hubspot.com Blog – Marketing

27 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

8 steps to build your account-based marketing strategy [+ recommended tools] 

In the world of account-based marketing, you start the sales process by selling directly to your best-fit, highest-value accounts.

That means wasted time trying to market to unqualified leads who aren’t the right fit for your business. You can move straight into the phases of engaging and delighting your target accounts. Talk about efficiency, right?

Account-based marketing allows you to weed out less valuable companies early on and makes sure that Marketing and Sales are in complete alignment. In return, your team can leap into the critical processes of engaging and delighting target accounts much faster.

I recently sat down with Tim Davidson and Dylan Wingrove, account-based marketers, to discuss everything relating to this strategy. Here’s everything you need to know about account-based marketing.

Table of Contents

• What is account-based marketing?
• Account-Based Marketing and Inbound Marketing
• Benefits of Account-Based Marketing
• Account-Based Marketing Framework
• Account-Based Marketing Strategy
• Account-Based Marketing Tactics
• Account-Based Marketing Tools
• Account-Based Marketing Examples
• B2B Account-Based Marketing
• LinkedIn Account-Based Marketing

When I asked Dylan Wingrove, Associate Director of Demand Generation at Pacvue, for his personal definition, he told me, “[ABM] is going after a set of defined strategic accounts that are large revenue opportunities for the business.”

In other words, ABM helps your business work and communicate with high-value accounts as if they’re individual markets.

Like traditional marketing, you’ll spend quite a bit of time personalizing your messaging to be as specific as possible. This means really leaning into individual pain points to directly speak to your leads’ needs.

For this post, I asked Davidson and Wingrove about the benefits of account-based marketing and how to create an ABM strategy. But first, I think it's important that we spend a minute reviewing its relationship with another important strategy: inbound marketing.

Account-Based Marketing and Inbound Marketing

Batman and Robin. LeBron and D-Wade. Peanut butter and jelly. Arguably, some of the strongest partnerships ever to exist. These dynamic duos are forces to be reckoned with.

Similarly, when paired, account-based marketing and inbound marketing have the power to make waves (the good ones) for your business.

You might be wondering, “How exactly does this partnership work?”

Well, we just reviewed the definition of account-based marketing — as you learned, ABM is a highly targeted strategy.

Meanwhile, inbound marketing is more foundational — this methodology and growth strategy allows you to attract customers through the creation of valuable content, SEO, and a delightful customer experience.

Rather than interrupting your target audience and customers (as you would with outbound marketing), inbound marketing allows you to give your audience the information they want when they want it.

Inbound lays the foundation for a strong ABM strategy by allowing for highly targeted and efficient resource allocation of high-value accounts.

Do you need both inbound marketing and account-based marketing?

You’re probably wondering, “Do I need both inbound marketing and outbound marketing?”

I hear you. So, I asked Wingrove what he thought. He told me he would not recommend launching an ABM strategy as a standalone tactic. Instead, it works better in partnership with other marketing strategies.

Here are a few reasons to employ both ABM and inbound marketing strategies at your company:

• Inbound marketing helps you attract target accounts, and then ABM accelerates the flywheel so you can win and delight those accounts with a remarkable customer experience.
• Inbound marketing lays the foundation for a strong ABM strategy; ABM builds off of inbound by allowing for targeted and efficient resource allocation of high-value accounts.
• With this combined approach, you attract a broader group of prospects than you would while using just one method.
• Your content has a two-for-one value — you can create and use content that serves both an ABM and inbound strategy (such as adding a personalized case study for a target account that you also share on your website).
• Software — such as HubSpot’s account-based marketing tool — exists to make it easy to implement ABM and inbound strategies in a complementary way.

TL;DR: Combine ABM and inbound marketing to grow better.

As I learned by chatting with Davidson and Wingrove, there are many benefits associated with account-based marketing. I’ve made a list of the most important benefits based on what the experts told me.

1. Keeps marketing and sales aligned.

Davidson and Wingrove both made it very clear that account-based marketing aligns the sales and marketing team in a way that might not be possible otherwise.

Wingrove said it reduces the friction between teams, too. He said, “There‘s no fighting over inbound versus outbound. And everyone’s kind of working off of the same set of strategic accounts that we're going after.”

I think we can all agree that cross-team collaboration and improved communication across any organization are beneficial to growth.

In account-based marketing, this transparency and alignment will confirm that your marketing and sales teams:

• Are focused on the same goals.
• Stick to the mutually agreed-upon budget.
• Understand the specific roles of each internal stakeholder.

This alignment helps make sure all communications, interactions, and content are consistent for the accounts you work with.

Meaning, no matter how long an account works with your company, your team members can pick up where others left off at any point without question — this creates a seamless and delightful customer experience.

🧡 The easiest way to support internal account-based marketing alignment is with the help of software, like HubSpot, which makes connecting your marketing and sales teams exceptionally easy.

2. Maximizes your business’s relevance among high-value accounts.

Account-based marketing requires you to personalize everything for each account you invest your resources in. You’ll create magic with:

• Personalized content
• Product information
• Clear communications
• Highly tailored campaigns

For Davidson, that means using all the tools available from personalized ads to dynamic landing pages. Through this personalization and customization, your relevance among these accounts is maximized.

That’s because your content and interactions are tailored in a way that shows them how your specific products, services, and other offerings are what they need to solve their challenges.

ABM allows you to angle your business in a way that makes it the most relevant and ideal choice for your target accounts. Or, as Wingrove told me, it keeps your business top-of-mind. So, when a prospect looks for a solution, you’re there.

3. Delivers consistent customer experiences.

For your ABM strategy to be remarkable, I cannot stress this enough: you must create a long-term sense of delight among your accounts. Each account should feel as though they’re your business’s market of one.

Tackle this by offering consistent and unique customer experiences.

Wingrove told me this approach has been integral to closing sales. He said custom offers give prospects a reason to take meetings or engage in conversation. But it takes an all-hands-on-deck approach. “Sales and marketing need to work really closely together to figure out what is important to that customer to offer them,” he said.

You’ll need to confirm that all team members know where an account is in the buyer's journey — then, deliver personalized and prompt communication, campaigns, product information, and pricing details.

4. Measure your return on investment.

With account-based marketing, you can easily measure return on investment (ROI) for each account you invest your resources and time in.

This is beneficial because you can confirm whether certain accounts you invested in were ideal for your business.

Then, you can nurture and delight those accounts long-term to keep them, as well as recognize and target similar accounts in the future. If your ROI proves the ABM tactics you used worked, use that data to propel your strategy forward.

5. Streamlines the sales cycle.

Depending on your business, industry, and resources, the sales cycle typically looks something like this:

1) Prospect → 2) Connect → 3) Research → 4) Present → 5) Close → 6) Delight

With account-based marketing, this cycle is streamlined — by focusing your efforts on specific high-value target accounts, you save time and resources.

This means you'll have more time to focus on the stages of the cycle that positively impact your bottom line:

1) Identify Target Accounts → 2) Present to Target Accounts → 3) Close Target Accounts → 4) Delight Accounts

ABM streamlines your sales cycle by helping you stay efficient.

Rather than experimenting with different tactics to prospect and qualify a large pool of leads, ABM confirms the accounts you target are the right ones for your business and vice versa.

The sales cycle is also streamlined by your marketing and sales alignment, as well as the consistent and personalized customer experiences you offer. And, according to Wingrove, it can also shorten your sales cycle.

I don’t know about you, but that a shorter cycle is a definite win.

6. Expands your business through account relationships.

I think the phrase “quality over quantity” safely applies to account-based marketing. The process requires you to invest significant time and resources in engaging and delighting a group of carefully chosen, high-value accounts.

This is instead of trying to close deals with less-qualified leads who may not be the best fit for your company in the long run.

By taking the time to build these trusting relationships with accounts, you’ll expand business by keeping those valuable customers longer.

Considering it costs more to obtain customers than to retain them, this will positively impact your bottom line.

Additionally, as a result of personalized, thoughtful, and consistent customer experiences, accounts will become loyal to your business over time — and loyal customers become your best marketers, promoters, and brand advocates.

In other words, your accounts will help you expand your business among their networks (for example, partners or customers) through:

• Referrals
• Word-of-mouth marketing
• Testimonials

To get started, let’s cover the framework for account-based marketing.

Account-Based Marketing Framework

ABM works differently from a traditional sales funnel. Though ABM can be put in place across different industries and types of businesses, a general framework needs to be followed to guarantee its effectiveness.

Here are the key parts of an account-based marketing framework.

Marketing-Sales Alignment

Aligning your sales and marketing team is critical for the success of your ABM strategies. When I talked with Davidson and Wingrove, both stressed that in a comprehensive approach to ABM, marketing and sales must be on the same page.

Davidson said, “Ideally, everything you’re doing from the sales and marketing sides, you’re doing together.”

When trying ABM, sales and marketing organizations will need to agree on:

• Resource allocation for each target account
• Roles and responsibilities to create a seamless transition for the customer between marketing and sales activities
• How to measure the success of ABM efforts

Account Qualification

How does your company decide what a high-value account is? This is something you’ll need to sit down and discuss during a planning meeting with both sales and marketing.

Creating an ideal customer profile for the accounts your company wants to target is key to answering this question and creating an ABM framework.

As you figure out what qualifies a potential account, consider these factors:

• Financials — With your company’s sales goals in mind, consider how much revenue can be generated from an account.
• Scalability — Based on what you know about the potential account’s business performance, is there potential to grow the account in the future? Consider extra offerings your company could provide to retain and grow the account.
• Competitive Landscape — Who are your competitors selling to? Understanding who is in the market for products and offerings like yours can help you figure out future account opportunities.

Go-to-Market Approach

Once marketing and sales are aligned on approach and which accounts to target, it’s time to map out a go-to-market plan.

Understand exactly how a new customer would move through the sales process using an ABM approach.

While preparing to go to market, you may find areas of friction that need to be addressed or areas of poor communication that can be strengthened.

Because a personalized experience is so important in account-based marketing, your team will want to be on the lookout for extra ways to add value and deliver a premium experience to these accounts.

Source

Account-Based Marketing Strategy

You'll need a sound strategy to get the most out of an account-based marketing approach. I think it’s important to mention that you don’t need to go full force with your ABM strategy from the start.

Wingrove suggested that a small, slower pace might be best for getting your ABM program off the ground. Consider following these steps to create an effective account-based marketing strategy.

1. Use a strategic account planning template.

To unify your account-based marketing team, use a strategic account planning template. I like this free template because it will help you outline your initiatives for each unique account, such as the following sections:

• Business overview.
• Key business initiatives.
• Customer relationship landscape.
• Customer products and revenue.
• Account competitor analysis.
• Buying process and selling points.
• Relationship goals and strategy.
• Sales opportunities, targets, and risks.
• Action plan.

Download the Free Account-Based Marketing Plan Template

2. Secure organizational ABM alignment.

Executive Alignment

One of the most important account-based marketing tactics is pretty straightforward — getting alignment.

Instead, it means getting all internal stakeholders on board with your account-based marketing strategy.

Wingrove and Davidson both mentioned that if your stakeholders, like your executives, are accustomed to seeing large numbers of leads on various reports, a more tailored list might be shocking.

Davidson explains it like this: “Often what happens is if you go the ABM route and you‘re doing maybe the demand generation route before that, you’re getting in front of fewer accounts, less number of people. So, your leads and your volume are going to go down. If you don‘t have those conversations with your executive team, your numbers will look bad to start. And that’s going to be a bad conversation.”

Having these conversations beforehand will make it easier for your business to create consistent experiences for accounts. It will also ensure your strategy is as efficient and streamlined as possible.

And it removes any potential disappointments and surprises.

Marketing and Sales Alignment

I know I’ve mentioned this many times already, but marketing-sales alignment is crucial. To create a custom buying experience, a customer must have a seamless transition from becoming a lead through the final sale.

For example, your VPs of Marketing and Sales should secure organizational alignment. This will help spread awareness for:

• Marketing and sales team members who are directly involved in the strategy.
• Account-buying committee members and any other account stakeholders.
• Your business’s point-of-difference for each target account.
• ABM budget and resources.
• ABM goals and KPIs.

Both teams must commit to clear communication and find a middle ground. This will help you make sure that the marketing team is acquiring qualified leads for the sales team.

Besides marketing and sales, don’t forget to choose other internal key players — such as customer success reps — who should be aware of and aligned with your ABM strategy.

3. Build your ABM team.

If you’re just starting with ABM, Wingrove and Davidson both told me the best way to do it is to create a small task force with one marketer and one salesperson. They can work together to find potential issues and generate ideas before focusing on executing your ABM strategy.

As your efforts scale, this marketer could support more salespeople. On average, one marketer can typically stay aligned with up to 10 salespeople, and each salesperson can manage up to 10 accounts.

A minimum of one marketer and one sales rep should be completely dedicated to the accounts you work with at all times.

These people will create and publish content for accounts. They'll also work to manage and close business deals with each account’s buying committee.

4. Research and pick your ideal set of target accounts.

Once you‘ve selected your team and aligned on the approach, it’s time for your company to target the correct accounts and personas.

I asked Davidson how he does this. He said he starts by looking at the data in his CRM or another data provider. Then, you’ll better understand which accounts to target and can create customer personas...

When creating customer personas for an account-based marketing approach, marketers should consider:

• The mission, vision, and business objectives of their ideal customer.
• If any high-value accounts are already engaging with your company’s Inbound approach.
• The current stage of business maturity, company size, and growth trajectory.
• Revenue model and spending patterns.
• The tools and platforms that their ideal customer is using.

Next, review your findings and pick your ideal set of high-value target accounts to invest your time and resources in.

There are countless ways to choose key accounts. Here are some recommendations on how to get started:

• Set search alerts for your ideal customer profile on LinkedIn.
• Create a workflow that filters incoming qualified leads based on specific criteria (such as company size or industry) and tags them as an ideal customer type in your CRM .
• Ask, “If we could replicate one deal from last year, what would it be?” Then, use the characteristics of that deal (such as industry, company size, value) to help you find other good-fit customers.
• Pick target accounts based on a particular industry or geographical location.
• Review major companies and leads who are using and engaging with your inbound content but don’t have a deal attached (yet!).
• Find the lighthouse accounts you could use for reference.
• In this stage of the process, what’s most important is that marketing and sales agree on which accounts to target.

According to HubSpot Academy professor Kyle Jepson, “If your marketer is targeting one list of companies, and your salespeople are working a different list, you’re going to end up with an account-based mess.”

Check out this post to learn more about choosing the right AMB accounts.

5. Finalize account plans.

After deciding which accounts to target, it’s time to build account plans. In this step, your marketing and sales teams will work together to map out:

• Potential leads they’ll need to attract to reach their target accounts
• What content do they need to produce to engage with this audience

Account-based marketing is a team effort.

Each account plan should be able to answer two important questions:

1. Who makes the buying decision for this sale?
2. What content do you need for each member of this buying committee?

So, make sure marketing and sales ask the following questions while they work on account plans:

• Who will we need to know at each account? Who are the buying committee members, decision-makers, influencers, blockers, end-users, and account stakeholders?
• What content will we need to attract and engage account-buying committee members (and any other stakeholders)?
• Which channels will we use to share content with the right people at each account?
• How will we (marketers and sales reps) offer the right type of support throughout each stage of the strategy and sales process?
• How will sales help at the outset and how will marketing support in the later stages?

Note: Store your account plans as pinned notes in your HubSpot CRM, Google Docs, Asana Boards, pinned messages in Slack, and more to allow for easy access and collaboration.

Here are a few other tips and best practices you can use to make your ABM plans successful:

• Connect your different sales and marketing applications to make sure all your ABM apps are aligned.
• Make sure marketing and sales align on your product or service’s value proposition for every account.
• Use a marketing plan template to make sure your plan includes the details your plan needs to be effective.
• Customize each plan to the needs of that particular account.
• Create personalized content — or update existing content — so it’s tailored to each unique account.
• Customize your allocated resources and budget for each account.

6. Attract contacts associated with high-quality target accounts.

Next, you’ll want to attract the buying committee members and stakeholders of your target accounts.

You can attract contacts from your high-quality target accounts in a few ways. I feel it’s important to mention two key tactics now (but don’t worry, I’ll cover a few more later): leaning into your employees and using your resources.

Employee Networks

Depending on how long you’ve been in business and any previous ABM work you’ve done, you may or may not already have contacts for specific accounts.

If you don’t have contact, look to your team. Wingrove mentioned that your team members likely have an in, whether from professional connections on LinkedIn or former colleagues at new companies.

Wingrove said that when his company can increase the number of contacts, they close 20% more sales. So, don’t sleep on your team members’ networks!

Inbound Marketing and Personalization

Ideally, using the Inbound methodology will help you attract contacts associated with your target accounts by ensuring your company is visible and represented in these spaces.

The key to successfully attracting high-quality accounts is to personalize content to those accounts. This will help you elevate brand awareness and maximize relevance among audience members.

Trying to get your company‘s visibility through all available avenues can be tempting. But you’ll get the best results through the most relevant channels to your target accounts and contacts.

Here are some GDPR-compliant recommendations for attracting high-quality accounts:

• Ask current contacts, accounts, and customers for referrals.
• Engage accounts on social media. Figure out which platforms they’re on, join the groups they’re in, contribute to conversations they're a part of, and share helpful and relevant content you’ve created.
• Send direct messages through social media, email, or post.
• LinkedIn is a popular platform for businesses. Communicate through LinkedIn InMail outreach without ever leaving HubSpot with the LinkedIn integration.
• Produce a podcast or video series and invite a leader from the account to be a special guest. (Davidson mentioned being a guest or a host is a great way to attract target accounts!)
• Sponsor a booth at a target account’s conference or event.
• Share industry content, such as blog articles or newsletters, across channels that are relevant to each account. Use your website, social media, and magazines — and make sure that your messaging is where your target customers are.
• Invite contacts to (physical or digital) events and ask attendees to invite their colleagues.
• Build custom landing pages tailored to the needs, questions, and concerns of accounts.
• Offer gifts for engagement and interaction (such as prizes, swag, and discount codes).
• Create targeted ad campaigns to target different factors such as location, skill, and job title.

7. Forge strong relationships with the account’s buying committee.

Once you’ve attracted high-value accounts, it’s time to forge strong relationships with their buying committees.

This is something your team will likely work on over an extended period of time. Keep in mind that it often takes months and even years to develop these bonds. Even though it takes time, it’s effective.

Use executive connections.

Wingrove told me, “We’ve found it effective to get our offer in front of the right people by using our exec team and exec sponsors on these large accounts.” To do that, he, again, turns to his team and asks, “Does someone have a connection or know someone through a board seat or something?”

Forging strong relationships with the account’s buying committee requires you to be a little creative. Your primary goal is to delight your accounts, and you can never stop the process of delight.

Get creative to forge strong relationships.

Here are some thoughts on how you can forge strong, long-lasting relationships with an account’s buying committee.

• Offer education around the value of your business and your product/ service.
• Create and share personalized content like case studies to show how you’ll exceed expectations and resolve challenges.
• Communicate one-on-one when possible to make buying committee members feel like they’re your only priority.
• Host events with and for account members (such as dinners, lunches, or social meetups) so they get to know your brand and team on a personal level.
• Stick to organized, well-timed meetings.
• Use email sequencing to enhance all communication, be professional, and stay consistent.

Use tools.

HubSpot's ABM Software Target Accounts Home and Account Overview features will help you forge strong relationships.

Tools like Enlyft give you insight into details such as recent funding dates and the technologies prospects are using to help you better understand and solve the problems your prospects face.

Though this stage is typically led by sales, marketing should be ready to support. Be sure to develop valuable materials to reinforce messaging.

Learn how to showcase your company's success using compelling case studies with a free case study creation kit.

8. Measure and analyze your ABM results (and iterate as needed).

Once you've put your account-based marketing strategy in place, it’s crucial to track the success of your tactics.

Here’s my best tip: Continuously review and analyze your ABM results to find any gaps or tactics that you want to update. This will allow you to make your strategy more effective for your business, marketing and sales teams, and accounts.

To measure the health of an ABM strategy, marketing and sales teams can use the following metrics:

• Find the buyers associated with target accounts and track interactions with these buyers.
• Data points related to the health of the deal—creation date, velocity, and close rate.
• Revenue attributed to target accounts.
• Account penetration (net new contacts added to an account).
• Account engagement.
• Net-new revenue.

For support with your analysis, enlist the help of HubSpot's library of 12+ ABM reports and pre-built ABM reporting dashboard to gain valuable insight into how to modify your ABM strategy for greater success.

Refining your ABM strategy makes it easy for your marketing and sales teams to attract and retain high-value customers. You can also automate your ABM strategy to scale your winning results.

Account-Based Marketing Tactics

ABM tactics are the building blocks of your strategy. As I’ve previously mentioned, customization is key. So, review the following tactics and decide which approaches will work best for each of your target accounts.

Tailored Value Proposition

Top-of-funnel marketing strategies are broad and brand-focused. However, account-based marketing needs to offer a specific value proposition to each account.

This doesn’t mean you can’t create top-of-funnel content. Wingrove told me his team focuses on the whole funnel, but especially the top, as it helps keep their company at the top of mind when target accounts begin looking for solutions.

The trick: Craft a compelling value proposition that addresses each target account's unique challenges and goals.

This message should clearly articulate the value your product or service brings to the organization and its impact on their specific pain points.

To create each value proposition, make sure you understand:

• Detailed pain points
• Target account’s needs
• Goals of each account.

Be sure to highlight how your product or service addresses those specific challenges. This can help you avoid generic messaging while staying consistent with your brand.

Try these value proposition templates to create useful and targeted value propositions for each of your target ABM accounts.

Download the Free Value Proposition Templates

Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement

Once you know the key stakeholders within each target account, map their roles, responsibilities, and influence.

This deep dive into your stakeholders can help you develop relevant communication strategies. This level of personalization can help you engage and build relationships with these decision-makers.

If you're not sure how to figure out all stakeholders or map specific roles, start with communication tracking. Keeping track of every interaction can help you better understand stakeholder relationships.

Lead management and email tracking software can make it easier to connect these conversations.

Web Personalization

Connect with accounts online with customized website experiences.

For example, you can use a free landing page builder to create landing pages for each target account. Personalize landing pages for each account, adding relevant content, like case studies, and calls-to-action that engage decision-makers.

Or, if you don’t want to create individual landing pages, consider using dynamic landing pages. Dynamic landing pages automatically personalize content based on who is looking at it.

Wingrove and Davidson told me these kinds of landing pages are the secret weapon for creating a message that sticks.

To create quality landing pages, it‘s important to collect accurate data. That said, make sure the content isn’t so personal that it feels overwhelming. These tips on website personalization can help you find the right balance.

Account-Based Social Selling

One thing Davidson mentioned to me is the power of LinkedIn and social selling. Encourage your sales team to use social media platforms to engage and build relationships with target accounts.

Linked and similar platforms simplify sharing personalized content, adding to relevant discussions, and networking with key stakeholders.

Attention to detail is essential with this B2B account-based marketing tactic. First, you need to choose platforms where your target accounts are active and engaged. Next, you want outreach to feel authentic.

Pro tip: If you have a hard time reaching out on social media, these discovery call questions are great inspiration.

Download Sales Call Templates for Outreach

Paid Advertising

Advertising platforms can help you deliver personalized ads to key individuals in your target accounts. This can help increase brand awareness and engagement while staying top of mind.

For this tactic to be effective, be sure to tailor ad messaging to specific pain points and goals. In fact, Davidson suggested creating one-to-one ads.

One-to-one ads are paid advertisements that speak directly to a target, often calling them out by name. The trick here is that you need to be as specific as possible in your messaging, or you risk missing the mark entirely.

This guide to ABM advertising can help you refine your tactics, too.

Retargeting

Retargeting is useful for converting stakeholders who have already shown interest in your offer. Retargeting can help you optimize your ads with relevant content across channels.

This can help you further target account decision-makers to take desired actions, such as visiting a website again or downloading a resource. It also reinforces your value proposition and maintains brand visibility.

Events and Experiences

Host targeted events, webinars, or roundtable discussions just for your key accounts. Davidson is a fan of hosting small dinners for a more personal approach.

You can customize the content, agenda, and attendee list to address each account's specific pain points and objectives.

For this tactic to be effective, your events need to add value. Offer:

• Unique experiences
• Networking opportunities
• Valuable content that aligns with the interests and needs of target accounts.

Post-event, be sure to follow up and continue relationship building.

Targeted Content

Targeted content is more than phone calls, personalized emails, and social media interactions.

Create an outreach cadence that combines multiple touchpoints and channels. Maintain a consistent presence to nurture relationships and keep your brand top-of-mind.

Create high-quality targeted content assets that speak directly to each account’s pain points, industry trends, and desired outcomes. Consider content like:

• Blog posts
• Industry reports
• Case studies
• Videos

Then, ensure that the right content reaches the stakeholders in your target accounts.

You’ll also better target your entire audience when you do this effectively. Wingrove said, “As a result of creating this custom content for ABM accounts, we could just templatize this and produce more content for that space. So, it‘s a dual strategy if we’re going after ABM, but it's also serving our wider target audience.”

Download Content Marketing Planning Templates

Account-Based Marketing Tools

ABM automation tools allow your business to target key customers with a customized approach to seamlessly move them through the sales process. Account-based marketing training can also give your team an edge.

Before we dive too far into account-based marketing tools, I think it’s important to mention that ABM is not solely tech. Davidson told me that with his first B2B account-based marketing strategy, he thought “it was just tech.” And, this thinking cost him and his team.

Instead, tech is a tool — and it should be used as such. As you move target accounts through sales, the right tools help streamline ABM efforts.

When looking for account-based marketing software, make sure your platform makes selling easy. Look for:

• Identification. It should accurately find potential customers and accounts with templates and AI-powered features.
• Collaboration. Shared tools will help your company keep conversations between teams and potential customers going.
• Analytics. You’ll need access to relevant data to understand how well your approach is performing.

Here are a few tools I think are worth checking out:

HubSpot’s ABM Software

If you’re already using HubSpot for your CRM, trying out HubSpot’s ABM software only makes sense.

The thing I love about this software? I can easily set up workflows to help me identify high-value accounts, making it much easier to create my list of priority targets.

Plus, the tool is collaborative. If there’s one thing I’ve mentioned many times in this post, it’s that your sales and marketing teams need to align to make your ABM strategy sing. This tool helps you by giving everyone access to the same pertinent information to make better strategy decisions.

DemandBase

Source

When I’m looking for a new tool, the user interface is one of the first things I evaluate. If a tool is too confusing to use, I’m out.

Thankfully, DemandBase is user-friendly and makes account-based marketing much more manageable. This tool allows for collaboration across the sales and marketing departments.

What I like about it (besides the user interface!) is that I can search for target accounts with recent intent signals. With this feature, my target account lists are up-to-date with the most recent information, helping me and my team craft better messaging and understand when we should reach out to targets.

RollWorks

Source

If you’ve been in marketing for a while, you know your ICP is everything. What if you had an ABM tool that helped you identify accounts that match your ICP? It would be a game changer, right?

I have good news for you: RollWorks.

I like this tool for a couple of reasons. RollWorks is an ABM software that allows users to create their ideal customer profile to quickly identify target accounts that match it. This means you spend less time sorting through your data and more time connecting with the right targets.

I like this tool because it also allows users to run digital ad campaigns and automate certain sales functions, like outreach. Plus, it works across multiple platforms.

And the best news? It integrates with HubSpot. With the RollWorks and HubSpot integration, your ABM strategy is set up for success.

ABM automation tools allow your business to target key customers with a customized approach to seamlessly move them through the sales process. Account-based marketing training can also give your team an edge.

Check out this post if you want to learn more about ABM software.

Account-Based Marketing Examples

Now that you understand the fundamentals of an account-based marketing strategy, let’s walk through a few examples of how B2B account-based marketing has worked for real businesses.

1. Restaurant Furniture Plus

This wholesale restaurant furniture supplier relied on search traffic and paid Google ads to attract new customers.

But after identifying its ideal customer (scaling chain restaurants), the company employed an account-based marketing strategy to get in front of restaurant owners who were a good fit for its products.

This strategy has helped Restaurant Furniture Plus save money on paid advertising, and increase its base of recurring customers.

2. HealthLink Dimensions

Healthcare data company HealthLink Dimensions partnered with marketing agency Acclaro to create an account-based marketing strategy.

HeathLink Dimensions sought to expand its offerings to health insurance providers and ran into challenges getting new contacts in its funnel.

After working with Acclaro to use an ABM strategy, HealthLink Dimensions experienced a 234% increase in its new customer pipeline.

3. BlueYonder

BlueYonder is a supply chain management company that helps businesses optimize their supplier activities.

In 2019, the company began testing an ABM approach with a small group of accounts. This initial test leveraged advertising and personalized content for the initial group of accounts and resulted in $10 million generated in the pipeline.

B2B Account-Based Marketing

B2C companies typically focus their marketing efforts on touching a pain point or desire of the end-user, with hopes that the individual will decide to buy. B2B account-based marketing works a little differently.

When selling to other businesses, there is rarely one person making a purchasing decision. Depending on the size of the company you’re selling to, there may be an entire group of people who all give input on the final buying decision.

An ABM strategy can be particularly helpful for B2B companies that are looking to build long-term relationships with key accounts.

In fact, 81% of marketers who used ABM in 2024 reported an increased ROI compared to other forms of marketing.

LinkedIn Account-Based Marketing

84% of B2B marketers said they believe LinkedIn delivers the best value. This is why many companies use LinkedIn to connect. LinkedIn can be a beneficial platform for targeting accounts, especially for B2B companies.

LinkedIn has a feature called Company Targeting that allows you to use LinkedIn’s directory of over 13 million company pages for your ABM efforts.

With this tool, you can upload a list of companies you’d like to reach and create ad campaigns that can specifically target individuals at these companies.

Additionally, LinkedIn can help you create a more personalized experience for your target accounts through genuine relationship-building with your buying committee.

Using LinkedIn to find and engage with the right decision-makers at the companies you’d like to work with can be a helpful, thoughtful alternative to using third-party data to find potential contacts.

Here's how Adobe used LinkedIn to support account-based marketing efforts.

Grow Better With Account-Based Marketing

Account-based marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. As Wingrove explained, it’s more about “where your company is in its phase of growth and how much money can you afford to go and spend and experiment on ABM.”

Although ABM can be pricey depending on the tools you use, Davidson mentioned that you don’t need to spend much of your budget on ABM. You can start with a simple spreadsheet and your CRM.

Don’t forget, you need buy-in from leadership, alignment from your sales team, and one willing sales rep to help you get started with this strategy.

By working through the tactics we’ve listed above and using software for your marketing and sales team to use together, you’ll find valuable accounts more efficiently, reduce any friction impacting your flywheel, and grow better.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2022 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

27 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Here are the most popular AI video tools that are actually worth your time 

My son and I were recently watching some AI-generated videos when he suddenly stopped and asked, “Wait… none of these are real?” That pause perfectly sums up where we stand with AI video tools right now. We‘ve reached the point where even a casual viewer has to take a step back and consider if what they’re seeing is real or AI.

But, not all tools propel viewers past the uncanny valley. Having spent years in Silicon Valley watching AI startups rise and fall, I‘ve learned that the tech that looks impressive in demos doesn’t always translate to real-world utility.

For this post, I’m cutting through the noise and focusing on AI video tools that are popular and live up to the hype. I’ll dive into visual quality, surprising functionality, and the heated debates these tools sparked. So, here are the nine tools that rise above the rest.

The 9 Most Popular AI Video Tools Right Now — Ranked

1. Veo

Veo, Google’s AI video model, is the most impressive AI video I’ve seen so far in terms of pure output quality. The visuals are crisp, the motion is smooth, and it offers four video options per prompt. You just need to pick your favorite. I’ve found one of the four is good enough to use straight out of the gate almost every time.

The tech is miles ahead, even if the product still feels early. Currently, Veo lacks essential features, such as a comprehensive asset library and editing tools, and your creations are lost if you don’t download them. But, those are solvable problems.

My take: The big question is whether Google will actually turn Veo into something people use. They’ve launched amazing tech before that’s never reached widespread adoption. Beyond that, the latest version is priced at $250 per month, which can be a tough pill to swallow.

The model is absolutely S-tier, but without a solid product and rollout behind it, it could end up being one of those cool tools that most people never touch.

2. Hailuo AI

Hailuo might not have the same name recognition as Google or OpenAI, but it deserves a spot at the top. The results are consistent and surprisingly controllable. You can bring in images from tools like Midjourney or Flux, and Hailuo turns them into smooth, coherent motion.

When I sat down with Tim Simmons from Theoretically Media, he raved about how his audience was getting great results with Hailuo. Even without using a prompt, it understands what you're trying to achieve. That kind of intuition in a model is rare.

My take: The control and prompt adherence here are next level. If you’re creating short films or AI-native content, this is a top contender. Tim put it best when he said his entire audience would “come after him with pitchforks” if he didn't rank this tool at the top of his list. After testing it, I understand why.

3. Runway

Runway is the OG. It’s been around longer than most and still ships new features constantly. Gen-3 is fast, and the editing tools — Act-One, rotoscope, motion controls, subtitle generation — make it more than just a video generator. It’s a full creative suite.

That said, the visuals don’t always impress. I would say the quality is closer to B-tier, but the ecosystem makes up for it. I find the green screen and expand tools particularly useful. These are great for workflows where precision and flexibility are required.

My take: The visuals aren’t always top-tier, but Runway’s tools and speed make it the most complete creative suite I’ve tested.

4. Kling

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Kling clips nail physics, motion, and photorealism, making video that feels real. The tool is especially impressive when you’re working with dynamic shots like sweeping pans or zooms, where the sense of depth and movement really comes through.

Kling doesn’t lock you into native image tools. You can bring in assets from other platforms and then use Kling’s motion brushing and generation features to bring them to life. Kling 2.1 was also one of the most talked-about upgrades in late 2024. Pro mode bumped video resolution to 1080p, and prompt adherence improved dramatically.

My take: Kling offers greater control and flexibility than competitors. However, until the output is more consistently high-quality across a broader range of prompts, this is high on my favorites list but not at the top.

5. LTX Studio

Tim fought hard for LTX to be in S-tier — not because it’s the best right now, but because it’s the only open-source tool on this list. That makes it uniquely poised for rapid improvement, thanks to contributions from the global dev community.

He also called out how fast it is and compared it to Leonardo.Ai’s Flow State mode, where you can interactively steer outputs. But even Tim admitted the generative quality doesn’t yet compare to tools like Veo or Hailuo. Matt Wolfe, my co-host on The Next Wave, agreed. LTX is promising but not quite there.

My take: LTX is a strong AI video contender with tons of potential, especially for developers and tinkerers. If you’re excited about open-source AI tools, check it out.

6. Sora

This one sparked a lot of discussion. Initially, I had access to Sora Turbo. The Turbo model generated 20-second clips using frame interpolation, which sped up the motion but made it feel slightly off at times.

When my co-host Matt tested Sora Turbo, he found that outputs weren’t especially impressive. In his side-by-side tests with Veo, results came out in Veo’s favor. Beyond that, several key capabilities, like generating people, were locked behind the $200 per month plan. That makes the tool feel somewhat limited unless you are paying for the top tier.

That said, there are some genuinely impressive features, like Remix, Blend, and the ability to cut between clips. While the outputs felt underwhelming, those tools showed real potential and hinted at where Sora could go next.

My take: The visuals weren’t the main event here. It’s the tooling that stood out. Remix and Blend, in particular, seem to be ahead of the curve. If OpenAI leans into those strengths, Sora could become a serious contender.

7. Luma

Luma’s Dream Machine impressed us with its unique features and solid output. One standout? The ability to input a start and end frame and have the tool animate between them. Tim used it to prototype a Game of Thrones–style intro, complete with sweeping drone-style flythroughs. During a conversation on The Next Wave, Matt noted that starting with an image instead of just a prompt tends to get better results.

Luma’s image generation improvements and its more interactive UI are also worth noting. These changes allow you to “chat” with your image in a way reminiscent of early DALL·E 3 hype.

My take: Matt’s demo, featuring image-to-video transitions and flythroughs, was impressive. Luma is a tool that I’ll be watching closely.

8. Pika

Pika has carved out a unique niche with its special effects features, such as the ability to make things explode, get crushed by hydraulic presses, or transform objects into cake. While they were the first to nail cartoon faces really well visually, most of the other models that have come out since are more impressive overall.

But Pika‘s strength isn’t in competing on pure visual quality. Tim pointed out they're doubling down on these playful, social-first tools rather than trying to match the cinematic output of Veo or Runway.

My take: I see Pika becoming a viral app. It's useful for memes and quick social content, which gives it real value in its specific lane. Maybe it’s not what Hollywood uses, but for teens looking to create fun, viral transformations, it could be huge.

9. Invideo AI

Invideo AI isn’t really trying to compete with cinematic AI models like Veo or Hailuo. Its strength is in speed and utility. You give it a prompt, and it assembles a slick, ad-style video using stock footage and templates in minutes.

If you're making explainer content or quick social clips, InVideo is useful. You’re not relying on full-on generation Instead, you’re combining assets to get something done fast.

My take: Invideo feels more like Canva for video than an AI playground. But for marketers who want to move quickly and stay on brand, that’s a win.

What's Next for AI Video

After testing these tools side by side, one thing‘s clear: We’re in the early days of a massive shift. No single platform is dominating yet, which reminds me of the early social media wars or the browser battles of the 2000s.

Tools like Veo and Hailuo are setting the bar for raw quality. Runway and LTX are winning in terms of features and community. Pika and Invideo are smart to carve out specific niches rather than try to be everything to everyone.

Here's what happens next: The quality gap will narrow fast, but the real winners will be the platforms that nail the user experience and find their specific audience. Expect better editing tools, smoother workflows, and entirely new use cases we haven’t imagined yet.

The tools are getting good enough that the story you tell matters more than the pixels you generate. And honestly? That's where things get really interesting.

To see other top video contenders, check out the full episode of The Next Wave below.

26 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

How to use freebies to optimize your lead generation 

I’ll never forget the first freebie marketing piece I created and put on the internet: a free guide to help you grow your Instagram following.

I wrote all the copy in a Word doc and tossed it out to my audience. Within a few hours, I had a few hundred new subscribers on my email list. Seeing people jump onto my list in exchange for the value I was offering was an exhilarating feeling. After that, I was hooked.

Over the years I’ve made dozens of freebies to help me grow my email list and in the process, I’ve learned what makes a freebie generate leads successfully.

Table of Contents

• What is freebie marketing?
• Does a freebie marketing strategy work?
• How to Choose the Right Freebies to Give Away
• Freebie Marketing Examples
• Freebie Marketing Strategy: How to Run a Successful Freebie Campaign

What is freebie marketing?

Freebie marketing is a strategy where businesses offer a product or service at no cost in exchange for a customer action. Freebies can be digital or physical and the most common customer actions include signing up for an email or text list, engaging on social media, or downloading an app. Freebie marketing has the power to increase a brand’s perceived value, customer loyalty, and leads.

Does a freebie marketing strategy work?

In most purchasing decisions, customers perform a mental cost-benefit analysis to determine whether a purchase is worth the cost and risk.

With freebies, however, an interesting phenomenon takes place. Psychologists have found that labeling an item as “free” skews the traditional cost-benefit analysis. It boosts a product’s perceived value, sometimes even above a higher-quality paid item. This phenomenon, known as the “zero price effect,” activates an emotional response in our brains. To me, it feels like a dopamine hit. A freebie can:

• Increase value perceptions.
• Foster customer loyalty.
• Lower inhibitions and guilt.
• Increase quantities and order amounts because of the perception you are getting more for less.

Now, will freebie marketing work at converting your new leads into paid sales? That depends on how well you’ve aligned your freebie with your audience — and what you do after the offer.

How to Choose the Right Freebies to Give Away

There are hundreds of types of freebies. The wrong one could seem off-brand or attract the wrong audience. The right one, however, can boost your visibility and give long-time lurkers the nudge they need to take action.

First, take a look at the wide range of freebies businesses use to attract customers — some of these are better for B2B, while others for B2C.

Freebie Marketing Ideas

• Free product samples
• Free trial periods
• Downloadable templates like project management trackers, social media calendars, or budgeting tools
• Ebook or white paper
• Quiz results
• Free consultation
• Discount codes or coupons
• Online course or webinar
• Cheat sheet or checklist
• Content bundles such as templates, guides, or videos
• Referral program, such as offering gift cards or discounts for referring new customers
• Branded swag
• BOGO (buy one, get one)
• Free shipping

With all these choices, here’s how to know which will work best for your business.

1. Know your audience.

First, I always ask, what’s the number-one thing my audience is struggling with right now?

Freebies should feel like a shortcut to solving that. For instance, a lot of small ecommerce businesses struggle with choosing the right tech stack and overcoming platform limitations. So, I might want to consider creating an “Ecommerce Tech Stack Cheat Sheet” with a list of free and affordable tools and the best third-party apps for each of the major ecommerce platforms.

2. Leverage what you already know.

Second, the best freebie ideas are the ones you don’t have to reach for.

