In digital marketing, the temptation to chase every new trend is powerful.
But seasoned leaders know that sustainable growth isn’t built on viral moments alone; it’s built on trust.
The relentless pursuit of “more”—more AI-driven targeting, more channels, more content—can often be the fastest way to erode that trust, leading to audience burnout and brand dilution.
In today’s landscape, the smartest strategic move is often to show restraint.
To uncover this vital business wisdom, the BoostMyDomain team turned to business leaders and digital growth experts from across industries with a forward-thinking question:
“In your opinion, what is a single digital marketing trend that companies should approach with restraint to avoid sustainability issues, unwanted or excessive exposure, or even backlash?”
Their answers reveal what truly matters: focusing on the strategies that build long-term value over those that simply make the most noise.
Read on!
Over-Automation Removes Human Touch From Customer Experience
Over-automation of customer interactions is the biggest trap I see businesses falling into.
While AI can handle many tasks efficiently, completely removing human touchpoints creates sterile experiences that alienate customers. I’ve seen companies automate everything from initial outreach to complaint resolution, only to face backlash when customers feel unheard.
The sweet spot is using AI for efficiency while preserving authentic human connection points that build genuine relationships and trust.
Vick Antonyan
CEO, Humble Help
AI Content Requires Human Oversight to Maintain Quality
At X Agency, we believe companies should approach the trend of AI-generated content with restraint to avoid sustainability issues and potential backlash. The rise of AI tools for creating blog posts, social media content, and even ad copy has surged, promising efficiency and scale. However, overreliance can lead to pitfalls.
We experienced this when a client insisted on using AI to generate dozens of blog posts monthly to boost SEO. Initially, traffic grew by 15%, but engagement metrics tanked—time on page dropped 30%, and bounce rates hit 65%. Google Analytics showed users found the content repetitive and lacking depth. Worse, some posts contained subtle inaccuracies, risking credibility. Social media feedback on X highlighted user frustration with “robotic” content, sparking negative sentiment.
We pivoted by blending AI drafts with human editing, ensuring authenticity and value. This hybrid approach restored engagement, with time on page rising 20% and bounce rates falling to 50% within two months. The lesson: AI content must be carefully curated to align with brand voice and user expectations.
Key takeaway: Use AI-generated content sparingly and always refine it with human oversight. Overuse risks low-quality output, SEO penalties (as search engines prioritize value), and audience alienation. Sustainable digital marketing demands authenticity—AI is a tool, not a replacement for strategy or creativity.
Darwin Liu
CEO, X Agency
Strategic Influencer Partnerships Trump High-Volume Exposure
From my direct experience leading digital transformation for global brands and advising a broad spectrum of companies through ECDMA, I see influencer marketing as the most critical digital marketing trend to approach with restraint.
The channel’s reach, immediacy, and potential ROI are not in question – what concerns me, and what I consistently counsel clients on, is the long-term risk of sustainability issues, oversaturation, and backlash when influencer partnerships are not rigorously vetted or strategically managed.
Too many organizations chase short-term exposure by partnering with a high volume of influencers, often without deep alignment to brand values or customer expectations. In practice, this leads to repetitive content, audience fatigue, and a loss of trust. I have seen companies dilute their brand equity by prioritizing influencer reach over relevance, or by engaging personalities whose authenticity is questionable or whose audience does not intersect with the brand’s core segment.
Through the ECDMA Global Awards, we review hundreds of cases each year where companies push influencer content aggressively and see an initial spike, but later face negative blowback – whether from misleading product claims, lack of transparency in paid relationships, or sheer overexposure that alienates loyal customers. The damage to brand reputation and the erosion of credibility can take years to repair, far outweighing any short-term sales lift.
Tactically, I advise companies to treat influencer marketing as a long-term partnership, not a volume game. This requires clear brand guidelines, ongoing vetting, and a focus on authentic, measurable engagement rather than vanity metrics. It also means being prepared to walk away from influencer opportunities that do not align with core values or that risk saturating your audience.
Ultimately, digital marketing delivers results when it is sustainable, authentic, and rooted in a clear understanding of brand identity and customer relationships. Companies that exercise restraint with influencer marketing protect themselves from the kinds of backlash and sustainability challenges I have seen undermine otherwise strong brands. This measured approach is essential for building brand equity that lasts beyond the next campaign.
Short-Form Video Fatigue Weakens Brand Identity
Short-form video content deserves more restraint. Its reach and engagement metrics are tempting, but overexposure leads to diminishing returns and audience fatigue.
Brands rush to ride trends, flooding platforms with low-context clips that lack consistency. What starts as a push for attention often shifts into noise. When every post tries to go viral, brand identity weakens, and messaging becomes fragmented. I’ve seen campaigns that began with intention quickly turn into a stream of content that looked like everyone else’s. That loses trust, wastes budget, and erodes long-term connection.
