10 Best Demand Generation Channels for Marketers in 2025

by The MNTN Team

7 Min Read

Demand generation (also referred to as simply “demand gen”) represents the cornerstone of driving interest and engagement in your products or services. However, if you want to effectively obtain new leads and maximize brand awareness, it’s vital to choose the right mix of demand generation channels.

With that in mind, here are ten of the best demand gen channels that you should be using in 2025:

1. Referral Programs

Launching a referral program is a great way to earn loyalty and boost customer retention rate. A referred customer is, on average, 18% more loyal than other non-referred clients. They also spend twice as much as the typical consumer.

With that in mind, incentivizing existing customers to refer their friends and family to your products or services helps your business expand its customer base and increase brand awareness organically.

There are numerous ways to mobilize your current base of supporters. For example, you could give existing customers a $20 discount on purchases of $100 or more when someone they refer makes a qualifying purchase. If you want to sweeten the deal even more, extend the offer to the person they refer to your business, as well.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO remains a foundational part of building a strong online brand. You need to be visible through organic searches if you want to stay ahead of the competition and generate a steady stream of clients. Therefore, optimizing your website’s content and structure for relevant keywords and phrases will allow you to attract qualified leads.

One thing you must remember, however, is that investing in SEO is not a one-time move. You must continuously fight for a top spot on search engine results pages (SERPs) as your competition does the same. If necessary, bring in a third-party SEO partner to maximize your visibility and reach.

With billions of active users worldwide, social media marketing offers unparalleled reach and targeting capabilities for your business. They allow you to quickly and effectively engage with your established audience, share valuable content, and build relationships with potential customers.

By making use of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), you can drive brand awareness, generate leads, and nurture prospects through targeted ads.

You don’t need to focus on every social platform, of course, but it’s important to be active and visible on at least a few. Conduct research to determine which options are most popular among your audience and prioritize your resources on those channels.

4. Content Marketing

Content marketing involves delivering value to your audience by publishing helpful assets such as blogs, how-to guides, and videos. Infographics and ebooks can be great tools as well, especially if you are trying to reach a business audience.

While you should make all of this content free, consider putting some of it behind a gate that requires users to provide their contact information. Doing so can help build your mailing list and expand your reach among prospective buyers. Producing gated content can fuel other demand gen channels, including the next one on our list: email.

5. Email Marketing

Despite the leaps and bounds that the digital marketing ecosystem has taken in just the last few years alone, email remains one of the most impactful and cost-effective demand generation tools for reaching prospects and nurturing leads.

Of course, there are still a few keys to email marketing success to be aware of. For one, you must be able to deliver valuable email content to your audience. Everything from the subject line to the body text must be impactful and engaging. Alongside that, you need to ensure that you don’t overwhelm (or spam) consumers. Daily messages will prompt most users to hit the “unsubscribe” button or turn them off of your brand altogether.

6. Paid Advertising

There are plenty of ways to incorporate paid ads into your demand generation strategy. The most well-known approach involves running pay-per-click (PPC) ads on sites like Google and other search engines.

These ads will put your site in a prime position on SERPs and can drive near-instant results, but do keep in mind that they can be costly. It’s important to use a broad mix of ads, including display, banner, and social media advertisements.

Experiment with different keywords and per-click settings to determine which approach offers the best return on investment. More importantly, take advantage of the built-in analytics tools that Google and social platforms provide. Monitor your reach and pivot where necessary to improve your return on investment.

7. Influencer Marketing

Collaborating with an influencer or industry expert can help you effectively promote your products or services to their followers. By leveraging the credibility and influence of trusted personalities, you can form instant connections and humanize your brand.

As you explore influencer marketing and look for people to partner with, ensure that their following mirrors your core demographic. After all, you want to reach individuals who will likely be interested in your products.

Additionally, you don’t always need to partner with mega influencers. Aligning yourself with a few micro-influencers can be just as impactful, on top of being much more affordable to work with.

8. Webinar and Event Marketing

Attending industry events or hosting a webinar provides an excellent chance to engage with prospects while also demonstrating your expertise. If you don’t want to take on the costs of hosting an in-person event, you can even consider a virtual workshop or networking session instead.

No matter the approach, these gatherings can help you attract high-quality leads and drive demand. Just make sure to publicize your upcoming event on social media. And if necessary, run paid ads to maximize attendance. You want to get in front of as many viewers as possible.

9. Community Engagement

There are a couple of ways to generate demand through community engagement. If you run a local or regional business, for instance, consider getting involved in things like First Friday or sponsoring recreational sports teams. Many people prefer doing business with brands that give back and actively support the community in which they are based.

You can also build an online community around your brand. Online forums provide a platform for sharing valuable content, gathering feedback, and building relationships that translate into sustained business growth.

10. Connected TV Advertising

Driving demand is about more than just visibility—it’s about reaching the right audience, engaging them with compelling creative, and tracking real impact. MNTN Performance TV turns Connected TV into a high-performance demand generation channel, combining premium ad placements with advanced measurement and targeting.

With MNTN, you get:

Premium CTV Inventory – Serve OTT ads on top-tier streaming networks like ESPN, CNN, and Discovery+, ensuring brand-safe, high-impact placements.
Verified Visits™ Attribution – Gain full-funnel visibility by tracking how CTV ads drive real site visits and conversions.
Creative-as-a-Subscription™ (CaaS) – Get access to high-quality, performance-driven TV ads that stay fresh and engaging.
Transparent, Real-Time Reporting – See exactly how your streaming advertising campaigns perform with network-level insights and audience analytics.
MNTN Matched: AI-Powered Targeting – Reach high-intent audiences using first- and third-party data for maximum demand impact.

Turn awareness into action and scale your demand generation with MNTN Performance TV. Sign up today to start using our self-serve software.

Demand Generation Channels: Final Thoughts

The best demand generation channels in 2025 combine data-driven targeting, engaging content, and measurable performance to attract and convert high-value prospects. By leveraging a mix of digital, social, and Connected TV strategies, marketers can build stronger pipelines and drive sustained growth.

As demand generation evolves, staying ahead means continuously optimizing your approach and embracing new channels that deliver real impact.