideas are found.”
Chris said that after his team shares their various story ideas, they evaluate each idea systematically by identifying which ones deserve deeper research and which ones have already been covered. When an idea shows promise, they validate it with tools like BrightEdge to confirm market interest.
This research stage helps Chris and his team to decide not just whether to pursue the idea, but also what format will work best—whether it’s a video, social post, blog article, or something else.
The first piece acts like a pilot: if it resonates with the audience, they expand it into other formats and channels based on its success.
The benefits of Chris’s newsroom approach include:
“I have a weekly writing team meeting where we run it like a newsroom,” he shares. “We discuss what news is out there, what conversations gave us ideas, and what research sparked new thinking. People can build hypotheses, have discussions—that’s where ideas are found.”
Chris said that after his team shares their various story ideas, they evaluate each idea systematically by identifying which ones deserve deeper research and which ones have already been covered. When an idea shows promise, they validate it with tools like BrightEdge to confirm market interest.
This research stage helps Chris and his team to decide not just whether to pursue the idea, but also what format will work best—whether it’s a video, social post, blog article, or something else.
The first piece acts like a pilot: if it resonates with the audience, they expand it into other formats and channels based on its success.
The benefits of Chris’s newsroom approach include:
- Agility: Respond quickly to new opportunities or challenges.
- Collaboration: Foster creativity and idea-sharing across departments.
- Continuous improvement: Use data insights to refine your messaging and tactics.
Move forward into 2025: Amplify connection through technology
As we approach 2025, the takeaway is clear: martech should enhance, not replace, human connection.
Chris sums it up perfectly: “Human behavior hasn’t changed. People still want timely, authoritative, and relatable content. The tools we use are just a means to amplify that connection.”
Take your next steps now:
What steps is your team taking to prepare for this new era of human-centric, AI-enabled content marketing? Share your thoughts—we’d love to hear them!
Chris sums it up perfectly: “Human behavior hasn’t changed. People still want timely, authoritative, and relatable content. The tools we use are just a means to amplify that connection.”
Take your next steps now:
- Prioritize human stories: Make every piece of content resonate with real-world relevance.
- Build partnerships: Strengthen your network of collaborators and advocates.
- Integrate AI strategically: Focus on applications that provide immediate, tangible value.
What steps is your team taking to prepare for this new era of human-centric, AI-enabled content marketing? Share your thoughts—we’d love to hear them!
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