Think about checklists, swipe files, or tools you've already created for clients or internal use. What are the topics you could get on a soapbox and talk about for 30 minutes without warning? One of my best-performing lead magnets came from a slide deck I almost deleted.

If you’re a service-based business, you don’t want to give your entire proprietary framework away, but you can offer a pared-down preview of what you do for clients. Consultants and service businesses often don’t share enough of their process with prospects, but this gives just enough of a sneak peek for potential customers to feel comfortable hiring you.

3. Pick the right format.

Next, consider the format for your freebie. If you’re offering a consumer product for a giveaway or BOGO offer, choose something low-cost and high-inventory that will work across sizes and genders.

On the B2B side, consider what format your audience is most likely to respond to. Should it be long-form or short? Interactive or static? Text or multimedia? Here are a few formats that have worked well for me:

• PDF checklist: Quick wins in a tidy format
• Email mini-course: A multi-day drip that builds anticipation
• Interactive quiz: High engagement, especially on social
• Notion or Google Sheets templates: Practical and instantly useful

4. Test and iterate.

To test if you’ve found the right freebie, start small. Launch a free offer or A/B test multiple offers, track your conversion rates, and tweak the offer or format based on how people respond.

Freebie Marketing Examples

Here are six examples of how brands have used freebie marketing to reach their goals.

1. HubSpot Marketing Plan Templates

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At HubSpot, we love a good freebie. And we’ve learned that you love it too. Most marketing, sales, and service pros didn’t major in the field we end up working in — our work changes fast and we figure everything out as we go. For that reason, free knowledge templates are worth their weight in gold.

We’ve built a library of 116 (and counting!) free business templates powered by HubSpot tools to help knowledge workers win at work every day. One popular one is our free marketing plan template, a Google Doc that marketers can simply copy and complete.

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The template comes with fill-in-the-blank example copy to make planning quick and easy, with tips for completing each section. Other templates include a social media content calendar, a sales plan template, and a coding template.

2. Grow with Google AI Training

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Most resource-strapped small business owners know that AI can save them time, but they don’t have the skills to get started.

Enter Google: In partnership with America's Small Business Development Center (SBDC), they started offering free AI training to small business owners. They offer a one-hour workshop, two 10-hour courses, and an AI course for educators.

This is a smart move for Google since small business owners make up a large proportion of their Workspace and Ads customer base. The more skilled they are, the less customer support they’ll need and the more they’ll use Google’s products.

And, of course, it’s beneficial to help business owners learn and grow.

3. Dairy Queen’s Free Cone Day

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When I picked my daughter and her friend up from school the other day, they begged me to drive them over to Dairy Queen for free cone day. So, eyeing the opportunity to be the hero, I drove them to the nearest DQ. While we only saved about $6, everyone was happy and the win felt much bigger.

One year in a tongue-in-cheek “study,” DQ found that a free cone made 92% of people happy, increased in-store traffic by 10%, and drove in-store sales by 12%.

Wendy’s has another twist on this promotion — instead of offering Frosties just one day a year, they sell a $3, limited-release keyring allowing customers to claim a free cone all year.

4. Pixory Product Giveaway

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Travel brand Pixory knows how to do a giveaway right. This classic social media giveaway offered the chance to win 11 different products including plane tickets to NYC, a 5-star hotel stay, Sax gift cards, new luggage, and other luxury items for the winner and a friend.

To enter, participants simply needed to follow their account, then like, tag, and share the post. The Instagram giveaway boosted engagement and visibility for the brand, earning 32,612 likes.

5. Panera’s Unlimited Sip Club Free Trial

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The only thing better than a freebie? Repeated freebies. Several years ago, I was delighted when my MyPanera rewards account offered me a free coffee every day for a month. You can bet that I was there before work most days that month and bought quite a few pastries too.

Today, that offer still exists in the form of Panera’s Unlimited Sip Club membership. While the membership costs a monthly fee, you can get started with a generous two months free before paying anything. That means that for two months after signing up, you can claim a free hot or cold beverage every two hours with unlimited refills.

Panera, like many other brands, has learned that a freebie can bring people in the door for larger purchases and build habits that will be hard to break once the trial period ends.

6. Jenna Kutcher's List to Launch Course

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Want to build your email list? When I want to tackle something new, there’s nothing more valuable than insider knowledge from someone who’s been there, done that. In the case of email marketing, that’s HubSpot Creator Jenna Kutcher.

Kutcher’s List to Launch Lab is a step-by-step blueprint for growing an email list, packed with core strategies, email copy templates, and plug-and-play guides for creating lead magnets.

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Her genius offer taps into free educational content as a lead magnet, creating value upfront to build trust and increase the likelihood of future purchases.

By offering valuable content like step-by-step guidance for email marketing for free, it attracts and nurtures a specific target audience who are trying to do the same thing and can later convert into paying customers.

Freebie Marketing Strategy: How to Run a Successful Freebie Campaign

There’s much more that goes into a successful freebie marketing campaign than the freebie itself. If I were starting from scratch again, here’s the strategy I’d follow:

1. Define your goal.

First, determine what goal you’re trying to accomplish. Is it email signups? App downloads? New social followers, or demo requests? Make sure your freebie maps directly to that outcome.

2. Create a high-value freebie and offer.

Remember that perceived value matters. Make it feel premium — even if it only took you an hour to make. Try to offer a case study, data, or some juicy insider knowledge that isn’t already available on the internet.

Then, write an offer that speaks to your audience’s pain points (Remember: solve their problems and make their lives simple!) and reflects your unique voice. A focus for my brand is that all my offers truly feel like they’re coming from me, because they are!

3. Build a dedicated landing page.

Next, create a mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized landing page with a clear CTA.

Here’s the very specific, very actionable CTA that Kutching uses for her course. You’ll find “Enroll Now” and “Get started for just $79” on the landing page as well, but this one is the most compelling.

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Pro tip: Use HubSpot’s free landing page builder to create a mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized page for your freebie campaign with a clear CTA. You can even generate a first draft with Content Agent.

4. Promote and distribute it with automation.

Here’s the most important key to success with freebie marketing: you need to set up a workflow for what happens after someone claims your freebie.

For example, connect your freebie to a follow-up email sequence welcoming the prospect and sending them relevant content or another offer to bring them in-store or connect with you for a consultation. You can add them to retargeting ad campaigns to remind them to use the freebie or upgrade to paid products or services.

This doesn’t need to take manual work. Instead, use a CRM with automation to create multiple touchpoints with the prospect. Reach them with website pop-ups or follow-up emails to nudge them to the next step in the journey.

Pro tip: This is where HubSpot Marketing Hub really shines — you can set up customer journeys and segment based on what they downloaded and what they click on next.

5. Refresh and relaunch.

A common mistake people make is creating a free offer, then setting it and forgetting it.

For me, reworking and refreshing my top-performing freebies is a consistent practice. I need to schedule regular check-ins to see which pieces are performing well and how I can keep them fresh and effective. If you created a timely resource, you might need to either scrap it or rework it to make it timeless.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself when evaluating an existing freebie:

• Does the freebie still align with my brand and messaging style?
• Does the freebie’s content still deliver high-quality and valuable guidance?
• Does the freebie have any time-sensitive language or outdated pop-culture references?
• Are there new insights or examples I can add?

Once you make updates (even minor ones), it’s time to relaunch it. You don’t have to hide the update and let the same ol’ system roll on as usual. A concentrated burst or promotion could kickstart a new wave of leads. You likely have tons of people in your audience who’ve never downloaded this particular freebie (or who aren’t even paying customers yet!).

A good reminder here is that we’re always talking way less about our offers than we think we are. I recommend relaunching your freebie with excitement and intentionality. Give your refreshed freebie a mini-spotlight wherever it feels right for your business.

Start attracting leads and customers with freebies.

Several years and countless downloads later, I still get excited every time someone opts in for one of my freebies. Why? Because I know it means the content resonated — and that I’m helping solve a real problem for someone.

I’ve seen firsthand how a well-crafted freebie can spark meaningful engagement, grow a high-quality email list, and open the door to long-term customer relationships. But I’ve also learned that not every freebie works. The most successful ones are rooted in deep audience understanding, valuable expertise, and alignment with your business goals.

If you’re just getting started with freebie marketing, my advice is simple: Start small, test relentlessly, and don’t be afraid to put your ideas out there. You don’t need a perfect PDF or fancy funnel. You just need to solve a problem your audience cares about. If you lead with value, your audience will follow.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2024 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

26 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Six simple behavioral science tips to improve any marketing message (and the brands that get it right) 

Do you ever look at an ad and wonder, “What on earth does that mean?” That’s how I felt after viewing this Stripe ad.

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Now, I love Stripe. Their product is tremendous in the world of payment processing, but this ad makes no sense. Not only is it confusing, but it’s missing all the elements that I think make for a good ad. The ad needs a refresh, and behavioral science can help.

Since starting the Nudge podcast, I’ve regularly interviewed researchers and other experts in order to glean insights from psychology and apply them to marketing. And over the past decade, I’ve come to believe that almost every message could be improved by behavioral science.

In this post, I've collected six successful messages with behavioral science principles behind them to prove my point. Once you see the science — and understand exactly why these ads work — using the same strategies to improve your own marketing messages becomes much simpler.

Six Successful Messages Using Behavioral Science Principles

1. Anchoring — De Beers

In the 1930s, only 10% of Americans bought diamond engagement rings. Most bought cheaper gems, spending a smaller proportion of their disposable incomes. To change buyer behavior, De Beers came up with a new anchor. They asked, "How can you make two months' salary last forever?"

Two months' salary was not the standard amount to spend on an engagement ring before this. But, the new anchor shifted perceptions of the norm. De Beers created a reference point (in this case, a higher price tag), which in turn influenced estimations of value. Buyers will spend more when it’s assumed that two months’ salary is what a ring should cost.

Today, 90% of engagement rings are diamond. And, Americans spend billions annually to purchase them.

2. Pratfall Effect — Avis

Rental car company Avis always lagged second for market share, behind Hertz. Most companies would hide this weakness, but Avis embraced it.

Behind this strategy is something known as the Pratfall Effect. Based on Aronson, Willerman, and Floyd’s research, the 1966 study found that we like smart people more if they have flaws. It boils down to the idea that if people seem too perfect, they’re not as easily liked. But if they make a mistake, they become a little more human like the rest of us, and thus more attractive.

So, Avis took this to heart and decided to flaunt their second-place ranking, showing that they were still among the best but just shy of perfection. This way, their weakness became a strength by making them appear more likable. 

3. Generation Effect — Gut Foundation

There's a straightforward way to get someone to notice your ad: Remove a letter.

In a 2020 study by Burnett, Treharne, and Shotton (cited in Shotton’s 2023 book), the researchers showed participants brand names with missing letters. For example:

• H_BC, Goo_e, Li_erpool FC, N_dge.

It turns out that participants remember those brands 14% more than when the full brand name is written (e.g., HSBC), with a recall rate of 92% versus 81%. This is due to the Generation Effect, meaning that if you have to generate an answer yourself, it becomes more memorable and effective.

The Gut Foundation, a non-profit specializing in digestive health, applied this technique to their ads. They didn't tell drivers to get a checkup. Instead, they advertised 100% “anus beef”.

With the extra bit of effort required to understand it, the ad was both impossible to ignore and easy to remember.

4. Keats Heuristic — Tesco

Rhymes are potent messaging tools. To demonstrate the power of this, in one study, researchers McGlone and Tofighbakhsh showed participants two sets of proverbs. Some rhymed ( e.g., woes unite foes). Some didn't rhyme, but meant the same thing (e.g., woes unite enemies).

The study revealed that rhyming proverbs were deemed 17% more trustworthy and memorable than their non-rhyming counterparts.

The researchers coined this the Keats Heuristic (after the poet) to highlight the underlying idea that how pleasing we find something affects our perception of how true we believe it to be. Rhymes are pleasing and easy to process, making their content seem trustworthy and true.

The supermarket chain Tesco used this same principle to boost sales of its reduced-price veg. By creating an ad that rhymed (“Reduced in price. Just as nice.”), Tesco increased trust in the idea that low-priced produce was still of good quality and worth the purchase.

5. Endowment Effect — NHS

If you feel you own something, you'll value it more. This is known as the Endowment Effect, and it’s been studied in many situations throughout behavioral economics and psychology.

However, Katy Milkman, along with a large team of researchers, applied this idea to persuasive messaging in her fantastic 2021 study, which looked at how to encourage patients to get vaccinated for the flu at an upcoming doctor’s appointment.

Testing 19 different text-based messages, she found that stating, "Your vaccine is reserved for you," made readers 4.6% more likely to get vaccinated, as the reservation language boosts feelings of ownership.

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) applied this principle to boost uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination by changing its messaging language. Rather than having vaccines “available” to given populations, they were now “reserved” for them, suggesting the vaccine was already theirs and just waiting to be claimed.

6. Specific Numbers — Forest

In a 2006 study by Schindler and Yalch, consumers saw ads for a fictitious deodorant. Some were told it lasts “exactly 47% longer than rivals,” while others were told it lasts “more than 50% longer than rivals.”

Which message do you think worked? It's probably not what you’d expect.

The precise claim of 47% was deemed 10% more accurate by 199 participants. Why? Well, it's the specific number. Specificity enhances the perceived accuracy and trustworthiness of claims, while less precise numbers are assumed to be estimates or less factual.

Forest applies this brilliantly in its 2024 billboard ad for bike shares. Not only does it give the number of free minutes that users of its service have enjoyed, instead of a vague statement like “lots.” But it also uses an exact number (51,899,782), which is more persuasive than 50,000,000 on the dot.

Reframing Marketing Messages for Success

And finally, let’s go back to that Stripe ad. How could it be improved? Well, with just a subtle bit of reframing based on the behavioral science principles I’ve applied.

Getting specific about the speed makes the ad memorable, enhances trust, and influences perceptions about the amount of time it should take to analyze your data. Plus, it’s a whole lot less confusing to read.

The beauty of behavioral science in marketing is that strategic tweaks can dramatically improve results. In a world where consumers are bombarded with thousands of messages daily, the brands that understand the psychology behind persuasion are the ones that break through the noise and drive results.

25 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Secrets of savable content: How to create content buyers come back for 

Like, comment, share. This used to be the holy trinity of social media engagement, but savable content has emerged as a new contender in recent years.

Think about it. What kind of things do you save?

If you’re like me, it’s photos of people and moments you don’t want to forget, maybe a ticket stub from a concert, or a shell from your favorite beach. And, of course, we all try to save money and time. We save things we consider important — things we want easy access to in the future.

The same rings true of savable content or “save-worthy” content.

If audiences save your content, they value it and this has many benefits for your marketing goals and business. Let’s explore these benefits and how you can create top-class savable content to reap them.

Table of Contents

• What is savable content?
• Marketing Benefits of Savable Content
• Tips for Creating Savable Content

What is savable content?

First things first. When we say savable content, we usually refer to content deemed worthy of hitting the “save” button on social media. It’s information users want to return to later and, arguably, consider better than things they just scroll past.

Not all social media platforms have “save” options, but it is available on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X (forever Twitter in my heart) in the form of “bookmarks.”

Learn more about the current state of social media and how consumers are using it in our 2025 Social Media Trends Report.

But what makes content “savable” exactly? Typically, it involves delivering one or more of five things.

1. Utility: Information people can act on

This content enables people to do something they couldn’t do before or do it more effectively. It can take the form of tips, checklists, how-tos, and templates, among other things. Your audience saves this content because they want to use it later.

For example, I saved this shortbread cookie recipe on Facebook:

Source

And these marketing tips on LinkedIn:

While the information shared can cover many topics, each post gets saved because it is actionable.

2. Personal Resonance: Inspirational, thought-provoking, or relatable posts

When it comes to “personal resonance,” think of human stories or even nostalgia. This content is saved because it strikes a personal connection with the audience. Perhaps, it helps inspire, motivate, or calm them. Maybe it helps them reflect or see new possibilities.

Carousels from wetheurban regularly make it into my saves because of these reasons:

3. Entertaining: Funny, enjoyable

According to Oracle, people crave experiences that make them laugh or smile. Even more telling, 91% of consumers say they want brands to be funny. Knowing this, it should be no surprise that entertaining, humorous content is another popular type of savable content.

For example, this meme from my Instagram saves still makes me laugh.

4. Visual Appeal: Aesthetic images, videos, graphics, carousels, charts

Let’s face it: social media can be a superficial place. High-quality and visually pleasing photos, videos, and graphics grab attention and earn saves.

Some people may save this content for its information while others may save it as inspiration for their own creative endeavors (like a style or mood board).

I’m certainly no stranger to saving photoshoot, decor, and even outfit inspiration.

5. Educational or Informative: Teaches or introduces viewers to something new

Social media can be a wealth of knowledge if you know where to look and who to follow. Great social content can teach audiences something new or introduce them to new things (i.e. new restaurants, products, artists, books, etc.)

For instance, most of my Instagram saves are for restaurants and experiences I want to try.

When planning an outing or trip, I run to my saved posts for ideas of where to go (and frankly, where to give my business).

This is just one of the reasons marketers should care about savable content.

Need help designing or writing your social content? HubSpot’s Content Remix can help.

Marketing Benefits of Savable Content

In a recent informal poll I ran with my network, nearly 60% of marketers said they’re either tracking the number of saves on their content, or recognize that they should be. But why exactly?

Creating savable content has three main benefits for brands and businesses:

• Social Proof
• Content Longevity
• Algorithm Impact

Social Proof

Like shares, likes, and comments, some social media platforms display the number of saves a piece of content has. This number acts as social proof.

Source

When people see that others have saved your content, it makes them think there must be a reason why. If all these people are saving this content, it must be good, right?

Content Longevity

While it varies by platform, the shelf life of online content is generally pretty short. So much can be posted each hour that even the best content can get buried and never seen.

Saves help combat this.

Sure, many posts get saved and forgotten about (RIP to all the restaurants I saved and never visited), but at the very least, they have a greater chance of “return traffic.”

Someone may not revisit the save for a day, a week, a month, or even a year (cue Friends theme song) — but if/when they do, it will kickstart their journey back to your brand.

Just think of me and the restaurant visits that made it out of the saves.

Algorithmic Impact

Marketers looking for organic growth on social media are at the mercy of each platform’s algorithm. While algorithms can be complicated and mysterious, one thing we know for sure is that they almost always consider engagement.

When someone saves your content, this engagement signals to a platform’s algorithm that it’s quality content that it should potentially highlight and prioritize in feeds.

More feed appearances mean higher reach and higher potential impact. What marketer wouldn’t want that?

Tips for Creating Savable Content

Now that you know the perks of savable content, let’s discuss some expert tips for creating it.

1. Address questions and pain points.

What are some of your buyers' biggest questions or pain points? What should they know before purchasing, or what would be helpful afterward?

Create content around these topics. This gives your posts long-term value that doesn’t come with passing trends. It is more likely to be needed in the future and warrant saving, like this post from Fitbit.

2. Share actionable tips.

Have tips or hacks your audience should know about?

Like answering their questions and pain points, offering actionable advice someone can implement on their own gives them long-term value worthy of saving. It’s something they want to remember and try at some point or perhaps even share with a loved one.

I don’t even have a formal YouTube channel, but even I’m tempted to save this tutorial from Canva just in case:

Pro tip: Break down a process step-by-step (like our friends at Canva did above). If you can take a complicated tutorial and make it easily digestible in your content, your audience will love you for it. Videos and carousel posts are ideal for this.

3. Make them laugh.

Humor is powerful. It humanizes your brand, makes your content more enjoyable and memorable, and — when done right — it can earn you a save and a chuckle.

Think relatable memes, clever one-liners, or witty observations about your industry. The goal isn’t to go viral (though that’s a fun bonus), it’s to connect through laughter and give people a reason to come back for more.

Duolingo is a master of this, of course.

4. Inspire them.

Inspirational content, whether a heartfelt story or an uplifting quote, connects with your audience by tapping into emotion.

People save it because it speaks to them on a deeper level. If they’re stuck, discouraged, or need a reminder of what’s possible, boom — back to their saves they go. For brands, this can even come in the form of user-generated content or customer testimonials.

Nike accomplishes this in a simple but effective way, sharing photos of accomplished athletes with motivational quotes.

5. Tell a story.

Long before recorded history, lessons and information were shared through stories. And truthfully, their impact hasn’t stopped. Narratives help people engage, relate, and remember things.

Human stories give your audience something to see themselves in and reflect on.

Capitalize on this by sharing content that reflects your audience’s experiences, shows transformation, or even offers a behind-the-scenes peek at your business.

Shopify does a great job of this, regularly highlighting the success stories of its users.

6. Appeal visually.

High production value is rarely a bad idea. You could have written something brilliant, but if it’s crammed in a blurry slide with tiny font? It’s not getting saved, let alone read.

Yes, less-produced and authentic content has been on the rise thanks to TikTok, but it also has a time and place.

Design matters. Quality matters. Whether it’s a minimal infographic, a dreamy photo set, a dynamic video, or a clean carousel, aesthetic content grabs attention and enhances your message.

7. Incentivize saving.

One trend I’ve seen a lot lately is brands and creators incentivizing “saves” by attaching them to a contest or giveaway. In other words, to enter to win the prize, people need to save the post, among other things.

In this example, beauty brand Laneige asks followers to like, share, and save the post to enter its giveaway, and judging by the over 30,000 likes, I’m assuming many people followed through.

Source

Go Forth and Save the Day

At the end of the day, savable content is about more than just racking up another engagement metric. It’s about creating something so helpful, resonant, or delightful that your audience wants to return to it.

That’s powerful.

Saves are a signal — a quiet but meaningful nod from your audience that says, “This is good. I’ll need this again.” Whether you‘re solving a problem, sparking a smile, or inspiring someone to take that next step, you’re making content that sticks. And in a world of endless scrolling, that’s no small feat.

So the next time you're about to hit publish, ask yourself: “ Would I save this?”

If the answer is yes, you're on the right track. If not, tweak it until it is. Your audience — and your metrics — will thank you later.

25 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

How to get AI to write copy in your brand voice — from picking the right platform to training your GPT 

When generative AI first came out, I was skeptical. While it came up with some good ideas, I saw it more as a novelty than a real copywriting tool. Honestly, I didn’t believe “great” and “on-brand AI copywriting” would ever belong in the same sentence.

To be clear, I still see my own brain and approach as a competitive advantage. That hasn’t changed, but two things have shifted:

• First, AI algorithms have become more advanced and intuitive, making it easier to get better output.
• Second, I’ve learned how to train AI tools in my voice and perspective consistently enough that they can now produce strong first drafts that actually sound like me.

And, I’ve found the biggest shift by thinking of myself as a copy chief and AI as a junior writer. It has fantastic ideas but needs strong guardrails, constant feedback, and clear direction. And, I’m going to show you how.

Table of Contents

• Picking the Right AI Platform
• Training an AI Platform
• Limitations of AI Copywriting
• Great Examples of AI-Copywriting

Picking the Right AI Platform

For starters, I don’t believe that there is a single “best” AI platform for copywriting. It really comes down to personal preference.

ChatGPT was the clear winner among the people I spoke with for this article, with Claude and DeepSeek close behind.

If you’re already using HubSpot, Breeze AI and AI Content Assistant now includes brand voice capabilities too. The tool can help your team stay consistent across emails, blogs, and landing pages directly inside your marketing workflows.

Personally, I prefer ChatGPT. It’s where I’ve spent the most time, I’m comfortable with the platform, and most importantly, I know how to engineer prompts and give feedback that gets good results. Plus, since I’m already paying for it, it makes sense to focus there.

If you haven’t played around with AI much yet, I highly recommend experimenting. Take a few different platforms, feed each the same prompts, and see what comes back.

Pay attention to:

• How intuitive the platform feels to you.
• How easily it “hears” and adapts to your feedback.
• How well the output matches your expectations.

Based on the responses, the user experience, and how well each one fits as your copywriting assistant, you can pick your go-to.

And remember, you don’t have to commit to just one. Several copywriters and strategists I spoke with use different platforms depending on the project.

Training an AI Platform

The first thing you need to know about training an AI platform is that you can’t just say “write like me” without any context.

It’s a garbage-in, garbage-out kind of thing, and it’s on you to set it up for success.

So if you really want your generative AI platform to write like you, you have to teach it your voice and give it good material to work from, just like you would if you were briefing a junior copywriter.

Over the past few years, I’ve trained ChatGPT to understand my writing style, and those of a few different clients to make sure it knows what to watch for when I need to brainstorm, draft, or edit.

Putting It Into Action

As I was preparing to write this guide, a client project came along where we were synthesizing and updating the messaging for the parent company and its dozen sub-brands.

It gave me the perfect opportunity to build a clear set of guidelines for communicating across different services, topics, styles, and audiences — all while maintaining a consistent, customer-first ethos.

I followed the steps below, and I was blown away by how well it worked.

That said, I didn’t want this guide to reflect only my experience.

You’ll also find insights, quotes, and examples throughout this article from other copywriters and strategists, so you get a full, well-rounded perspective on what it really takes to train AI to write like you.

Steps to Train an AI Platform to Write Like You

If you’re wondering how to train AI to write in your brand voice, I want you to start by thinking of AI as a new person on your team, not just an AI platform. You have to be crystal-clear, coach it along the way, and offer constructive feedback and examples until it actually understands your voice.

And unlike a junior copywriter, you can tell your AI assistant that you hate what it’s done, and no feelings get hurt.

HubSpot’s Amy Marino shares that AI has done a good job capturing the team’s customer-centric, value-focused approach to copy, whether for an internal or external project.

“That said, where we've had the most rounds of back and forth has been in my pushes to be more creative, less derivative or jargon-y, and to use concrete examples to illustrate abstract concepts,” Marino says.

She goes on to say that sharing previous scripts, briefs, and language she loved as examples helped AI understand what she liked and wanted … and helped get to the finish line faster.

Step 1: Tell AI who you are and what matters to you.

I’ve found that the best place to start is to tell AI that you’re training it on a new brand voice and name it. That way, if I say “write like Erin Pennings,” the AI I trained will know to use my voice.

More importantly, without this foundation, AI will default to generic copy that doesn’t reflect your voice, values, or perspective.

I caught up with Justin Blackman, a brand voice strategist who has worked with tons of brands to nail their voice, beliefs, and messaging, to find out what he’s seeing is working well.

“Anyone I‘m doing voice finder sessions with is finding that it’s not so much the copy as it is the insight that's improved,” Blackman says. “With clarification on your approach, views, and opinion, it gravitates toward the right style with fleshed-out ideas that are about 83% publishable as is.”

Blackman says he’s been through the same process he puts clients through and that he’s been impressed with the output when AI is properly trained on insight as well as tone and vocabulary.

Pro tip: As part of this step, think about spelling out the big picture:

• Why you do what you do.
• The type of audience you're speaking to.
• The feelings or outcomes you want to create with your writing.

Step 2: Prompt AI to analyze your examples.

Once you’ve given AI the big picture, the next step is getting it to see your voice in action.

This is where your real-world examples come in.

I like to feed AI a batch of strong samples — emails, social posts, sales pages, whatever fits. Then, ask it to analyze patterns and ask it to characterize the tone, cadence, style, and strategic choices you make without even thinking.

When I got in touch with my colleague and friend Chris Collins, a strategist who was an early adopter of AI-assisted writing, he shared that he takes a similar approach.

“I have a project in Claude with a bunch of my most representative posts, as well as a voice guide I created from them,” says Collins. “In fact, I think you can feed posts into Claude and ask it to create a detailed and specific guide anyone could use, and it will do a pretty good job.”

Pro tip: When gathering examples, don’t just dump them in. Instead, try the following.

• Pick your best work, pieces that truly feel like you.
• Explain what you like about each one, whether it’s the tone, the pacing, the word choice, or the perspective.
• Feed both the writing and the context into AI. The more you help AI understand why something works, the faster it can learn to recreate the same feeling in new pieces.

Step 3: Offer feedback and reiterate.

Once AI has reviewed your examples, it’s time to review its understanding of your voice, not just the copy it produces. At this stage, you’re looking at how well it can describe your tone, style, structure, and perspective.

• Did it pick up on the right themes?
• Is it missing anything important?
• Is it overemphasizing something that’s not really a priority?

I’d encourage you to think about this step like reviewing a junior copywriter’s notes before they ever write a draft to be sure they truly understand your voice before you hand them a project.

When I was working on the client messaging project, the AI's first voice analysis was surprisingly strong. It nailed the overall tone, structure, and product focus. But, it missed one critical piece: the customer-first ethos that runs through every communication.

That might sound small, but in an industry that’s not exactly known for customer obsession, it was the most important differentiator we needed to highlight. By providing this feedback to ChatGPT and offering some qualifying questions to use as a lens, it took the comms guidelines from okay to great.

The importance of strong setup and thoughtful prompting came up again when I spoke with Ana Mendes, marketing coordinator at MeetEdgar.

“Our biggest takeaway? AI can be incredibly helpful, especially for small or busy teams, but only when it’s trained properly and paired with thoughtful prompts,” Mendes shares.

Pro tip: When reviewing AI’s voice analysis, focus not just on what sounds good but on what truly matters to your brand. The better you articulate what’s missing or what needs emphasis, the faster AI will start thinking the way you do.

Step 4: Develop guidelines.

Once you've reviewed and refined AI’s understanding of your voice, it’s time to get it on paper — or at least into your AI tool.

For this step, I want you to take the analysis of your examples, use them to document the tone, structure, themes, and key principles that define how you write and think, and the common traps to avoid.

This doesn’t need to be long or fancy; it's just clear enough that if someone new (or your AI) picked it up, they could immediately “hear” you.

For example, after refining the voice analysis for my client with multiple sub-brands, I built a simple set of guidelines that includes the following.

• Key themes: Customer-first thinking and solution-driven messaging.
• Tone: Direct, strategic, supportive — not overly formal or overly casual, but appropriate for B2B audiences.
• Pacing and structure: Short punchy intros, clear CTAs, skimmable layouts, and even examples of formatting for each type of communication we do (emails, one-pagers, web copy, etc.).
• Language to avoid: Overly technical jargon without plain-language explanations (unless speaking to a highly technical subset).

There’s, of course, a great deal more information that I made sure to include, but this should give you an idea of where to start. From there, you can always develop some “say this, not that” options as well.

Collins explains that documenting his voice for AI changed everything: “I created a detailed, specific voice guide based on my strongest posts — and it made a huge difference in how well AI could recreate my style consistently.”

Pro tip: Save your guidelines somewhere you (and AI) can easily reference them every time you kick off a new project. I’ve found AI to be forgetful, so it’s a good idea to keep these handy.

Step 5: Put it into action and iterate.

Training your AI isn’t a one-and-done project. I think the junior copywriter analogy is really strong here because it requires constant tweaking and training to get your AI to write more like you.

That means, once you build your guidelines, start using them. Prompt AI using your framework, review the outputs, and keep offering micro-feedback as you go.

You’ll probably notice that the more you work with your AI, the better it gets at anticipating your needs and catching your voice.

But you’ll also notice moments where you still need to tweak, tighten, or reframe the guidelines to keep evolving as you do. In fact, I don’t think this will ever change — no matter how well you train the AI, there are plenty of times that it still … sounds like AI.

My friend Lindsay Hope is an AI and email strategist, and she puts this so well.

“AI copy performs best when it’s tweaked with the human touch. You still have to tie any writing back to a human, and that’s what I see people miss all the time,” she says.

The vast majority of people I spoke with agreed that AI rarely gets it right from the get-go and still needs a human editor.

Pro tip: One of the best pieces of advice I found in this came from Phillip DeRenzo, head of marketing at iAsk.ai. He writes, “Read your output out loud. If it makes you cringe, rework it.”

Prompts to Use

When you’re first training AI to capture your brand voice, it’s easy to get stuck thinking you have to have a perfect voice guide ready. That might have been true at one point, but I no longer believe it’s necessary, at least as you get started. Instead, I’d recommend setting the stage and refining from there.

These prompts should work across most major AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, and HubSpot’s content assistant. No matter which tool you prefer, you can follow this process to start training your AI more effectively.

Prompt 1: Introduce the brand and context.

Start by giving AI a short, clear intro to the brand and audience:

• We are training a brand voice for a [type of business — e.g., consulting agency, home goods brand, SaaS platform].
• The audience includes [basic audience description — e.g., small business owners, busy parents, engineers, etc.].
• I’ll be uploading examples of the best work shortly. Don’t do anything yet — I’ll have more instructions.

Note: If you have done some brand voice work either on your own or with an expert like Blackman, then feel free to share more information, but don’t let not having this stop you.

Prompt 2: Upload the examples and explain the context.

Rather than just dumping samples in, help AI understand why you’re sharing each piece. Here’s what that might look like:

• I’m uploading several examples, including:

• Our website homepage to show you the overall tone and positioning.
• Our services page, so you can understand what we do.
• Our top-performing welcome email as a strong example of voice and pacing.
• LinkedIn posts that captured audience engagement.
• I’ll have more directions shortly, so don’t start analyzing yet.

Prompt 3: Ask for clarifying questions before analysis.

Before rushing into analysis, encourage AI to ask if it has any questions about the goals or requested outcome (and then answer them):

• Before you proceed with analysis, what questions do you have about the examples, the brand voice, or the goals for future content?

Prompt 4: Ask for initial analysis (and sample structures if relevant).

Now, this is where I ask AI to identify patterns — and if applicable, pull out sample structures it sees across different content types.

• Please analyze the examples and identify key patterns for tone, style, structure, emotional tone, and messaging approach. (Yes, I always say please and thank you.)
• If relevant, suggest common structural outlines for pieces like emails, blog posts, or social posts based on the samples.

Here’s what ChatGPT came up with after I asked it to analyze some of my content:

Prompt 5: Offer feedback on the analysis.

This is where you get to sharpen your copy chief skills and treat AI like a junior writer you’re coaching. What did AI get right? What did it miss? What needs tweaking?

• Good start. However, [add corrections: e.g., ‘the voice is more playful than formal,’ or ‘make sure to emphasize customer-first thinking’].
• You’ve missed layering in this important value, which should come first: [name the value or pillar]. You can use it as a gut check by asking questions like: [list questions to use to make sure that the copy lands].
• Now revise your analysis and add any missing elements.

Prompt 6: Turn it into a guide.

Finally, once the analysis feels solid, ask AI to turn it into a usable set of guidelines that it or a junior copywriter could use to start writing for this brand. Be sure to let AI know to name this as “Your Brand Name Voice Guidelines” so that you can ask for a recall anytime you start a project.

• Take that analysis and turn it into brand guidelines any writer (including you) can use to write content for this brand.
• Let’s call it [name] so that when I ask you to recall it, you can do so.
• At a minimum it should include: Brand summary, audience overview, core themes and values, tone, and any structures.
• If there’s anything else you find relevant, please include.

Here’s a screenshot of the sample guide it developed:

Pro tip: If you’re using HubSpot’s AI Content Assistant, their brand voice features can help reinforce consistency across blog posts, emails, landing pages, and more. It’s another great way to layer in your voice as you scale content creation.

Prompt 7: Recall and use the guide.

Now, you’re ready to go! Here’s how I prompt when I’m ready to pick up a new project:

• We’re starting a new project for [Brand Name]. Do you remember the voice guide we created? Please pull it up.
• We are now writing a [type of project] for [audience].
• Our goals are [list goals], and the angle we’re after is [angle].
• Please give me three options.

Pro tip: Create a dedicated project for each brand voice you train. In ChatGPT, you can also create custom GPTs to use, where you save your examples, guidelines, updates, and clarifications all in one place for easy access later.

Here are some examples of LinkedIn hooks GPT created using that voice (which, ahem, is mine):

I asked it to proceed with the first option, and this is what it cranked out.

I loved it. You can expect to see it soon on my LinkedIn (or something VERY close).

Documents to Share

I’ve found that the examples you share matter just as much as the prompts you use.

Remember, AI can only learn what you actually give it. So if you want it to pick up your best tone, structure, and emotional resonance, you have to feed it strong examples from the start.

Here’s what I typically upload (and what you should consider too):

1. Website Pages

• Homepage: Shows overall tone, positioning, and first-impression language.
• About Page: Shows values of the company to establish how you think.
• Key Services/Product Pages: Helps AI understand how you talk about your offers and value prop (without sounding overly salesy unless you intend it).

2. Emails

• Top-Performing Emails: Share emails that got high open rates, click-throughs, or lots of positive replies.
• Welcome, Nurture & Sales Sequences: These usually feel especially on-brand and are great for AI copywriting analysis.

3. Social Media Posts

• LinkedIn Posts, Instagram Captions, Tweets, etc.:

• Pick a few posts that got strong engagement—not necessarily viral numbers, but genuine comments, saves, or shares.
• Social posts tend to show off more personality and natural cadence, which helps AI hear your rhythm.

4. Long-Form Writing Examples

• Blog Posts or Thought Leadership Pieces: These typically sound like you and offer a strong sense of how you want to communicate and think moving forward. AI can pick up how you explain ideas and speak to your audience.
• Whitepapers and Ebooks: Not everyone has these, but if you do, they help establish how you present yourself in more formal types of writing

5. Brand Documents (If You Have Them)

• Voice/Tone Guides: If you’ve worked with a voice strategist (like Justin Blackman) or built a rough brand guide yourself, share it—even if it’s imperfect.
• Core Messaging Frameworks: Anything like brand pillars, positioning statements, manifesto snippets, or customer personas can help AI pick up your strategic priorities.

6. FAQs or Internal Training Docs

• Customer-Facing FAQs: If you have a Help Center or FAQ page that reflects how you explain things to customers, it’s pure gold for training tone and simplicity.
• Internal Playbooks/Training Materials: Sometimes internal docs capture brand tone better than polished marketing copy. If it feels real and representative, share it.

Pro tip: Don’t overload the AI with junk. Picking five to ten great pieces that show your best work will help you get your best results.

Limitations of AI Copywriting

AI can do a lot. But at the end of the day, it’s still a tool, not a mind reader, a brand strategist, and it’s definitely not a substitute for your lived experience or personal perspective.

Even when you train AI really well, there are still limitations you have to work with (and around). Trust me — been there, done that, got the wrong t-shirt.

Here’s what I recommend watching for:

AI needs specific feedback.

HubSpot’s Amy Marino emphasizes the importance of treating AI collaboration as an ongoing, iterative process. She notes, “Embrace iterative collaboration: Be specific about what‘s working and what’s not. Direct feedback like ‘X doesn't make sense because Y’ or ‘too run-on, not sharp enough’ helped AI course-correct quickly.”

Marino notes that by specifying constraints (like a 30-second time limit or no more than 10 words for a headline), you’ll get more practical suggestions that will fit your asset requirements.

AI can’t think like you.

As Justin Blackman points out, "The biggest limitation of AI copywriting is that even if you can get it to write like you, it can’t think like you. So it’s on you to make sure it knows your perspective.”

Blackman notes that AI can come up with ideas, but these ideas may not be aligned with your thinking unless you give it that info. Then you can bring it to life in a way that's uniquely you.

In other words, AI can learn how you sound. But it can’t decide what you believe. You still have to teach it your perspective, your values, and your take on what matters most.

AI first drafts are just that — drafts.

Hope, who’s been integrating AI tools into her workflow for years, made this point crystal clear. Hope says, “AI copy performs best when it’s tweaked with the human touch. Anything purely informational and lacking story just feels robotic, and audiences can tell.”

AI can save you time by giving you a strong starting point. But it’s the personal anecdotes, the humor, the emotional nuance — the things only you can add — that turn decent drafts into solid copy.

AI needs you to lead the rhythm, not chase it.

Riley Westbrook, co-founder of Valor Coffee, summed it up beautifully when he shared his approach to AI. Westbrook says, “The biggest mistake I see is when people expect AI to find their voice. It won’t. You have to hand it your rhythm. If you do that, it’s a solid tool. If not, you end up rewriting the whole thing anyway.”

Your brand’s cadence — how the words feel when spoken aloud — is something only you can teach.

Skip this, and you’ll spend more time fixing drafts than actually moving projects forward.

AI is a people pleaser (and not always a truth teller).

AI wants to make you happy. It’s trained to be agreeable, which can feel great for your ego, but not always great if you’re looking for tough, strategic feedback. In fact, I’ve found it can be a bit like an echo chamber and ultimate hype machine all rolled into one.

If you want honest critiques, you have to explicitly prompt AI to “be critical” or “push back” on your work. Even then, take its analysis with a grain of salt.

AI is the average of the internet.

By default, AI regurgitates the collective knowledge (and mediocrity) of what it’s been trained on. That’s why if you don’t actively infuse your unique thinking, tone, and perspective into your prompts and edits, your copy risks sounding like ... everything else out there.

Your voice, your beliefs, and your nuance are what pull your copy out of the mushy middle.

Sometimes, AI just ... sounds like AI.

No matter how many reminders you give it about your brand voice, sometimes the output just feels “off” — flat, robotic, or plain weird. Or it completely ignores your feedback.

If you find yourself saying things like:

• “No, this is terrible.”
• “No, you're not listening.”
• “No, no, no — how else can I tell you this?”

