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We’re only halfway through the year, and already 2025 is shaping up to be a turning point for e-commerce.
From ad platform restrictions to AI-led product discovery, the landscape is changing fast. If you haven’t adjusted your strategy yet, you’re at risk of falling behind.
Here are five major changes reshaping the way brands grow:
1. Meta’s Health & Wellness Restrictions (January 2025)
In January, Meta introduced stricter advertising rules for brands in the health, wellness, and supplement space. But this update wasn’t just about creative approvals.
For many brands, Meta completely removed access to conversion events like Purchase and Initiate Checkout. That meant ad sets couldn’t optimize for conversions, even if they were previously approved and running.
Many marketers were left scrambling to rebuild campaigns using limited signals, and ROAS dropped virtually overnight.
For brands in affected categories, this became a forcing function to:
- Shift away from relying solely on Meta’s conversion API
- Invest in first-party attribution tools
- Build creative strategies that don’t rely on aggressive outcome claims
2. ChatGPT Adds Native Shopping (April 2025)
In March, OpenAI rolled out native shopping features in ChatGPT, letting users browse curated product lists, compare specs, and even click directly to purchase.
This isn’t just another product feed. It’s a major signal that consumer search behavior is shifting toward AI.
Instead of searching “best running shoes” on Google, users are asking ChatGPT, and getting product suggestions in a conversational format.
For brands, this means:
- Optimizing PDP content for clarity and structure
- Getting your brand mentioned in trusted reviews and data sources
- Watching how AI models describe your product, because your next customer may never see your website before deciding to buy
3. Google Will Begin Indexing Instagram (July 10, 2025)
Starting July 10, public Instagram business accounts will be indexed by Google.
That means your captions, image alt text, and post content could soon appear in search results.
This is a big change. For years, Instagram has been a closed ecosystem. Now, it's becoming part of your SEO strategy.
Make sure you're:
- Adding relevant keywords to captions
- Using alt text on images and reels
- Treating social content like search content
Search and social are no longer separate silos.
4. Reddit Ads Are Improving
Reddit’s IPO sparked a wave of investment in its ad platform—and the results are starting to show. With better audience targeting, improved creative tools, and more transparent reporting, Reddit is quickly becoming a viable channel for performance marketers.
Especially for niche products, supplements, and community-driven brands, Reddit offers:
- Lower CPMs
- Higher intent from engaged users
- A testing ground for messaging before scaling elsewhere
Brands are no longer just posting in subreddits. They’re building full-funnel strategies around Reddit traffic.
Want to see how ThoughtMetric helps brands stay ahead of these changes?
FAQ: What major changes are affecting e-commerce marketing in 2025?
Q: What are Meta’s new health and wellness ad restrictions?
A: In January 2025, Meta began removing access to conversion tracking events like Purchase and Initiate Checkout for many health and wellness brands. This impacted supplements, fitness, skincare, and mental health advertisers, forcing them to rebuild campaigns with fewer data signals.
Q: What is the ChatGPT shopping update and why does it matter?
A: In March 2025, ChatGPT added native shopping features that let users browse and compare products directly in the app. This update shifts product discovery away from search engines and toward AI-powered recommendations, changing how consumers find and evaluate brands.
Q: When will Google start indexing Instagram content?
A: Google will begin indexing public Instagram business profiles on July 10, 2025. Captions, image alt text, and post content will become searchable, creating new SEO opportunities for brands that optimize their social content.
Q: What’s changing with Reddit ads in 2025?
A: Following its IPO, Reddit upgraded its ad platform with better targeting, improved creative tools, and clearer reporting. E-commerce brands are finding success reaching niche, high-intent communities at lower costs than Meta or Google.
Q: How should brands respond to these changes?
A: To stay ahead, brands should diversify channels, invest in an attribution tool like ThoughtMetric, and optimize creative for AI discovery and search visibility. Platforms are changing fast, and adaptability is now a core skill.
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