For years, I’ve seen Salesforce Marketing Cloud become the go-to choice for marketers.
It’s powerful, reliable, and trusted by enterprises globally.
However, recently, I’ve been hearing a different story:
“Our data is too tangled to activate.”
“We’re locked into contracts.”
“We’re stuck sending the same emails on repeat.”
“Everything is Band-Aids and duct tape — I don’t know how we can move without breaking everything.”
“We feel stuck.”
Does this resonate with you? If so, let me invite you to a fireside chat tailored for you.
We’ve successfully guided numerous brands away from Salesforce, transitioning into flexible, modern engagement systems tailored for optimal CRM performance. Not solely because it’s trendy, but because we need speed, adaptability, and innovation more than ever.
In our upcoming session on April 14, I look forward to discussing:
Why so many brands are feeling stuck (it’s more common than you might think).
What’s occurring within the Salesforce landscape.
The biggest myths surrounding migration.
A comprehensive view of the current martech environment.
What life truly looks like after switching to a platform like Braze.
How CMOs and martech leaders should approach platform decisions in the next 3 to 5 years.
Ways to get your entire organization on board with these changes.
The steps you can take now to ensure a smooth migration.
To clarify, this isn’t about criticizing Salesforce.
It’s about having a transparent discussion regarding innovation, marketing autonomy, and what embracing the next era of marketing truly necessitates.
Disclaimer: To ensure an open and candid exchange, the live session is exclusively open to brand-side marketing leaders. Unverified participants will not be allowed in the live event, but all registrants will receive access to the recorded session post-event.
I recently came across some fascinating insights into the world of SEO tools and how they’re evolving. It turns out, marketers are swapping SEO platforms less frequently now, mostly due to AI advancements, tightening budgets, and shifting search dynamics.
In 2025, SEO tools emerged as the most commonly replaced martech application. You might think this indicates a problem, but there’s more to it. According to the 2025 MarTech Replacement Survey, for the first time, SEO platforms surpassed marketing automation platforms in replacements, a leader for five years.
At first, this replacement trend could appear as instability within SEO. With the arrival of large language models, AI-generated answers, and zero-click search experiences, traditional keyword tracking and ranking-based methods face challenges.
However, the survey data reveals a more complex narrative.
SEO Tools: Most Replaced, Yet Stabilizing
Despite being the most replaced category in 2025, the rate of SEO tool replacements actually slowed down compared to previous years. This indicates that while I’m seeing changes, there’s also increased stability.
This shift points to maturation. It seems we’re consolidating, upgrading, or refining our SEO toolkits as search methods evolve rather than causing widespread churn.
Meanwhile, other significant martech categories experienced sharper annual decreases in replacements:
CRM replacements dropped over 12% from 2024 to 2025, hitting an all-time survey low.
MAPs, email platforms, and CMS tools also saw declines compared to 2024.
Why SEO Tools Are Being Replaced
With stability not being the primary driver, you might wonder what’s fueling the change in SEO tool replacements. The survey highlights three main reasons:
1. AI Capabilities
The survey incorporated questions about AI’s role in replacement decisions for the first time, revealing its substantial impact.
37.1% of respondents considered AI capabilities crucial.
33.9% desired AI features in new tools.
This shift reflects the growing trend of SEO platforms rapidly adopting AI for tasks like content generation, SERP analysis, and workflow automation.
In many cases, swapping an SEO tool isn’t about leaving SEO behind; it’s about upgrading to incorporate AI capabilities.
2. Cost Pressures
Cost considerations significantly influence martech tool replacements, including SEO tools:
In 2025, 43.8% of marketers cited cost reduction as their reason for replacing applications, a sharp increase from 23% in 2024 and 22% in 2023.
This indicates growing pressure to evaluate overlapping tool functionalities and optimize the SEO tech stack effectively.
3. Changing Needs in a Shifting Search Landscape
As search trends evolve, so do the expectations for SEO platforms. Traditional rank tracking and keyword monitoring aren’t adequate anymore. Many teams are now looking for tools that can:
Provide insights across AI-driven SERPs
Track visibility beyond just clicks
Integrate more seamlessly with wider marketing and data systems
This evolution partially drives the ongoing replacements, even as the overall landscape becomes more stable.
AI Is Reviving Custom-Built SEO Tools
A remarkable trend from the 2025 survey is the comeback of custom-built solutions for SEO processes.
Homegrown applications made up:
8.1% of replacements in 2025, increasing from 3.4% in 2024 and 5% in 2023.
This marks a shift after years of depending almost entirely on commercial platforms.
“AI-assisted coding is changing the calculus of build versus buy,” explained martech analyst Scott Brinker. “Building is now faster and easier. Companies should still purchase applications where they lack a competitive edge. However, where they can differentiate through tailored solutions, custom-built software is gaining appeal.”
For SEO teams, this trend could see more organizations developing:
Custom data pipelines
Unique SERP tracking systems
AI-driven analysis tools customized for specific requirements
Other Martech Categories Show Even Greater Stability
While SEO tools led in replacements, the broader martech field is stabilizing.
Several key categories recorded reduced replacement rates in 2025:
CRM platforms (down over 12% year-over-year)
Marketing automation platforms
Email distribution tools
Content management systems
This trend suggests that many organizations are sticking with core systems while selectively updating rapidly changing areas like SEO.
Methodology
The survey invitations were sent out via email, website, and social media throughout Q4 2025. Out of 207 respondents, findings are drawn from the 154 marketers (60%) who had replaced a martech application in the preceding 12 months.