It’s a sign to stop fighting. I’ve found that the best way to move forward is to give up. By that, I mean close the chat, start a new one, briefly reframe the context, and see if a fresh thread resets its memory and gets you back on track.

Great Examples of AI-Copywriting

AI isn’t here to replace great copywriters, but when trained well, it can absolutely help you create work that’s sharper, faster, and closer to the finish line.

Marino shares, “I've been working on several types of advertising, marketing, and social copy for brand- and product-led campaigns.”

She mentions that she’s been testing a wide range of copy types, including:

• Campaign strategy, briefs, messaging, and analyses.
• Headline variations for advertising placements.
• Ad script copy for our global brand campaign focused on HubSpot's AI offerings.
• Social media post generation and variations.
• Alternative word choices and phrasing for existing copy that needed a push.

Of those, she shares, “The most successful work with AI collaborations maintains brevity while introducing a fresh perspective on conventional limitations.”

Below are a few real-world examples where AI-assisted copywriting is working. As you read them, I’d like you to keep a few things in mind that they all have in common:

• They didn’t trust AI blindly.
• Humans did the thinking, emotional connecting, and reviewing.
• Creating a feedback loop made the outputs significantly stronger than starting from scratch.

Chris Collins: Using AI to Co-Create Deeper, Smarter Ideas

What he did: I’ve already shared how Collins trained Claude on a large body of his best work, including posts, messaging strategy pieces, and a full voice guide. But he didn’t stop there. He treated AI like a brainstorming partner to sharpen his ideas even further.

Source

Here’s how he approached it:

• He prompted Claude to generate multiple post ideas based on his voice and body of work.
• He chose one idea and asked AI to expand it using deeper philosophical concepts: “Give an explanation of the brain-bound versus extended mind hypothesis as explained by Andy Clark in order to elucidate the idea that technology like AI or other external technologies expand our cognitive capacities.”
• He prompted Claude again to make the examples specific to messaging strategy, website copy, and consulting businesses.
• Finally, he revised by asking Claude to create a hard, contradictory hook (e.g., “ChatGPT isn’t making you dumber”).

The result: A finished post that felt not just on-brand, but intellectually deeper and more differentiated than what most AI outputs deliver.

Collins notes, “For context, this is in a project that has a LOT of my posts + a style guide, so it has really internalized how I write — that’s why it can do this so well.”

Read Collins’ full post here ➔

Stacey Kalamaras: Turning AI Brainstorms Into Timely LinkedIn Posts

What she did: When trademark attorney Stacey Kalamaras wanted to post about Rory McIlroy’s career grand slam win, she used ChatGPT to brainstorm ways to link golf and trademark law.

Here’s how she approached it:

• Asked AI to suggest thematic connections between golf achievements and trademark protection.
• Selected and edited one idea that aligned best with her voice and audience.
• Refined the copy to feel educational but still light and timely.

Result: A smart, brand-aligned LinkedIn post created faster — with AI helping shape the initial idea, not the final voice.

See Stacey’s post here ➔

Brandon Hardiman: Testing Email Tones to Engage Distressed Homeowners

What he did: As the owner of Yellowhammer Home Buyers, Brandon has been integrating AI tools into his copywriting and marketing workflow for greater efficiency. He shared that one of the best AI-generated copies he has created was for an email campaign. Here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI to draft three different email versions (warm, direct, friendly).
• Reviewed and tweaked each version to ensure tone alignment with Yellowhammer Home Buyers’ compassionate brand style.
• Deployed and tested which version resonated most.

Result: AI came up with the following options:

Variation 1: Warm & Supportive

“We know how overwhelming everything is right now. If you're struggling with difficult choices about your home, you're not alone. Yellowhammer Home Buyers is here to assist you in considering your options with empathy and no pressure.”

Variation 2: Direct & Reassuring

“Struggling with your mortgage or facing foreclosure? We help homeowners like you get fast, convenient solutions. Let's discuss how we can assist you today.”

Variation 3: Friendly & Informative

“Life tends to get in the way, and sometimes homeownership is more stressful than it's worth. If you're thinking about selling, we make it simple — no fees, no repairs, and on your schedule.”

The “Warm and Supportive” variation drove the highest engagement, showing how slight tone shifts can massively impact audience trust and response.

Erik Wright: Turning AI Research Into a High-Performing Lead Magnet

What he did: Erik Wright, a self-described serial entrepreneur and Founder of New Horizon Home Buyers, described how he used AI to draft a lead magnet: “7 Hidden Costs That Slash Your Home Sale Profits.”

Here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI to create a factual first draft outlining typical hidden costs.
• Layered in real client stories, regional insights (specific to Tennessee), and emotional hooks.
• Human-edited intros, transitions, and conclusions to boost narrative flow and relatability.
• Verified quality through Originality.ai to ensure it reads as human-written.
• Tested content with a small segment of the email list.
• Tracked performance metrics to refine future approach.

Result: The human-enhanced piece increased email open rates by 31% and lead magnet conversion rates by 22%—outperforming previous downloads significantly.

Riley Westbrook: Editing AI to Keep It Real

What he did: Riley Westbrook, who runs Valor Coffee with two friends, used AI to help draft promotional copy for their Friday office delivery service.

Here’s how he approached it:

• Prompted AI for short, casual blurbs — 4 lines max — about coffee and pastries.
• Edited the drafts aloud to cut any stiff or formal phrasing.
• Ensures each draft sounds like something they’d actually say—no big, fake-sounding adjectives/

Example AI Draft: “Fuel your Friday with locally roasted coffee and delicious pastries delivered right to your office.”

Final Human-Edited Version: “We bring hot coffee and fresh pastries to your office every Friday. No prep. No stress. Just a solid way to start the day.”

Result: Copy that felt real, casual, and true to Valor Coffee’s voice, without falling into stiff, brochure-style traps.

On-brand AI copywriting is a process.

I truly believe that AI isn’t here to replace great copywriters; it’s turning us into messaging strategists. More importantly, it’s raising the bar for what good copy should be, and mediocre swill is no longer going to cut it (although it never should have!).

When you can train AI on your voice, brand, and audience, you get the trifecta: copy that sounds like something you’d say, connects with your audience, and improves the way you show up.

The key to getting great messaging out of AI requires training AI thoughtfully, giving clear direction, pushing back on it, and reiterating as much as you need.

And when you do that, AI allows you to amplify your voice and create better conversations.

If you’ve tried using AI to create on-brand copy in the past and found it to be a swing-and-a-miss, there’s never been a better time to give it another go, especially using this as a guide.

24 Jun 2025, 4:03 pm

Make space for customers to see their business as part of yours 

I love talking to creative people because they always notice details that I don’t. Like today’s master in marketing, who saw a boost in impressions from one tiny, seemingly insignificant detail: when their photo model bent their knee.

Today’s master in marketing isn’t proposing — but she does have some proposals to consider.

Meet the Master

Grace Wells

Grace Wells works with brands like Huckberry, Soleil Toujours, and Fur as a creative strategist and director

Lesson 1: Share data between your paid and organic channels.

Oil and water. Hatfields and McCoys. Paid and organic. They rarely mix, and in at least one of those cases, it’s to everybody’s detriment.

Wells tells me, “The crossover [of] what’s performing at those two ends of the spectrum, paid and organic — that’s where you get the clearest and most interesting behavioral insights from your customer.”

When she works with brands, Wells says she’s always looking for ways to build collaboration between those two teams. At one brand, sharing data between teams revealed that “lifestyle photos that feature a bent knee perform better than a straight-leg, standing pose.”

And it’s those “little fine details that can really make a difference in how you’re presenting your brand.”

Lesson 2: Make space for your customer to envision their business as part of yours.

When she partnered with the beauty startup Fur, Wells worked closely with Ulta and other national distributors for its retail business. She also worked on the brand marketing for Fur’s B2B line, which markets to industry professionals like salons and spas.

“It was really interesting to see what professionals versus direct-to-consumer customers engaged with, visually and aesthetically.”

The professionals responded to a “very different visual representation and design aesthetic that was a lot cleaner and simpler” than what the D2C customers preferred. The industry pros wanted something that felt “consistent, serene, and easy to adapt into their salon aesthetics,” Wells says.

On the other hand, customers shopping at Ulta or other distributors responded to a “creative brand that feels contemporary and dynamic.”

It reminds me a little bit of staging a home for sale — you're supposed to remove personal photos and effects so that potential buyers can envision their own families in the space.

Same kinda thing: Professional aestheticians creating a spa environment don't want other brands to step on their style.

Wells sums it up: When you're trying to get your customer to convert on something that “will ultimately be incorporated into their business, you have to make space for them to envision their business as part of yours.”

Lesson 3: Don’t half-ass it.

I ask Wells what‘s the biggest mistake she’s willing to cop to, and what she's learned from it.

She tells me this story:

“I worked with a brand [whose] target customer was aging out of its target demographic. The new target customer was younger than [the persona] they had built their data comps off of and expectations on. And so we tested a few different ways of engaging the existing audience and bringing in a new one.”

Sounds okay so far, right?

The brand found a younger, cooler approach that engaged its new demographic ... but it hesitated to fully commit to the new iteration. So that new approach didn't get translated to the website — which was still built for the previous target audience.

“We missed an opportunity to lean into the new direction we were taking and fully realize it — instead, we created a mismatched experience,” Wells says.

“I think the biggest lesson that I learned from that is that you can't remain in an in-between place in order to avoid taking a risk. That in-between spot feels safe in the present. But when you actually get to the other side, it's limiting.”

 

Lingering Questions

This Week’s Question

"What’s one marketing hill you’ll die on… even if the data or the trends say otherwise?" —Ross Simmonds, Founder and CEO of Foundation Marketing

This Week’s Answer

Wells says: It‘s not about how big you are, it’s about how connected your audience feels.

Buying followers is worse for your credibility than a small organic following. Avoiding events because they cost money robs you of essential customer interaction. Organic content and brand storytelling are what make conversion content work. I see so many brands get caught up in chasing an immediate conversion to scale as fast as possible, creating a bubble devoid of brand affinity that will eventually pop.

To get big you have to get connected to an audience that will champion your growth, and that takes soft skills.

Next Week’s Lingering Question

What's one thing you learned in your first-ever job that remains core to the businessperson you are today?

 

24 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

How to prepare for, navigate, and thrive through summer slumps — according to marketing experts 

Every summer, a familiar shift hits marketing teams. Engagement cools, inboxes slow, and campaign results taper off just as internal pressure starts to heat up. Clients pause new projects. Content calendars fill with refreshes and lighter lifts. And whether you’re in-house or freelance, it can feel like you’re sprinting in place.

As a content strategist for B2B SaaS companies, I’ve seen this cycle enough times to know it’s usually seasonal. Audiences pull back. Priorities change. And attention spans get stretched thin by travel, time off, and a general tilt toward rest.

But this year’s slump may feel heavier. Between tariffs, new tax rules, rising platform costs, and persistent inflation, many companies are tightening budgets, and that makes every dip in performance feel more urgent than usual.

Still, a summer slowdown isn’t a failure. It’s a signal. In this guide, I’ll show you how experienced marketers plan around it, adjust expectations, and use this time not just to stay afloat, but to get strategically ahead.

Table of Contents

• Signs of Summer Slumps in Marketing
• Preventing Summer Slumps
• Preparing for Summer Slowdowns
• How I Use Summer to Strengthen My Client Work

Signs of Summer Slumps in Marketing

Summer slumps don’t always show up as dramatic drops in leads or revenue. More often, they start with smaller signals — subtle shifts in audience behavior that are easy to misread or ignore.

It’s easy to assume the content is broken when it’s really just a seasonal change in attention, urgency, or buyer intent. Knowing what to look for early makes it easier to respond strategically instead of reacting out of panic.

Look out for these five signs.

1. Decline in Search Impressions and Organic Traffic

One of the earliest signs of a summer slump often shows up in search impressions and organic traffic.

At first glance, rankings and content output might look stable, yet traffic and impressions quietly dip.

As Tyler Hakes, strategy director and principal at content agency Optimist, explains, “It’s usually leading indicators like search impressions (before clicks), email opens, engagement or reach on social, etc. These all indicate that the content itself isn’t necessarily underperforming but there are just fewer people looking.”

Put simply: Your content isn’t underperforming — fewer people are searching.

Eric Doty, content lead at sales enablement platform Dock, emphasizes a simple diagnostic check: “If your rankings aren’t going down, but your traffic and impressions are, that’s a good sign that the overall market has declined — it’s a seasonal slump.”

Tracking search impressions separately from keyword rankings gives you better context during seasonal periods. If rankings remain steady while fewer people search, the issue is strategic rather than external.

Spotting that difference early prevents reactive rewrites and keeps your strategy focused where it matters — on expectations, messaging cadence, or engagement formats suited for lower-intent audiences.

2. Lower Engagement and Click-Through Rates

When audiences are still seeing your content but interacting with it less, it suggests a softening in urgency or attention — not necessarily a problem with the content itself.

Guest experience strategist, Amy Morgan, points to this as a critical early warning, “I tend to watch the relationship between engagement and click-through rate. Often, people are still watching and liking, but they’re not doing anything after that. That’s usually the first sign something’s shifted.”

A steady flow of impressions or views combined with a decline in meaningful actions is often seasonal. People are browsing passively but are less motivated to click, sign up, or inquire.

Don’t just track traffic — watch how behavior shifts. If clicks drop while views stay steady, it’s time to adapt your CTAs, timing, or cadence.

3. Drop in Email Open Rates and Newsletter Sign-Ups

During slower seasons, even regular subscribers open fewer emails and sign up for fewer newsletters. These drops typically reflect changing priorities and screen habits, not a failure of the email content itself.

Justina Perro, a freelance growth strategist, highlights email open rates and newsletter sign-ups as key metrics she closely monitors during seasonal slowdowns. When both start slipping, it usually signals reduced audience activity rather than deeper issues with targeting or messaging.

Because email engagement requires deliberate action — opening a message, reading, clicking — a decline here often mirrors broader shifts happening across channels.

Monitoring these patterns early gives marketers time to adjust their cadence, shift focus toward lighter content formats, or extend nurturing cycles instead of pushing for immediate conversions that audiences aren’t ready to make.

4. Fewer Demo Requests Despite Steady Traffic

A drop in demo requests while organic traffic holds steady is a strong sign that audience intent is weakening — not just seasonal traffic shifts.

Perro considers this a red flag, “Demo request drop-offs when all else is the same or better. For example, if organic traffic is up but demo requests are down — and it’s NOT a form issue — that makes me worry.”

Mixed metrics? Don’t jump to conclusions. It’s easy to blame strategy or the economy, without enough evidence.

Taylor Scher, a SaaS SEO and growth consultant, reminds marketers:

“I think as marketers, we almost default to a slowdown being a strategic and/or economic problem. My main pipeline is primarily driven by inbound leads, so it’s often inconsistent and can be a little debilitating at times.

“It can definitely be a strategic problem, but honestly, I think actually speaking with your ICP is the only way to determine if there’s a current problem. So, talking with a CMO to see if they’re planning on investing in SEO in the future or if they’re pulling marketing dollars back due to economic uncertainty.”

Inbound signals alone are too noisy to fully diagnose summer slumps. Direct conversations with your ideal buyers give you clearer visibility into whether hesitation is seasonal — or something deeper you need to address.

5. Decrease in Pipeline Generated by Sales Teams

A slowdown in pipeline generation is one of the clearest indicators that a summer slump is reaching the sales team, not just marketing.

Doty explains how this plays out, “At Dock, the main way we measure the success of our content program and marketing program in general is the pipeline generated by the sales team. If our sales team is generating less pipeline, that’s a clear indicator of a slowdown.”

While top-of-funnel metrics like impressions and traffic are leading indicators, pipeline metrics often reveal the cumulative impact of lower engagement across the funnel. Lagging indicators like fewer qualified meetings, smaller deal volumes, or reduced lead-to-opportunity conversion rates tend to surface weeks after early traffic drops.

If your pipeline is down while early-funnel metrics already showed softening, it usually confirms that slower market activity — not poor content or sales execution — is the primary cause. Recognizing this connection early can prevent reactive overhauls and help marketing and sales teams realign expectations for the season.

Preventing Summer Slumps

The best way to handle a summer slump is to prepare for it before it starts. Many teams wait until engagement drops to take action — but by then, you’re only reacting.

A strategic approach involves reviewing past data, adjusting your channel and content mix, and planning around how your audience’s habits shift during slower months. I’ve found these moves don’t stop the seasonality, but they do make it manageable and, in some cases, even productive.

Analyze past data and set summer expectations.

Analyzing past data means reviewing previous years’ performance to predict when summer slowdowns will happen, and setting expectations around them early.

Marketers who do this avoid being blindsided when engagement or traffic naturally dips. Michelle Jackson, chief strategy officer at content agency BackPocket Agency, recommends starting with first-party data:

• Survey your audience.
• Interview customer-facing teams like sales.
• Review historical analytics from previous summers.

This gives you evidence to support internal conversations and guide content pacing.

Hakes emphasizes the importance of communicating these patterns internally: “Set aside time to analyze your historical data and understand when these lulls tend to happen. Create a little schedule for yourself so you can reference it and remind other stakeholders. Then, pre-empt those by setting expectations leading into the low season.”

If you know a typical 10% traffic drop happens every July, you can shift focus to relationship-building campaigns and avoid scrambling to explain results after the fact.

Adjust channel mix based on audience behavior.

Adjusting your channel mix means reallocating marketing efforts toward where your audience is actually spending time, not where they used to be.

Audience behavior shifts during the summer, and marketers who adapt early avoid wasting resources. Jackson recommends using both internal and external signals to guide adjustments:

“If summertime sees your target audience taking a break from certain channels like LinkedIn or email, pivot more of your effort toward channels where they may be spending more time — maybe that’s watching more YouTube content or listening to more podcasts.”

For example, if email opens drop, try teasing that same message as an Instagram Story or a 60-second podcast ad.

Instead of forcing underperforming channels:

• Shift email blasts → podcast sponsorships
• Replace webinars → short-form YouTube
• Move engagement → Reddit, Slack, or wherever your ICP’s hiding

Shift to lightweight, decision-stage content.

Build content that’s easier to consume but still helps buyers make progress, even if they aren’t ready to act.

Instead of pushing heavy product deep-dives or aggressive CTAs, focus on low-commitment, helpful content like:

• Planning guides.
• Behind-the-scenes posts.
• Comparison sheets or “how to evaluate” resources.

This way, you stay relevant without exhausting your audience’s limited attention and position yourself to be top-of-mind when urgency returns in the fall.

Think: 2-minute read > 10-minute whitepaper. 1-slide visual > gated ebook.

Morgan explains, “I usually shift my clients toward more lightweight, behavior-driven content. Things like planning guides, decision-stage resources, or behind-the-scenes posts. Content that’s easier to consume, but still valuable. Most of the time, summer slumps happen because people aren’t quite ready to commit. They’re browsing, rather than booking. So we adjust the tone and calls-to-action to reflect that.”

Upcycle and repurpose top-performing content.

The best content you’ll publish this summer might already exist — you just need to give it a second life.

Instead of pushing to create new material during low engagement periods, both Justina Perro and Jaclyn Sergeant, who specializes in LinkedIn strategy, recommend doubling down on proven winners.

“Upcycling old content that we know was a huge hit + FUN, lighter pieces that are easier to consume but keep us top of mind. For example, I used to do a SlideShare entitled ‘The Best Mobile Marketing Our Team Saw This Month.’ It was a collection of real mobile marketing examples (screenshots, visuals, etc.). It was a HUGE hit for us and got us through the summer months,” says Perro.

Sergeant adds another layer, “Instead of simply recycling old posts, dig into your best-performing posts and explore them from different angles.”

I recommend reworking ideas that have already earned attention like turning a strong Q1 thought leadership post, for example, into a lighter behind-the-scenes breakdown or a set of short-form visuals for easier summer browsing.

Focus on bite-sized nurture to stay top of mind.

Summer isn’t the time to push for demos, signups, or heavy decisions. It’s the time to stay lightly present, enough that prospects remember you when they’re ready to move.

I think Rob Lennon frames this perfectly: “If your prospect is distracted, vacationing, or just not in a mood to buy, you still want to be in the back of their mind as something to follow up on. Then in September, make a big push and see the rewards for your efforts. I think there’s a lot of potential during summer to kind of bank that demand. If you accept that some people won’t follow up until later, you can still essentially win them over, provided you show up often enough in the right way.”

Bite-sized nurture could look like casual check-ins, quick value-adds, or simply sharing useful content without asking for anything in return. Frequency matters more than urgency — and a gentle presence now earns real action later.

Preparing for Summer Slowdowns

Once the slowdown begins, your goal is to make the most of the quiet. Summer is often the only window teams get to fix what’s been deprioritized all year: outdated messaging, underperforming assets, or missing pieces in the customer journey.

Rather than scramble for short-term wins, I think it’s the perfect time to invest in foundational work that compounds in the fall.

Audit content and customer journey for weak spots.

If summer brings fewer new leads, it’s the perfect time to audit the systems you already have — not scramble to create new ones.

Morgan recommends starting with a full journey view — beyond isolated funnels — to see how each piece supports the next.

“Audit your full customer journey, not just funnels. Look at how each piece supports the next, and where the drop-offs or dead ends are happening.” Instead of only optimizing entry points like ads or blog posts, look at the connective tissue between awareness, engagement, and conversion.

Jesse Ubani points out that many small but important levers often get overlooked during busy seasons: “We dive into optimizing the engine: giving old, high-performing posts a refresh, checking if lead magnet CTAs are actually converting, and strengthening internal links.” These quiet improvements can meaningfully lift performance without requiring major new launches.

I’ve found that auditing during a slowdown strengthens the paths your best prospects will walk when they return ready to act.

Optimize lead magnets, CTAs, and internal links.

When audiences are less active, your highest-traffic assets need to pull more weight.

Instead of chasing new traffic, small improvements inside your existing ecosystem can drive better conversion from the attention you already have.

Amy Morgan agrees the summer slowdown is a prime time to strengthen critical touchpoints. She suggests focusing on low-effort improvements with high impact: “Things like reworking automated emails, refreshing UX copy on booking flows or key landing pages, and optimizing high-traffic blog posts, resources, or internal links.”

I find these updates don’t require full new campaigns, but they tighten every part of the customer experience.

Done right, these optimizations become invisible advantages that make your brand feel fresher, faster, and more responsive when buyers re-engage after summer.

Refresh evergreen content quietly in the background.

Summer slowdowns create space for the kind of foundational work that gets buried during busier seasons and refreshing evergreen content is one of the highest-return projects you can prioritize.

Eric Doty emphasizes that this period isn’t about trying to force a traffic spike, but about quietly building strength beneath the surface:

“Normally, we use the slower months, like December or the summer, to build up an inventory of timely content that we can release when people are back. I’m not desperately trying to increase our traffic for those few months. I’m just saying, hey, this is the reality of what our buyers are doing right now.”

Instead of scrambling for quick wins, Doty uses summer to rework key assets: updating old blog posts, improving SEO structures, and polishing landing pages targeting new personas. These background upgrades don’t make immediate noise, but they compound silently, setting up stronger results when engagement levels return. This is the slow work that makes you look like a genius come Q4.

Rather than treating summer as a lost cause, I suggest treating it as a quiet season for planting. Stronger evergreen content today means a much bigger harvest when fall marketing ramps up.

Strengthen sales–marketing alignment around seasonality.

When marketing slows down, communication between sales and marketing needs to tighten — not loosen.

Doty stresses that one of the biggest missteps is letting summer slumps create surprise or panic across teams. “You should be proactively seeking out when the summer slumps are, or when are the slumps likely to happen, and how do we prepare everyone for that? Your sales team should be aware that they will likely receive fewer leads over the summer. They should be hitting their quotas more at the beginning of the year.”

I think this is also a time to check that marketing’s handoffs still match what sales actually needs. If sales is seeing different deal cycles, objections, or lead quality shifts during summer, those patterns should feed back into marketing adjustments — not after the quarter ends, but while there’s still time to adapt.

Seasonal dips aren’t a sign of failure if everyone is aligned on what they mean — and what to do next.

Explore new content series or paid collaborations.

With pressure off, summer is the rare time you can test creative ideas without risking revenue — perfect for experiments you normally deprioritize.

Perro suggests using this time to think bigger than short-term fixes: “Now is the time to dig in and do some content auditing, GTM messaging, and exploring some strategic moves to set us up for success in the fall: explore paid collab opportunities (newsletter sponsorships, influencer posts), consider launching a new series (webinar, podcast, video?).”

With audience attention stretched thin, I’ve found that bold but lightweight experiments can create momentum without relying on traditional campaigns.

Summer is also ideal for piloting formats that build brand trust over time. A lightly produced podcast, a behind-the-scenes video series, or a newsletter sponsorship can plant seeds now that become full-fledged channels by the time fall urgency returns.

The goal isn’t to drive immediate conversions, but to expand brand visibility in ways your competitors aren’t investing in while they wait for the market to heat up again. Small pilots launched now can quietly mature into major growth drivers when the cycle resets.

How I Use Summer to Strengthen My Client Work

Summer slumps in sales and engagement don’t need fixing — they need re-framing. Treat them as your strategy season, and you’ll return in September with stronger channels, sharper assets, and more alignment than anyone still scrambling to “fix” the dip.

That’s exactly how I use this time: helping clients refresh underperforming content, sharpen their messaging, and rethink which assets generate relevant leads. I also take stock of my own work — refining my offers, testing new frameworks, and making sure what I bring to the table is just as strong as the strategies I recommend.

And that clarity leads to faster Q4 launches, smoother handoffs, and a pipeline that’s already warming up while others are still catching up.

24 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Keeping up is exhausting, here’s how one social media creator helps brands beat trend fatigue 

How’s your cottagecore vibe? Are you ready for light academia aesthetic to dominate your feed or for the next generative-AI action figure trend?

Fashion trends used to spin in 20-year cycles, but there is no playbook anymore. Microtrends peak, then disappear in weeks or even days. It’s a never-ending cycle of trying to keep up with culture, and I’m exhausted.

Just 53% of marketers say they’re confident they can keep up with new cultural trends. Here’s how trend fatigue is affecting marketing, plus my take on how to figure out which trends to chase — and which to let pass.

What is trend fatigue?

Trend fatigue is the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion when facing the pace and volume of new trends, especially on social media.

The New York Times recently wrote that logging into social media feels like “standing in front of a fire hose of fashion and internet fads and cranking open the nozzle, full blast.” That metaphor resonates with me, even as a social media professional. After half a decade in the industry, I’m seeing a shift where the volume of social media trends is starting to outpace their value.

Viral trends are rising and falling on TikTok and Instagram faster than ever, from demure to Dubai chocolate to mermaid-core. Almost before you can hop on the trend, it’s gone.

It’s become so ridiculous that The New Yorker‘s humor column started predicting absurd upcoming trends like "Supreme Court casual" and "spotted-lanternfly goth." I can’t blame them. When it’s hard to distinguish between real and made-up trends, you know we’ve hit peak fatigue!

Who is experiencing trend fatigue the most?

Trend fatigue affects both consumers and social media pros. Like most social media marketers, I love the variety and pace of the job, but it can get exhausting. Marketers and strategists say it’s hard to distinguish between fleeting fads and meaningful, lasting changes. As professionals, we need to fight for better content to keep our industry healthy and sustainable.

Here’s what’s at risk for brands with trend fatigue:

• Burnout. Over half of marketers admit they’re afraid of burning out in their current roles. We’re under constant pressure to identify, react to, and capitalise on emerging trends, which leads to creative burnout.
• Brand erosion. When brands jump on every trend that comes along without considering whether it’s a good brand fit, they risk diluting their voice and weakening their message and trust. One study found that excessive and irrelevant brand posts caused users to tune the brand out. One in three consumers says they prefer a social media experience with no brand presence whatsoever.
• Resource drain. Jumping into action to create one new content trend after another can be exhausting, but it can also be resource-intensive. How many hours have you spent creating a social media video, only for it to flop? Do you have a closet full of props you used for social media that you’ll never pick up again?

Trend fatigue isn’t just affecting brands and marketers. It’s also affecting consumers. Some of the ill effects include:

• Disengagement. When users feel overwhelmed by content, they either withdraw by taking social media breaks or “lurk,” passively consuming content without engaging. The latter is much more common.
• Social anxiety. Social media fatigue causes users to feel more nervous or stressed about what people think about them online. They experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and sleep worse.
• Waste. #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt? Social commerce means consumers are buying trendy items they see on TikTok or Instagram, only to have them fall out of favor weeks later. This can lead to a lot of waste and unused products, which is a problem for Gen Z and other sustainability-minded consumers.

How Marketers Can Determine Which Trends Matter and Which to Ignore

Capitalizing on the right trend can really pay off for brands, earning them high engagement and likability. But, trying to reproduce every trend is a recipe for disaster. Here’s how to distinguish between the ones you should pursue and the ones you should let go.

1. The trend is authentic to your brand.

Number one, assess whether the trend (or your take on the trend) is true to your brand. Is it a trend your audience will be familiar with? Will it entertain them, or offend them?

In 2024, the British Museum posted a meme riffing on the trend of men thinking about the Roman Empire. It read, “Girlies, if you’re single and looking for a man, this is your sign to go to the British Museum’s new exhibition Life in the Roman Army and walk around looking confused — you’re welcome x.”

Not only did this come off as sexist, but it was too casual for the serious, intellectual brand. The museum ended up having to apologize — and it turned into a trendjacking cautionary tale we can all learn from.

2. You have something original to add.

Next, simply carbon-copying a video or dance challenge won’t help you in the long term. You need to add your own spin to advance the conversation and make it memorable. Create a unique meme or video that only you could write for an ultra-specific audience. It’s even better when it’s something unexpected.

For example, Luggage company Away dressed a suitcase up in tighty whities, parodying a Calvin Klein underwear ad featuring Jeremy Allen White. The post worked for the brand, creating a funny moment that connected with their audience.

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3. Quality over quantity.

People want content that matters to them, not tons of shallow posts. Make your trend choices really count. Then, create posts where you can show who you are and connect with your audience in a targeted, authentic way. One killer post can bring in far more impressions and brand loyalty than five weak ones.

Being Trendy Versus On-Brand Messaging

When you create trendy content, you increase your potential for reach, engagement, and virality. High reach and engagement can introduce you to new audiences and give you a competitive advantage. Your audience may perceive you as more relevant and youthful.

The downside of trend-based content is that your new followers may not stick around or care about your other content or products. There’s also a higher risk of backlash or confusion if the content doesn’t fit your brand. By sticking with on-brand messaging, you establish a clear brand identity and can build trust. At the end of the day, you’ll have a more loyal and engaged, though potentially smaller, community.

So, what should you do? That entirely depends on your brand. I wouldn’t recommend that every law firm and pharmaceutical company start lip-synching to trending sounds (even though some do and make the trend their own).

Start by getting to know your audience. Where do they hang out online, and what messages resonate with them? From there, you can see what social media trends they likely encounter and if any can be adapted to your brand voice.

Use Caution When Jumping on the Brandwagon

So yeah, I’ve learned that chasing trends is exhausting. But, the good news is you don’t need to jump on every microtrend or viral moment to stay relevant. Choose the ones that make sense for your brand and your audience, then go all out. When you show up with intention and a little originality, you’re way more likely to cut through the noise.

23 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

AI marketing campaigns only a bot could launch & which tools pitch the best ones [product test] 

At first, AI marketing campaigns were pretty obvious — robotic and stiff. Then, slowly but surely, brands started getting it. Now I’m seeing AI-driven campaigns that feel alive; they’re innovative, tailored, and sometimes so smart, you’d swear they were made by humans.

Curious to see what I’m talking about?

Stick around because I’m diving into some of the coolest AI campaigns and the tools making them a reality.

Let’s take a look at how to create an AI marketing campaign, what the possibilities and limitations are, as well as what tools will give you the best results.

Table of Contents

• Benefits of Creating an AI Marketing Campaign
• How AI Has Impacted Marketing Campaigns
• 16 AI Marketing Campaign Examples
• 5 AI Tools [Reviewed] To Add To Your Marketers’ Arsenal
• Which AI tool pitches the best marketing campaign?

Benefits of Creating an AI Marketing Campaign

Why would you want to create an AI marketing campaign in the first place?

“It must be cheaper and faster” — a commonplace marketers’ answer.

Can AI deliver that?

Let’s think about how AI tools are trained: They use machine learning to analyze the top-performing campaigns across email, social media, and search results.

They use big data to find and replicate the top marketing campaigns, borrowing from their format and syntax while giving you an original campaign idea.

While they can’t ever replace human originality, they can help humans do their best work.

So, here are the three real benefits of AI use in marketing.

1. Launch campaigns fast.

The best marketing campaigns take weeks, if not months, to develop. Or do they?

AI marketing campaigns help teams move from concept to execution in a matter of hours, saving valuable time and making it possible to react quickly to changes in your market.

Our 2025 AI for Marketers research revealed that 53% of marketers, including managerial roles, saved from 1 to 3 hours per task each week.

That gives an opportunity for marketers to work on an average of five campaigns at a time. This speed could be a game-changer.

2. Spark fresh ideas.

AI tools may not give you an ADDY-winning campaign idea the first time or even the fifth time.

Together with its prompter (that’s you), it can serve as a creative springboard to move through mediocre ideas to find an epic one. In fact, 46% of marketers use generative AI for ideas and inspiration.

3. Drive revenue.

According to McKinsey & Company, top-performing organizations using AI are seeing bigger revenue boosts, with some experiencing growth of over 10%.

In turn, our research found that marketers report positive ROI from using gen AI to create content for audio/visual channels (30%) and search/SEO content (29%).

Though many factors determine how effective an AI marketing campaign will be, there’s evidence that strategic, consistent deployment can boost the bottom line.

How AI Has Impacted Marketing Campaigns

I wouldn’t say AI impacted just marketing campaigns; it has reshaped everything for marketers. Workflows, processes, and even hiring decisions.

It all shows up in the results, too: marketing campaigns are performing better across different mediums.

Here’s how it looks in action.

Smarter, Faster Social Media That Gets Results

Gone are the days of guessing what to post or when. Today’s AI tools scan trends, write and schedule posts at the peak time of user activity, pick the best hashtags in seconds, and even create the whole social media post from scratch.

No wonder that 71% of social media marketers use AI tools as part of their strategy. And that same percentage says content created with generative AI performs better than content made without it.

What’s most interesting to me is that consumers aren’t as opposed to AI as many might think.

A Sprout Social survey found that 38% of people would actually be more interested in a brand that shares AI-generated posts (as long as the content is really good).

Hyper-Targeted Advertising

AI isn’t just for content — you can use it to rewire ad campaigns, too. Think smarter targeting, dynamic bidding, and on-the-fly creative tweaks.

A Bain & Company study found retailers using AI-powered targeted ads saw 10–25% higher ROAS.

That tracks with what I’ve seen in my peers’ results. When they let AI optimize Facebook ads, their cost-per-click dropped and conversions jumped. Plus, the reach increased from 2k to 10k.

Quick Case Study: Pedigree’s AI Campaign: 50% of Dogs Adopted in 2 Weeks

Pedigree teamed up with Colenso BBDO and Nexus Studios to launch Adoptable, an AI-powered campaign that turned every Pedigree ad into a local adoption ad.

Using generative AI, they created high-quality images of real shelter dogs and targeted them to areas where they'd be the best fit (based on factors like family makeup and nearby parks, all discovered thanks to AI).

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The results were huge: Within two weeks, half the featured dogs were adopted, shelter site traffic jumped 6x, and people who engaged with Adoptable were 12% more likely to adopt.

The campaign won the Cannes Lions Grand Prix and is now going global, making sure every Pedigree ad features a real dog who needs a home.

Stronger Content, Optimized for Search

Our State of AI Marketing research reports that 64% of marketers use AI to create content, and it helps them with:

• Content quality assurance (like spellcheck) — 54%
• Writing copy for marketing content — 51%
• Creating images — 49%
• Summarizing text into key points — 40%
• Repurposing marketing content — 39%

Does it work? Well, the results speak for themselves. For instance, The Links Guy, an SEO agency, adopted Surfer’s AI-assisted editor for client blog posts.

Within 6 months, their own site’s Google clicks doubled (105% increase) and impressions surged by 356% year-over-year.

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Data-Driven Personalization and Insights

AI is changing how we understand customers, too. It churns through mountains of data to spot trends and segments humans might miss.

For instance, a recent survey found 24% of businesses are already using AI for audience segmentation, meaning they can automatically cluster customers into micro-groups (e.g., “fashion lovers who only buy on sale” versus “techies who binge on emails”).

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And since 73% of people want personalized experiences, it just makes sense to give them custom chatbots, product suggestions, and content they actually care about.

With that, let me inspire you with real-world examples of AI marketing campaigns from different businesses. One was created and launched by me.

16 AI Marketing Campaign Examples

Rather than feeding ChatGPT prompts like “Give me 10 headline ideas about…,” put on your strategist hat for a minute. What do you need to know to produce a great marketing campaign?

• Who the audience is
• What your key messages or differentiators are
• What you want the audience to do
• Your tone or writing style

Once you feed this high-level information to the tool, it’s ready to start producing ideas and won’t waste your time on campaign pitches that miss the mark. Then, you tweak the prompt to get a precise output.

At this point, you can ask artificial intelligence to brainstorm:

1. AI Campaign Ideation

Before you start creating individual assets, use AI to pitch the overall concept and hook for your campaign.

Here's how other brands are putting that into action:

Klarna – From 6 Weeks to 7 Days with Generative AI

In 2024, Klarna, a Swedish fintech company, used generative AI to help create about 30 marketing campaigns for big retail events like Black Friday and Mother’s Day.

The AI initially helped come up with ideas, then write the content, and create images. Thanks to it, Klarna quickly launched personalized campaigns in 45 countries.

They cut down the time to create a campaign from six weeks to just seven days, allowing them to do more campaigns, faster, and with more variety.

Night Shift – Brewing Creativity with AI

Night Shift, a Boston-based brewery, has launched a creative AI beer series called AI-P-A. They used ChatGPT to craft the recipe and Midjourney to design the labels.

In partnership with MassRobotics, they’ve released a bunch of beers with some seriously cool names.

For instance, check this one out:

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This edition brings major West Coast vibes — crisp, piney, and bursting with juicy grapefruit flavor.

Using AI to help with content ideation made the whole product development process faster and more cost-effective, and the end result caught everyone’s attention.

2. AI Social Media Campaigns

Let AI handle your entire social media marketing campaign. It can prepare everything from the position and image creation to post description and targeting parameters, and even your campaign budget.

Otherverse – Fully AI-Driven Instagram

This spring, I was involved in organizing a techno event launch @otherverse.events under a tight budget. So, I turned to testing a bunch of AI tools to generate relevant creatives.

My efforts paid off and brought a standout example of a fully AI-generated social media campaign created in under a few days.

Every post here is conceptualized, scripted, and visually generated using AI tools alone: Sora for video and written content, and Reve for generating ad creatives and printed posters. Sora, in turn, could remake uploaded artists’ headshots, giving them the Matrix style.

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Once I nailed the right prompt, AI generated 10+ creatives under 30 minutes. That speed is something a human can’t compete with. Here’s how they turned out:

Lu do Magalu – AI Influencer with 7 Million Followers

Another amazing example in this category is Lu do Magalu, an AI influencer created by Brazilian retailer Magazine Luiza.

She started in 2003 as a digital assistant and evolved into a 3D persona with over 7.3 million followers. Lu promotes products, partners with big brands, and even speaks out on social issues.

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She’s always active, never off-brand, and powered by data. Lu blends AI, automation, and CGI to create such good content that it’s almost unsettling — in the best way.

3. AI Advertising on Google Search

Envision a Google search campaign by researching keywords and asking AI to pitch you a PPC campaign complete with copy and targeting demographics.

Here's how it works in practice:

Sephora UK – AI Optimization Drives 42% Increase in Conversions

Sephora UK recognized that its highly segmented Google Ads account structure was limiting the effectiveness of AI-driven tools like Smart Bidding and broad match keywords.

The company consolidated its campaigns, reducing the total number by 85%, to allow Google's AI to optimize performance more effectively.

Results:

• 42% increase in conversion rate
• 6% higher average order value
• 13% increase in return on ad spend (ROAS)

Strong Automotive – AI Boosts CTR by 40% and Engagements by 175%

A similar success story comes from Strong Automotive, which set out to boost ad performance for 15 mid- to large-sized car dealerships.

They used AI to analyze user behavior and identify high-intent shoppers, then built customized Google Ads campaigns to target those audiences more precisely.

Results:

• Over 40% increase in CTR
• More than a 20% boost in search impression share
• 175% lift in engagements
• Over 15% increase in conversion rate

4. AI Email Campaigns

Build out an email series or email campaign by feeding your AI tool your call-to-action, demographics, and key messages.

I highly recommend replicating the strategy that Emmy Jonassen and Kipp Bodnar at HubSpot used last year.

HubSpot AI Strategy Boosts Email Conversions by 82%

Instead of sending segmented emails to broad groups, this HubSpot duo used AI to personalize content based on each user’s specific goals and intent.

