For years, digital advertising in banking leaned heavily on search, display, and social media ads as primary channels for customer acquisition. But in 2025, the model is evolving.

Spending has shifted toward mobile-first, video-driven engagement, with platforms like OTT (over-the-top streaming), YouTube, and TikTok gaining traction. At the same time, AI-powered targeting, first-party data strategies, and video-driven engagement are changing how banks execute campaigns.

Instead of measuring success through impressions or clicks, banks can optimize for long-term customer value, tracking behaviors like deposit growth, engagement, and conversion across multiple digital channels.

"Banks are no longer relying on traditional brand ads or one-size-fits-all promotions," Lisa Nicholas, vice president of strategy for financial services at Vericast, a marketing and data analytics company, tells The Financial Brand. "Instead, they prioritize privacy-first targeting, AI-driven personalization, and optimizing spend for performance marketing, focusing on lead generation and conversions, to drive measurable results."

As banks refine their digital advertising strategies for 2025, a few key trends shape where dollars flow — and which financial institutions can succeed.

The New Digital Advertising Playbook
Bank marketers can’t focus on just one or two channels to drive engagement anymore. Consumer demands have shifted. According to Vericast’s Lookback Trends that Will Define 2025: Banking Ad Trends report, in 2019, there were three primary digital channels, with Facebook being the dominant option. In 2025, budgets are now spread across OTT, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to meet new demands.

But success isn’t about being everywhere; it’s about strategic integration. "No single digital channel is most effective; success comes from integrating multiple platforms strategically based on audience behaviors and marketing goals," says Nicholas.