The sustainability issue is not only environmental but strategic. Producing high-frequency video drains internal teams, encourages burnout, and drives up the cost of content with little to no increase in value. It creates pressure to respond in real time without giving space for thoughtful storytelling or meaningful customer engagement. Growth teams need to pace the format, not chase it. Audiences respond better to content that respects their time and feels intentional. Being everywhere is not the goal. Being relevant and consistent matters more.
Marketing should drive toward clarity, not clutter. This format works best when used with purpose and tied to a broader campaign anchored in value. Restrained use, paired with strong creative direction, helps avoid backlash and builds something people remember.
Personalization Crosses From Helpful to Creepy Fast
Hyper personalisation is the digital trend that needs a reality check. The idea of delivering perfectly tailored content sounds brilliant in theory. But in practice, it often pushes too far.
When every search, click and pause is tracked, analysed and turned into a hyper targeted ad, it stops feeling helpful and starts feeling invasive.
There is a fine line between relevance and creepiness. Once you cross it, you risk losing trust.
People do not want to feel like they are being watched every second they are online. And while personalisation might improve short term conversion rates, the long term cost is brand fatigue or even backlash.
One wrong assumption or poorly timed message can make a brand feel out of touch, or worse, manipulative.
For companies that care about reputation and sustainability, restraint is the smart play. Use personalisation to enhance the user experience. Not to bombard, manipulate or intrude. The future of marketing is respectful. Not just clever.
JM Littman
CEO, Webheads
AI Without Expert Oversight Damages Brand Trust
AI content flows, especially end-to-end automation, should be approached with serious caution.
Too many companies have over-trusted AI to scale output without having a mature, well-vetted process in place. The result is often a flood of mediocre outputs that can damage brand trust and erode authority over time.
To be clear, I am not anti-AI. In fact, I believe large language models are powerful when paired with expert oversight. AI is excellent at removing low-quality friction points. However, it cannot replace deep expertise, context, or strategic nuance. Pairing AI with experts enables quality at scale.
Companies that chase automation before mastering the fundamentals often pay for it in rework, reputation damage, or regulatory scrutiny.
James DeLapa
SEO & Web Strategy Expert, Bottom Line Insights
Influencer Overuse Breeds Consumer Skepticism and Fatigue
Influencer marketing has surged in popularity but presents challenges like sustainability, authenticity, and backlash.
Over-promoting through influencers can lead to consumer fatigue and skepticism about recommendations, potentially damaging a brand’s reputation.
Companies should approach influencer partnerships with caution to maintain authenticity and avoid overwhelming consumers with excessive messaging.
Michael Kazula
Director of Marketing, Olavivo
Balance Personalization With Respect for User Boundaries
Brands should approach hyper-personalization with restraint.
While tailored experiences can boost engagement, excessive data use or overly invasive targeting can trigger privacy concerns and erode trust.
Striking a balance between relevance and respect for user boundaries is essential to maintain credibility and long-term sustainability.
Tyson Downs
Owner & Business Growth Consultant, Titan Web Agency
Trust Trumps Clever: Respect Boundaries in Personalization
Hype cycles move fast—but reputations don’t recover as easily.
One trend I think brands need to approach with caution? Hyper-personalization using AI and behavioral data.
It sounds great on paper: tailor every message, offer, and product to individual users. The tech is here, and it works. But when we tested aggressive personalization at Design Hero, we saw a darker side.
We ran a campaign using real-time user data to tailor site content dynamically. Think Netflix-level personalization for design services. It boosted engagement—briefly. But it also spooked people.
Clients started asking, “How did you know I was looking at that yesterday?” The creep factor was real. And we realized just because you can personalize doesn’t mean you should.
Too much personalization feels invasive. It erodes trust. People want relevance—but they don’t want to feel watched. The line between “smart” and “surveillance” is razor-thin.
We dialed it back. Shifted focus to contextual relevance instead. Grouped users by behavior types, not individuals. Keep messaging useful, not predictive.
Result? Lower initial clicks, but longer-term retention and more trust.
And in today’s brand economy, trust is the real currency.
Here’s the kicker: personal data use is a moving target. Regulations like GDPR and upcoming AI laws are evolving fast. If you’re building strategy around harvesting microdata, you’re betting against the clock.
That’s why I always advise clients: be transparent, not clever.
Tell people how and why you’re using their data. Give them control.
The brands that win long-term won’t be the ones who knew everything about you. They’ll be the ones who respected your boundaries.
In a world where digital tools let you do anything, the smartest move is often choosing not to.
Nicholas Robb
UK Design agency, Design Hero
On behalf of the BoostMyDomain community of readers, we thank these leaders and experts for taking the time to share valuable insights that stem from years of experience and in-depth expertise in their respective niches.
BoostMyDomain invites you to share your insights and contribute to our authoritative publication. Reach a wider audience, build your credibility, and establish yourself as a thought leader in an industry that caters to every business with an online presence!