The AI analyzed website data, company size, and past downloads to understand user intent. And then matched users with the most relevant content in HubSpot’s library.

Results:

• 82% boost in conversion rates
• 30% more opens
• 50% more clicks

What made the difference wasn’t just better copy — it was AI predicting what each lead really needed and delivering it at just the right time.

Let’s go through another success story.

Westfield Creative – 15.8% Click Rate with AI

Westfield Creative, a certified Mailchimp Pro partner, used Mailchimp’s AI tools to craft weekly newsletters with curated content.

With smart personalization and optimized send times, they reached a 15.8% click rate – well above industry norms.

The AI automated content suggestions, fine-tuned messaging to match subscriber interests, and led to stronger engagement and better audience retention.

5. AI Blog Campaigns

Attract potential leads and save time with starter blog content for your website. And that’s exactly what Luca CH, owner of HSU Marketing, did. Here’s the story:

$10K/Month in 3 Months with 100% AI Content

Luca used Arvow to grow a personal website, seeing impressive results in just 3 months – from $0 to $10,000/month in recurring revenue (with 100% AI content!).

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By focusing on high-converting, buyer-intent keywords, Luca saw a huge spike in organic traffic and keyword rankings.

Arvow's automation helped speed up three things: content creation, keyword research, and publishing.

WalkMe – 3x More Content with Jasper AI

WalkMe is another company that needed to scale content production across multiple platforms, starting with blogs. They adopted Jasper to:

• Start blog posts and articles quickly from just a sentence.
• Repurpose content easily for different platforms.
• Write directly in Google Docs without switching tools.
• Maintain a consistent tone across writers and channels.

Results:

• 3,000+ hours saved in content creation.
• 3x more content produced.
• 2.5x increase in reply rates on outbound messages.

6. AI commercials and video marketing

While AI video production is still in its early stages, you can absolutely request marketing campaign concepts and video scripts for just about anything.

And the following example proves just how insanely good AI video can look:

Toys “R” Us – AI-Generated Brand Film Premieres at Cannes

In 2024, Toys “R” Us used OpenAI’s new tool, Sora, to create a one-minute brand film. Instead of taking months to shoot, they made it in just a few weeks.

The video tells the story of founder Charles Lazarus dreaming up the toy store. Almost everything was made by AI, with just a few human touches like music + editing.

The film premiered at Cannes, then took off online. Shared on their site, across social media, and picked up by fans, creators, and even other brands.

But it’s not only the industry giants benefiting from AI video. Keep reading for a story that proves it’s for everyone:

Headway – 40% ROI Boost with AI-Powered Video Ads

Ukrainian edtech startup Headway also saw a big impact from using AI for video ads. CEO Anton Pavlovsky shifted gears, gave Midjourney and HeyGen a shot, and it paid off.

Video ad ROI jumped 40%, with 3.3 billion impressions in early 2024.

AI cut costs, saved time, and powered all their UGC style ads, driving more signups. On top of that, AI tools helped localize content and create dynamic ad experiences (e.g., like animating historical figures), which made their campaigns way more engaging.

A video example:

7. AI Landing Pages

Finally, make sure your campaign can convert by building out a landing page with messaging that matches your ad content. Keep your concept consistent from end to end to engage readers.

Here are some case studies to inspire you:

Swoveralls – 100% Conversion Rate Boost with AI Landing Pages

After iOS 14 limited ad tracking, Swoveralls struggled to reach their audience.

Instead of relying on generic product pages, they used Replo to quickly create targeted, high-converting landing pages for seasonal campaigns.

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Results:

• 100% increase in conversion rates compared to their main site
• One landing page drove 40% of total sales in September 2024

Replo’s no-code builder, AI-powered templates, and fast deployment helped Swoveralls align ad messaging with landing page content and turn more clicks into customers.

Essence Mediacom – 25% ROI Boost with AI-Personalized Landing Pages

Essence Mediacom used SEATEXT AI to personalize landing pages for each Google Ads keyword, creating unique, keyword-specific content.

Thanks to it, each page matched the search intent, resulting in a 25% improvement in Google Ads ROI and saving significant time by automating the creation of landing pages.

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Starting to see the possibilities? Now, let’s get down to looking at the best tools for building your AI marketing campaign.

5 AI Tools [Reviewed] To Add To Your Marketers’ Arsenal

The flood of AI tools entering the market is more than a little mind-boggling.

To help you focus your time, I compared several of the top tools in a head-to-head test to see which creates the best marketing campaign. It’s like having your own bevy of ad agencies pitching you campaigns.

Let’s see how each one performed in our fictional campaigns.

Campaign Assistant by HubSpot

One barrier to implementing AI effectively is that the tools are so vast that they can be difficult to understand and use. This campaign assistant is designed exclusively for creating marketing campaigns and is virtually foolproof.

The campaign assistant asks you specific questions about your audience, your messages, your writing style, and your CTA, so you don’t miss anything important.

Tell the campaign assistant which campaign asset you want it to create. Then, you’re ready to go.

To put Campaign Assistant to the test, we fed it a fictional use case for an ecommerce brand that sells sustainable bags and luggage.

AI Email Campaign with Campaign Assistant

First, I selected a marketing email and put in my prompts for the campaign. I described my business and three key messages that I want my audience to know.

Then, I gave a desired action and up to three descriptors to create a writing style. I asked for a witty and confident tone.

Here’s the email that the campaign assistant sent back. It shares a catchy subject line and pre-header, three paragraphs that hit my three main points, and an “Order Your Bag” button at the bottom.

Plus, HubSpot allows you to customize any email module, which streamlines the whole process. Next, you can schedule it, use different automation workflows, and more.

The email needs a little tweaking to make the writing tighter and more personalized, but it’s a good start.

AI Google Search Ad Campaign with Campaign Assistant

To continue the test, I asked the campaign assistant to convert this campaign into a Google Search ad campaign. I didn’t have to input the information again — HubSpot's campaign assistant simply converted it over for me.

The result? Short and sweet Google ad content in preview mode as it would appear on Google. If I want to use it, I can simply copy/paste it over to Google Ads.

AI Social Media Campaign with Campaign Assistant

Finally, I asked the campaign assistant to create a social media campaign for Facebook.

The tool can also create campaigns for LinkedIn and Instagram (launching soon).

The platform suggested three ads with a headline and body copy for me to review and placed them in a preview pane.

While the images are just placeholders, it’s useful to envision how it might look.

Once you have a campaign draft you’re happy with or ready to edit outside the platform, you can copy/paste it in one click or publish it if you’re a HubSpot user.

Honorable mention: Breeze — Content Assistant by HubSpot

While we always recommend strategy first, there’s also a benefit to ideating in the same space where you produce your content. This helps you see your campaign in layout and tweak the designs in real time.

That’s where HubSpot’s other AI tool can come in handy. Content assistant is a generative AI built into HubSpot’s layout and publishing tool.

If you use HubSpot for email marketing or landing page creation, you can strategize, create, and publish all in the same window.

ChatGPT by OpenAI

ChatGPT is likely the most well-known AI tool, with 400 million users weekly.

I tested it to see how it handles marketing campaign requests, giving it the same ecommerce campaign prompt.

Since ChatGPT doesn’t have a plug-and-play prompt feature like Campaign Assistant, I fed it the information in natural language prompts (see the example below). This test used ChatGPT version 4o, paid account. Here’s the marketing campaign it created.

AI Email Campaign with ChatGPT

The first iteration of the email campaign had some good lines and endearing emojis but had to be polished by a human editor anyway.

AI Google Search Ad Campaign with ChatGPT

To make my campaign cross-channel, I prompted ChatGPT to repurpose my campaign for Google search.

The tool brainstormed three headline options for me and two ads. The headlines are too short and have nothing catchy about them.

The output also includes suggested keywords. Overall, Content Assistant by HubSpot generated much better results with no prompting.

Beyond the ad copy, ChatGPT can also recommend parameters to make your PPC campaign a success. It recommends ad extensions, a bidding strategy, and best practices. If you prompt it to do so, of course.

AI Social Media Campaign with ChatGPT

Finally, I asked ChatGPT to convert this campaign into a companion ad campaign on Facebook.

ChatGPT produced social media copy that was similar to its email campaign draft — dry.

However, it also recommended audience targeting ideas for my post.

The verdict: ChatGPT gave me three ad alternatives and some basic campaign details about my audience and campaign objective. You could follow up with some additional prompts to get extra targeting recommendations, but who knows how much time you have to spend to get the desired result.

LLaMA 2 by Meta

LLaMA 2 is Meta’s large language model (LLM), which is free and open to the public.

Unlike ChatGPT or Google Bard, LLaMA 2 is open-source, allowing users to flag and fix potential issues. To chat with LLaMA 2 on a browser, I used Chat Arena.

AI Email Campaign with LLaMA 2

First, I fed LLaMA 2 the exact same prompt as Campaign Assistant and ChatGPT, asking for an email campaign. The email could use a shave for length, but it definitely delivered a witty tone.

Moreover, it generated five email examples tied to a specific occasion and incorporated storytelling in one of them. Lovely examples with a need to be polished slightly.

AI Google Search Ad Campaign with LLaMA 2

Next, I served LLaMA 2 the challenge of converting this into a PPC campaign with the simple follow-up prompt, “Can you convert this into a Google Search ad campaign?”

First, LLaMA 2 organized my campaign into four different ad groups based on product type. Each ad within the ad groups focused on a different angle or audience, setting it up well for A/B testing.

The tool surprised me with the offered Bidding Strategy, Budget Allocation, and Negative Keywords. Safe to say Meta’s AI exceeds my expectations.

While I can’t preview how it would look in campaign assistant, it did save me time by pulling the top keywords I can use for the campaign.

AI Social Media Ad Campaign with LLaMA 2

Finally, I asked LLaMA 2 to create a Facebook Ad campaign for me based on the campaign parameters already entered. Since LLaMA 2 was created by Facebook’s owner Meta, it’s no surprise that the results were very thorough.

LLaMA 2 gave me a target audience with suggested demographics and interests to target. The ad creative included an idea image, headline, text, four hashtags, and a CTA. It also suggests a budget of $200 to $600 and a 30-day duration.

The model also gave me some tips to increase sales through Facebook ads, such as running retargeting ads and creating a lookalike audience. Plus, it went further with expected results and supplemented low-budget tactics to drive more sales out of social media marketing.

The verdict: Meta’s AI is solid and is a great means for marketers. However, you have to spend more time analyzing its results to cherry-pick the best ones.

Want to learn more? Read the State of AI in Marketing report or visit our resources and best practices for AI marketing campaigns.

Which AI tool pitches the best marketing campaign?

Looking at these AI tools side by side, you can see that each one has its own strengths in marketing campaign creation.

I liked HubSpot’s Campaign Assistant because it was so easy to use. Its plug-and-play capabilities make it easy for any marketer to try out. It also gives design previews to help users visualize their campaigns and integration, which saves existing HubSpot users time.

ChatGPT is the least likable tool for this purpose as it requires endless customization requests to tweak your campaigns.

With Meta’s influence, LLaMA 2 gives the most detailed strategy recommendations for paid ad campaigns. It also managed to pull off some wordplay that’s impressive for a machine: “Buckle up (or should we say buckle in?)”.

Just remember, AI marketing campaigns are a complement to human creativity. All three of these tools suggested very similar campaigns: images of bags and their wearers with scenic backdrops behind them

So ... is AI the new MVP of marketing?

The level AI has reached in 2025 is impressive, and when I think about how much more advanced it’s going to get, I’m not sure if I’m excited or a little freaked out.

Either way, these days you can plug AI into every part of a marketing campaign, from brainstorming all the way to execution.

The best part? It’s incredibly easy to get the hang of.

I’m a content writer and a business developer myself, but I’ve tested out a bunch of other AI tools that have nothing to do with writing, like video creation. I needed approximately 10 minutes to figure out how it works. That intuitiveness and simplicity are the biggest differences compared to the “non-AI” tools I used before.

P.S. I hope all the examples and campaigns I shared sparked a little inspiration to give these tools a shot.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in November 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

23 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

In a feature-parity world, it’s all about your brand — here’s how your startup can nail it in the first 100 days 

Let’s say you‘re the CMO of a scrappy startup, and you’ve got limited (or no) budget. You’ve got no name recognition, and no time to waste. So, where do you start to make the biggest impact?

Brand.

I’ve seen this firsthand. I helped build Drift into a category-defining brand and turned my company, Exit Five, into a seven-figure media business.

If I were starting from zero today, I wouldn’t wait. I’d go all-in on brand from day one. Here’s my approach to building a brand in your first 100 days, before you have money or traction. Let’s dive in.

Why Brand Matters More Than Ever for Early Startups

Today’s AI-driven market is full of copycat software tools. So, your brand needs a differentiating factor. For an established company, that’s brand proof. The CRM with 20 years of experience has more proof of its brand value. Early-stage startups can’t point to that type of history.

So, if you’re a scrappy startup, you’ll need to try harder to stand out. That requires really knowing your story. What’s your message, and what makes your journey so compelling that people remember? Then, can you reinforce that message with brand elements — a unique motif, a recognizable logo, or a color scheme that screams you?

Take a look at this company called Blaze AI, a marketing tool built to drive automation. The branding is so eye-catching that it stands out. The superhero theme is memorable. I’m reminded of my favorite comic books where remarkable characters save the day. Perhaps their offering can do just that for my business.

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As a startup, you should already have competitive features. Your offering needs to be just as good or better than what’s already in the market. And, when the product holds its own, your vibe, story, and the platforms you use set you apart. You’ll resonate with customers who are authentically on the same wavelength. That’s essential for growing your business.

How to Build a Brand as a Startup Founder or CMO

So, how do you build a brand from scratch? Let me break down what I think you should prioritize.

Build your strategic narrative first, no exceptions.

Number one: Build a strategic narrative.

That means having a strong point of view about why your company exists and the problem that you help people solve.

In my experience, when we talk about brand, we get too obsessed with colors, fonts, and websites. It's ultimately the story that matters. That’s the reason you exist.

When I was a young marketer coming up in my career, Hubspot was a brand that I religiously followed, because they came out with this thing called inbound marketing. In the 2010s, the brand focused on marketers who made content to attract people to their company.

The tactic resonated because my background was not in paid. I realized, “Oh, that's me! That's what I do. I write. I make social media content. I have a newsletter.” Sure, I like orange, and the events look fun, but the inbound marketing narrative pulled me in.

The lesson here? As a new startup, you may not have market share. But, you do have a unique angle — the problem that you solve or the story that makes you unique. You also have a founder to evangelize that strong point of view. These are assets, and you need to make the most of them.

Test your message on social media immediately.

So, you have a narrative. Now, you get to have fun with the design, the tactics, and the execution. I recommend jumping right in. You can test different brand elements and iterate.

If I were a founder, I would want to be on social media right now. Even if I only have seven followers, I could test my messaging to see what works. I'm also sending 10 DMs or cold outbound emails to my ideal customer, hoping to book sales meetings.

But, if none of those messages land, that's amazing feedback and data. I know that this message clearly doesn’t resonate with people.

When I was at Drift, our product was a chatbot. I interviewed our CEO, who ranted about why lead gen was broken. With a chatbot, forms would be obsolete, and Drift was going to lead the new way.

That message was clear. So, we took a bet.

We turned the interview into an article for our blog. We posted it on social media. We sent it out to our email list. We DM'd it to people. And within days, the idea took off. It was getting more comments than anything we had written before, getting more shares, getting more inbound.

That's the signal we needed. Now, we could double down. We came up with #NoForms. We made stickers, and it was a whole content campaign.

The enemy here is waiting for that perfect message. Riffing and experimenting help you move faster.

Find where your audience already hangs out.

You need to truly understand where your customers hang out online, who influences those people, and what podcasts they listen to. This is just marketing 101, but happening digitally.

In the past, trade groups, analyst firms, and conferences had the power. Now, that's all happening on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit. My focus groups every day are comments in our community. I’m analyzing the responses to our newsletter and the audience sentiment of my LinkedIn comments.

If you have no audience in those existing channels, you’ll need to get creative. Let's say I want to start a new juice box brand for kids. I would be going to subreddits and Instagram pages for parents. I’d meet up with other parent friends, gut-checking my message in smaller ways before I expand.

When you‘re doing this kind of testing, you don’t need a massive research budget. You don't need a fancy agency. You just need to get in front of the people who might buy your product. You can then see what resonates.

Brand Building Is a Long Game — Play Accordingly

The biggest mistake I see? Expecting your brand to deliver overnight results.

Founders will say, “We launched a podcast and posted on social, but we didn’t get any new leads after a month.” That’s not how this works.

What if you kept at it?

With Exit Five, I’ve published a podcast episode every week for three years. And guess what? Of our members, 75-80% say they found us through the podcast. If I’d quit after 90 days, we’d have missed all of that.

Source

Building great content and real chemistry with my co-host slowly earned us an audience. I started hearing, “Hey, I’m a fan of your podcast.” That’s the win. That’s my signal that my brand is working.

The same idea goes for social. If someone sees a great post, remembers your name, and checks out your company weeks later — that’s a win, even without a UTM tag.

Yes, you still need sales, outbound, and direct response. But when you invest in brand early, everything else works better. Ads hit harder. Cold emails convert. Warm intros happen naturally.

The Biggest Brand Mistake: Playing It Safe

I think the biggest mistake is really just being like everybody else.

The typical B2B SaaS website looks like Stripe. Think blue-and-white branding with lots of product shots. I‘m not saying that can’t work, but it’s boring. Why try to fit the mold when you can forge your own path?

If I were going to start a company or lead a brand today, I‘d want to play a different game. Look at Malbon in golf. They’ve taken a very traditional, stuffy industry by storm, bringing a streetwear vibe to golf. The brand is fundamentally different, so it stands out.

Source

I want to play that game — not the game where every CRM website looks the same, or where everyone has that black-and-white, simple feeling like Notion. I want to go and bet on something different. That is the biggest strategic decision you can make.

Your Brand Is Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage

When you strip away all the noise, your brand is simply this: Your reputation and your point of view. It's not just your logo, your colors, or your fancy website, though those things matter too.

We live in an AI-saturated, feature-parity world. The way you talk about the problems you solve and the distinctive personality you bring to your market is what will make customers choose you over the sea of options.

The companies that win today aren‘t just technologically superior. They’re the ones who understand that humans buy from other humans. And, we buy from the ones whose vibe matches our own. That connection between your company and your customer is what brand building is all about.

20 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

I tried writing a blog post with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini — here’s how they stacked up 

A writer who (gasp) used AI to help write? Before you clutch your pearls in my direction, know this — AI, when used as a tool and a creative collaborator, is a fantastic way to brainstorm, outline, and yep, even organize and polish my ideas.

But with all the AI-generated blog posts out there, how do you make sure your new content shares your opinions and sounds like you, not like everyone else on the internet?

Lucky for you, I’ve got you covered. I put a few of the most popular tools to the test to see which could actually help me write a great blog post. So buckle up and read on to find out whether ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini performed best.

Table of Contents

• AI-Generating Blog Post Ideas
• Outlining the Post
• Writing the Post
• Editing The Post
• Overall Best Blog Post Generator?
• Where These Tools Can't Replace Humans

Fun fact: I use ChatGPT nearly every day as part of my workflows. Since I pay for it, I haven’t spent as much time with Claude or Gemini. You get to see the behind-the-scenes of my maiden voyage, so to speak, since both have significantly more extensive capabilities than the last time I explored them.

(If you’re a HubSpot user, their AI Blog Writer inside the platform is a great starting point for topic generation, especially when you're already working within your CMS.)

AI-Generating Blog Post Ideas

Before I go any further, I want to be hyper-clear on one thing: AI cannot read your mind.

It doesn’t know much about you — your tone, style, or how you think. But, give it the right context, and it might quickly catch on that you live for witty headlines and like to show up as helpful and unapologetically direct.

That’s why the first step in my process is setting the stage for expectation, just like you’d do if you were onboarding a new team member.

So before I put these tools to the test, I gave them the same background information, and then fed them the same prompts.

Want to learn more about my approach? I recently wrote about writing on-brand AI content and shared my approach (and included tips from other pros).

Sample Prompts

Here’s the sample prompt I used to introduce myself to the new team members, err… tools.

“Hi [Tool Name]. I’m a marketing strategist and content expert. I write for an audience of business owners, marketers, and creative professionals who want to improve their visibility, connect more deeply with their audience, and use messaging as a lever for business growth.

I have expertise in email marketing, messaging strategy, and using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to improve workflows and copy. My style is direct, conversational, and strategic.

My content goals:

• Show my POV and build trust through actionable, lived-experience insights.
• Help my audience write and communicate more effectively using tools like AI.
• Spark conversations with people who value clear thinking and human-centered content.

About my audience:

• Coaches, consultants, service providers, and content creators.
• Many are testing or curious about AI, but not sure how to use it well.
• They value voice, connection, and strategic depth over cheap hacks.

Please let me know if you have any questions about me before I walk you through the next prompts.”

Once I had clarified everything, I gave each tool the same task:

“I’m looking for blog post ideas around AI-powered writing workflows and how to train tools to sound like you. Please generate 10 distinct, specific, and click-worthy ideas that avoid clichés. Include a short explanation for each.”

Of note — all three tools provided 10 great ideas, but my screen could only grab so many. So I am sharing screenshots of the smaller asks and a text list of the 10 post ideas.

How ChatGPT Performed

Oh ChatGPT, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

ChatGPT has a leg up here since it knows me (and, candidly, probably where I live, too.) I’d say all of these tools are solid.

Here are ChatGPT’s top 10 ideas:

1. The First 5 Prompts I Give Any AI Tool Before I Let It Touch My Content
2. How to Build an AI Writing Workflow That Doesn’t Flatten Your Voice
3. Training ChatGPT to Write Like You? Start with These 3 Voice Anchors
4. What AI Can’t Hear (Unless You Teach It): The Hidden Signals in Your Writing Style
5. From Blank Page to Final Draft: My End-to-End Workflow Using ChatGPT
6. Why Your AI Writing Sounds Off — And How to Fix It Fast
7. How I Use AI as a Creative Partner (Not a Crutch)
8. Teaching ChatGPT to ‘Think’ Like You: A Framework for Strategic Content Prompts
9. The Exact Voice Guide I Feed ChatGPT (And How You Can Make Your Own)
10. Your Voice, On Demand: How to Create a Reusable Prompt Library That Sounds Like You

I decided to move forward with “The First 5 Prompts I Give Any AI Tool Before I Let It Touch My Content.”

How Claude Performed

Claude is fast. Like mind-blowingly fast. And I love that I didn’t need to do a ton of prompting to help it understand what I wanted.

I wasn’t planning to because I want to test the raw outputs of each tool, but it was an absolute delight that I didn’t need to go down that path.

Here are Claude’s top 10 ideas:

1. The Fingerprint Method: How I Trained Claude to Write in My Voice (With Examples)
2. Beyond Templates: Building Dynamic AI Writing Systems That Evolve With Your Brand
3. The Conversation-to-Content Pipeline: Recording Client Calls to Feed Your AI Writing System
4. Ethical Voice Cloning: Where to Draw the Line When Training AI to Sound Like You or Your Team
5. The 80/20 Rule of AI Writing: Identifying Your ‘Signature Phrases’ That Make Content Unmistakably Yours
6. Voice Layering: The 3-Pass Method for Adding Personality to AI-Generated Content
7. From Friction to Flow: Building Custom AI Tools That Eliminate Your Specific Writing Pain Points
8. The Authenticity Paradox: How AI Can Actually Make Your Content More Human, Not Less
9. Content Ecosystem Mapping: Designing AI Workflows That Connect Across Multiple Platforms
10. Voice DNA: Creating a Practical Style Guide That Both Humans and AI Can Follow

I decided to move forward with “The Authenticity Paradox: How AI Can Actually Make Your Content More Human, Not Less.”

How Gemini Performed

Gemini was a bit of a dark horse since I’ve had less experience with it. But again, it’s incredibly fast and came up with some really decent ideas. I’d argue that they were some of the most creative, even if a bit formulaic.

1. Beyond the Bot: The “Ghost in the Machine” Method for Training AI to Embody Your Brand Voice.
2. Stop Asking AI to “Sound Like You”: The Strategic Shift to Voice Emulation for Authentic Connection.
3. From Generic to Genius: The Feedback Loops That Turn AI Writing Tools into Your Uncanny Content Doppelgänger.
4. The “Human-in-the-Loop” Advantage: Crafting AI-Powered Content That Doesn't Sound Like a Robot Wrote It.
5. Unlock Your Inner Author: Using AI to Bypass the Blank Page and Amplify Your Unique Perspective.
6. The AI Whisperer's Toolkit: Essential Prompts and Techniques for Voice-Infused Content Creation.
7. More Than Keywords: Training AI on Your Core Messaging Pillars for Consistent Brand Communication.
8. Beyond Editing: The Strategic Art of Rewriting AI-Generated Content to Truly Own Your Voice.
9. The Ethical AI Author: Balancing Efficiency with Authenticity in Your Content Workflow.
10. The Future of “You” in Content: How AI Will Evolve Personal Voice and Brand Identity.

I decided to move forward with, “The ‘Human-in-the-Loop’ Advantage: Crafting AI-Powered Content That Doesn't Sound Like a Robot Wrote It.”

The winner?

Tough call. I think all of them did great here.

Here are a few things I noticed that stood out and felt more AI-ish to me:

• Gemini used words like “crafted” which is often a giveaway for me.
• Both Gemini and Claude created repetitive structures for the titles with a punchy idea, followed by a colon and a more in-depth explanation.

To be more official, I used the following questions as a rubric to see how each performed:

Did the tool reflect an accurate understanding of me and my audience?

• ChatGPT: Yes, but also it has an unfair advantage. Did that come into play? We’ll never know.
• Claude: Absolutely. All of these topics sound like something I’d be interested in writing or reading about.
• Gemini: I think so. They’re quite interesting and I love some of the ideas it came up with.

Did it grasp my tone, POV, and priorities?

• ChatGPT: Yes. But, while it came up with stuff I’d write #rightnow, it felt a bit more generic, which feels like an interesting observation to me.
• Claude: A solid yes here.
• Gemini: Also yes.

Were the ideas fresh, not cliché? Would I want to click?

• ChatGPT: Yes, but while I liked the structure more here, I like some of the ideas better in the others.
• Claude: Absolutely. Have to work on the structures, but that’s fixable as we roll.
• Gemini: Same answer as for Claude.

So who is the winner?

Honestly, too soon to tell. I will say I was incredibly impressed with the level of thought and layers of detail in Gemini’s ideas.

Outlining the Post

Once I had a list of strong post ideas, I picked one to move forward with from each tool

Now came the next test: How well could each tool turn that idea into a structured, human-friendly outline?

Well, let’s find out! I gave each tool the same prompt.

“Please create an outline for a roughly 800-word blog post titled: “[insert title]”. Use H2 and H3 structure, and include a one-line summary of what each section should cover. Keep it human-first and logical.”

Here’s how it worked (note: for the sake of brevity, I omitted the one-line summaries and focused on the sections and key points for each):

How ChatGPT Performed

Here is ChatGPT’s outline:

The First 5 Prompts I Give Any AI Tool Before I Let It Touch My Content

• AI can be a powerful writing partner — but only if you train it right from the start. Here’s how I set the stage with five foundational prompts that save me time, protect my voice, and ensure I stay in control.
• Why AI Needs Context — Not Just Commands

• The myth of the “perfect prompt”
• Think of it like onboarding a new team member

• Prompt #1: “Here’s who I am and who I write for…”

• Why this matters
• Example prompt

• Prompt #2: “Here’s how I want my writing to feel…”

• It’s not just voice—it’s vibe
• Example language to include

• Prompt #3: “Here’s what I believe and how I talk about it…”

• Consistency beats cleverness
• Voice anchors and phrasing patterns

• Prompt #4: “Here’s how I want the reader to feel and act…”

• Tone follows purpose
• Example call-to-action framing

• Prompt #5: “Here’s the format I want you to follow…”

• The guardrails that keep things on track
• Reusable prompt template

• Final Thoughts: Better Inputs = Better Outputs

• A simple checklist for your next prompt session
• Start here, then evolve

Honestly, I think this is a pretty solid start. It feels pretty close to the vibe I want, and while yes, I need to share more of my opinions and writing style, I think we (me and GPT) could get to the finish line quite quickly.

Also, I love that it named the conclusion, whereas other tools just called it a boring ol’ “Conclusion.”

How Claude Performed

Here’s Claude’s outline:

The Authenticity Paradox: How AI Can Actually Make Your Content More Human, Not Less

• Intro

• Challenge the common assumption that AI-generated content lacks humanity
• Set up the paradox: How the right AI approach can actually enhance authenticity
• Thesis: When used strategically, AI can free you to be more human in your content, not less

• The Real Problem Isn‘t AI — It’s How We're Using It

• The Copy-Paste Trap
• The Strategic Alternative

• The Bandwidth Liberation Effect

• Automating the Mundane
• Reinvesting in Deep Work

• Practical Techniques for More Human AI-Assisted Content

• The Voice-First Workflow
• The Pattern Amplification Method
• The Human-in-the-Loop Editorial Process

• Measuring True Content Authenticity

• Beyond Engagement Metrics
• The Conversation Test

• Conclusion

Not gonna lie, I love this. It feels high-brow and well-thought-out. This is definitely something I can see myself writing. Might take a bit more time, but this is a solid article I could really get behind.

How Gemini Performed

Here is Gemini’s outline:

The “Human-in-the-Loop” Advantage: Crafting AI-Powered Content That Doesn't Sound Like a Robot Wrote It

• Introduction: Briefly introduce the allure and the pitfalls of AI-generated content, emphasizing the crucial role of human oversight in maintaining authenticity.
• The Siren Song of Pure AI Generation (and Why It Falls Flat)

• The Promise of Effortless Content Creation
• The Unmistakable Taste of the Algorithm
• Why “Good Enough” Isn't Actually Good for Your Brand

• The “Human-in-the-Loop” Framework: Your Secret Weapon

• Defining the “Human-in-the-Loop” Approach
• The Critical Stages for Human Intervention
• Why This Hybrid Approach Delivers Superior Results

• Practical Strategies for Injecting Your Humanity into AI-Generated Content

• Training AI with Your Voice: Beyond Basic Prompts
• The Art of Strategic Rewriting: Adding Nuance and Perspective
• Fact-Checking and Ethical Oversight: Maintaining Trust and Accuracy
• Iterative Refinement: The Power of Feedback Loops

• The Future is Hybrid: Embracing Collaboration with AI

• AI as a Powerful Assistant, Not a Replacement
• Building a Sustainable and Authentic Content Workflow

Short answer — I don’t love it. It has some great ideas, but it feels less tactical and substantive. More importantly, I think there’s a pretty big lift to get it into my voice and share my thoughts.

The Winner?

Before I go any further, there wasn’t a clear winner, but there was one I didn’t like as much, and you’ve probably guessed it. Sorry, Gemini. Better luck next time.

That said, here are the questions I considered:

Did the outline flow logically?

• ChatGPT: Yes!
• Claude: Yes.
• Gemini: Yes.

Were the section headers helpful and clear?

• ChatGPT: Yes.
• Claude: Yes.
• Gemini: Yes.

Was there enough depth/detail for each section?

• ChatGPT: Absolutely.
• Claude: Absolutely.
• Gemini: This one is a no. Instead of offering specific advice, it offered a higher-level generic observation that I’d need more help thinking through.

Did it support the kind of blog post I’d want to write?

• ChatGPT: For sure.
• Claude: Absolutely. 1 million percent.
• Gemini: Honestly, not really.

Based on my gut-check responses to these questions, I’m taking back my statement about not having a clear winner. There was one — and it was Claude.

(If you’re using HubSpot, Breeze Copilot offers real-time outline suggestions right within your blog editor — making this step feel less overwhelming.)

Writing the Post

This is where it gets interesting.

Coming up with ideas and outlines is fun, but writing the thing? That’s the real wild card here. And I had an inkling of what to expect — a hypothesis, if you will.

Each platform already had an overview of who I am and who I serve, but not how I write. So I shared this prompt with each platform:

“Here are three samples of my writing style so you can get an idea of how I think and what I believe. Please internalize this tone and keep it consistent as you help with idea generation, outlining, and writing.

• My website home page
• This recent blog post
• This recent newsletter

Please let me know of any questions before I give you the next prompt.”

Each came back with a serviceable description of my writing style, layered in with what I shared in the very first prompt.

Next, I shared this prompt:

“Based on the outline you just created for a blog post about writing with AI, write a post. Keep it direct, helpful, conversational — and please, for the love of clarity, be specific when you share examples — leaning into thoughts you’ve identified in my examples, and avoid any cliche AI constructions or phrasing.”

Here are the first paragraphs that each platform came up with. For the sake of brevity, I won’t share the full article each developed. However, this should give you a sense of content, approach, and voice.

How ChatGPT Performed

Initial thoughts?

This sounds like me. But, there are definitely some AI-sentence structures that I try to keep to a minimum — namely:

• Question? Followed by a disarming sentence and one clarifying the answer.
• Parallel construction. Don’t just do this … Do this instead.
• Three short sentences starting with the same word.

Now, I’ve been known to do ALL of these. But I always watch for content like this because it just feels, well, average.

How Claude Performed

Okay — sort of a swoon here, because even though this feels more AI-like than most of what I’d write, it also is sort of close to something I’d write.

Here’s where it falls short. I’d never:

• Open a post with “Look, I get it.” I’d save that for later in the content.
• Talk like “Every time someone would rave…”
• Make weird-as-all-get-out analogies like “a committee of robots trying desperately to pass the Turing test.”

BUT, I don’t think it would take that much work to polish it up and get it into something I’d say.

How Gemini Performed

I’m going to stick to my guns here. I still absolutely love the “Human-in-the-Loop” idea. It got an A from me.

Execution is a flat C-minus. Sorry, Gemini, I realize this is a first date and all, but, this definitely doesn’t work for me.

Despite the title promise of not sounding like a robot wrote it, this definitely screams AI. Here are the tells for me:

• The word “crafting”
• Bringing in mid-conversation “We’ve all seen…”
• Language that sounds good, but realistically feels empty.
• Analogies that are catchy, but again, feel unsubstantial “The Siren Song.”

This isn’t goodbye, though, Gemini. We’ll still edit, and after that, I’m willing to give you another chance.

The winner?

It’s a close one, but Claude is in the lead, followed CLOSELY by ChatGPT. Gemini is nowhere near the finish line.

Here are the metrics I considered:

Did the draft feel like me?

• ChatGPT: Yes!
• Claude: Yes!
• Gemini: So. Much. No.

Was it structured well, with logical flow?

• ChatGPT: Yes, I’ll give it that.
• Claude: Yes!
• Gemini: I’ll give this one a yes. Flow was not the issue, the substance was.

Was it too robotic, or did it show personality?

• ChatGPT: A bit on the robotic side, but close and an easy fix.
• Claude: Same answer as ChatGPT.
• Gemini: It was so robotic it almost circled around and reinvented robots. (That means it was bad.)

How much editing would I need to do to make this publishable?

• ChatGPT: Pretty light. Just need to remind it what not to do, and layer in a few personal examples.
• Claude: Same answer as for ChatGPT.
• Gemini: This isn’t even worth pursuing for me.

For all of these, if I was really tackling a serious post, I’d probably have jotted down notes, or shared a voice recording or transcript with my two cents between Idea and Outline stages.

But, without that context, and just with what I fed the tools about me, ChatGPT and Claude both did a solid job.

Editing The Post

In all fairness, AI first drafts almost never hit the nail on the head the first time. Even if an AI-generated blog post is spot on for structure or tone, a human touch is needed. I’ve found it to be the difference between “Meh, that’s okay, I guess” and “Cue the confetti, that’s awesome!”

Something you’ll hear me say a lot is that mediocre is no longer good enough. It never really was, but a lot of mediocre content passed the sniff test before AI.

These days, your stuff has to be good — quality over quantity and all that. (Though, AI does help you create more content, faster if you use it right.)

If I was working on each of these posts, there is probably a lot I’d do to get more specific, including:

• High-level feedback.
• Taking things section by section.
• Reviewing the whole piece for consistency and clarity.
• Taking a final proofread spin.

However, to see how these tools responded to the same prompts, I once again gave them the same prompts. Namely, I focused on my personal brand of robotic red flags. I shared partial lists in feedback for each tool, and compiled them together here.

With that in mind, my goal here wasn’t to clean up grammar. AI usually does a decent job of that. I wanted to see which could take my changes and run with them to AI-generated blog posts that sound like me — or at least a bit more.

Here’s the prompt:

“Please revise this draft to tighten flow, improve rhythm, and make it sound more natural. Prioritize clarity and tone consistency. Do not add fluff.

Avoid the following:

• The word crafting
• Starting with mid-conversation phrases like “We’ve all seen”
• Language that sounds nice but says nothing
• Analogies that are clever but empty, like The Siren Song
• Openers like Look, I get it
• Phrases like Every time someone would rave
• Weird analogies like a committee of robots trying to pass the Turing test
• The question > softening > answer structure
• Parallel constructions like Don’t just do X. Do Y
• Three short sentences that start the same way
• Fluffy generalizations — make it specific and grounded”

Here are before and after screenshots to help you see the changes each made.

How ChatGPT Performed

I realize these screenshots are quite small, but to see the differences in sentence structure, I think it’s helpful to see the side-by-side edits.

Here’s the screenshot of the after version:

I’d give ChatGPT an A for tightening up and removing the constructions I don’t like. Sounds like me. Plus, it’s tight and to the point … and it just might make a great LinkedIn carousel or post.

How Claude Performed

I got chills! Claude was able to take my feedback and do a great job implementing it.

Now, here’s a larger version so you can read word for word:

Is it cheating on ChatGPT if I say #obsessed? Because Claude has really nailed this. Is it perfect? No, but is it really close and sounds much more like me? Yes.

How Gemini Performed

Here’s the side-by-side view:

And the single view:

I admit, after the fluff from the last round, I did NOT have high hopes here.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Does it sound like me? Not quite, but Gemini is getting closer. More importantly, it took the feedback I gave it and ran with it. Still needs more substance. But, a huge chunk of the fluff I hated is gone.

Based on this, Gemini is back in the running as a tool I’d like to play with some more. I think we could probably get there.

(HubSpot users: This is where Breeze Copilot really shines. You can tweak AI-generated content live inside the CMS — without needing to switch tools.)

The winner?

Claude, Claude, Claude!

ChatGPT is a close second.

Gemini recovered some serious ground here.

All three were able to incorporate the feedback I provided and create some really great content.

Overall Best Blog Post Generator?

Oh boy. This is hard.

I still am head-over-heels for ChatGPT. It’s my go-to for everything from finding kid-friendly recipes to planning my garden (Zone 5B, in the house!), and of course, AI-enabled workflows.

However, I don’t think ChatGPT performed the best within the constraints of this test. Off the top of my head, I wonder if we’re too close. ChatGPT knows the direction I’m likely to go and it often goes there, focusing on short and pithy over specific and descriptive.

Can Claude “learn me,” too? Maybe. Is Claude going to win every test? Of course not.

But Claude did the best when it came to the limited information I provided:

• Coming up with creative blog post ideas.
• Developing a solid, descriptive (aka not generic) outline.
• Fleshing out a well-structured and specific article.
• Editing to my heart’s content.

I also know that if I were to do more rounds of edits, we could absolutely get there. And, while Gemini didn’t win this round, I wouldn’t count it out from my next round of AI-generated blog posts or tests. I think it has some solid potential!

Where These Tools Can't Replace Humans

Simply put, by its very nature, AI cannot do the one thing humans universally excel at — be human.

AI is, however, a phenomenal assistant and growing more impressive by the day. The biggest drawback (which is also good in a “will robots take over the world?” level of stress) is that it can’t think like me or think for me.

I have been able to use AI platforms to poke holes in my ideas, but as inherent people pleasers, I’ve found you must specifically request constructive criticism.

Otherwise, they are great at mirroring your cadence and emulating your structure. They’re just missing the you-factor of your lived experience and perspective.

To be fair, some tools are getting closer. HubSpot’s content assistant, for example, lets you define tone and messaging pillars up front to help preserve your brand voice across emails, blogs, and even landing pages.

I’d consider AI a great accelerant, but you’re still the engine.

The Real Magic Is in the Middle

I went into this thinking ChatGPT would be the winner. After all, it’s the tool I use daily, the one that’s already seen how I write, what I think, and how I work.

But Claude surprised me in the best way. It took direction, offered creative ideas I hadn’t considered, and turned around edits that actually sounded like me. Gemini even redeemed itself by the final round, which makes me curious to play more with it, too.

At the end of the day, I’m of the opinion that the best tool for AI-generated blog posts isn’t the one with the most features. It’s the one that helps you write faster, think better, and sound more like you. And that means it might change from time to time, or even from article to article.

And if this post convinced you to finally give AI a real shot — or refine how you’re already using it — then great. Because writing great content with AI isn’t about replacing yourself. It’s about extending your voice.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

20 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

20 best B2B lead generation tools 

There’s no way around it — every business needs to drive leads to grow.

However, B2B lead generation is far from a simple task.

You are competing with other businesses, navigating misinformation, and playing trial and error with various tools. Not to mention, you also might be selling a product that’s more expensive or requires a hire subscription fee than many B2C offerings.

Though a complex task, having the right B2B lead generation tools can simplify and speed up the process of lead generation.

Table of Contents

• What is B2B lead generation?
• Why You Need B2B Lead Generation Tools
• Best B2B Lead Generation Tools
• How to Choose Winning B2B Lead Generation Tools

While a B2B lead is made when anyone shares name and contact information that enables you to identify and follow up with them, a quality lead is one that signals intent about product interest by providing other useful information and engaging further with your business. Qualified lead information varies and is harder to get. But, it generally includes name, occupation, and email address.

Ultimately, the goal of B2B lead generation is to create a consistent pipeline of qualified leads who are likely to convert into customers.

Why You Need B2B Lead Generation Tools

Trying to generate B2B leads without tools is like showing up to a sword fight without a sword — you will not be equipped with the tools you need to achieve your goal.

Because it is distinct from B2C lead generation, B2B lead generation requires a different set of strategies. B2B lead generation software is critical for any business wanting to get high quality leads from the right places. These tools can automate processes which saves time, provide critical data to help you make better decisions, and integrate with other tools like CRMs.

Best B2B Lead Generation Tools

1. HubSpot Marketing Hub

HubSpot Marketing Hub is a suite of tools that aim to help marketers funnel leads through the attract, engage, and delight stages of the marketing flywheel.

For example, you can use Marketing Hub to create compelling content to attract your target audience, capture leads via site, email, or social media; and nurture tools like automated workflows that can continue to engage contacts via email and other types of messaging.

What I like best about using HubSpot is how simple it is to create everything from landing pages to forms to email nurture campaigns. From templates to built-in guidance, HubSpot makes it easy to create lead generation campaigns from scratch.

I don’t consider myself design-savvy, but I can easily put together a professional-looking landing page that’s designed to convert.

Features: HubSpot Marketing Hub has multiple features designed for lead generation, including a lead capture tool. It is also equipped with forms, pop-up forms, live chat, and chatbot.

What I like: HubSpot Marketing Hub integrates with HubSpot CRM, making it easy to connect all of your lead generation tools in one place.

Pricing: Paid tiers run from $15 to $3,600 per month depending on company size.

2. LeadPages

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LeadPages is a landing page tool that enables you to create custom landing pages for different, specific audiences. Each page is highly optimized for conversions whether your goal is to capture leads, run a giveaway, or offer a free download.

Using a landing page builder is an effective way to start generating leads without setting up a new website or a full-fledged lead generation system. You don’t even need your own domain which is helpful for startup businesses that are using a landing page to generate leads before launching.

LeadPages also integrates with other software, funneling leads into your CRM.

Features: Build websites, landing pages, pop-ups, alert bars, and more.

What I like: There are over 250 landing page templates categorized by industry, page type, and style. The high level of customization and range of template designs makes it easy to find what you’re looking for right away.

Pricing: LeadPages offers a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $37/month and go up to $697/month depending on how many landing pages you plan to build.

3. Leadfeeder

You may get qualified leads visiting your website, but if they don’t fill out a form then you won’t be able to capture the lead. Enter: Leadfeeder. The sales and marketing tool captures data from website visitors, even if the site visitors don’t fill out a form or contact you, turning anonymous traffic into potential leads.

Leadfeeder uses its machine learning algorithm combined with proprietary data, millions of external signals, and public IP registration databases to accurately curate a list of leads. Not only does it gather contact information, but it also lets you know which pages users visited and how long they spent on your site.

Features: Features include automatic lead scoring, automatic list scrubbing (to filter bots), instant lead generation with their tracker, personal email alerts, and CRM automation.

What I like: Leadfeeder has custom segmentation features to help you identify high quality leads. I also like that it integrates with other sales and marketing tools like HubSpot.

Pricing: The Free Plan includes unlimited users, but you can only receive data from the last seven days. Paid plans start at $99 per month.

4. OptinMonster

OptinMonster is a great tool for building opt-in forms on your website. Whether you want to set up a retargeting campaign or promotional campaign, OptinMonster makes it easy to create all types of forms and popups on your website.

One of the features I like best is the lead sharing. After you’ve captured qualified leads from the popups you’ve set up, the lead sharing tool automatically distributes those leads in real-time. In my experience, this is a great way for marketing and sales to sync their efforts.

Features: Premade opt-in forms like lightbox pop-ups, fullscreen takeovers, floating bars, and slide-ins.

What I like: There are over 700 templates to choose from categorized by goal, campaign type, industry, and features.

Pricing: Prices start at $7/month for Basic (one website). $19/month for the Plus Plan (two sites), $29/month for three sites, or $49/month for up to five sites.

5. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn is known as a platform to connect with B2B audiences. Its Sales Navigator tool can help sales teams identify decision makers and target specific prospects with advanced search capabilities. It can also help track leads and engage with potential buyers with InMail Messages and TeamLink.

Features: Lead and company search tools, automated lead recommendations, and CRM integration.

What I like: With the Advanced Plus plan, you get access to AI features that summarize company and buyer profiles to expedite your account planning and research process.

Pricing: Starts at $65/month with a one-month free trial and annual commitment. There are two options: Sales Navigator Professional and Sales Navigator Team.

6. Qualaroo

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Qualaroo by ProProfs helps sales teams collect customer insights and feedback using website surveys. When installed, the platform uses its Qualaroo Nudge™ technology across websites, mobile devices, and apps to survey users and gather feedback while they’re scrolling. The technology analyzes time on page and behaviors to determine the right questions to ask and when.

Features: Qualaroo offers customizable survey options and advanced targeting features.

What I like: Surveys are an interesting way to generate leads. In my experience, Qualaroo makes categorizing leads and sending them to designated funnels based on their answers seamless.

Pricing: Qualaroo is free for up to 50 responses per month. Paid plans start at $19.99 per month.

7. Discover.ly

Discover.ly is a Google Chrome browser extension that allows you to find and score leads from social media. It connects Gmail, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (X) so you can see information about your contacts.

Let’s say I’m browsing LinkedIn and see a prospect I’m interested in connecting with. Using Discover.ly, I can see even more information about their social network including if me and this person have any mutual friends on Facebook. This tool helps you turn cold leads into warm ones.

Features: Discover.ly profile scans recommend and score prospects you’re connected to on social media.

What I like: There’s zero barrier to entry with this tool. I can simply download the extension and let it work its magic while I browse social media.

Pricing: Free.

8. LeadQuizzes

Does a question ever pique your interest? How about a quiz? If you want to engage prospects and, at the same time, learn more about them, consider using a quiz. LeadQuizzes is an online quiz maker that helps businesses capture website leads and understand your audience’s interests or needs.

Features: LeadQuizzes can be embedded into your website and integrates with several tools, including HubSpot. This makes it easy to generate leads in a way that fits into your current lead generation process.

What I like: Quizzes are a unique way to capture your audience’s attention and generate leads in a way that brings some value to your prospects.

Pricing: Plans start at $9/month.

9. Hello Bar

You know whenever you visit a website and you’re greeted by a popup that splashes across the screen? Hello Bar is a widget that enables you to create those popup bars. Popup bars are an effective way to capture leads and gauge users’ interest in your product. Hello Bar claims website popups drive 12x ROI for companies of all sizes.

Features: You can choose from a wide variety of popups: bars, modals, alerts, sliders, and full-screen page takeovers.

What I like: Hello Bar is highly customizable and integrates with many tools, including HubSpot.

Pricing: Free for up to 5,000 page views per month. Paid plans start at $29/month.

10. Everwebinar

Webinars are a key part of any B2B marketing strategy. Webinars are an effective way to educate your target audience on the problem your company solves, discuss industry trends, and, of course, generate leads. Everwebinar is a tool that helps you schedule and automate your company’s webinars.

Features: Everwebinar offers interesting features like a live chat simulator. You can write or upload conversation starters that will automatically show up in the chat during your live event.

What I like: Webinars don’t always get a ton of real-time engagement, but Everwebinar helps make the experience feel lively.

Pricing: $99 per month, $499 per year, or $874 every two years.

11. Mailchimp

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Mailchimp is an email marketing tool that you can integrate with your landing page tools or CRM. In my experience, Mailchimp is easy to use for emails and campaign tracking. It also offers pre-built automation journeys which I found helpful when I was just getting started. However, Mailchimp can be hard to scale with if you have thousands of contacts on your list.

Features: Email automation tools, lead capture forms with exit-intent technology, and shareable newsletter URLs.

What I like: Mailchimp makes it easy to create on-brand emails and track campaign performance.

Pricing: Mailchimp offers a free plan with a 1,000 send limit and up to 500 contacts. Paid plans start at $13/month and increase based on the number of contacts you have.

12. HotJar

​​https://www.hotjar.com/product/heatmaps/

At its core, HotJar is a customer experience platform that enables you to visualize user behavior with heatmaps and design surveys. In my experience, heat maps can be incredibly insightful.

Not only can you see which buttons got the most clicks on your site and landing pages, but also where people spent the most time. For lead generation, this can tell you which sections of your site to focus on with your leads.

Features: Heatmaps, surveys, and a dashboard for viewing analytics.

What I like: Heatmaps provide useful intelligence about how users behave on your site. HotJar also enables you to target visitors by URL, device, and user attributes.

Pricing: Hotjar offers a free plan for up to 20K monthly sessions. Paid plans start at $40/month.

13. Zapier

Zapier is an automation platform that lets you connect over 3,000 apps to create an automated workflow. This is an essential tool for B2B sales and marketing teams to stay aligned when it comes to connecting with leads. In my experience, Zapier makes it easy to automatically start the lead nurturing process as soon as a lead is captured.

Features: Pre-made templates for connecting and automating tasks, plus countless integrations

What I like: Zapier is compatible with over 3,000 apps, making integrating software and tools easy.

Pricing: Zapier has a free version. The Starter plan is $19.99/month while the Company plan is $599/month.

14. Wistia

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During a time when videos are ruling the marketing world, it’s a good idea to integrate them into your lead generation process. Wistia helps you collect emails from your videos to generate leads.

Let’s say you have a demo video on your website. Once prospects have entered their email to view the video, you can easily connect Wistia to your CRM — like HubSpot. From there, you can set up different workflows based on certain triggers.

Features: You can customize how you want your email collecting form to appear, like on hover. You can also personalize the submit button copy.

What I like: You can connect your data to your existing CRM, like HubSpot, which makes lead capturing seamless.

Pricing: Wistia offers a free plan for individuals. Paid plans start at $19/month.

15. Datanyze

Receiving quality data is important for generating quality leads — it also helps you cut down on time spent prospecting. Datanyze is a Google Chrome extension that collects contact information directly from LinkedIn profiles and company websites.

Features: Datanyze lets you store, collect, and export prospect data including email addresses and phone numbers.

What I like: Because it’s a Google Chrome extension, I like that you don’t even need to stop what you’re doing and leave your browser to collect prospect contact information.

Pricing: Datanyze offers a 90-day free trial. Paid plans start at $21/month.

16. Customers.AI

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Customers.ai is a website visitor tracking tool that claims to be 65-85% accurate — compared to other ID providers which may be 70-95% inaccurate. Customers.ai can help you increase conversions with better user journey transparency of both anonymous and known website visitors.

Features: Customers.ai reduces spam rate, offers a native ESP, and helps target high-intent users.

What I like: In my experience, capturing website visitor data can be tricky to navigate. This tool helps improve accuracy and targeting.

Pricing: Plans start at $199/month.

17. Hootsuite

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Hootsuite is, first and foremost, a social media marketing tool. But it can also be used for lead generation if you know which features to use. Hootsuite enables you to monitor social profiles from one place, schedule posts in advance, and analyze social campaigns’ performance. You can also set up automated responses to DMs, which can be useful to ensure you don’t miss out on any leads.

Features: The shared inbox is the most compelling feature for sales teams. The platform also offers post scheduling, advertising tools, and comprehensive analytics.

What I like: Hootsuite consolidates social media activity across multiple channels, and the shared inbox is ideal for keeping sales and marketing teams on the same page.

Pricing: Plans start at $99/month.

18. Semrush

It would be hard to drive qualified site leads with bad SEO. SEMrush is an SEO tool you can leverage to perform website audits and use that information to assess where you can improve in driving search traffic to lead-gen content.

Features: You can run technical SEO audits, track SERP positions; integrate with Google Analytics and other data tools, build, execute, and monitor PPC (pay-per-click) ad campaigns.

What I like: SEMrush integrates with Google Analytics, making insights more powerful.

Pricing: Plans start at $117/month.

19. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is an email marketing and automation tool that doubles as a sales CRM. The platform aims to help users collect and organize leads through campaigns, engagement, and automations.

Features: You can connect email, SMS, and ad campaigns in one platform.

What I like: If you’re on a budget, you can affordably get a lot out of ActiveCampaign’s features.

Pricing: Plans start at $15/month.

20. Jotform

Every B2B website needs some sort of form for collecting data. Jotforms does exactly that by allowing you to collect data like website visitor emails, payment information, and names.

Features: You can build professional-looking forms that integrate with email marketing services, project management boards, CRMs, cloud storage apps, and more. You can also be paid directly through your form.

What I like: Jotform has over 10,000 free templates, from registration sign-ups to surveys to contact forms. They’re simple, professional, and easy to customize, in my experience.

Pricing: Jotform offers a free plan with up to five forms. Paid plans range from $34 to $99 per month.

How to Choose Winning B2B Lead Generation Tools

While the list of lead generation tools feels endless these days, here are a few quick things I recommend keeping in mind when choosing the right tools:

• What channels are most effective for your lead generation efforts?
• Which channels can be improved?
• What’s your budget for lead generation?
• What level of ROI do you need?
• How many users will need to use these tools?

By answering these questions, you can identify the best tools for your exact sales and marketing needs. B2B lead generation can be a tricky process when you’re getting started, but these tools can help make the process easier.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

19 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

How to create a landing page: My simple step-by-step approach 

The other day, I was reading a blog post when something caught my eye: a section about how to create a landing page to promote offers like a free ebook. Naturally, I clicked the link. It took me to a clean, focused page that broke down what the ebook included, how to get it, and why it was worth checking out.

As I scrolled through, a few things stood out. The design was super simple — no distractions, just a clear focus on the ebook. The copy was sharp and persuasive, and it made the offer feel like a no-brainer. Best of all, they only asked me for my name and email. I got valuable insights, and they got a new subscriber. Win-win. That’s the power of a well-built landing page.

Interested? Well, in this post, I’ll walk you through the key steps for creating a landing page that builds on those principles. Personally, I love starting with a template. It saves me from dealing with any code, and I can focus on making the page look great and convert well.

I used HubSpot's CMS, but you can use any similar software that offers landing page templates, like HubSpot's free landing page builder or Mailchimp.

Table of Contents

• How to Create a Landing Page
• Best Practices for Building a Landing Page

Landing pages usually fall into one of two categories: reference or transactional.

• A reference landing page is more like an informative guide — it explains a specific product or service in detail.
• On the flip side, a transactional landing page is all about action. It’s designed to get visitors to do something, like download an ebook, sign up for a webinar, or make a purchase, which is why it’s a go-to for marketing campaigns.

For this example, let‘s say that I’m a marketer for a fictional NASA-esque space corporation, and I‘ve been tasked with making a landing page for a fantasy ebook about space to get children interested in aeronautics. This landing page’s goal is to increase leads.

1. Choose a template that will help you achieve your goal.

To build my page, I chose from a list of templates, while keeping my end goal in mind.

Knowing that increasing leads and the customer experience were top priorities, I chose a template that showcased my ebook offer and provided a form. I also wanted a unique, eye-catching structure and a simple design.

What I like about this landing page template — in addition to the criteria above — is that it’s labeled as “Starter.” As a marketer with little to no design experience, a beginner-level working template sounded right up my alley.

2. Name your landing page so you can find it later.

Next, it's a good idea to name your landing page. If you plan on having multiple pages exist on the same system, be sure to name each something that will distinguish one design from future pages. For this example, I decided to name it “Ebook Offer One.”

That way, when I check on the performance of this particular landing page, I'll locate it easily on my dashboard.

3. Design your page layout according to what you want your audience to see first.

After labeling your landing page, let‘s start designing. For this step, I was able to use a drag-and-drop editor. I’d decided that it was important for the leads to see the ebook's cover, an engaging description, and the form.

As a visual learner, a drag-and-drop editor is a dream come true. I can spend less time trying to learn code that would fix these elements and more time visualizing the experience for the lead. I can look at how the header‘s copy will be presented and if it’s effective at keeping audiences engaged.

4. Use the free Campaign Assistant to generate engaging copy.

This is the point where I’d like to ask you: Do you already have your landing page copy ready for publishing? The reason I’m asking is that I know from experience that it can take weeks to even draft a first version. If you don’t have text for your page yet, then I suggest using HubSpot’s free Campaign Assistant to generate copy based on your campaign goals and product/service information.

How does it work? Describe:

• The campaign you’re running.
• Who you’re targeting.
• What you’re offering
• What tone of voice you’d like to use.

For example: “I’m creating a landing page for a co-working space called [X], offering 25% off your first month for freelancers and remote workers. I’d like the tone of voice to be friendly and conversational.”

You’ll see a first version of the copy, which you can easily edit out. You can also regenerate the copy if you’d like to see an alternative. What I love is that you can save all versions of your copy and improve it as time goes by and you get the first results from your campaign.

5. Communicate the benefits of completing the landing page form to the website visitor.

Somewhere on my landing page, I wanted to provide short, impactful blurbs of value that would ultimately persuade the reader to complete the process.

In my example, the three columns at the bottom of the form communicate the value of my ebook. These columns each had their own engaging icon that was colorful, professional, and clean. I used the text to communicate a main benefit, then described it in a sentence below.

6. Personalize the page so it's unique to the purpose and your brand.

The next step is sort of a “Choose your own adventure.” Here, I added elements that would fit with the brand of my imaginary company. I uploaded a logo image and made sure the colors were consistent throughout.

I wanted to make sure the text stayed black and white to match my logo and the images didn't disrupt the usability of my webpage. This choice makes the page look professional and functional.

Once you‘re satisfied with the layout and design, it’s time to move on to the final steps.

7. Test your landing page for dynamic content and user experience.

Because mobile phone usage is increasing each year, it‘s a good idea to test your page to ensure it’s dynamic. When your page is “dynamic” it simply means that the content on your webpage automatically adapts according to the type of screen being used to access the content.

Here, I tested my landing page for formatting on mobile. I wanted to make sure that the content was still displaying neatly and professionally, despite being shown on a different screen type than the one I used to create the page.

If you‘re using a CMS to make your landing page, check if the software offers dynamic content options. For example, if you find that the logo you’re using doesn't appear well on a smaller screen, you can make the necessary adjustments.

8. If you desire, run a test to analyze page performance before pushing it live.

Finally, consider running a test on your page. Testing can show variations of your page to audiences and analyze which variations perform better. In this case, the winning page would have the most conversions.

With the software I'm using, I can choose to run an A/B test or adaptive test. Both of them achieve the same goal, with the only difference being that the first runs two different versions and the latter runs many.

These tests will be running with a real audience, so make sure your pages look publish-ready before you begin. Be sure that the form fields work and your copy is free of any typos.

After completing these steps, your landing page is complete. I bet it looks fabulous.

Best Practices for Building a Landing Page

1. Only use one CTA per landing page.

Before you dive into building your landing page, hit pause and get clear on one thing: What’s the goal? What action do you want someone to take when they land here? Maybe it’s downloading an ebook, signing up for a free trial, or booking a call. Whatever it is, defining that goal upfront is key — it’ll guide how you write your copy, design the page, and choose the perfect call-to-action.

And while it might be tempting to include more than one CTA (I’ve seen brands like Home Chef try this), it’s rarely a good idea.

Speaking from experience as a marketer, every time I land on a page with two CTAs side by side, I catch myself rolling my eyes. It feels confusing. You want your visitors focused on one thing, not torn between options. If someone comes to download an ebook but sees another button like “Learn more about us,” they might click that instead and totally forget about the ebook.

One page, one goal, one CTA – that’s how you keep your audience on track and your landing page working the way it should.

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2. Only feature key information.

What’s the one thing that drives you away from a landing page the fastest? For me, it’s definitely information overload.

When I see a wall of text, I’m usually out, unless that page happens to be the only place I can get what I’m looking for. But let’s be real, that’s rarely the case. Most of the time, I can find what I need somewhere else, and I’ll always choose the site that offers a cleaner, more pleasant experience.

So, make sure your design and copy stay focused and uncluttered. Zero in on the key information your audience needs to know.

I get it, sometimes you feel like there’s just so much to say about your product or service. But trust me, you’re better off highlighting only the most important benefits. People aren’t looking to spend forever on your site — they just want to know enough to make a decision.

A strong value proposition, a few standout benefits, some testimonials, and a persuasive CTA — that’s usually all it takes to get the job done.

3. Stay authentic – don’t use stock images.

I can’t help but giggle a little when I see the same stock image popping up all over the internet; it definitely doesn’t do much for a brand’s authenticity.

Sure, using stock photos might seem like the most cost-effective option in the short term, but in the long run, it can really hurt your brand image. Inigo Rivero, managing director of House of Marketers and one of the first EMEA employees at TikTok, once told me that design is absolutely a key element to consider before launching any marketing campaign.

“In our work with TikTok campaigns and brand promotions, we discovered that simplicity and authenticity drive results. For one campaign, we transformed a generic landing page into a conversion powerhouse by replacing stock photos with real, engaging user-generated content (UGC),” he shared.

Instead of polished, overly staged visuals, they showcased raw clips of influencers actually using their clients’ products – straight from their TikTok campaigns. This change made the page feel alive and relatable, which resonated with audiences craving genuine connections.

“Visitors stayed longer, engaged more, and converted at higher rates. By showing real people using the product, we built trust,” Rivero added.

4. Remove top navigation.

Good landing page design really comes down to simplicity. One of the easiest ways to cut out distractions is by removing the top navigation bar. This helps keep visitors focused on what’s right in front of them on your landing page.

Brandy Hastings, SEO strategist at SmartSites, shared a great example with me about how they redesigned a page for one of their clients, MalpracticeOne.

“We removed the top navigation to eliminate distractions and keep users focused on conversion. The mobile version retains all critical elements: the logo, CTA, short copy, and form — with clear tap targets. We also used color contrast (teal + coral red) to draw the eye to the CTA buttons like ‘Get Quote’ and ‘Call Now’ without being overwhelming,” Hastings explained.

After that update, bounce rates dropped by 17% and quote submissions shot up by 29%. Plus, the mobile layout became much easier to scroll, with CTAs that stayed visible the whole time. This just goes to show that thoughtful design choices — like smart spacing and visual focus — aren’t just about looks. They make a real difference in how well your landing page converts.

5. Remove visual distractions around your CTA.

Your CTA can be in competition not only with other CTAs — it could also lose to distracting elements placed around it.

“I have optimized hundreds of landing pages for B2B and ecommerce, but one visual tweak consistently drives results was isolating the CTA in a contrasting color block with zero visual clutter,” Alan Muther, UX designer and marketing specialist at Ardoz Digital, told me.

“On a recent landing page revamp, I stripped the footer, removed secondary links, and surrounded the primary CTA in a solid white box against a dark background,” he said.

In this design, he featured no gradients, no shadows, and no icons. “That change alone boosted our form fills by 36% in 14 days.”

I agree with Muther that we shouldn’t give users reasons to wander around your site and choose a path that doesn’t end in your funnel. “When everything else fades to the background, the CTA becomes the hero,” he concluded.

6. Make the entire landing page copy engaging – not just the header.

Focusing on the above-the-fold of the site is a mistake I’ve seen quite a lot, especially from businesses that don’t have much website design or marketing experience.

Don’t get me wrong — nailing the top of your page is super important. It’s the first thing people see, and it plays a big role in whether they’ll stick around or bounce.

But here’s the thing: that top section is just the opener. Its real job is to spark enough interest for someone to keep scrolling. If the rest of the page doesn’t deliver, if it loses steam or doesn’t build on that momentum, people drop off. I think of it like a book with a killer first chapter that fizzles out, or a show that hooks you in the pilot but falls flat by episode three.

For me, the goal is to always make sure that the entire page tells a consistent story, not just the beginning.

7. Don’t forget to optimize your page for SEO.

Remember to optimize your landing page for SEO. Most CMS software is really good at pointing out SEO opportunities for web pages, and optimizing your page could get more traffic from queries on search engines.

For a quick starting point, to optimize my space ebook for SEO, I would make sure the ebook has an engaging, yet relevant title. I would also tag the post with relevant keywords in order to boost visibility on search engine results pages.

A great landing page makes a difference.

One of my favorite ways to learn and improve my own strategies is by observing what other brands are doing and seeing what I think works, and what I think doesn’t. How have you recently seen a landing page promoted? I've seen some while scrolling through LinkedIn and in email newsletters. Next time you do, take a closer look and analyze how the landing page was created.

After reading this article, I hope you’re feeling confident about how to create a landing page. With these high-level steps and my top-recommended best practices, you’re well on your way to creating an opportunity to earn more leads.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

19 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Content strategy red flags: What B2B marketing teams get wrong and how to course-correct 

I see a lot of marketing teams stuck in the same cycle: They believe in content. They’re creating constantly. But, they’re just not seeing the results they want. Add that the CEO is asking why the competitor is “suddenly everywhere.”

Oh, and internally, there’s no real alignment on who you’re talking to, what you’re trying to say, or how you’re measuring success.

That’s usually when I get the call.

I’m Devin Reed — former head of content at Gong and Clari, now working with B2B marketing teams through my company, The Reeder. I’ve helped scale brands from $20M to $ 200M+ ARR, and I’ve worked with companies like Notion, Wiz, and FloQast to build content engines that drive tangible pipeline.

When I run a content audit, I’m not just skimming through performance dashboards. I’m digging into what’s broken, what’s missing, and what it’s going to take to turn content into a real growth lever.

In this piece, I’ll walk you through how these projects usually start, the most common mistakes I see, and what teams can do to course-correct.

Why Companies Reach Out for a Content Audit

Before I begin working with clients, a CMO or VP of marketing already has had a long-time conviction that content is important. But, they’ve had a recent realization that it’s no longer something they can take lightly. Put another way, they know they can’t afford not to invest in quality content marketing.

Usually, something went spectacularly wrong recently, or the CEO said something like, “It’s time to get our act together.”

Other times, they’ve realized there’s not one growth number they can look at confidently and say, “See, it’s working!” And even more often than ever, it’s a bigger strategic play, like launching new products, especially now with AI.

So the question becomes: How do we get our name and our product story out there in a way that makes it radically clear that we are different than our competitors?

Sometimes, it’s just competitive pressure. The CEO of their biggest competitor is active on LinkedIn. Their whole team is posting. It feels like they’re eating up all the attention. So, they start thinking, “We’ve got to do something.”

That’s where my Content Design process comes in, which always begins with an audit. Because if I were stepping into the Head of Content role at a company, that’s exactly what I’d do before publishing a single word. I’d want (and need) to know:

• What have we been doing?
• What’s working?
• What’s not?
• What are our competitors doing, and what seems to be working for them?

From there, we can build something off their strengths, avoid weaknesses, and, most importantly, create something that actually stands out.

The 5 Most Common Content Marketing Mistakes I See

I’ve done a lot of these audits, and there are a few mistakes that come up over and over again, regardless of company size or industry. Here are the most common and damaging.

1. You have too many ICPs.

I think the biggest mistake I see is having too many ideal customer personas.

There’s been so much noise (or insight, depending on how you look at it) about how buying committees are getting bigger and sales processes are more complex. So, I see a lot of marketing teams that feel pressured to market to everyone as a result.

One day, it’s the CRO. The next day, it’s the CFO. Then, it’s the sales enablement team. Before you know it, you’ve got five or seven ICPs you’re trying to speak to. But here’s the thing: You can’t have seven “ideal” customers. If everything is a priority, nothing is.

You’ve got to pick one, maybe two, and prioritize accordingly.

The other version of this is: You only have one or two ICPs, but you don’t really understand them. You’re not clear on what their world looks like, what their real problems are, or how they’re trying to solve them.

Those are the two biggest challenges: Either you’re spread too thin, or you’re not going deep enough.

2. All of your content sounds the same.

When I’m doing the audit, I always ask the client to send me recent content, usually the stuff they consider “top-performing.” (But honestly, they probably wouldn’t have hired me if it were truly performing.)

What I see most of the time is content that’s informational, but not entertaining. It’s not different. It doesn’t share a perspective that hasn’t already been said a hundred times.

And, I think that used to be fine. Maybe pre-2022, before ChatGPT and AI, information had more value. You needed to have real experience, be a researcher, or deliver something in between to say something useful.

But now, information is everywhere. You can use ChatGPT and be an “expert” in almost anything, really quickly. Just having information isn’t enough anymore.

What is enough? A unique spin. A point of view. What’s your take on this trend? What’s the connection you see that others don’t? What’s a story from your experience that makes this relatable?

So now, information has less value. The relatability becomes really important. The stories become important. That’s what people are going to remember more. That’s what makes the content stand out.

3. You don’t have strong content pillars.

This one’s super common: Most folks don’t have a documented content strategy.

Their topic selection gets reactive. One week, it’s product-focused. That is, until the CEO pings them and says, “Hey, our competitor just did a podcast on this. How come we don’t talk about it?”

So, now you’re chasing competitors instead of setting your own direction.

And when you play that out over time — like, a year’s worth of content — you end up with a calendar that’s all over the place. No one’s going to remember what you stand for. No one’s going to associate your brand with a single idea.

We all have busier lives and access to more content than ever. You’re lucky if someone remembers one thing about your company. If your content is scattered, that never happens.

Instead, you want guardrails. That doesn’t mean you can’t newsjack or jump on trends. But you need to be playing one beat, all year long. One drum that points to one core idea. And, 90% of your content needs to ladder up to that.

4. Your team lacks a distribution and repurposing strategy.

I’m working on this exact problem right now.

Someone hired an SEO agency. They’re making great content. But, what happens next? They post the blog on their website. Maybe make a corporate LinkedIn post. That’s it.

So now, they’ve got all this good content sitting in a place where people aren’t actively spending time.

That’s not a distribution strategy. You’ve got to meet people where they are. Your audience may go to your website. But, you need to appear on their LinkedIn feeds, inboxes, and webinar rotations.

Otherwise, your team is investing $10K+ per month on content that’s not driving traffic, not driving conversions. You end up with great content for the sake of having it.

So, make the time to repurpose your greatest hits. You spent all this time on a smart framework, solving an urgent problem. Why not turn that into 10 LinkedIn posts? Why not make it a webinar, a keynote, or go on a podcast circuit?

We can’t assume, “If we build it, they’ll come.” We’ve got to be just as intentional about distributing and repurposing as we are about creating.

5. You’re focusing on metrics, but not the right ones.

The biggest gap I see is people who don’t understand how the work connects to business outcomes.

Let’s just take webinars as an example. I’ll ask, “Why are you doing them? Why does the number of registrations need to grow 20% quarter-over-quarter?”

Do you know your attendance rate? Let’s say it’s 25%. Cool. What’s your MQL rate? What’s your conversion rate from MQL to opportunity? What’s your ACV?

Most marketers don’t know that cascade. So, they just keep doing more. That means more webinars, more content, more stuff — without knowing why or what it’s driving.

If you’re doing content that doesn’t have a direct ROI, fine. But, you need to tie it to what I call the “CEO slide.”

Every year, the CEO gets up and says, “Here are the four or five strategic priorities this year.” Perfect. Tie your content to one of those. Then share metrics that show some form of impact. Growth over time. A directional shift. Something that says, “This matters.”

How Teams Can Get Back on Track

If you’re trying to fix these issues, here’s where I’d start.

1. Create a cohesive content strategy.

That’s the first thing. You need a content strategy that aligns all your decision-making in one place. You can’t align your team if you don’t have a single source of truth for what you’re doing and why.

This handles a lot. It gives you focus, clarity, and a way to evaluate ideas beyond, “Does this sound cool?”

2. Build content program or channel playbooks.

You should have a step-by-step guide for how to create high-impact content every single time. That includes ideation, production, approval, distribution — start to finish. The whole process should be mapped out.

That way, once you have a good idea, you’re not reinventing the wheel. You’ve got a clear path to take it from idea to execution consistently and effectively.

3. Define your metrics (and own them!).

This should live in your content strategy, too. What are the top three metrics you care about? And then, go deeper by channel.

Like I mentioned with webinars, ask, “What does success look like? What’s the full funnel of that channel?” If your team doesn’t know it, that gives you an opportunity for learning and development.

And as a head of marketing or content, that’s something you can teach.

Get Clear Before You Create

If you’re creating consistently but still not seeing the impact you want, don’t assume the answer is to do more. Step back. Audit what’s working, fix what’s broken, and rebuild with focus.

Once you understand where things are falling short, you can make smarter decisions, realign your team, and finally start seeing the results your content was supposed to drive in the first place. And if you need more support, you know where to find me.

19 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

This AI prompt can transform you into an elite marketer in any field, here’s how 

We all know AI assistants can help with marketing tasks. But, here's what most people are missing: Using AI as a prompt engineer is where the real productivity gains happen.

I've been experimenting with this approach for months, and the results are mind-blowing. Instead of crafting prompts from scratch every time you need help with a campaign or strategy, you can use AI to build an entire library of expert-level prompts that work.

The best part? It works across every area of marketing and scales with whatever you‘re working on. Below, I’m going to share the single AI prompt that will create an expert-level library of marketing prompts. With it, you can transform how you approach marketing work entirely. Let's dive in.

This One Prompt That Will Make You a Marketing Master

To get this prompt going, the first thing I do is open up ChatGPT and tell it to act like a prompt engineer, expert marketer, or strategic operator. Then, I give it a task:

• “When I give you any kind of marketing discipline (e.g., SEO, paid media, lifecycle), create a prompt library designed by an elite marketer in that field.”

For the deliverables, I tell ChatGPT the format I want, including a summary of how top marketers in this discipline think, what drives results, and how they scale their work. And then, I include instructions on how to create the prompt library.

The full prompt is below for you to see. When I run it, ChatGPT comes back with ten prompts that I can just copy and paste. And, each prompt is based on the thinking of an elite marketer in the field. So, basically, it’s accumulating tactics from successful brands and giving me prompts from that company’s perspective.

Let me give you an example of how this works. After I put in the prompt, ChatGPT will ask me what discipline I want to use. If I say SEO, it first gives me a list of Winning Mental Models, citing the best tactics from the best brands. Here’s what ChatGPT generated:

• The importance of “topic clusters,” citing HubSpot, with the lesson, “build depth-first content silos to signal topical expertise to Google.”
• The idea of “velocity over volume,” citing Grow & Convert, with the lesson, “80% quality at 5X speed wins vs. perfectionism.”
• Six other tactics from elite-level marketers that I can review before I dive into the prompt library.

Then I get a ready-made list of ten prompts that takes the above tactics and develops strategies that I can recreate. With the SEO example, the first prompt I get is:

• Cluster Plan for a Core Topic - “Act like a senior SEO strategist at HubSpot. I want to rank for [employee engagement]. Build a topic cluster with: (1) a pillar post, (2) five cluster articles, (3) intent tags, and (4) internal link structure.”

This prompt is ready to use just by changing the keyword in brackets to whatever I want to rank for. The output also tells me why this fits and how HubSpot would use this tactic. I then get nine more prompts with the same level of detail that I can plug into my AI assistant right now.

This example was for SEO, but I could do the same thing for product marketing or brand marketing, and I would get entirely different results and prompts. It’s just going through and asking, who are the elite marketers in the world? And, what AI prompts would those people use?

The great thing is that you can use this for any tactic to automate your marketing. Just copy the prompts and start to build a library that’s relevant for you and your team.

The Prompt

Act as: A prompt engineer, expert marketer, and strategic operator.

Task: When the user gives you any kind of marketing discipline (e.g., SEO, paid media, Lifecycle), create a prompt library designed by an elite marketer in that field.

Your deliverable (in Markdown):

1. Title — “<Discipline> — AI Prompt Library for Marketers”
2. Summary (≤ 100 words) — How top marketers in this discipline think, what drives results, and how they scale their work.
3. Winning mental models
4. List 5-10 key strategies or operating principles used by elite marketers in this field. For each, include: a name (e.g., “Content-Audience Fit”); a 1-line description; a practical, bite-sized lesson; a source or citation (Operator + Year, or company if applicable).

Prompt library — exactly 10 actionable prompts. Each must include:

• Prompt <#> — <Goal>
• <Prompt text written in the voice of an advanced operator>
• Why this fits: (≤ 25 words — explain why this prompt reflects cutting-edge thinking in this area.)
• How they’d use it: (How the marketer would deploy it in a real-world workflow. Include tool or channel if relevant.)

Style

• Use clear, modern marketing language.
• Prioritize tactics that *scale*, not fluff.
• Be concise, punchy, operator-grade.

Sources

• Use examples, operators, or results from trusted sources post-2015 (e.g., Growth.Design, Reforge, Demand Curve, HubSpot blog, etc).

Why It Works

This one AI prompt works because it takes the brain power of the best people in the world and turns it into easily accessible knowledge. By telling you what elite marketers do in their space, you can replicate their tactics.

I love AI because you start with one thing and then continue to build on it. For more prompts, I recommend checking out our curated prompt library, along with this list of marketing prompts. Then, you can steal our favorite AI prompts to use on your own.

A Game-Changing AI Marketing Prompt

With a single input, you come away with actionable prompts that you can use right now, save for later, or share with your team at any time. An advanced-level AI prompt that generates more expert-level prompts? That’s transformative for any marketer.

To learn more about this game-changing AI prompt, check out the full episode of Marketing Against the Grain:

 

18 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

What will influencer marketing look like in 2025? Expert predictions + new data 

A couple of years ago, I deleted my Instagram account (after realizing I was spending 4+ hours a day on the app).

And while I've proudly held firm in that decision, I did recently create a new account so I could check-in on four of my favorite influencers.

That‘s right: I didn’t create a new account so I could keep up with my college besties or siblings.

I got one so I could see what my favorite influencers are up to (and their tips on the latest clothing/beauty products to buy).

That‘s the power of influencer marketing. Influencers begin to feel like friends. We watch them get married, go through breakups, start new careers, get fired, travel to faraway places, and fight with their best friend’s.

And when they partner with a brand, we're more willing to buy.

Here, I sat down with four experts in the influencer space — Imani Ellis, The Founder of The Creative Collective and CultureCon; Olamide Olowe, The Founder and CEO of Topicals; Shannae Ingleton Smith, The Founder and CEO of Kensington Grey; Justine's Camera Roll, Lifestyle and Beauty Influencer — to learn their tips for crafting a powerful influencer marketing in 2025 (plus, where the future is headed).

We‘ve also got data from 1,100+ social media marketers on how they’ve implemented influencer marketing at their own companies.

Table of Contents

• What is influencer marketing?
• Types of Influencers
• Platform Strategy: Where Should You Focus?
• Influencer Marketing Challenges
• How to Create an Effective Influencer Marketing Strategy, According to Experts
• Influencer Marketing Examples
• How Influencer Marketing Will Change in 2025 [Expert Predictions]

What is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a strategy that employs leading and/or niche content creators to raise brand awareness, increase traffic, and market an organization's products or services. This collaboration between brands and creators allows businesses to expand their reach across their buyer personas.

Influencer marketing often involves using channels such as social media, blogs, columns, digital and print ads, and television. Influencer marketing is increasingly more popular among businesses because traditional advertising has become less effective in attracting leads and customers.

If you need help creating an influencer marketing strategy, don‘t panic — I’ve got you covered.

Influencer marketing works because it uses tactics like word-of-mouth marketing and social proof, which are now critical aspects of any successful marketing strategy.

Customers trust their peers, friends, and people they admire more than the companies selling the products and services they buy and use.

Types of Influencers

Next, let's dive into the different types of influencers, before we jump into expert tips on creating a powerful influencer marketing strategy.

1. Brand Influencer

A brand influencer has a following within a niche they regularly engage with. Because of this, they have the power to impact their purchase decisions.

The significant types of brand influencers are:

• Micro-influencers
• Celebrity influencers
• Blog influencers
• Social media influencers
• Key opinion leaders.

I'll define each type as we move on.

For instance, Justine, a lifestyle, beauty, and skincare influencer with 195K followers on Instagram, partnered with MAC Cosmetics to promote their products. Justine tags #MACAmbassador on the posts in which she showcases MAC products with her own takeaways.

2. Brand Ambassador

A business hires a brand ambassador to work under contract to help them achieve specific goals: increase brand awareness and boost conversions and sales.

A brand ambassador’s contract is typically long-term, from several months to years. During that time, they represent the brand and its lifestyle and know deeply about the business’s products or services.

They don’t necessarily need to be an influencer before becoming an ambassador.

For example, Quest Nutrition’s brand ambassador program requires all interested individuals to apply to their program.

Quest looks for individuals who embody their brand, are positive product spokespeople, create social media posts to promote their products, and live the Quest lifestyle.

Anyone who fits their criteria can apply and has the potential of being accepted. Applicants aren’t required to have a highly successful YouTube account, thousands of followers on Instagram, or a popular blog to become a brand ambassador.

3. Micro-Influencer

Micro-influencers have a relatively modest following of thousands or tens of thousands of people.

They create relevant content for their audience and communicate with them via social media platforms, blogs, other written publications, websites, and forums.

Micro-influencers typically have high engagement rates due to the size of their following and the type of content they create.

A smaller audience allows micro-influencers to bond with the people who follow them more regularly (compared to a celebrity with millions of fans) via their channel.

This makes them appealing to work with for businesses looking to develop personal relationships among their target audience.

HubSpot blogger and content creator Erica Santiago tells me this doesn't surprise her.

“I'm not an influencer, but I am a smaller content creator with over 7.5K followers across different platforms,” she says. “I basically created my own tight-knit community of people who want to keep up with my work and my life.”

She explains, “Because my following is smaller, it's a lot easier and less overwhelming to reply to like or reply to their comments, repost their content if it's relevant to my platform, or share important information with them.”

Santiago says her interactions with her followers helped her build a bond and trust with them.

“Again, I'm not an influencer—so I don't typically make product recommendations,” she says. “But if I tell them I'm enjoying TV or comic book series, they'll usually trust my judgment. I've seen people buy comics just because I did a review on my channel.”

For instance, Alphalete Athletics partnered with fitness micro-influencer Aly Gray (13.6K followers on Instagram) so Aly can wear and promote their clothing with her smaller but highly loyal and engaged audience.

In addition to sharing fashion looks and tips with their followers, they are also disability advocates and often share what it’s like being deaf.

4. Celebrity Influencer

Celebrity influencers are famous people with large followings — typically millions — known across many industries. They’re widely recognized and, therefore, have the potential to be very successful in influencing your target audience.

Even if your target audience doesn’t overlap with all of your celebrity influencer’s fans, having them promote and/or use your product or service is a powerful form of social proof.

Since celebrities are so well known, they’re effective at reaching multiple audiences across various channels.

However, I should tell you something interesting in regards to celebrity influencers: According to HubSpot research, most marketers are finding more success with micro-influencers than celebrity influencers, and only 20% of marketers currently work with mega- or celebrity influencers in 2025.

So, if you‘re not keen on shelling out a lot of money to get celebrities to promote your brand (and trust me ... it’s a LOT of money), don't feel pressured to do so.

5. Key Opinion Leader

Key opinion leaders (KOLs) are high-level experts on a specialized topic within a particular field. For example, a KOL might specialize in makeup application, the Paleo lifestyle, or Bikram yoga.

A KOL is an excellent option if your business wants to attract audience members in a specialized field.

Due to their expert knowledge on a particular topic, KOLs are trusted contributors in their industries and have followers of people who are also invested in those subjects.

Ready to get started? Let's review how to create your own strong influencer marketing strategy — plus tips from the experts.

Platform Strategy: Where Should You Focus?

Before diving into how to run a successful influencer strategy, it's important to note where you should run your campaigns.

The four most popular platforms for influencer marketing in 2025 are:

• Instagram (26%)
• YouTube (24%)
• TikTok (15%)
• LinkedIn (5%)

It‘s key to identify which platforms are most popular with your audience. This also helps you identify the right influencers, since you’ll want influencers that create content specifically for the platform of your choosing.

Smith also points to an often-overlooked platform that brands should consider: "The platform that I think is underrated, that I've been finding myself going into the deep depths of, is Reddit. Reddit drives a lot of traffic, not just for brands, but for creators' content... Those forums can be a source of underground information that can help drive you to an authentic answer on a brand."

For Reddit strategy, she advises: “If there is a topic related to the solution that your product or service provides, you can start a topic and talk about that specific topic in a genuine, authentic way. If you contribute to that conversation by providing your brand or service as a solution, that's a great way to get noticed from a brand perspective.”

Influencer Marketing Challenges

To create a strong strategy, it's equally important to know the challenges you might bump up against.

Fortunately, I have you covered. Our 2025 research identified these top challenges amongst the 1,100+ respondents:

1. Finding and vetting the right influencers (37%)
2. Measuring ROI (34%)
3. Building creative strategies (28%)
4. Keeping up with algorithm changes (28%)
5. Managing costs (27%)

These challenges are worth keeping in mind as you read tips on creating an effective influencer marketing strategy from our experts. Hopefully, our expert guidance will help you steer clear of any of these pitfalls.

How to Create an Effective Influencer Marketing Strategy, According to Experts

Here‘s how to create a strategy that doesn’t just look good on paper, but actually moves the needle.

1. Figure out what “winning” looks like (spoiler: it's not just vanity metrics).

Diving into influencer marketing without clear goals is like trying to bake a cake without a recipe — messy, expensive, and probably disappointing.

Think about your objectives in terms of SMART goals. When developing influencer marketing SMART goals, there are three factors to remember: reach, relevance, and resonance. These will help you focus your goals on the different aspects of influencer marketing.

Beware: A good influencer strategy must start with a clearly defined goal.

As founder of CultureCon and The Creative Collective, Imani Ellis, explains: "The first thing we ask all of our brand partners is, What does a win look like? Because that's going to inform our strategy for you."

An influencer marketing strategy will look drastically different if your goal is brand awareness versus sign-ups.

Olamide Olowe, Topicals founder and CEO, told me her goals when it comes to influencer marketing aren't solely about revenue.

Instead, "Our goals are also cultural impact. We do a lot of work that might feel superfluous or not connected to being a beauty brand because we aren't trying to build a beauty brand. We‘re trying to build a brand that’s at the center of culture."

Need help determining what your goals are? According to our 2025 Social Media Trends report, the top goals for influencer marketing are:

• Increasing revenue/sales (42%)
• Increasing brand awareness (38%)
• Improving brand reputation (29%)
• Generating leads (27%)
• Increasing engagement (26%)

Finally, Ellis encourages marketers to plan your campaign with the end in mind: “So that halfway through the campaign you're not frustrated that you're not getting what you desired.”

2. Define your campaign audience.

Your campaign audience will be a subset of your buyer persona, but might also vary depending on:

• Goals
• Platform
• An influencer's audience

For instance, a marketer at a project management SaaS company might choose to target a subset of its B2B buyer persona — creative agency team leads — for a specific Instagram influencer campaign.

When thinking about audience strategy, Ellis suggests looking beyond individual influencers to entire communities, as well: "If you can tap into a community, you can see them as a vehicle for influencer marketing, rather than the traditional one-person-at-a-time approach."

For instance, let‘s say you’re selling a protein powder. Rather than targeting one fitness influencer, you might opt for identifying key communities that would respond well to your product: Like run clubs, or Reddit sub-threads.

Olowe agrees with this community-focused approach.

She told me, “About a month ago, we took roughly 20 influencers to Switzerland as part of a larger skiing event called 'Soft Life Ski'. We treated every single person on that trip like an influencer, regardless of whether we brought them as an influencer or not.”

Creating this sense of community amongst your most loyal customers is likely a much more powerful step towards increasing brand loyalty than paying some big-name influencers to promote your brand.

3. Set your budget and figure out your influencer type.

Your budget depends on your goals, audience, and how much your CEO actually believes in this whole “influencer thing.”

For instance, if you‘re a startup with a low budget, you might choose to work with a few micro-influencers rather than one macro-influencer. If you’re a mid-sized company with more resources, you might decide to bring on a celebrity influencer or work with a KOL who's highly regarded in their industry.

Our 2025 research shows most companies are playing the field with different influencer types:

• Micro-influencers (10K-99K followers): The crowd favorite at 67% of marketers
• Macro-influencers (100K-1M followers): Close second at 60%
• Mega-influencers (1M+ followers): Only 20% go this route, proving bigger isn't always better

Olowe uses a micro-influencer approach for Topicals: “We recently started working with a group of young boys who came on our radar because they made content about us. They do things that aren't traditionally done by boys — like, they went into Sephora and tried on our products. And that video alone got almost 3 million views.”

Additionally, she points out: “Micro-influencers are cutting through the noise in a way that some larger influencers can't because there's a bit of saturation in their audiences.”

4. Choose your influencer.

Once you know what type of influencer you want, it‘s time for the fun part — actually finding them. It’s like dating, but with brand partnerships (and hopefully less ghosting).

Ellis has the right idea: “find the Creator that you believe in.” This should be someone whose work you genuinely admire, not just someone with decent follower numbers and a willingness to work with brands.

And then — let them do their thing.

“I have found that when brands allow the Creator to do what they do best, it performs,” Ellis explains. “The audience is getting smarter... they know when the Creator had control, and they know when the Creator didn't. They're rooting for the brands that are giving creative freedom to the Creators.”

One creator I follow — Corporate Natalie — recently partnered with the AI presentation builder Gamma. The partnership worked well because Gamma allowed Natalie to focus on what she does best: creating satirical, humor-filled content about corporate life.

When vetting influencers, our 2025 research shows marketers care most about:

• Engagement rate (52%) — Are people actually paying attention?
• Content quality (51%) — Does their stuff look good?
• Aesthetic and branding (45%) — Do they match your vibe?
• Follower count (44%) — Size matters, but not as much as you think
• Values alignment (43%) — Do they align with what you stand for?
• Industry expertise (43%) — Do they actually know their stuff?

“Quality of content” and “engagement” are the top two factors marketers consider when assessing an influencer.

Notice that follower count falls fifth, behind alignment with company values and branding.

When considering someone for a campaign, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does this influencer and their lifestyle fit my brand image?
• Have they worked with any of my competitors?
• Who is this influencer's current audience?
• Is my target audience active on the platform/channel primarily used by this influencer?
• Does working with this influencer make sense for my budget?
• Has this influencer used any of my products or services before? Are they a customer?
• Does this person have a personality I want to work with?
• What will this influencer expect from our brand?

5. Craft your message — but let the influencer lead.

You‘ve found your influencer soulmate — congrats! Now it’s time to figure out what they're actually going to say about your brand.

Work with your team to develop campaign messaging, but remember: you hired them for their voice, not their ability to read a script.

Justine, a lifestyle, beauty, and skincare influencer, shares her perspective on effective influencer messaging: “Success for me is about true impact — cultivating a relationship with my audience that goes beyond trending sounds and likes. I try to approach every video in a way that balances my personality, is fun, and adds value.”

This authenticity is what builds credibility with both audiences and brands.

As Justine notes, “I think this combo has earned me trust with my community while still being attractive to brands.”

Be sure to share your brand guidelines — including details about your brand voice, tag lines, and language to avoid — with your influencers so they can remain on-brand with their content.

Remember, whether influencers post about your product or service once or 100 times, they still represent your brand and business. Ensure they have the tools to do so accurately.

But don't be afraid to let the influencer take the lead on a campaign.

Shannae Ingleton Smith, founder and CEO of content creator agency Kensington Grey, emphasizes the importance of creative freedom: “It's important for brands to let Creators be Creators — to allow them to do what you've hired them to do, which is being themselves and connecting with their audience authentically. When it's too prescriptive, it falls flat and nobody wins.”

Smith adds, “The audience loses, and the brand doesn't get what they're looking for. Although it can feel risky, it's really important to give Creators full creative freedom to do what they're good at.”

6. Set expectations.

Finally, review your expectations for them and any expectations they have for you. Remember, your chosen influencer may have worked with other brands before yours — meaning they may already have their processes for doing business.

Additionally, their expectations will differ depending on the type of influencer they are. For example, a micro-influencer will have different expectations for how you communicate with them versus a celebrity. A micro-influencer may speak directly with you, whereas a celebrity may have an agent share on their behalf.

You'll want to ensure these expectations are written, agreed upon, and signed by you and the influencer — you can organize all of this information through an influencer contract. This will help you avoid any issues and discrepancies down the road.

To help get the ball rolling, here are some examples of the expectations to review:

• How this influencer will be paid or rewarded (money, swag, discounts, coupon codes, etc.)
• How long you'll be working together
• How you and the influencer will be communicating with each other
• Any other terms of contract necessary for your specific business to review

7. Get familiar with FTC guidelines.

Yes, there are guidelines, and you must follow them for your brand, reputation, and legality. The Federal Trade Commission has rules in place to prevent issues such as false advertising and scams.

And believe me when I say you do not want your brand on the FTC's bad side.

One rule is that influencers cannot hide their “material connections” to a brand they endorse. It must also be clear when content is an ad versus a genuine post.

For example, if an influencer finds a perfume they like and decides to talk about it on their platform, it may not count as an ad if they don't have a deal with that brand.

However, if the brand is paying the influencer to discuss and endorse their perfume, the influencer needs to state the content is an ad. That's why some influencers use “#Ad” in their posts.

Click here to learn more about FTC guidelines.

8. Pay your influencer.

Influencers don‘t work for free. You’ll need to discuss compensation early so you can both be on the same page about what the work will entail if you decide to move forward.

If you're a small company with little to no influencer budget, there are still ways to collaborate with influencers. You can offer:

• Swag (such as clothing, accessories, or product samples)
• Access to exclusive events as a VIP
• Free products and/or services
• Access to discount codes and coupons

Just be mindful that it can limit your options if you‘re unable to pay influencers in actual money. At the end of the day, they’re trying to make a living.

Additionally, some influencers and creators may view being paid in products or equity as a red flag. So, be willing to negotiate and make sure the influencer gets value out of the collaboration.

If it's helpful, here are some quick stats: HubSpot Blog Research found that marketers typically pay between $5K and $10K for nano, micro-influencers, and macro-influencers, with $10K+ budgets reserved for mostly mega influencers.

Plus, almost 50% of marketing teams that invest in influencer marketing allocate between $100K to $500K. And with 46% of companies planning to increase their influencer marketing investment in 2025, the competition for top-tier Creators continues to grow.

9. Measure your campaign results.

Lastly, you‘ll want to measure your influencer marketing strategy results. This is how you’ll determine the level of success you've had in reaching your audience with the help of the influencer.

The good news? Our 2025 research reveals that 85% of marketers report influencer marketing as effective (40.2% “very effective” and 44.8% “somewhat effective”).

Additionally, 76% of marketers say influencer marketing delivers better ROI than other marketing channels.

The metrics that actually matter:

• Engagement (43.8%) — Are people actually interacting with the content?
• Revenue/sales (42.8%) — Did anyone buy anything?
• Impressions/views (39.7%) — How many eyeballs saw this?
• Brand awareness (34.0%) — Are people starting to know who you are?
• Leads (26.3%) — Did anyone raise their hand and say “tell me more”?

Here's what to track:

• Engagement: All the likes, shares, comments, retweets, mentions, DMs, and reposts. Basically, did people care enough to do something?
• Reach: How many people saw your influencer‘s content about your brand? It’s like counting heads at a concert, but digital.
• Brand Awareness: Are people starting to know you exist? You can measure this through direct traffic, social engagement, social listening, and surveys (the quantitative and qualitative approach).
• Clicks: Did people actually click through to your website, sign-up form, or that giveaway you're running?
• Conversions: The holy grail — did people actually do the thing you wanted them to do? Calculate this by dividing conversions by total visitors.
• ROI: The ultimate question — was this worth it? Divide your return by your investment cost.
• Follower Growth: Are more people following you because of this partnership?

HubSpot's Social Tool can help you pull specific engagement-related data from various platforms, like reach and interactions. Your respective social platforms may also have built-in analytics tools, such as X Analytics and Instagram Insights.

Do you still need some inspiration for your influencer marketing strategy? Let's look at three successful strategies implemented by major companies.

Influencer Marketing Examples

1. Gentle Monster x Bratz collaboration

The Gentle Monster x Bratz collaboration is a powerful example of how brands can merge nostalgia with fashion to drive buzz — and sales — through influencer marketing. This campaign brings together the eyewear brand Gentle Monster with the iconic Bratz dolls, tapping into millennial and Gen Z love for throwback culture. By distributing the product through a wide network of influencers on Instagram and TikTok, the campaign creates a flood of authentic content that bridges the line between playful and aspirational.

One particularly creative execution came from micro-influencer @miraalmomani, who received both life-size sunglasses and a Bratz doll version of herself wearing the same merch. Her Instagram Reel is a seamless blend of product reveal and storytelling, edited in a way that feels personal. It’s effective because it turns product placement into a mini-experience — one that her audience can enjoy visually, while also triggering the kind of nostalgic excitement that makes the campaign shareable.

2. Kerrygold's influencer brand trip

Tarte Cosmetics, Revolve, and Airbnb are just a few brands that have leveraged influencer trips. And, perhaps most surprisingly: Kerrygold butter.

Kerrygold recently invited creators on an all-expenses-paid trip to Ireland, with experiences ranging from helicopter rides to culinary workshops. Their goal wasn't just to promote their product: It was to showcase the rich Irish culture and history behind it.

What really makes this campaign work is the ripple effect beyond the invited influencers. The trip generated a wave of reaction content from creators and followers who felt a serious case of FOMO. “A butter brand trip? ... Why wasn’t I there?” By grounding its luxury experience in real values (family farming, Irish heritage, premium ingredients), Kerrygold earned not just engagement, but admiration.

3. Bumble and Amelia Dimoldenberg

The Bumble and Amelia Dimoldenberg partnership is a strong example of influencer marketing done right.

By aligning with Dimoldenberg’s quirky, relatable persona—famous from “Chicken Shop Date”—Bumble taps into a younger, culturally engaged audience in a way that feels authentic and entertaining rather than promotional.

The campaign blends humor with high-quality creative direction, reinforcing Bumble’s brand as confident, modern, and approachable. This highlights the value of choosing influencers whose tone and audience naturally align with your message, and investing in content that feels like culture, not just marketing.

How Influencer Marketing Will Change in 2025 [Expert Predictions]

Finally, I asked some of our experts: What's going to change about influencer marketing over the next couple of years?

Here's what they had to say.

1. Influencer marketers are no longer the heroes — they're the guides.

When asked about any predictions for the future of influencer marketing, Imani Ellis didn't miss a beat: "The death of the diva," she told me with a grin.

"The people's princess, the Emma Chamberlain's, the Monet McMichael's… The people who say ‘I’m not the hero, I‘m the guide’—that is the future of influencer marketing."

A couple of years ago, I feverishly followed Selena Gomez for all fashion, makeup, and lifestyle tips. And it‘s not that I don’t still love Selena. But now, I follow with equal interest a mom from Texas who talks about deals she finds at Target (hi, Jen Reed!).

That's where influencer marketing is headed: In a more authentic direction in which followers care more about the everyday influencer than they do the mega-celebrity.

2. AI will boost Creator output.

AI has — and will continue to — drastically change the way we work as marketers.

And the same is true for creators.

As Smith puts it, "AI is making people‘s lives a lot easier. The velocity at which people are able to pump out content has skyrocketed. Now we’re in a situation where we have to question: Is this AI-generated? Was AI used in any step of formulating this concept, creating this content, or writing out this statement?"

She points to brands like Skims as an example of a business already implementing AI-generated content in their social media ads. To Smith, that‘s the direction we’re all headed.

“Output is going to increase,” she acknowledges — but, to Smith, this doesn‘t mean a diminishment in quality. She sees creators leveraging AI for administrative tasks, freeing them up to do more of what they’re best at.

“If you are truly creative, AI is just going to superpower that, not replace it.”

3. We'll shift from audience to community.

"There was a time where we were just watching [as an audience] and we'd think, If I can buy these yoga pants, I will be like this person," Ellis explains.

"And now, I‘m excited that we’re moving into a space where it‘s less about the yoga pants, and more about how you’re feeling about yourself."

We've become active participants in our influencer relationships. We DM them, we ask for advice, we comment with our own opinions and perspectives.

And by doing so, we‘ve also opened ourselves up to an entire community of like-minded people. It’s no longer just a one-way conversation between an influencer and her followers. It's now an opportunity to connect with each other, as well.

4. One-off posts will evolve into recurring formats.

Olowe predicts a future shift towards recurring content, rather than traditional one-off sponsored posts.

“We've seen quite a bit of success with 'man on the street' content,” she says, pointing to the People Gallery as a good example of this — which is a digital fashion platform founded by Maurice Kamara that showcases street style through spontaneous interviews and outfit breakdowns.

As another example, she tells me about "Faded By Any Means“, a short film inspired by the cult classic ”Belly", but with Topical‘s best-selling product Faded at the center as a product that’s so good it sells itself.

“It was a fun project and highlights the creativity around storytelling and how commerce and film are actually closely related,” Olowe says.

"Having this recurring content format, plus an influencer — almost as if they're actors — is what I think is really fascinating these days, versus just one-off posts."

5. The democratization of brand experiences.

Finally, all the Creators I spoke with echoed the same point: That the future of influencer marketing is going to shift from rewarding influencers to recognizing everyday customers.

A trend I can fully get behind.

As Olowe puts it, "Customers are not as interested in watching rich and famous people go on expensive trips. They're more interested in seeing community members, customers, everyday people go on trips. So while influencer trips are interesting, the strategy has to evolve and change."

She adds, “This idea of making an influencer experience more accessible to everyday people is what I see for influencer marketing moving forward.”

The bottom line? Influencer marketing in 2025 won‘t just look different — it’ll feel different. We're trading glossy perfection for genuine connection, passive scrolling for active community, and exclusive experiences for inclusive ones.

The future belongs to creators who show up as real people, not polished personas.

And honestly? It's about time.

18 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

70 AI prompt examples for marketers to use in 2025 

If you want great results from AI, you need to master the art of crafting the right requests, and that starts with having strong AI prompt examples to work from.

After dozens of rounds of fine-tuning prompts, I’ve learned how to turn AI from a clumsy assistant into a serious creative partner. When used right, AI speeds up the boring stuff and frees your brain for the big, interesting ideas.

In this article, I'll share real-world AI prompts marketers can start using right away, plus fresh data on how your peers are leveling up with AI.

Table of Contents

• How do AI prompts work?
• AI Prompts in Marketing Today
• Marketing AI Prompt Examples

How do AI prompts work?

All AI tools share one thing: “great prompt = great output.”

As you probably know, AI doesn’t do a good job of reading your mind. It mirrors whatever you throw at it. If you're sloppy, it reflects confusion.

If you're sharp, it reflects brilliance. Clear, complete, packed-with-relevant-info prompts are what get you powerful results.

If your prompts are vague, messy, or half-baked, you’re going to see that come back up in the response. Garbage in, garbage out.

Before sending a prompt, I like to run a quick check: Did I include context, goals, and examples that would help illustrate my request?

AI Prompts in Marketing Today

Our State of AI survey, based on responses from 1,350 U.S. business professionals, shows that hundreds of marketers are using artificial intelligence to automate tasks, save time, personalize content, and better understand customer needs.

Across every win we heard about, one thing stood out: success with AI came down to the prompts — ones that were specific, clear, and packed with the right information.

If you want the same edge, start by sharpening your prompts.

We asked marketers for their most effective strategies when writing prompts for generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

Over half (53%) recommended offering relevant context, like specifying the target audience, outlining key themes, and adding important notes.

Others pointed to using follow-up prompts (43%), giving highly specific instructions (45%), and experimenting with different prompt types (55%) as ways to sharpen AI outputs.

Each tactic helps generative AI produce results that are sharper, faster, and more accurate.

Once you’ve experimented with different prompt types, build a strategic framework for AI prompt creation to drive consistent results across teams.

Most marketers (51%) need three prompts to achieve the desired result when using generative AI to write copy.

Even then, 63% said they only need to make minor edits to the final text. In other words, the sharper your prompt, the less cleanup later.

Prompts make all the difference. To see how top marketers are getting it done, download the full State of AI report.

AI isn't just for quick tasks anymore. Marketers are using it to brainstorm full campaigns, content series, and workflows when the prompts are structured right.

Find inspiration, try your prompts out, and test what’s possible inside HubSpot’s Content Assistant.

Try HubSpot’s Content Assistant today.

HubSpot’s Content Assistant plugs right into the tools you already use, letting you switch between manual and AI-powered content creation for blogs, emails, and more.

Now, let’s explore the different prompts you can use for your marketing strategy.

Marketing AI Prompt Examples

These AI prompt examples cover a wide range of use cases from blog writing to social media, lead generation, and video scripts.

Examples of AI Prompts for Marketers

Educational Prompts

These prompts are useful for writing drafts of top-of-the-funnel content about popular topics. Here are some examples:

1. What is [topic]? Write a blog post of [number] words introducing the reader to [topic].

2. Briefly explain the stages of the [topic].

3. List the key elements of effective [topic].

4. What is the difference between [topic 1] and [topic 2]?

5. Outline how [topic] trends have influenced [another topic].

Informative Prompts

Informative prompts let you generate content that offers valuable insights to readers on a topic. Here are a few examples:

6. Create content for our help page that explains how [popular software feature] works.

7. Explain what [your company] can learn from [competitor] optimization of its user experience.

8. What are some popular myths about [topic]? Write a strong essay under 1,000 words that dispels all myths.

Listicle Prompts

These prompts help you outline ideas and create drafts for a list blog post or social media post. See some examples below.

9. List [number] must-have tools for beginner [topic] enthusiasts.

10. List [number] blog post titles on the benefits of an effective [topic].

11. List the major themes in our recent customer review below: [review].

12. List [number] common misconceptions about [topic] and debunk them.

13. List [number] frequently asked customer questions about our [topic]. Provide answers under 100 words to each question.

Technical Prompts

AI tools help write drafts of technical materials. Below are some technical AI prompts.

14. Write a [user manual] for [product feature] that guides users through its use.

15. Attached is the raw data of a survey we conducted. Our company’s name is [name]. We surveyed [user groups]. Analyze the survey data and outline the key findings.

16. Create a business proposal for a new content management system in a hypothetical company. Address costs, timelines, and expected benefits.

Art AI Prompts

Creating great art with AI is both a science and an art. Before creating an art prompt, you need to set up an account with tools like Midjourney. Here’s how an AI expert, Ruben Hassid, recommends you do this:

1. Open Midjourney and Discord accounts.

• Google Midjourney.
• Click Join Beta.
• Create a Discord account.
• Subscribe to any of their plans.

2. Use Midjourney.

• Invite Midjourney to your channel.
• Start a prompt with “/imagine.”
• Use descriptive words and techniques.
• Select the best variation out of 4.
• Upscale it or create variations of it.

3. Upscale the image or create variations.

U = Upscale = Make an image bigger.

V = Variation = 4 new images based on that one.

U1 = Upscale the top left image.

U2 = Upscale the top right image.

U3 = Upscale the bottom left image.

U4 = Upscale the bottom right image.

V1 = Create 4 variations from the top left image.

V2 = Create 4 variations from the top right image.

V3 = Create 4 variations from the bottom left image.

V4 = Create 4 variations from the bottom right image.

Examples of AI Art Prompts

17. An image for a [content type] showing a researcher engrossed in their work.

18. An image of a bold [color] lady for a web page. Lady should wear a jacket, look forward, smile, have dark hair, fold her hands, and stand in a library setting.

19. An image of nine professionals in a Zoom call setting. Blur the images a bit. Place the image of a [color] man in front of the image. The man should have a bold, bright smile and should be in a suit.

20. Image of cartoon researching with their computer. A ghost caricature behind the cartoon shows the researcher is a ghostwriter.

Examples of AI Prompts for Lead Generation

Lead generation is attracting prospects to your business and increasing their interest in becoming customers.

AI can empower marketers to attract more potential customers based on buyer persona characteristics if specified in the AI prompt. The following AI prompt ideas show you how to get those customized results.

21. Generate ideas for a new product launch in [month] that incorporate the theme of [season] and [tone].

22. Brainstorm content ideas for a blog post about [topic] in [number] of words or fewer that is search engine optimized in formatting using H2s and H3s accordingly.

23. Suggest high-volume keyword clusters for [topic] to optimize search engine rankings.

24. Identify popular trends in the industry of [product or service] that an audience of [target audience] will be interested in this [upcoming season].

25. Generate ideas for an upcoming marketing campaign about [new product] with a marketing mix comprising [product] [price] [place] [promotion channels].

26. Suggest [number] ways to improve website traffic during [holiday season].

27. Identify potential target audiences in [location] that would be interested in buying [product] to solve [pain point].

28. Suggest new strategies for lead generation in [market] and [industry].

29. Generate ideas for creating a viral social media campaign using recent [social media platform] trending audios or popular memes from [month] [year].

30. Identify new channels for advertising [product] aside from [current platforms already in use].

Examples of AI Prompts for Social Media Posts

Did you know that AI can recognize different social media platforms? Marketers benefit from using AI prompts for their preferred channels instead of basing strategy on generalizations.

Below are AI prompt ideas tailored to different platforms so your messaging feels channel-native and effective:

Source

31. Write a tweet promoting a new product suited for a target audience in [industry] and [location].

32. Generate a post for Instagram featuring a customer testimonial about [product] in under [number] words.

33. Write a Facebook post introducing a new product feature and rephrase its current description to sound more exciting and effective: [insert current product description text].

34. Create a LinkedIn post promoting a new job opening in [number] words or fewer with a strong call-to-action at the end.

35. Draft a Pinterest post featuring a new product line and provide tips on improving product photography for [type of aesthetic].

36. Write a YouTube video description for a new product review that links to [insert links] for viewers to go to the product landing page for more information.

37. Draft a TikTok video script showcasing a product demonstration for 2 minutes at maximum.

38. Create a Snapchat story promoting a limited-time offer and describe the type of stickers or filters that can improve it.

39. Write a blog post title to promote a new social media campaign in [number] characters or fewer.

40. Draft an email subject line to promote a new blog post that feels personal, enticing, and not spammy.

Examples of AI Prompts for Podcast or Video Content

Developing ideas for podcasts or videos on your own can be exhausting. Thankfully, AI can provide ideas for them and even walk you through the script and development process if you specify it in your prompt.

See the different prompts that can help you create multimedia content.

41. Draft a podcast episode about the latest [industry] trends and innovations that contains [number] minutes of dialogue.

42. Produce [number] of topics for a video series featuring interviews with thought leaders in [industry].

43. Develop a podcast episode discussing the benefits of [products or services] divided into four chapters.

44. Create a video series that showcases customer success stories.

45. Produce a podcast episode on the history and evolution of [brand or industry].

46. Develop a video series on best practices for using [products or services] in [number] of different ways.

47. Create a podcast episode that features an expert roundtable discussion on [industry topics].

48. Produce ideas for a video series featuring a behind-the-scenes look at your company’s operations.

49. Develop a podcast episode that offers tips and advice on succeeding in [industry] as an entrepreneur.

50. Create a video series highlighting the impact of [products or services] on the lives of customers or clients in [demographic].

Examples of AI Prompts for Content Promotion

Marketers looking for more effective ways to promote their products or services can use AI for best practices. Explore the different channels, tips, and methods this technology can yield using solid AI prompts.

51. Suggest the best time and day of the week to publish a blog post about [topic].

52. Write a press release announcing a new product launch geared toward [target audience] that sounds confident, exciting, and interesting.

53. Generate ideas for outreach emails to promote a new product, including [number] of attention-grabbing subject lines and [number] of clear calls-to-action.

54. Write a guest post for a popular industry blog discussing the impact of [product] on [marketing strategy].

55. Suggest the [number] best hashtags for a social media campaign on [social media platform] to reach [target audience].

56. Draft a script for a 60-second podcast ad [for service/product] that has a friendly tone and witty humor fit for [target audience characteristics].

57. Create a landing page for a new product promotion divided into [number] sections about different benefits based on this description: [insert new product description].

58. Write a script for a TV commercial involving [number] actors in [setting] that promotes [product/service].

59. Draft a product description for an ecommerce site that is [number] sentences long and enticing to [target audience].

60. Generate ideas for cross-promotion with other businesses in the [market], specifically with brands such as [brand names].

Examples of AI Prompts for Repurposing Content

AI can allow marketers to reuse and refresh outdated content to make something new or more useful in the current year — a process we call historical optimization .

When making AI prompts for content repurposing, be creative and see how you can transform your old work into something new.

These AI prompt ideas are perfect for breathing new life into old assets — turning one great piece into many.

Source

61. Repurpose a blog post into a video script using this article: [insert old blog post].

62. Turn a webinar into a podcast episode using this pre-existing transcript: [insert old webinar transcript].

63. Repurpose an ebook into a series of [number] blog posts using this pre-existing text: [insert old ebook content].

64. Generate ideas for updating an outdated infographic on [topic] for [year].

65. Rewrite a blog post into a series of [number] social media post series for [social media platform].

66. Turn an old product page into a landing page for a new product using this pre-existing copy: [insert old product page content].

67. Generate ideas for repurposing a white paper into a video series about [topic] using this pre-existing text: [insert old whitepaper content].

68. Rewrite an old email campaign into a new one with updated messaging suited for [season] [year].

69. Turn a research report into a series of social media posts using this information: [facts from the research report].

70. Generate ideas for repurposing an old product demo into a webinar.

Use Thorough AI Prompts for Thorough Results

You don’t need perfect prompts.

You need real ones—clear, specific, and grounded in what you’re trying to do.

Your prompts are the difference between “meh” and “nailed it” and it often comes down to how you frame them.

These AI prompt examples aren’t just a list—they’re starting points. Steal them. Remix them. Make them yours.

When your AI prompt ideas are clear, specific, and rich in context, AI becomes more than just a tool. It becomes your creative co-pilot, the kind that’s fast, tireless, and always game to iterate.

So take these 70 and run with them. Your next best idea might just be one sharp prompt away.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

18 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Growth marketing — the campaigns that you need to know 

I’m a teacher, so I’m now used to the faces of students who are scared to learn. More specifically, they’re scared to fail to learn. It’s ingrained early in our studies — As are good, Fs are bad, and you’d better learn the right answers before time runs out.

That mentality crashes and burns in the world of growth marketing. Few other areas of life encourage you to fail as often as you will with these types of campaigns. You’re still aiming for those high marks, of course, but growth marketing experiments encourage you to try, fail, learn, and try again.

The fear of failure kills more good ideas than poor strategy ever will. But growth marketing gives you a better way forward — if you’re willing to try. Here’s what growth marketing looks like in practice and how you can start learning today.

Table of Contents

• What is growth marketing?
• Benefits of Growth Marketing
• Types of Growth Marketing Campaigns
• Elements of a Growth Marketing Campaign
• Tips for Growth Marketing Campaigns
• Examples of Growth Marketing Campaigns

While traditional marketing might focus on awareness or running static campaigns, growth marketing extends across the full funnel, touching all aspects of the customer lifecycle from acquisition to retention.

That’s reflected in the long list of growth marketing tactics you can deploy, from retargeting and cross-targeting to email marketing and direct mail. Behind every tactic, growth marketing asks, “What’s actually working — and how do we scale it?”

Benefits of Growth Marketing

Growth marketing done well helps you create a system that delivers results and gets better with time. What other benefits can it deliver?

Scalable Results Through Testing

Growth marketing can deliver big wins that scale with your company. You earn those wins through consistent work and deliberate testing. You’re not throwing ideas at the wall; you’re learning which wall matters, what sticks, and why — which makes you a sharper marketer.

Testing lives and dies by analytics, so I encourage your marketing team to track data thoughtfully as they scale operations. McKinsey research backs up the value of analytics: Companies that effectively use analytics in service of marketing and sales performance are 1.5x more likely to achieve above-average growth rates than their peers.

Deeper Customer Understanding

Building, running, and testing growth marketing campaigns helps you deeply understand what your buyers want. You learn what they respond to, what turns them off, and how their behavior evolves.

That obsession with your customer leads to big benefits: Forrester research shows that customer-obsessed organizations reported 41% faster revenue growth, 49% faster profit growth, and 51% better customer retention than those in non-customer-obsessed organizations. And only 3% of respondent companies were categorized as “customer-obsessed.”

Nail this piece, and you’re operating in rarefied air.

Cross-Channel Impact

Connected channels compound impact: people engage more, convert faster, and feel like they’re in conversation with your brand, not being chased around by disconnected ads.

Staying cross-channel can help businesses of all types grow. For instance, research from Capital One shows that retailers using three or more channels increased consumer engagement 250% over single-channel retailers.

Whether you’re selling clothing or B2B SaaS software, you want your message to reach more people in more places.

That said, I’ve found growth marketing works best when your message shows up in places where it actually makes sense. Don’t be everywhere, but stay relevant across email, social, SMS, and in-app experiences.

Types of Growth Marketing Campaigns

There’s no single formula for a great growth marketing campaign, but most campaigns fall within one of these types.

Product-Led Growth (PLG)

Product-led growth (PLG) relies on the product to lead user acquisition, activation, conversion, and retention efforts. Instead of relying heavily on sales or marketing to push people through the funnel, PLG gives users direct access to the product and lets the product’s value drive growth.

Consider Slack as an example. You can create a workspace and start chatting with coworkers in just a few minutes. While you can add paid features, you can also use many of the typical functionalities within Slack from the get-go. You see immediate value delivery, can manage onboarding yourself, and learn as you use the product. So, when in-product prompts for upgrades or expansion appear, you're already primed to take advantage of the opportunity.

That said, product-led growth doesn‘t happen overnight, especially if your product wasn’t built for self-service from the start.

For one project, I supported early PLG efforts for a platform that had serious potential but wasn't quite ready for self-service. Users needed support just to get started, and onboarding required a human hand-off more often than not.

We couldn't flip a magic PLG switch, so we focused on what we could control: shortening time to value. Working with the product team, we tightened the onboarding flow so new users could reach their first “win” without waiting for a 15-minute implementation call. We also tinkered with in-product prompts and restructured documentation to be more action-oriented.

Those changes got us moving in the right direction and taught me that PLG is not a binary switch. It's a gradual shift from explaining value to letting the product prove that.

Referral and Viral Loops

Referral campaigns focus on incentivizing users to bring others into the mix. You've probably seen this before from many services in your daily life. For instance, a “give $10, get $10” offer from just about any local retailer or restaurant offers a solid example of referrals in real life.

Ideally, these campaigns drive growth by having current users help you acquire new users. The most successful campaigns take advantage of “viral loops” that drive adoption at exponential rates (aka “going viral”).

Where some marketers trip up with a referral program is they treat it like a set-it-and-forget-it opportunity. Instead, see how you can evolve a campaign midstream using engagement data to reach users’ social and emotional drivers — not just transactional ones.

That’s how Nikita Baksheev, head of marketing at Ronas IT, succeeded with a recent referral campaign. “Initially, customer retention rates were lower than expected, so we designed an experiment with targeted incentives — users earned more rewards for successful referrals,” he said.

“We used ‘smart messaging’ to highlight the mutual benefits of the referral program through personalized email sequences paired with targeted social media ads. After testing various communication styles and incentives, we made a data-driven pivot towards messaging emphasizing exclusivity and community.”

This midstream adjustment improved referral signups by 45% and kicked off a cycle of sustained growth while lowering customer acquisition costs.

Lifecycle Marketing

A common and powerful campaign, lifecycle marketing focuses on increasing retention, engagement, and long-term value by targeting outreach aligned to each customer stage in the marketing funnel.

For example: I recently left a few new dog treats in my Chewy cart. In minutes, I received the cart abandonment email reminding me to check out before my monthly Autoship was sent.

Other examples include:

• Welcome email series
• Reactivation emails
• Loyalty pushes

It’s all about engaging your customers where they are now — the right message at the right time and place. Gut instinct can help; data-backed decisions are better. That’s what Mike Zima, chief marketing officer at Zima Media, found when working with a recent client.

“What made it work was constant iteration A/B testing messaging at each funnel stage, suppressing low-value audiences, and coordinating ad creatives to match CRM lifecycle stages. Rather than guessing, we let the data shape the real story,” said Zima.

“By improving signal quality, we reduced cost-per-acquisition while increasing lead quality over time. The compounding effect came not from a single channel but from harmonizing data, messaging, and timing across the stack.”

Content-Led Acquisition

As a writer, I’m always partial to content-led initiatives. Pillar pages, landing pages, lead magnets like ebooks — I love educational content. Content-led acquisition focuses on ways to build awareness and trust while capturing demand. Educational resources, SEO, and organic traffic are hallmarks of content-led acquisition.

That said, content-led growth isn’t about churning out thousands of blog posts; it’s about delivering content that meets people where they are, with the right message at the right moment. That’s a lesson some may forget in the current fervor over AI-generated slop posts.

But Jayen Ashar, CTO at Scaleup Consulting, used AI wisely in a content-led motion to reach customers for a client’s betting analytics platform, where his team used AI to auto-generate social content and headlines based on trending player data.

“The key decision was to test dozens of variations across Twitter and email — some playful, some data-heavy — using GPT to rapidly iterate and personalize. We tracked CTR and conversion per segment, then doubled down on formats that resonated (e.g., “X player crushes this stat line - here's the bet”),” he said.

That process put AI to work positively. “What made it work was tight feedback loops: AI sped up content creation, but performance tracking let the AI optimise fast,” Ashar said. “We also coordinated the messaging across push, email, and social in real time during major sports events. That consistency, paired with AI-driven testing, boosted paid subscriber conversions by over 30% in 6 weeks.”

Community-Led Campaigns

Community-led campaigns drive growth through real users sharing, contributing, or co-creating content. You may also see this as “user-generated content” campaigns. Think hashtag campaigns, discussion boards, or community groups on Slack or Discord. It’s all about having your user espouse your value to help convince others to sign up.

Notably, community-led growth doesn‘t always start with an audience you already have. Sometimes, you build that audience by inviting people into the conversation before they’re even customers. That’s what Borets Stamenov, co-founder and CEO at SeekFast, discovered in a recent campaign.

“We ran a cold-email campaign that doubled as customer research, rather than just sales outreach. Instead of the usual “buy our product” emails, we posed an insightful, open-ended industry question relevant to our leads. Each response fed into tailored blog posts, webinars, and LinkedIn posts — all tagged and credited back to participants,” he said.

Stamenov found that this approach turned prospects into co-creators, not just leads.

“Engagement soared because people love sharing their opinions, especially publicly. As the content grew, organic traffic surged and conversions climbed steadily, compounding month-over-month,” he said.

“The key decision was treating outreach as collaboration, not sales. By involving leads directly in content creation, we boosted trust and opened doors across multiple channels. It transformed cold outreach into sustainable inbound growth.”

Elements of a Growth Marketing Campaign

A growth marketing approach requires repeatable elements you can use and tinker to develop the best system for your business. As I build and manage these campaigns, I’m evaluating these ingredients for your growth marketing recipe.

A/B Testing and Experimentation

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again (or so the old nursery rhyme goes). That idea lies at the heart of growth marketing. Experimentation is how you find the right people, messaging, and channels to reach users and drive growth.

In particular, do a ton of A/B testing while building your campaign. And while tools exist to let you run highly sophisticated or automated testing strategies, it starts with an inquisitive and curious mind — namely, yours. And the courage and humility to say, “Is this really the best way to say it?”

While supporting that PLG motion previously mentioned, our team tested dozens of copy sets and visual combinations across several channels. And each time we tweaked a line or dropped a word, the copywriter in me fretted. But, we approached the process with clear direction, testing one variable at a time and tracking results carefully. A well-designed experiment eased my concern and helped us reach a valuable niche audience more efficiently.

Multichannel Coordination

Your users’ lives are large and contain multitudes — especially their digital footprints. Email inboxes, For You tabs, forums and posts and closed groups, they all compete for attention.

Multichannel coordination is how you reach for their attention intelligently. Instead of copy-pasting the same message across every platform, you craft a story that feels cohesive wherever people experience it.

You’ve likely seen this during one buying experience or another. The ad is compelling and makes you want to learn more. And then the landing page is as dry as the Sahara. You can just feel it when the story is misaligned.

Your goal is to help people understand what you offer and why they should choose you. When things go sideways, I recommend people not produce more content but investigate what they run now. Are you pointing to the same core benefit? Do users even understand what you offer? Answer those questions and share your responses across your channel suite.

User Feedback Loops

I often find that many marketing teams (and leadership) are so eager to talk about themselves that they forget to listen back. Launching the growth marketing rocket ship is exciting, but to keep it orbiting, you need to listen constantly once you’re live.

In digital marketing, user feedback loops are constantly available. Surveys, behavioral data, chat transcripts, and comments on social media posts offer glimpses into better ways to appeal to your user base. I once had a Facebook ad that received one comment asking about how a feature actually worked … and then another and another. One quick tweak to ad copy, and the questions vanished.

Fast Learning Cycles

I know the siren call of perfection. You want to nail your campaign and show you understand your product and audience. But over time, I’ve found that audiences will teach you quickly. Your job is to learn just as quickly.

While I wouldn’t suggest rushing your campaign just to get things moving, I would suggest cutting the lag between insight and action. For example, adjusting ad copy and spend used to give me pause. How long should I run ads before responding to low engagement or conversion metrics? What do I change — or delete?

But typically, early engagement metrics will surface one or a few solid options for further investment. Shift budgets or change copy mid-flight to support higher performing variants. Buy yourself time and space to create new and better variants, too. Small moves beat perfection all day long.

Tips for Growth Marketing Campaigns

Your growth marketing campaign won’t be perfect out the gate, and it takes a willingness to engage and to learn if you want to improve. But, if you’re looking for solid tips to help you through your learning phase, here are a few powerful insights to bring to your next campaign.

Tip 1: Think ahead.

“Growth” doesn’t have to pertain to just growing your business — it can also be in service to your audience. The most resonant messages lead with the idea that “we are growing with you” and help people envision the future.

Linn Atiyeh, CEO of recruiting firm Bemana, followed this concept in a recent growth marketing campaign for manufacturing and equipment clients. Traditional campaigns focused on hiring for mechanical skills, but digital shifts made skills like PLC programming and robotics integration more vital — and harder to find.

“We saw the shift happening and knew we had to act quickly. So we launched a campaign that addressed the evolution both our clients and candidates were facing,” said Atiyeh.

“For employers, we framed hybrid technical roles as essential to future-proofing their workforce. For candidates, we provided guidance on the next skills to develop — certifications in controls, electrical troubleshooting, and even basic coding — positioning ourselves as a long-term partner, not just a placement firm.

“The reason this campaign resonated is that it wasn‘t just reactive — it was forward-looking. We weren’t just saying ‘we understand your current challenges,’ we were saying, ‘we see what‘s next, and we’re ready to help you get there.’”

Tip 2: Structure over spend.

Big budgets don’t equal success in growth marketing. The real secret sauce lies in organization, and how you structure your campaign makes the key difference.

Amber Porter, CEO of RankingCo, saw this exact issue pop up in a campaign for a boutique fashion store. Their traditional campaign structure was bleeding cash on underperforming product categories. Porter restructured the campaigns using category performance over individual brands instead.

“The restructuring systematically identified which product categories delivered the highest ROI, allowing us to shift budget allocation in real-time,” she said.

“This wasn‘t just a one-time fix — the campaign continued improving as our AI-powered tools learned which customer segments converted at the highest rates. The approach delivered a 20% sales increase beyond the client’s goal.”

Porter advises growth marketers to pay more attention to a campaign’s structure over ad spend alone.

“Too many businesses throw money at the problem instead of experimenting with how their campaigns are fundamentally organized. In digital marketing, it‘s rarely about spending more — it’s about spending smarter through continuous experimentation and audience refinement,” she said.

Tip 3: Kill your marketing darlings.

You can have the most creative, brilliant idea you’ve ever devised. But, in marketing, performance matters above all else.

Growth marketers should be ready to kill their darlings, even if they took weeks to build. Andrew Dunn, VP of marketing at Zentro Internet, shares more.

“At Zentro Internet, I spearheaded a multi-channel campaign that combined LinkedIn thought leadership content with targeted email nurture flows, which ultimately grew our B2B pipeline by 43%. We tested different messaging angles with small budget experiments first, finding that stories about IT leaders solving real problems performed 3x better than generic product pitches,” he said.

“I learned to let data guide our creative risks — like when we scrapped our planned corporate video series after early metrics showed our customer case study podcasts were driving more qualified leads.”

Examples of Growth Marketing Campaigns

What does growth marketing look like in practice? I’ve highlighted two campaigns that I feel really nail the spirit of growth marketing — both in driving results and engaging users and customers.

Deep Cognition

I’ve often discussed how a lack of trust in AI presents likely the largest barrier to implementing AI in companies — especially enterprises. Deep Cognition tackled that challenge head-on with a growth marketing campaign that turned a bold promise into a long-term referral engine.

John Pennypacker, the company’s VP of marketing and sales, explains the “Implementation Timeline Challenge” campaign.

“The campaign started with a bold claim: ‘Deploy AI in 30 days or implementation is free.’ This was a calculated risk, as most competitors quoted 6-9 month timelines. Behind this guarantee was our confidence in our platform‘s rapid deployment capabilities that we’d refined but hadn't effectively communicated,” he said.

Source

Pennypacker deployed a multichannel approach that targeted decision-makers with tailored messaging. For instance, CTOs received technical validation through implementation webinars, while CFOs saw case studies highlighting accelerated ROI timelines.

“The campaign's effectiveness came from its sequential testing structure,” he continued. “We first validated messaging with a limited LinkedIn campaign, refined based on engagement metrics, then expanded to email sequences and eventually direct mail to key accounts.

“The compounding impact emerged as successful implementations created reference customers who participated in industry-specific case studies, which then fueled the next wave of acquisition.”

Pennypacker notes this campaign initiated a flywheel effect, where each successful implementation strengthened campaign messaging for the next prospect.

“Two years later, this campaign continues to generate referral business and has permanently shifted how we position against competitors in the enterprise AI space,” he said.

AIScreen

I’ve seen attempts at growth marketing stall because of perfectionism. “What if we don’t have the messaging right? Are we wasting time?”

You won’t just have the right message — you need to find it through experimentation. Nikita Sherbina, co-founder and CEO of AIScreen, shows how that process unfolded during a campaign for a B2B SaaS product built for remote teams.

“The audience was kind of all over the place … so instead of guessing, we tested three messages: saving time, smoother onboarding, and better team alignment. We ran different versions across LinkedIn, newsletter ads, and short-form content in Slack groups, just to see what stuck,” she said.

Source

The signal came back clear: “Team alignment” outperformed every other message.

“Once we saw that, I pivoted everything — site copy, emails, paid ads — all toward that core message,” said Sherbina. “I also pushed for original content per channel rather than copy-pasting, which was a heavier lift but got way better traction.”

Iterating on messaging helped her team meet customers where they were and give them the right knowledge at the right time.

“What made it really work long-term was how we layered on smart retargeting with email follow-ups tied to what folks had clicked or watched. Demo signups jumped 40% in just a few months, and the data we collected helped us keep refining the whole flow,” she said.

“Honestly, it was the constant tweaking and listening to what people were reacting to that gave the campaign legs.”

Pro tip: When you’re ready to build your first or next growth marketing campaign, check out our growth marketing guide for a clear path to start and tips to succeed.

The only way to grow is to start.

Through this article (and several failed campaigns), I learned that growth marketing isn’t magic: it’s momentum. Teams that listen, test, and move win in this framework.

You don’t need a massive budget to run a brilliant campaign. Start with a hypothesis, a way to measure it, and the guts to try. Don’t be scared to fail; you can’t learn and grow if you never start. So, start now.

17 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

AI in content marketing: How creators and marketers are using AI to speed up & succeed [data] 

With the global revenue for AI in marketing pegged at over $107.5 billion by 2028, there is no doubt that AI in content marketing will (and may already) be an integral part of the digital marketing landscape.

Strategy, research, content generation — there is no shortage of how AI can be used. But for the creator or marketer who wishes to stay ahead of the curve, what exactly does it look like?

Using the real experiences of marketing professionals and data from our recent State of AI for Marketers survey, I will answer your questions about how creators and marketers are using AI and what this means for their output and productivity.

Table of Contents

• What is AI in content marketing?
• Benefits & Most Popular Ways to Use AI in Content Marketing
• Challenges of Using AI in Content Marketing
• How I Use AI in Content Marketing
• AI in Content Marketing Examples
• Future of AI for Content Marketing

What is AI in content marketing?

While there’s no standard definition of “AI in content marketing,” I will attempt to build one based on the understanding of the two concepts.

Corey Wainwright describes content marketing as a “marketing program that centers on creating, publishing, and distributing content for your target audience — usually online — the goal of which is to attract new customers.”

Google defines AI as “a set of technologies that enable computers to perform a variety of functions, including the ability to see, understand and translate spoken and written language, analyze data, make recommendations, and more.”

Combining these two concepts into one definition for AI in content marketing would look like this:

AI in content marketing involves using technologies that analyze data, understand language, and make recommendations to create, publish, and distribute content designed to engage an online audience.

Benefits & Most Popular Ways to Use AI in Content Marketing

I’ve gathered some of the most popular applications of AI in content marketing, and their benefits are below.

1. Text-based Content Creation

In our 2025 State of AI report, 55% of marketers placed content creation as the most popular use case of AI in content marketing. This echoes what we found last year but with an impressive uptick of 12%.

Content can take many forms — written, visual, video, and audio, but let’s face it: writing isn’t everyone’s favorite task or most natural skill, so it’s no surprise to see the prominence of text-based pieces. Generative AI can bring this to life at scale.

“As a PR professional working with high-growth SaaS startups and VC firms, AI enables us to craft more personalized stories that resonate deeply with their audiences, drive engagement, and ultimately, build stronger, more credible brands,” Sim Aulakh, founder of PR firm EstablishCred, says.

But remember, don’t make the mistake of using AI-generated text without making it your own. HubSpot Principal Marketing Manager and blogger Ramona Sukhraj explains why.

“Despite the operational positives, AI is plagued by concerns about plagiarism, bias, data security, and the potential for government regulation. In other words, raw AI content can be very problematic as it is derivative by nature.

You see, AI content generators are built on existing content commonly gathered from the Internet. This is how they “learn.” Every time you enter a prompt or query into a tool, AI simply reaches into this knowledge bank and picks out what it thinks is most relevant to what you want.

That means it just compiles things already out there. There’s no guarantee that your results will be different from what the tool produces for another user or even from what’s already published online.

It also certainly won’t be written with your brand’s voice or differentiators in mind, or offer the expertise, experience, authoritativeness, or trustworthiness (EEAT) Google SERP demands of the pages it ranks.”

Our survey supported this idea, finding that only 7% of marketers use AI to create entire pieces without editing. 56% of marketers significantly revise AI-generated text or change it completely, while 38% make minor tweaks before publishing.

Benefits: In using generative AI to do anything from writing marketing copy to turning text into video, marketers can save time and increase productivity in the content creation process.

2. Research

Great marketers are also great researchers.

Content marketers, in particular, need to know enough about customers, competitors, and their industry to make confident decisions about the entire content production pipeline. That’s likely why research came in as our second most popular use case for AI in content marketing, with just over 47%.

AI tools can be quite useful in finding information and analyzing volumes of data to identify trends, keywords, and relevant information, all in record time.

For example, HubSpot’s new AI Search Grader — a first-of-its-kind, free app that quickly analyzes your brand based on what your prospects and customers are seeing across AI search engines — gives you actionable recommendations on how to improve. Imagine the wonders this would do for any marketing team.

Benefits: Besides saving time and effort, using AI for content marketing research guarantees that decisions are made more quickly and confidently than manual research. Advanced AI models can even extract up-to-date information for more accurate content planning.

3. Automated Conversational Marketing

Believe it or not, 74% of consumers prefer to talk to a chatbot when looking for quick answers. But why exactly?

“Consumers expect instant access, real conversations, and brands that respond like real people, not corporate robots,” explains Rachel R. Pitchford, Owner & Principal Consultant at Life Advisors. “It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about showing up where people already are and proving that your brand listens, cares, and acts.”

Unfortunately, fielding questions and conversing in real-time isn’t always possible, especially for small businesses. 41% of brands are using AI to help, whether it be on their website or social media.

50% of marketers already use an automated response tool to field customer service requests on social media, while others have website chatbots that start a conversation with users when they visit specific pages (e.g., pricing or demo page).

HubSpot even uses this strategy on its website:

Source

A chatbot like this can deliver relevant content, offers, or even just ask if the user has questions.

Pro tip: Drift, Facebook Messenger, Slack, and ManyChat are great options to set up chatbots or automated conversations for your business, but if your website is hosted on HubSpot, you can also use HubSpot Conversations.

Source

4. Media Content Creation

According to our findings, generating media content is also a popular use case for AI. (I’m honestly surprised it wasn’t #1.)

56% of marketers reported using AI to create short-form videos, while 53% are using it to generate images, and 42% are creating long-form videos.

Benefits: Many small businesses and entrepreneurs lack the design and visual arts skills needed to produce visual content, the time to develop them, or the budget to hire them.

Artificial intelligence helps overcome these challenges to create beautiful results and keep them competitive.

5. Data Analysis and Reporting

To learn how content is faring in the market and impacting the business, marketers need data analytics. AI-powered analytics tools can evaluate content performance and generate detailed reports on engagement metrics, ROI, and audience behavior.

For instance, you can upload a spreadsheet of data into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize any prominent trends for you or ask for recommendations based on it.

It can also analyze and interpret data faster than humanly possible to:

• Provide and explore insights
• Segment your customers
• Identify customer trends and preferences
• Create dashboards and reports (and even automatically email you the report)
• Monitor business performance

Learn more about using AI for data analysis in HubSpot’s free guide: “How to Use AI for Data Analysis.”

Benefits: Provides data-driven and actionable insights for optimizing content strategies and could also automate reporting. This improves the quality of decisions the marketer makes which, in turn, affects performance positively.

Challenges of Using AI in Content Marketing

As great as AI sounds for content marketing, it still has some challenges — especially when it comes to content generation.

Data Quality

Data quality is one of the most significant concerns when it comes to AI use of any kind.

Artificial intelligence typically generates content based on information and data gathered from the internet or learned from other users, and unfortunately, not everything out there is based on facts.

Our survey found that 43% of marketers struggle with AI generating inaccurate information.

Knowing this, you can’t always know if the content you get from AI is sound or based on reliable sources. This can be dangerous when using AI to generate things like educational blog articles or doing research.

Plagiarism

The way AI “learns” also comes with the risk of plagiarism.

If you’re using AI to generate content, it will be inherently derivative — based on things that already exist. Because of this, there’s always the possibility that your results may be similar to something already ranking or even those delivered to another user.

Imagine publishing a blog article with almost the same exact content as one of your competitors. Not only does this look back to your audience, but it also hurts you in search engine results.

Bias

Whether you’re generating content or doing research, it’s not uncommon to see bias when working with AI. 34% of our survey respondents agree, including HubSpotter Sukhraj.

Flori Needle, senior marketing manager at HubSpot, reflects on why, saying, “AI is biased because society is biased.”

“Since society is biased, much of the data AI is trained on contains society’s biases and prejudices…For example, an image generator asked to create an image of a CEO might produce images of white males because of the historical bias in employment in the data it learned from.”

You may also see stereotypes or bias emerge in your strategic suggestions or research. So, be wary.

Privacy

While AI can genuinely help speed up your work, you often have to share detailed information to produce worthwhile results (i.e. maybe your buyer persona, brand guidelines). AI is currently unregulated, so there is no guarantee your shared information won’t be stored or passed on to others.

41% of marketers in our survey cited data privacy concerns as the primary barrier in their AI use. 75% prioritize this when evaluating new AI tools.

How I Use AI in Content Marketing

To help illustrate how you can use AI in content marketing, let’s walk through a potential scenario from start to finish.

Without a good idea, it’s impossible to get the content on the road to either attract or engage audiences. So, we’ll start with brainstorming.

Assume I’m a content marketer at HubSpot who needs a cool video idea for distribution on our social media channels.

I found a cool AI brainstorming platform called Ideamap AI and asked it to brainstorm a video content idea for HubSpot, after providing context on what kind of brand HubSpot is. You’ll find that the map it produces is a bit much, considering that I already have trouble deciding what I want to do.

I chose the first idea and used the expand with AI option to generate more ideas or inspiration for marketing content.

One way AI can be used for ideas or inspiration is by creating a mood board with tools like Kive.ai.

Given the sheer range of options for expansion and transformation available, it is nearly impossible not to find something you would be willing to work on.

So, we are creating an animated explainer video showcasing how HubSpot connects marketing, sales, and customer service.

To get accurate information needed for this video, I will need to extract it from the website. This time, I will employ the research abilities of ChatGPT Plus, which can pull real-time information from the internet.

While it does a good job of extracting the information (from six sites), the output is not exactly video material. So, the next step would be to ask it to create the video script, which would kickstart the content creation process.

I can also verify the claims ChatGPT made — or find more relevant information for my research — with HubSpot’s AI Search Grader. In short, this tool gauges a brand’s visibility in AI search engines and reveals any extra details AI assistants display whenever users ask something related to the brand in question.

For example, ChatGPT mostly covers HubSpot’s ease of use, expansive toolset, and great customer support. I could use these details in the intro of my video script.

Speaking of which, the next step would be to go back to ChatGPT and ask it to create the video script, which would kickstart the content creation process.

Since OpenAI’s Sora has still not been released to the public, I had to find available alternatives. It is worth mentioning here that 70% of the marketers we surveyed say they cannot wait to use the new tech.

However, Elai, an intuitive AI video creator, came in handy.

Creating the video with the script ChatGPT helped me create was indeed straightforward, although I must mention that there were not many video editing options to choose from.

Using an avatar, an American voice sample and a blank background with HubSpot’s brand color were as far as I could go, especially as someone with limited video editing skills.

While I think this attempt was far from flawless, it was a solid effort. With some additional time to refine the details, I believe it has the potential to be even better.

AI in Content Marketing Examples

1. Generating Images: Nazrana

Recently, OpenAI launched its most advanced AI image generator to date, and it included a style mimicking the work of Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli. Social media has since exploded with images in the style. 

One brand that jumped on the trend was New Jersey-based South Asian fashion retailer Nazrana. The retailer, known for its South Asian version of "Say Yes to the Dress," used the tool to create and share images of some of the couples it has worked with over the years. 

2. Generating Ideas & Inspiration: Mateo Toro

There’s an abundance of marketing professionals leveraging AI to boost their productivity and enhance their strategies.

For example, filmmaker and photographer Mateo Toro recently started using Kive.ai to design mood boards to develop treatments for his film projects.

A video treatment is a way to convey a project's concept or story. Many video treatments involve the use of images and visual media found online or in previous works.

“Video treatments take time. You have to scrub through the video, take screenshots, and edit for the video treatment,“ Toro explained. ”[Kive.ai] just makes it so much easier for me to find the video that has a style or tone I'm looking to emulate.”

With Kive.ai, creators can paste the link of a video into the system, and Kive.ai will extract frames from the video as screenshots to import into a board. Toro says the process can save him hours of time.

“In a video treatment, I could be going through 10, 15, 20 videos to reference,“ he said. “You add that up, and it could easily be an hour of time just scrubbing through, screenshotting, and dragging content to a treatment.”

3. Writing Copy: Bethany Anderson

Then there’s Bethany Anderson, a public information officer for Milton, Florida, who says ChatGPT streamlines the writing aspect of her job.

“I love it because ChatGPT is a software that learns,” Anderson explains.

She says ChatGPT can mimic her writing style, so she’ll sometimes use the tool to write press releases, social media posts, and SEO-friendly blog content.

Anderson says the tool is handy because writing is a crucial part of her job, but it’s far from the only responsibility she has to tackle daily.

“I am behind the scenes planning events and getting them out to the public,” she says. “So, ChatGPT allows me to get the writing done in a very easy, seamless way so that I can get to the bones of my job — which is outreach.”

Anderson admits she was wary of ChatGPT at first but tested it out during a week that was jam-packed with deadlines.

“There was this one week a couple of months ago when I had so many deadlines, so many social media calendars due, so many blogs due, and so many bios due — I was drowning,” she recalls. “So, I said, ‘I’m going to give it a try.’”

Days’ worth of writing assignments could be completed in just a few hours thanks to the assistance of AI, according to Anderson.

Her experience aligns with the findings of our survey — nearly 80% of marketers said generative AI has a positive ROI on their content writing tasks.

“We’re talking about days of your life that you get back,” she said. “And, to me, time is valuable. It's more valuable than money.”

4. Editing Drafts: Irina Nica

On the other hand, Irina Nica, former HubSpot Senior Product Marketing Manager, used HubSpot’s AI Content Writer to edit her drafts.

“It's like having a second pair of eyes that helps me go through my drafts, tidy them up, and get them out there faster. Don’t get me wrong … Writing is a huge part of my job and something that AI can’t take over, but it sure helps to speed up the nitty-gritty bits like editing.”

She also used ChatSpot, HubSpot’s AI chatbot solution designed to help businesses perform marketing and sales operations, to supercharge her research.

“I like to use ChatSpot for getting quick recommendations for products, books, or any type of resource really. Say I‘m looking for the best product marketing book for SaaS companies; normally, I’d be knee-deep in Google searches, reading articles, and checking out recommendations on Goodreads,” Nica says.

“But with the right prompt, ChatSpot can get me there 10X faster. I still give its final recommendation a quick Google check, but it's a super handy shortcut.”

Future of AI for Content Marketing

Will AI replace content creators?

A common concern surrounding the use of AI is whether the technology will replace human marketers and creators. Nima Olumi of Lightyear Strategies says it’s unlikely.

“We use AI to pull a lot of statistics, come up with interesting angles to pitch to companies, and work around certain angles that are marketing and media-friendly,” Olumi said. “I don‘t think it’s a complete replacement for writers or thinkers.”

Writing and content creation are subjective fields, according to Olumi, and they still require people to do the necessary critical thinking to decide the kind of content that gets published.

Ultimately, Olumi predicts a future where AI will assist marketers and creatives in improving their output and producing content in a shorter time.

This makes sense, considering our survey found that 74% of marketers agree that AI tools can help them be more productive in their roles.

Olumi encourages professionals to embrace AI and use it to their advantage rather than shy away.

Specifically, he says creators should spend time learning and testing applications like Open.ai and ChatGPT to see their different capabilities.

“Spend hours asking question after question to see how far you can push the limits of the application to serve your needs,” he said. “You have to feed it context.”

Making the Most of AI

As the presence of AI in marketing continues to grow significantly, I suggest you take the time to discover how it can best serve your own team's needs.

Professionals and creatives like Olumi, Aulakh, Anderson, Nica, and Toro all found ways to use AI to help them improve the efficiency and quality of their content.

Instead of worrying whether the robots will take over, I recommend finding ways to work alongside AI, so you and your company can remain competitive in the market and essential to your clients.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

17 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Master the art of going viral on LinkedIn with Hala Taha's four-step formula 

LinkedIn might be the most underrated growth channel in marketing right now. I‘ve been obsessing over this lately. While everyone’s fighting for attention on every other platform, LinkedIn remains a place where smart marketers can still build massive audiences without burning through ad budget.

I sat down with LinkedIn creator Hala Taha recently to see how marketers can meet the moment. Hala grew a following of 260,000+ on the platform. How? She has a four-step viral content formula that actually works. It‘s not just theory. She’s using it to consistently hit massive reach numbers.

During a recent conversation, Hala broke down her entire system. That includes the content buckets, the engagement hacks, and DM strategies that most people never talk about. Plus, we explored how she's using AI to cut her content creation time in half. So, let’s get into it.

Mastering LinkedIn's Algorithm, According to Hala Taha

To make the most of any platform, you need to know the algorithm. Luckily, Hala is an expert with seven years of experience as the founder and CEO of YAP Media. Today, the company is a top LinkedIn marketing agency, running over 20 influencer accounts.

According to Hala, marketers need to understand LinkedIn’s two different business models. The first focuses on advertising, meaning LinkedIn wants to keep people on the site as long as possible. The second is the job search element.

LinkedIn’s platform has to cater to both experiences. That culminates in a four-step algorithm that posts go through before they reach your feed, and mastering that algorithm means hitting key actions at each step.

1. Spam Filters

When you first put up a post, LinkedIn checks for spam. It’s scanning for profanity, nudity, and offensive keywords, but also things like tagging more than five people or using more than five hashtags.

There are post categories for low, medium, and high. For example, profanity will put your post in the low category, which translates to low visibility. Too much tagging or too many links will put it in the medium category.

Chunky paragraphs also get filtered at this stage. “That's why on LinkedIn you see this line-by-line style that a lot of the influencers use,” Hala says. “People are scanning their content. They want to be entertained.”

If you can pass this stage in the high category — using tricks like breaking up your text into one-sentence paragraphs and removing hashtags — then your post is approved, and you move on to the next phase.

2. User Flagging

This is called the “golden 90 minutes of LinkedIn,” Hala tells me. It’s an opportunity to test your post to see how much engagement it’s getting. Is it getting fast engagement? Are people reporting it? Are they flagging it?

It’s essential to get a lot of engagement in the first 30-90 minutes in order for your post to be served to more users. You want to get as many of your first connections as possible to like and comment at this stage.

That’s why engagement pods are a great idea, Hala offers. These pods are groups of people off LinkedIn who share links on platforms like WhatsApp, Slack, or Facebook. Members then go to LinkedIn to like and comment on each other’s posts.

“I‘ve created amazing communities using engagement pods,” Hala goes on. “And the key is, you want to make sure that there’s a reason why you guys are following each other — that you guys have similar audiences, that you‘re in the same niche, in the same field… You’re not using AI tools. It's real humans.”

When Hala began podcasting seven years ago, this was one of the first things she learned. “I was like, who else is talking about podcasts on LinkedIn? Why don't I invite them into a WhatsApp group and start an engagement pod? And so we did that.”

The last thing to focus on at this stage is owning your niche with interest-based keywords. “If I talk about entrepreneurship all the time, and I've got ‘entrepreneurship’ all over my profile … in my title and my bio and my job descriptions, LinkedIn will deem me as an expert on that topic,” Hala explains.

However, Hala notes that posters need to stick to a niche.

“If I suddenly start talking about painting, and I have no keywords and I‘ve never talked about it, LinkedIn is going to deprioritize serving that post to other users who want to see stuff about painting because they don’t think that I'm an expert,” she says.

Essentially, you want everything to connect. The keywords in your posts should also be in your profile, so you can train the algorithm and your audience that this is what you talk about.

3. Content Scoring

If you don’t get blocked by the spam filter and you get a lot of engagement in the first 90 minutes, then you move on to the stage where your post can go viral.

“Here was the big aha moment for me,” Hala says. “I realized that every single engagement on your LinkedIn post is weighted differently, and every single engagement has a weight associated with it.”

The higher the weight of the actions on the post, the more that LinkedIn will push your content in the feed.

For example, people clicking “read more” is an engagement metric tied to it. If they click “like,” that’s counted as one point. The point scale then goes up for comments, long comments, shares, and shares with captions.

“So, your goal on LinkedIn — the highest viral action — is actually to get a share with a caption,” Hala says. Telling people to like and comment isn’t going to make your post go viral because it’s a low-weight action.

“If you share something, it’s like 80% more likely for your first connections to see that you shared that post. And that's why shares go viral,” Hala points out. “Your following has to take viral action.”

Also, if somebody reshares your original post, with or without a comment, you should take the time to like and comment on their reshare because it increases the content score.

But while shares are the highest viral action for a post, DMs are a higher viral action on LinkedIn itself. That’s why a DM strategy is so important if you want to go viral consistently.

“If you DM somebody and they DM you back, they're 85% more likely to see your content the next time they log on,” Hala says. “That’s like the secret sauce at YAP Media is that we do DM funnels 24/7.”

4. Human Editors

The last stage is where LinkedIn’s editors review the top content of the day, which means you need to align with its editorial agenda.

“LinkedIn is actually the one that pours gasoline on all the super massively viral posts that get 30,000 likes, 50,000 likes, 100,000 likes, and usually they have to do with hiring, recruitment, promotions, internships, graduation, or anything that aligns with their editorial agenda of being a top job site,” Hala says.

Strategically, you want to think about where you can overlap your keywords with LinkedIn’s editorial agenda. In addition to topics like recruitment and hiring, positive or non-controversial news stories can sometimes be prioritized. That’s especially true if the content reinforces LinkedIn’s core business model or it’s something the platform wants to be known for.

“The only way that you can go super massively viral at this point on LinkedIn is by aligning with their editorial agenda,” Hala concludes. “And, they literally will turn the gasoline on your post, and your post will go viral for weeks.”

How to Crack the Code for LinkedIn Virality

Focus on DMs.

Since DMs are the highest-weighted action on LinkedIn, cracking the code means building a DM strategy.

“DMs are amazing on LinkedIn, and we use them every single day to drive all of our different initiatives,” says Hala. She recommends establishing common ground with potential connections through the ways that you find them.

“Let‘s say I’m looking to target people to listen to my entrepreneurship podcast, and I just interviewed Alex Hormozi. I might go on his page and see who liked and commented on his recent posts. Those are people who are interested in entrepreneurship. They also take viral action, so they're the perfect people to invite to my network,” she says.

Then, she’ll send them a note. For example, Hala says she may write, “Hey, I noticed that you follow Alex Hormozi. He‘s amazing. I just interviewed him on my podcast. I think you’ll love the episode. I'd love to connect, to provide value on your feed.”

After listening, they might respond, “Your episode was awesome. I learned so much.” And Hala then follows up, “Great. Can you copy and paste this as an Apple podcast review?”

“You can start these little drip campaigns for all of your DM messages,” she says. “Now, I‘ve brought in a person who takes viral action, who likes my content, and who I had a conversation with. They feel like I gave them value and now they’re a fan.”

Bucket your time.

But DM strategy alone could take up all your time, so I asked Hala how she integrated it into her day.

Hala notes that having multiple people on your account is against LinkedIn's Terms of Service. You do not want to use automation tools. You'll get your account flagged, she says.

“But LinkedIn understands that a lot of people are busy and they‘re going to have assistants. So, the key is that the person has to be logged in from your city or state, and so long as that’s true, you can have somebody access your account and manage your DMs,” Hala explains.

But, what if you’re just starting out and don’t even have an assistant or an intern? How much of your weekly schedule should you focus on DMs versus writing posts or working on other parts of the formula?

When Hala first started her LinkedIn profile, she had a podcast and a full-time job. With a full schedule, she committed to posting every morning on the train,

“I would batch beforehand. So, I‘d have pictures banked. I’d have quotes banked. I'd have videos banked. And then when I was on the train, I could just focus on the caption and what I was going to write,” she says.

And, morning is the best time. “If your audience is mostly in your area, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. is the sweet spot to post.” Then, drop your link in your engagement pod if you have one.

“During lunchtime, I would just spend like 10 minutes responding to some of my comments… and on the commute home, I would do all my DMs, respond to my DMs, and retarget people in the DM,” she says. Because when you’re really serious about it, she adds, every post should have a retarget message.

Using AI to Craft Engaging Content

Spending ninety minutes to two hours per day on LinkedIn as a starting strategy wouldn’t be out of line to follow Hala’s formula. But, AI tools can speed up the process and cut it down to an hour a day max.

I recommend finding LinkedIn users with the audiences you want to engage with. You can then look at their posts and past top performers into ChatGPT. From there, you can have AI create templates for posts that have a similar format.

You can also use AI at the human editor stage. Just grab some articles that with high engagement on LinkedIn or those created by the LinkedIn editorial staff. Then, add them to Claude or ChatGPT.

When you have a post ready, ask, “Based on all the context I‘ve given you, do you think that this would be interesting to the editors on LinkedIn?” If it gives you a good grade, then you know you’ve got a better chance. And if it doesn't, you can ask it questions about what you can adjust, Is the topic off? Am I framing the topic the wrong way?

For content generation, Hala’s team creates AI-generated images that look like real photos. “You want to batch your different photographs that you have, and then you can use AI to create more photos,” she says. For video, she loves Opus Clip, which lets you upload long-form content and then finds the most exciting parts to cut into clips.

As a final note, Hala adds that while content creation can be sped up with AI, the actual posting and engagement still need to be done by you. It will help you improve your strategy, which is especially important when you're first starting.”

Going Viral Every Day

With an hour a day and one year of solid focus, anyone can become an influencer on LinkedIn. Following just the first three steps of Hala’s formula will put you above 95% of people on the platform. Going beyond that can make your posts go viral every day.

To learn more from Hala Taha on LinkedIn virality, check out the full episode of Marketing Against the Grain:

17 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

How to market your brand to budget-conscious prospects 

Like many buyers in America today, I cringe whenever I swipe my credit card. Amid a “shifting economic landscape” (read: messy economic times), we’re all watching our wallets, trying to keep spending down, and questioning where our dollars go. And it’s not just consumers — businesses, too, are monitoring budgets and seeking better deals.

All told, these budget-conscious prospects want great value for their money, and they’re more price-motivated than others. While much of your marketing mix doesn’t necessarily need to change, you should meet these buyers where they are and talk to them using language they appreciate.

How do you reach these prospects, and what tools and resources can get you started? Read on to find out.

Table of Contents

• How to Market to Budget-Conscious Consumers
• How to Market to Budget-Conscious Businesses
• How to Market Higher-End Products (If You Can’t Change The Price)
• 5 Tools You Can Use to Market to Budget-Conscious Prospects

How to Market to Budget-Conscious Consumers

We’re midway through 2025, and U.S. consumers have become the most cost-conscious they’ve been in years. Economic uncertainty and rising prices have buyers snapping their wallets shut. I know I’ve been slower before hitting the buy button on anything that isn’t an essential good.

B2C businesses are no doubt feeling the pinch. If you’re offering a non-essential good or service, you face an uphill battle to reach budget-conscious consumers. But it’s not an impossible task. It just requires more creative approaches to connecting with buyers and helping them weigh your value against the dollars. Where should marketers begin?

Frame effort as value.

Price is an easy way to communicate value, but it’s certainly not the only way. Benjamin Samaey, AI-driven performance marketeer at Benjamin Samaey Marketing, has seen effort as a framing device work well with his clients.

“One pattern I consistently observe with cost-conscious buyers in both B2B and B2C contexts is anchoring to effort, not price. When customers perceive you invested care, clarity, or customization into presenting your offer, they attribute greater value to it regardless of the fixed price point,” he said. “This psychological anchor works more effectively than simply reducing numbers.”

Samaey then shared an example for a SaaS client — an upgraded comparative feature page which revealed why they designed specific features their way, including what they intentionally excluded and their reasoning.

“This transparency didn’t minimize objections; it completely transformed the conversation,” he shared. “Instead of questioning ‘Why does this cost more?’ prospects began asking ‘Does this align with how we operate?’”

He notes that, in his experience, budget-focused customers aren’t looking for cheaper options but smarter trade-offs.

“When you clearly demonstrate what you prioritized and what you intentionally omitted, customers feel included in your thinking process and commit more readily. Price matters, but framing matters even more.”

Reflect buyer identity.

Who buys your product or service? If you do enough market research, you should have detailed information on personas and buying behaviors. But don’t overlook your consumers’ desire to align their identity to your brand, says Jason Hennessey, CEO of Hennessey Digital.

“Psychologically, budget-conscious customers crave alignment with their identity. If they see your product as misaligned, they disengage. So it’s vital your messaging reflects their lived realities,” he said.

To apply alignment, Hennessey recommends you shift away from luxury vibes and toward grounded wins. One tool they used? Short video testimonials featuring real customers in modest settings.

“No filters, no sleek sets, just real voices. That felt like a mirror, not a commercial,” he said. “We heard buyers say, ‘I felt like they got me.’ That alignment translated directly to conversions. Emotionally, it was pure recognition.”

Reduce mental load.

Dr. Rosanna Gilderthorp, clinical psychologist and director at Know Your Mind Consulting, notes that increased financial pressure has consumers seeking more psychological safety in their buying decisions. One factor many companies overlook? The impact of cognitive load.

“Parents facing financial pressure while juggling work and family responsibilities have diminished decision-making bandwidth. Simplifying choices and highlighting immediate practical benefits reduces this burden significantly,” she said.

Dr. Gilderthorp also shared with me where she’s seen this cognitive load reduction work well in marketing.

“A strategy I’ve seen work remarkably well is transparent storytelling that normalizes struggles. When Bloomsbury PLC implemented our line manager training, they didn’t focus on cost but instead shared real examples of how supporting working parents reduced their 25% early-parenthood turnover rate. Their authentic communication about difficulties created connection that price competition never could.”

How to Market to Budget-Conscious Businesses

While consumer spending quickly adapted to price fluctuations, business spending is proving a larger ship to turn. Recent reports show businesses have maintained spending even amid economic changes — though recent U.S. domestic tariffs could push a downward shift in GDP and spending.

That said, every department is not created equal. Marketing budgets are expected to hold steady or experience “anemic growth” through 2025 (and 2026, I’d wager). So, marketers will do more with less. That challenge trickles down into discretionary spending on new tools or renewing contracts.

If you’re selling to business buyers, you’ll be pressed to show value-per-dollar from day one, and you’ll really need to turn current users into internal brand champions. In short, you must build trust with your buyers. Here’s where to start now.

Simplify your value proposition.

There is such a thing as “too much of a good thing,” and I see it in B2B selling constantly. Companies throw every feature-benefit combination at their prospects, hoping one hook lands. Meanwhile, you’ve overwhelmed your buyer with choice paralysis, and they bow out entirely.

Aaron Whittaker, VP of demand generation and marketing at Thrive Digital Marketing Agency, sees decision fatigue creep in when budget-conscious buyers continuously run cost–benefit calculations. His organization changed its approach and has reaped the benefits.

“Shifting our approach to emphasize life simplification rather than savings dramatically improved engagement among price-sensitive segments. The most effective strategy has been transparent value demonstration rather than competitive price positioning,” said Whittaker.

For example, when working with a B2B software client targeting cost-conscious small businesses, they created an interactive calculator showing the actual time saved by their solution expressed as recovered billable hours. This approach framed the purchase decision around value gained rather than money spent.

He encourages others to make their products’ benefits feel more real: “When implementing similar strategies, focus on quantifying intangible benefits through concrete metrics that matter to your specific audience segment — whether that’s time saved, stress reduced, or operational simplicity.”

Let buyers take ownership early.

When you own something, you probably feel like it’s more valuable, right? Even if others disagree? Welcome to the endowment effect. You place more value on something you “own.”

Will Yang, head of growth and marketing at Instrumentl, notes the endowment effect offers a path to help bring budget-conscious businesses onboard via more personalized free trials of products and services.

“Consider structuring the trial so that users can fully customize or personalize their experience. Allowing them to set preferences or integrate the product with tools they already use can foster a stronger connection and sense of control, making them more likely to perceive value and stick around after the trial ends,” said Yang.

Yang recommends businesses focus on encouraging customers to engage with the features to bridge the gap between a temporary experience and full ownership.

“For example, educational platforms might let users save progress or educational settings, creating a sense of continuation that makes giving up the product feel like losing something personal and valuable,” he shared. He has found that this strategy builds trust and loyalty without directly competing on price, as users are persuaded by the value they’ve already begun to appreciate.

Help them feel smart, not cheap.

Being seen as “cheap” or financially unwell still carries deep social stigma and shame for many people — and that feeling extends into businesses. Even if you’re operating with tight budgets, you don’t want to feel bad about exploring budget-conscious options. And as a seller, you do not want to elicit those feelings in your prospects.

Julian Knox, marketing and PR coordinator at Web Search Optimisation, took a different approach to framing value. He explains how his organization’s “Proof of Saving” tool helped them reach cost-conscious buyers.

“Instead of pushing a limited-time discount, we showed prospects a personalized dashboard comparing their current costs with what they’d save over six months by switching. It wasn’t flashy, but it reframed the conversation from price to smart decision-making,” he said.

They paired that with third-party reviews and user stories right in the trial funnel to reinforce social proof. He shared that activation rates went up by 38%, and churn dropped noticeably within the first month.

Knox also dropped a line that’s really stuck with me: “If you can make a budget-conscious buyer feel wise instead of cheap, they’re far more likely to stick with you.”

How to Market Higher-End Products (If You Can’t Change The Price)

Maybe your product or service carries fixed costs that need recouping. Maybe your brand equity hinges on quality, durability, or prestige. Or maybe deep discounts would erode trust with your buyers.

Not every brand can — or wants to — change prices. You can still reach budget-conscious buyers (though I’d be remiss to not acknowledge it’ll be tough). How do you start?

Offer modular, customizable options.

When I bought my house, I saw the amount of money my mortgage would cost. Logically, I understood the number. Emotionally? I just tuned it out.

As it turns out, I’m not alone. Most people simply freeze when looking at big numbers. And, when budgets tighten and you sweat every dollar, your mind processes the costs of high-value products and services differently.

Daniel Lynch, the owner of digital agency Empathy First Media, recognized that trend and recommends a way to give buyers more control.

“Scarcity changes the way people process decisions — it creates tunnel vision and loss aversion. Marketing to budget-conscious audiences requires you to reduce that stress by giving them a sense of control,” said Lynch.

“One approach I’ve used successfully: offering modular solutions where the buyer customizes their spend. When we gave integrative medical clinics à la carte marketing bundles (instead of a rigid retainer), conversion rates jumped. They weren’t buying less — they were buying on their terms, which immediately built trust.”

Lynch found that trust built this way helps buyers feel empowered — which‌ keeps them in your orbit.

“Brands win long-term not by slashing prices, but by meeting people where they are without making them feel small.”

Anchor prices to highlight mid-tier value.

I geek out around the psychology of marketing — I think it’s neat to discover more about behaviors and motivations and apply those lessons practically.

So, I enjoyed it when Louis Balla, VP of sales and partner at Nuage, surfaced the “center stage pricing” approach.

“Rather than competing on price alone, we position our mid-tier option as the focal point, flanked by premium and basic offerings. This creates a psychological anchor while giving buyers control over their decision,” said Balla.

They implemented this for a food manufacturer during their digital change, resulting in 30% faster adoption rates without sacrificing margins. Balla extends this anchoring approach even further to touch on operational efficiency (a method I now want to explore for my work).

“For building trust without competing on price, focus on demonstrating frugality in your own operations. When we showcase how we manage our internal resources efficiently, budget-conscious clients recognize that mindset alignment,” he said.

“In fact, we’ve found that businesses that foster a culture of cost efficiency within their own operations have 25% higher customer retention rates than those that simply offer the lowest price.”

Tighten connections between your brand and customers.

If you’ve read Robert Cialdini (I recommend Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion), you’re familiar with reciprocity as a persuasive strategy. Basically, people feel obligated to give back to someone who’s given them something. A favor for a favor.

But that concept requires a genuine connection between two people. You need to know the other party to feel that sense of obligation and act upon it. CJ Miller, CEO of Techtonic Marketing, notes that reciprocity has all but vanished in the digital buying environment. He recommends an interesting tactic to help you reestablish connections with your customers.

“A founder’s letter can go a long way in telling the story and creating a personal connection with potential customers. ClickUp did this really well for a long time by showcasing a video of their CEO sharing his story directly with the customer on their landing page,” said Miller.

“For my own personal business, I built my founder’s letter into our proposal as the second page, and it’s by far the thing mentioned most in follow-up meetings whether the meeting is with me or the sales team.”

Tighter connections with buyers or prospects help you establish reciprocity and can help you position your brand past the price barrier.

5 Tools You Can Use to Market to Budget-Conscious Prospects

Your buyers are scrutinizing every dollar, but you don’t need to outspend them to reach them. A simple and affordable tech stack can help you build trust, showcase value, and reduce friction throughout the buying process.

Here are five no- or low-cost tools I recommend for reaching budget-conscious prospects.

1. HubSpot’s CRM

I got my start with CRMs using HubSpot’s free plan. While many offerings are often associated with mid-sized companies and enterprises, its free tools offer small teams a powerful way to build consumer trust at scale.

You can set up contact forms, email sequences, lead tracking — even live chat — without paying upfront. HubSpot gives you that polished buyer experience, helping them feel like they’re making great deals even with tight budgets.

Get started with HubSpot CRM.

What I like: HubSpot’s CRM is a comprehensive tool that lets you save lead information, track how they interact with your brand, and communicate with them seamlessly.

Pricing: HubSpot’s free CRM is free to use. You can upgrade capabilities and storage starting at $15/seat/month.

2. Google Trends

People sleep on Google Trends, but I’ve used it for years as a basic keyword finder and trend tracker. It’s barebones, but you get (very high-level) access to Google’s search volume.

You can monitor terms you choose and watch how those terms shift over time. And as you build your campaigns, you can also tighten searches to region or category to tailor your messaging appropriately.

Source

What I like: Google Trends is great for market research and content strategy. You can see how user behavior and searches shift over time to keep your content relevant.

Pricing: Google Trends is free to access and use.

3. Outgrow

I’ve taken my fair share of Buzzfeed Quizzes before — mainly to remind me that millennials are approaching middle age. But interactivity isn’t limited to Facebook shareable quizzes, and if you can get buyers to engage with you beyond reading a pricing page, you can start moving them toward a buying decision.

That’s why I like Outgrow. You can quickly build ROI calculators, quizzes, and savings estimators — interactive content that also educates prospects on your value and makes it feel real. Plus, Outgrow integrates with many CRMs, so once a potential buyer takes your quiz, you can pursue them as a lead.

Source

What I like: This tool can help you build the quizzes and calculators some experts I spoke with mentioned above. With the right interactive content, you can better demonstrate the value of your offering.

Pricing: You can start with a free trial for seven days, and then you’ll need to add your credit card and commit to a plan. There’s a limited Freelancer plan, but if you’re going to invest in Outgrow, I suggest starting with the Freelancer Pro at $45/month. Custom plans include a free survey option (very limited) or a “startup special” for $55/month with much more to offer. You’ll need to apply to Outgrow for this special plan.

4. Hotjar

Even if you make great content and build a process to reach potential customers, are they actually looking at it? Tools like heatmaps, scroll tracking, and session recordings can help you understand how buyers interact with your content — and help you tweak it for optimal results.

I’ve used Hotjar for exactly that purpose on past projects. And I will say that you should dig deeply into heatmap results to understand where people clicked and why (sometimes it’s not always clear). But if you pay attention to the platform’s metrics, you’ll find a goldmine of behavioral data. Paired with A/B testing tools, Hotjar is a solid addition to your stack.

Source

What I like: Hotjar provides helpful insights to improve your web pages. With websites serving as virtual storefronts, I think it’s essential that this valuable real estate is optimized for success.

Pricing: Hotjar offers a “free forever” plan with up to 20,000 monthly sessions, unlimited heatmaps, one month of data access, and standard filters and integrations. Additional paid plans extend those limits.

5. Canva

I’ve sung Canva’s praises for years as it helps me bring to life the visuals that live in my head. And honestly, the platform just keeps getting better.

Canva just launched the second version of its AI studio, and you can do a ton. We’ve graduated from just social media graphics. Now, Canva can help you craft comparison charts, product tiers, and other content to show buyers what you offer. Its new AI capabilities include developing more complex options like ROI calculators using a few natural language prompts.

Source

What I like: Canva can fulfill all of your design and content marketing needs through their beautiful and streamlined software.

Pricing: I pay $15/month for Canva Pro, and it’s easily the best value in my tech stack. I even use it in my higher level marketing classes so students can practice with a useful tool they’ll encounter in the real world.

Budget-conscious prospects are still buyers — treat them well.

Economies fluctuate, and budgets shift. In time, more consumers and businesses will loosen their grips on their wallets. But for now, you’d do well to recognize economic realities and adjust your marketing.

It doesn’t take much: Budget-conscious prospects want to be treated fairly and realize value for their money. Ensure your messaging meets that need, and equip them with the language and data to have productive buying conversations in their households and boardrooms.

That’s just good marketing, no matter the economy.

16 Jun 2025, 8:37 pm

Trash AI Content, Experimental Budgets, and TikTok for B2B: Ross Simmonds Unfiltered 

If you’ve ever stared down a sea of bland AI content and whispered, “Is this my job now?”, you’ll enjoy this master's take: "The amount of blog posts that are written with AI is at an all-time high… And all of it is trash."

Ross Simmonds joins us with some spicy takes on experimentation, distribution, and AI. And I promise: It's not trash.

Ross Simmonds 

Founder, Foundation Marketing; Digital marketing strategist, entrepreneur

• Fun fact: He once rappelled down a 20-story building in slacks and dress shoes.
• Claim to fame: Simmonds has done something most marketers would be afraid to even attempt — he's made the front page of Reddit six times over the last few years, and has helped clients do the same.

Lesson 1: Dedicate 20% of your budget and time to experimentation.

Here’s the thing about marketing teams: We love a good spreadsheet, a strong quarterly plan, and the warm, fuzzy feeling of “proven tactics.” But Ross Simmonds wants you to spice things up. 

Don't worry, we're not talking about going completely unhinged. "Eighty percent of your work should be low- to mid-risk, but carve out 20% for the stuff your competitors are too scared to try," Simmonds tells me. 

In other words, treat experimentation like guac at Chipotle: It costs a little extra, but it's worth it. 

Simmonds suggests allocating time on your team's calendar for experimentation in the same way you'd block off a week in the Caribbean.

One way to do this is an "experiment week," in which everybody experiments with a different channel for a few hours each day — TikTok, Reddit, you name it. The teams then present to the larger org, and everyone votes on one winning idea.

If it makes your bowtie-wearing, type-A data analyst uncomfortable and your creative director thrilled, you're on the right track. 

This lesson is mainly about not falling into the safe zone. Pushing the boundaries and playing bold is the only way to stand out.

Lesson 2: Let AI nurture your leads while you sleep.

I would never waste your time by blabbering on about how AI helps create scalable content. 

That lesson has been hammered into the ground already. But Simmonds offers a sharper, more human take: The real winners will be the brands that empower their marketers to create content that’s insightful, data-driven, emotional, and uplifting.

"Content that gives hope and inspires people — that will win amidst the mediocrity we're going to see across the internet," Simmonds says.

So, where does that leave AI? Squarely in the lead-gen space. 

"The most value in B2B that we've ever seen will be unlocked when we allow humans to create ridiculously valuable content, and then allow AI to study the other humans who are connecting with these stories and nurture those relationships at-scale. And then AI can bring those two humans back together to do business."

Simmonds sees a world where, using tools like HubSpot (yep, shameless plug), Clearbit, or Koala, AI could help "unmask" anonymous visitors by figuring out where they work or who they might be. Once it knows that, it could automatically reach out to them — like sending an email or a LinkedIn message — with something that feels personal and relevant.

"And when those things happen while everybody's sleeping," Simmonds says with a smile, "It's going to be fascinating."

Lesson 3: "Create once, distribute forever."

Simmonds is infamous for coining the marketing phrase "create once, distribute forever." 

(As an aside, I'd love to know how to become famous for coining something. I have ideas. "Procrastibaking," for one.) 

This phrase essentially means that too many marketers spend hours creating content, and little-to-no time or energy promoting it. Which, Simmonds argues, is the wrong approach. 

He suggests marketers should be spending way more time getting that valuable content in front of the right audiences — and repurposing or reposting as they see fit. 

For B2B marketers, Simmonds says LinkedIn is your go-to channel for distribution.

But his suggestion for B2C is a little different: "On a B2C lens, you can connect and scale on TikTok in a ridiculously effective way. And the content you distribute through TikTok is actually highly re-purposeable across every channel: YouTube Shorts, X, Instagram Reels. You've set yourself up for success because your content can be spread across all of these different channels."

If you're "creating once, distributing forever," this could look like spending five hours creating and editing a TikTok — and 15 hours over the next few months distributing it on TikTok, and across other video-hosting platforms. 

Because people aren't sitting around impatiently awaiting your next piece of content to launch. They're busy and overstimulated. It might just take 15 hours for you to finally get in front of them.

Lingering Questions

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

You always say 'create once, distribute forever' — what's one piece of content you've milked longer than anyone should reasonably admit? And why that one? —Jay Schwedelson, Founder, SubjectLine.com; Host, Try This, Not That! For Marketers Only!

THIS WEEK'S ANSWER

Simmonds says: One piece of content I’ve absolutely milked? A tweet I wrote in 2019 simply said “Create Once, Distribute Forever,” and it was a hit. It wasn’t even meant to be a flagship idea back then — just a brain dump about repurposing strategy. 

But I kept referencing it in talks, turning it into a slide, a workshop, a tweet thread, the title of my book, and eventually the cornerstone of how we approach content at Foundation.

Why that one? Because the concept resonated deeply not just with marketers, but with entrepreneurs, creators, and executives who realized they were sitting on gold without mining it. It gave people permission to stop chasing new and start maximizing what they already had. 

That message stuck, and I’ve been doubling down ever since.

NEXT WEEK'S QUESTION

Simmonds asks: What’s one marketing hill you’ll die on… Even if the data or the trends say otherwise?

 

16 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

8 ways to use AI in digital marketing [+ examples] 

ChatGPT and Google Bard have entered the chat. If you haven‘t joined the conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) in digital marketing, you’re missing the party.

Perhaps you‘re exploring AI on your own, or your boss asked you to report back on ways to implement AI in your work (welp!). Whatever your motivation, I’m here to help.

I'll break down what AI in digital marketing is, how to use it, examples, pros and cons, and marketing strategies that benefit from AI.

Table of Contents

• What is AI in digital marketing?
• How do digital marketers use AI?
• What AI tools are marketers using?
• AI Marketing Pros and Cons
• Examples of AI in Digital Marketing
• How to Use AI in Digital Marketing

AI uses machine learning and large-language models (LLMs) to analyze big data and turn it into actionable insights, automated actions, and content.

AI can even interact with customers who perform a specific behavior on your website, like clicking a button or liking a social media post.

What does this mean for you? With AI, you can analyze customer behavior, predict outcomes, automate marketing tasks, and create and personalize marketing content.

New AI tools are coming on the market every day. They promise to help marketers do their jobs faster, smarter, and more easily. Since these tools are still emerging, not every one is a home run, and the number of tools to research is overwhelming.

We've surveyed over 1,000 marketers to see how they use AI in their jobs and where it impacts them.

Pro tip: If you're a HubSpot user, check out our new AI tools. We have a new content assistant, AI Blog Topic Generator, and ChatSpot tools to streamline your day-to-day. Our features use AI, including SEO, call recordings, social media, data management, and more.

Get started with HubSpot Content Assistant.

How do digital marketers use AI?

In our latest survey, 66% of marketing professionals globally said they use AI tools in some form in their jobs, with 74% of US marketers adopting AI in their roles. The purpose and level of integration can vary widely, but AI adoption continues to grow as in-built AI features make these tools more accessible.

So, how are they using it? Our 2025 research found that text-based content creation leads the way, with 55% of AI-using marketers relying on it for blogs, emails, and social posts. Research follows closely behind at 47%, including market research and article summarization, while 41% use AI for automating direct brand messaging and conversational marketing.

Let's take a closer look at the potential uses of AI in digital marketing.

Ways to Use AI in Digital Marketing

1. Data Analytics

Struggling to make sense of large data sets? Most digital marketing tools give you analytics, but marketers often have to export and piece together data from different platforms like puzzle pieces to get the big picture.

AI can collect and sift through large amounts of data from multiple marketing platforms and summarize the findings. 36% of marketers who use AI rely on it for data analysis and reporting, making it a significant use case for improving marketing insights.

This will help you save time when strategizing and developing marketing assets for your campaigns.

Pro tip: HubSpot Sales Hub has conversational intelligence capabilities to help you understand how your team performs on customer calls through data-driven insights.

Learn how to use account-based marketing recommendations powered by AI.

2. Content Creation

Digital marketers can instruct AI to write marketing content, including captions, social media posts, email copy, and even blog copy. Beyond writing, marketers can use AI for multimedia like images, audio, and even video.

Content creation remains AI's killer use case, with 55% of AI-using marketers relying on it for text-based content creation. Additionally, 38% use AI for multimedia, including videos, images, and audio.

It‘s important to note that most AI-generated content isn’t ready for publishing immediately. Most marketers today use generative AI as a starting point — whether that's ideation, an outline, or a few paragraphs to ignite creativity.

Only 4% of marketers using AI say that they use it to write entire pieces of content, and just 7% publish AI-generated content with no edits at all. Most make significant edits to AI-generated text (56%) or minor tweaks (38%) before publishing.

Pro tip: HubSpot's AI-powered Content Assistant helps you generate blog ideas, create outlines, and write blogs or marketing emails.

3. Reducing Admin Work

Like any professional role, digital marketers spend a significant amount of time sitting in meetings and doing administrative tasks.

HubSpot's 2025 State of Artificial Intelligence report found that 78% of marketers agree that AI helps reduce time spent on manual tasks like data entry and scheduling. In fact, 26% of AI-using marketers leverage AI to take notes and summarize meetings.

AI tools can tackle manual tasks like scheduling meetings, summarizing articles and research, and taking notes. These functions aren‘t sexy, but they free up a marketer’s time on more important, creative parts of their jobs.

Or take Superhuman, the email known for its speed. Its AI features save hours in your inbox by summarizing whole email threads, preparing draft replies in your voice, and an AI search 2-3x faster than Gmail‘s or Outlook’s.

4. Content Personalization

AI analyzes users online and gives them a more personal experience with marketing assets, including web pages, social media posts, and emails. Our research shows that 60% of marketers believe AI helps them personalize the customer experience.

This means AI can change the customer‘s experience depending on their online behavior or whether or not they’ve filled out a form for your company.

For example, dynamic content changes depending on the user's name, occupation, online behavior, etc.

6Sense is one example of a tool that leverages AI to sift through intent data. By understanding who in your audience is looking to purchase, you can personalize the marketing experience.

5. Media Buying

Another way to use AI in marketing is through media buying. Gone are the days when junior media buyers hand-select websites or billboards to advertise on.

Instead, adtech platforms use AI to choose the most effective ad and media placements to reach a target audience and maximize ROI.

If you use Google Ads, you've already encountered the AI feature that assists with the auction process.

Other standalone AI tools like Pattern89 provide recommendations on your ad spend and enable you to target the right audience to increase performance.

Pro tip: You can also leverage AI to help you write engaging ad copy in a fraction of the time.

Campaign Assistant is a free AI-powered app that can help you generate ad copy for Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn with ease — all with just a few simple prompts.

6. Chatbots

One use of AI in marketing that we've seen for years is chatbots. Chatbots, created with natural language processing (NLP), can answer common questions, nurture leads, schedule demo calls, and more.

A chatbot can personalize the customer journey during the stage when they're consuming marketing content. This tool can also answer customer questions. Our data shows that 31% of marketers use AI for brand chatbots on social media or their website.

Let's look at Drift, for example. The company has trained its chatbot to answer questions, even outside of a pre-programmed path. This way, if a person has a question that isn't loaded into the system, the user will still get an answer.

Pro tip: Looking to better understand how AI-powered chatbots can answer customer questions? HubSpot Academy can help. This course describes the difference between rule-based and AI-powered chatbots.

7. Automated Email Marketing Campaigns

Automated email marketing has also been around for years. However, AI tools can help produce more engaging email content and learn about your email list behaviors.

The goal is to have your marketers spend less time researching and brainstorming so they can focus on sending successful campaigns. Email marketing ranks as the top content type where AI is used, with 51% of marketers applying AI to email marketing and newsletter platforms.

As AI expands and improves, automated email marketing software becomes even more important to include in your marketing stack.

HubSpot Content Assistant can help you create marketing emails. Write a prompt about what you'd like to promote — from a discount to a webinar to a blog post — and AI can generate a message with the right tone.

8. Predicting Customer Behavior

Another great use of AI in digital marketing is to forecast customer behavior and sales.

AI can predict the outcome of marketing campaigns by using historical data, such as consumer engagement metrics, purchases, time-on-page, email opens, and more.

AI helps marketers understand the predicted outcome of their campaigns and marketing assets and forecast outcomes. These insights help marketers develop better, more dynamic campaigns that produce sales and boost ROI.

9. Improving Customer Experience

Digital marketing is all about the customer experience, and AI can help marketers deliver the best experience for their visitors to convert them into leads.

AI can help increase customer retention and loyalty, delight customers with personalized content, and improve assets. Our research found that 66% of marketers agree that AI helps them spend more time on creative aspects of their job, ultimately leading to better customer experiences.

What AI tools are marketers using?

The AI marketing landscape is vast and growing rapidly. For a comprehensive guide to the top AI marketing tools available today, check out our detailed AI marketing tools guide.

Here's a sample of popular AI tools marketers are currently using:

General purpose chatbots dominate the landscape, with ChatGPT used by 88% of marketers who use chatbots, followed by Google Gemini at 52% usage and Microsoft Copilot at 44% usage.

For content creation, image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney are used by 40% of AI-using marketers, while video editing AI tools with automatic features see 36% usage, and voice and narration generators like Speechify and Murf are used by 33% of marketers.

Specialized marketing tools are also gaining traction, including HubSpot Content Assistant for blog and email creation, Jasper for copywriting, and Copy.ai for content generation.

The data shows that 71% of marketers use two or more chatbots, with the average marketer using 2.41 different chatbots. This suggests that no single AI tool meets every marketing need, and successful marketers are building diverse AI toolkits.

AI Marketing Pros and Cons

While AI has a lot of great benefits, it‘s still an emerging technology and has some drawbacks. Let’s examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of AI in digital marketing.

Pros of AI in Digital Marketing

1. Increased ROI

Companies are seeing strong returns on their AI investments. According to our research, 75% of companies report positive ROI from AI and automation investments, with 34% saying the return has been “very positive.” Additionally, 67% of companies plan to increase their AI spending in 2025.

Rather than running an ineffective ad for an entire campaign, you can harness data analytics and insights to produce better marketing assets in real-time.

This saves your marketing team time and money, allowing them to work more efficiently and increase profits. Cutting staff time and production costs also boosts your ROI.

2. Speed and Efficiency

Efficiency gains are the primary measure of AI success, with 64% of marketers tracking increased productivity and 55% measuring time savings as key outcomes. Our research shows that 78% of marketers agree that AI helps reduce time spent on manual tasks.

This frees up your time and capacity to do more and invest your time where it matters most, but it also helps your brand.

All marketers know that being first in a market is a major advantage.

Whether you're spinning out social media campaigns based on pop culture moments or launching digital campaigns, the ability to pivot and launch campaigns in days or even hours is pure gold.

3. Better Customer Experience

Another advantage to using AI in marketing is that it can improve your relationship with your customers. Our data shows that 74% of marketers say AI allows them to focus more on the most important parts of their role, while 66% agree that AI helps them spend more time on creative aspects of their job.

The more personalized your recommendations are and the deeper your relationships are, the more likely they'll become repeat buyers.

AI can also identify customers at risk of churn and put them in an automated marketing campaign to get them to re-engage with your company.

4. Data-Based Marketing Decisions

AI can make scaling your business easier, using data to analyze, predict, and create marketing assets that sell. Our research found that 66% of marketers believe AI pulls insights from data they otherwise wouldn't be able to find. See how your team can use artificial intelligence and automation in this course from HubSpot Academy.

Cons of AI in Digital Marketing

1. Content Quality and Accuracy

While generative AI has come a long way, its content isn't flawless. Factual errors are a particular issue: 43% of marketers say that generative AI sometimes produces inaccurate information, making it the top challenge they face.

Additionally, 34% of marketers struggle with AI producing biased content, and 30% say AI's outputs are often irrelevant to their needs or too surface-level and vague.

If you're going to use AI to generate content without having a human edit it, you may see a drop in the quality. The success of AI is reliant on high-quality data that is accurate and timely.

Without a human editor, AI can produce content with factual inaccuracies, bias, or a divergent tone from your brand. Using AI requires human oversight so these types of mistakes don't happen.

2. Privacy

As marketing assets have become more personalized through the years, customers are beginning to value privacy more and more.

With AI, some of these techniques require using a customer's cookies and previous internet behavior to predict future purchases. Our research shows that 41% of marketers cite data privacy concerns as the primary barrier to AI adoption.

If your marketing team downloads and uses AI software, you'll need to be sure you comply with privacy laws, such as GDPR.

3. Copyright Concerns

As a new technology, the legal framework for AI is still being built. Generative AI tools are trained on public content from thousands of companies, so it‘s possible they could generate content that’s a little too close to your competitor's.

Copyright laws are written around human authorship, so it's unclear if you actually own AI-generated content in the same way. Additionally, 19% of marketers worry that generative AI sometimes produces plagiarized information.

4. Integration and Training Challenges

Our research reveals significant barriers to AI adoption beyond content quality. Training and time investment concerns affect 39% of marketers, while 34% struggle with integration challenges with existing or legacy systems.

Additionally, 34% of marketers say too many tools do similar things but don't connect to one another, creating a fragmented landscape that can be more frustrating than helpful.

It might be hard to get buy-in to invest in AI at your company because there are non-quantifiable KPIs at play.

Certain metrics will be easy to track, but others — like improving the customer experience, increasing brand awareness, or improving reputation — will be much harder. That‘s why it’s important to have the right measurement tools, like HubSpot's marketing analytics platform, in place.

The platform lets you track KPIs across all your marketing channels under unified dashboards — from website traffic and page views to the number of leads generated through ad campaigns, and more.

Examples of AI in Digital Marketing

At this point, you might be wondering, “Okay, but how does this look in practice?” Let's review some real-life examples of how big media companies have used AI in their digital marketing.

1. Netflix

If you're in marketing, you know you have to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. Netflix uses AI to do this. How?

On a Netflix Tech Blog, the company explains how it uses previous viewing history to determine the artwork for recommended movies or TV shows.

For example, if you‘ve watched a lot of one actor’s movies, they might recommend another movie they‘re in. But if the artwork doesn’t show off the actor, you may click away.

So, when the movie is recommended to this specific viewer, the artwork will showcase that actor.

Or maybe a viewer tends to watch more comedies than romances. When Netflix recommends a movie, they might change the artwork to show off comedic scenes versus romantic moments from the film.

Let's take a look at how Netflix would recommend the movie Good Will Hunting to someone who watches romance movies versus the artwork they'd use to recommend the movie to someone who watches comedies.

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So, why does Netflix do this? The goal is to increase conversion rates and improve the customer experience on their platform.

2. Spotify

Spotify uses a similar approach to Netflix. The company will use AI to understand a user's music interests, podcast favorites, purchase history, location, brand interactions, and more.

Then, customized playlists and recommendations are curated for each user.

This type of content personalization has helped major media companies like Spotify become top streaming platforms. But the personalization doesn't end there.

Spotify will also send automated email marketing messages with personalized recommendations.

The goal? Create automated marketing messages and assets that will convert a user because the message is specific to that customer.

3. Amazon

Two major use cases for AI in marketing are forecasting sales and analyzing data. Amazon uses AI to do just that.

When you go on Amazon, there is a recommended products section that uses predictive analytics to determine if a customer is likely to make a purchase.

This helps the marketing teams at Amazon know what products to place in front of which customers. Plus, they can predict how well a product will sell based on their recommended product campaigns.

This type of AI helps increase conversions, improve customer satisfaction, and measure the overall success and ROI of various marketing campaigns.

4. Dreamhost

DreamHost's Business Name Generator uses AI to offer custom-tailored business name ideas. Just input keywords related to your business, and it suggests unique names in real-time and also checks domain availability to help you kickstart your online presence.

5. StoryChief's AI Marketing Agent: William

StoryChief's AI Marketing Agent, William, generates a custom content strategy tailored to your brand by simply entering your website URL. He suggests content pillars, defines your brand voice, identifies your target audience, and even pre-fills your content calendar.

But it doesn't stop there. William continuously monitors content performance, provides traffic audits, and offers fresh content ideas to keep you ahead of trends. Plus, you stay in control — curating, approving, and publishing content as you see fit.

How to Use AI in Digital Marketing

If you haven't started deploying AI in your digital marketing strategies, this is your year. However, successful AI implementation requires more than just adopting new tools—it demands a strategic, systematic approach that considers both opportunities and risks.

The best way to make any large organizational change is through a strategic, systematic, and empathetic approach that addresses both the technical and human elements of transformation.

1. Define your goals and success metrics.

Before starting out, determine what goal or objective you want to reach. Do you want to make your campaigns more effective? Do you want to save your team time or money? Are you looking to improve personalization or enhance data insights?

Our research shows that marketers measure AI effectiveness primarily through increased productivity (64%), time savings (55%), and better overall role performance (43%). However, you should also consider how AI will impact customer-facing metrics like personalization improvements (39%) and enhanced data insights (39%).

Don‘t skip this step — you can’t determine success without defining your goals and quantifiable KPIs. Consider both quantitative metrics like ROI, time saved, and productivity gains, as well as qualitative outcomes such as employee satisfaction, creative output quality, and customer experience improvements.

Strategic considerations include aligning AI goals with broader business objectives, setting realistic expectations for AI capabilities and limitations, establishing baseline measurements before implementation, and creating feedback loops for continuous improvement.

Potential challenges include difficulty measuring non-quantifiable benefits like creativity or innovation, overestimating AI's immediate impact on complex marketing challenges, and resistance from team members who fear job displacement.

2. Audit your infrastructure and data readiness.

To start, put together a small team to analyze your current tools and infrastructure and find opportunities for adoption. This audit should examine both your technical capabilities and data quality, as AI success depends heavily on having clean, accessible, and relevant data.

Write a report with all possible areas of implementation, potential outcomes, and what resources you would need to make it happen. Our data shows that 34% of marketers struggle with integration challenges with existing or legacy systems, so this step is crucial.

Assess the quality, quantity, and accessibility of your data to see how suitable it is for AI applications. Don't forget to identify potential challenges or negative outcomes along with the positive.

You can't throw out your marketing playbook and replace it with AI strategies overnight, so identify your top two to three areas where you want to test initially.

Strategic considerations:

• Evaluate data privacy and security standards (75% of marketers heavily consider this factor)
• Assess technical infrastructure requirements for AI tool integration
• Identify data silos that might limit AI effectiveness
• Consider scalability requirements for future expansion

Potential risks:

• Data privacy violations if proper security measures aren't in place
• Integration failures with legacy systems
• Data quality issues leading to poor AI outputs
• Overcomplicating existing successful workflows

These don't all have to be huge initiatives like overhauling your email marketing — small things can add up. For example, using AI tools for note-taking from meetings and transcribing interview recordings can provide immediate value while building confidence in AI capabilities.

3. Audit staff capabilities and address change management.

Another critical area you should assess is whether your staff has the training and knowledge to implement these programs effectively. Our research reveals that training and time investment concerns affect 39% of marketers, making this a significant barrier to overcome.

You'll likely need to invest in training for your current staff, hire a consultant, or create a new position to drive forward your AI initiatives. Consider that employees are largely willing to adopt AI — 51% are eager to use AI tools—but 17% express hesitation or resistance.

A strategic approach to change management involves positioning AI as an opportunity for your team to reskill and become better marketers, providing dedicated learning resources (56% of marketers learn through educational videos, 48% through company-provided training), creating internal champions who can advocate for AI adoption, and addressing job security concerns proactively and transparently.

For training and development, consider that 37% of companies provide course stipends for AI-related training, 42% offer subscriptions to AI tools or platforms, 39% have internal AI training programs, and 34% provide dedicated weekly hours for AI experimentation.

4. Select the right AI marketing tools strategically.

Once you‘ve identified your goals and top areas for implementation, it’s time to build your toolbox strategically. Your current tools may already offer AI features — 89% of AI users report increased usage due to AI being added to existing tools like Microsoft Copilot or Google Docs AI suggestions.

Our research shows that marketers rely heavily on peer reviews (48%) and free trials (47%) when evaluating new AI tools. This suggests a practical, test-driven approach to tool selection.

Tool selection criteria should focus on data privacy and security standards (prioritized by 75% of marketers), legal terms and ethical policies (considered by 73% and 67% respectively), integration capabilities with existing systems, and cost-effectiveness with clear ROI potential.

Popular tool categories to consider include general-purpose chatbots like ChatGPT (88% usage), Google Gemini (52%), and Copilot (44%), content creation tools such as image generators (40% usage), video editing AI (36%), and voice generators (33%), and specialized marketing tools for email, social media, and analytics.

Strategic considerations include the build vs. buy decision (66% of companies develop internal AI tools for better control and customization), taking a multi-tool approach (71% of marketers use multiple chatbots rather than relying on one), using a free trial strategy to test before committing to paid plans, and conducting thorough vendor evaluation including case studies, peer recommendations, and direct sales conversations.

Potential pitfalls include tool fragmentation (34% say too many tools do similar things but don't integrate well), over-investing in tools without proper training or change management, choosing tools based on hype rather than actual business needs, and insufficient security vetting, which can lead to data privacy issues.

First, decide whether you'll use an out-of-the-box AI solution or a custom one. Examples of out-of-the-box AI solutions are Jasper, ChatGPT, or Google Bard.

A custom solution, which you can create with APIs for an open-source AI like Llama 2, can be a powerful solution for long-term success. You can connect and train AI on your proprietary data or train a GPT on your own voice and style.

This approach takes additional expertise, so you'd need to work closely with a consultant or your IT department.

5. Test, analyze, and iterate strategically.

At last, it's time to test the waters systematically. Take your top two to three areas of implementation and launch controlled pilot programs. Set a timeframe and some target KPIs to watch so you can compare results against your baseline measurements.

Your testing framework should start with low-risk, high-impact use cases, run parallel tests comparing AI-generated vs. human-generated content, document processes, challenges, and outcomes meticulously, and set specific timeframes (e.g., 30-90 day pilots) with clear success criteria.

Key metrics to monitor include productivity gains (64% of marketers track increased productivity), time savings (55% measure time saved across teams), quality metrics such as accuracy, brand alignment, and customer engagement, plus ROI indicators like cost savings, campaign performance, and lead generation.

For iteration and scaling, use learnings from pilot programs to refine your approach, scale successful use cases while discontinuing ineffective ones, continuously monitor for the challenges identified in our research (bias, accuracy, relevance), and build feedback loops with both internal teams and customers.

Risk mitigation strategies should include maintaining human oversight for all AI-generated content (only 7% publish without edits), implementing fact-checking processes to address accuracy concerns (43% cite this as a challenge), monitoring for bias and brand alignment issues, and having rollback plans for unsuccessful implementations.

For instance, if you want to test AI-written and AI-placed social media ads, run a trial period of a month. Monitor and edit the content throughout the month and document the process.

Once you're done, compare the performance of AI-generated, human-generated, and AI-assisted content to see how it did and create a plan moving forward.

6. Build a sustainable culture of AI innovation.

As mentioned, getting your team on board is key with any new technology change, but building a lasting culture of AI innovation requires ongoing commitment and strategic thinking.

Culture development strategies include asking your team for regular feedback and bringing them along in the process, assuring them that AI is intended to make them better, not replace them, celebrating wins and learning from failures openly, and creating communities of practice around AI use cases.

Organizational support structures should consider that 66% of companies plan to increase AI spending in 2025, showing long-term commitment. You might also consider dedicated AI roles or responsibilities within marketing teams, provide ongoing learning opportunities beyond initial training, establish governance frameworks for ethical AI use, and plan for regulatory changes in AI governance and data privacy.

Long-term strategic considerations include staying current with AI developments and new use cases, building internal expertise rather than relying solely on external vendors, developing AI-specific policies and guidelines, and planning for increased AI integration as the technology matures.

Addressing ongoing challenges involves combating AI fatigue by focusing on clear value delivery, managing the complexity of multiple AI tools and integrations, balancing automation with maintaining human creativity and judgment, and preparing for regulatory changes in AI governance and data privacy.

Remember that building an AI-enabled marketing organization is a marathon, not a sprint. The 75% of companies reporting positive ROI from AI investments got there through careful planning, strategic implementation, and ongoing optimization — not overnight transformations.

Harnessing the Power of AI

Marketing teams can scale their operations with AI, and it doesn't have to break the bank. Our latest research shows that 67% of companies plan to increase their AI investment in 2025, with 75% already reporting positive ROI from their AI and automation tools.

However, it‘s important to keep in mind AI’s limitations, even as the technology continues to improve over time in the changing marketing landscape. The key challenges marketers face—accuracy issues, bias concerns, and relevance problems — remind us that human oversight remains essential.

While you can use it to aid several marketing campaigns (and should), AI works best as an intelligent assistant rather than a replacement. The most successful marketers use AI to enhance their creativity, productivity, and strategic thinking while maintaining the human touch that makes great marketing truly resonate with customers.

The future of marketing lies not in choosing between human creativity and artificial intelligence, but in thoughtfully combining both to create more effective, efficient, and engaging marketing experiences.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in March 2024 and has since been updated for comprehensiveness.

16 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

The unconventional, scrappy tactics I used to grow a newsletter to 40K subscribers 

You know that moment when you stumble on a brilliant growth tactic hidden in a Reddit thread or buried deep in a comment section? That's the kind of stuff I live for.

I'm Tom Orbach, a growth marketer and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree who created a viral post generator that attracted 2 million users. Scrappy, under-the-radar tactics have been the backbone of Marketing Ideas, my weekly newsletter for startup marketers. No paid ads. No polished design team. No brand halo to ride on. Just a willingness to test fast, double down on what worked, and ignore what didn't.

In this post, I'm breaking down the unconventional, effective tactics that helped me grow from 0 to 40,000 subscribers in 1.5 years. Let’s dive in.

Why I Started Marketing Ideas

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For most of my 12-year marketing career, people have asked me for creative growth ideas, especially the kind that don't rely on paid ads or big budgets.

It became a pattern. Whether I was working with startups, consulting with clients, or just chatting with friends in the industry, someone would always say, “That's a great idea. Do you have more like that?”

Over time, that demand snowballed. I got invited to speak at conferences, give guest lectures at companies and universities, and hop on calls with marketers looking for scrappy tactics that actually worked. It was clear there was a real appetite for practical advice, the kind that's hard to find in blog posts or playbooks.

That's what led me to launch Marketing Ideas, a weekly newsletter that delivers one actionable growth tactic at a time. No theory. No filler. These are just real things marketers can try immediately.

Of course, coming up with useful content was only part of the job. I also had to figure out how to get it in front of people. Here's what really drove growth.

What Really Drove Growth

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1. Promote a landing page during talks, before the newsletter even exists.

Before I ever sent a single email, I already had a subscriber list.

I spoke at conferences, company offsites, and universities. At the end of every talk, I‘d plug a simple landing page. I’d say something like, “I'm launching a newsletter soon to share more ideas like these. You can sign up now.”

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That one-liner and that barebones landing page got me nearly 1,000 early subscribers. And, not just casual ones. These were super fans who had just seen me speak, liked what they heard, and wanted more. When I sent my first issue, they were already primed to share it.

That momentum made all the difference.

2. Guest-write for other newsletters (especially paid ones).

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One of the most underrated growth tactics is to borrow someone else’s audience.

I reached out to newsletter creators, especially those with paid subscriptions, and offered to write free guest content for them. They got high-quality material to monetize. I got visibility and credibility.

It wasn’t just a list growth tactic. These guest posts helped me prove value to new readers, build trust quickly, and often opened the door to longer-term partnerships. Even if just 1% of their audience subscribed to Marketing Ideas, that compounding effect really added up.

3. Cross-promote through real relationships.

After those guest posts, I stayed in touch with the authors.

Not to squeeze more promotion out of them, but because I genuinely liked their work. When you approach creators as peers rather than as distribution channels, the relationships last. And, because we actually enjoyed each other’s content, we’d mention each other organically. That kind of endorsement hits way harder than a one-off shoutout.

It’s slow, but it’s sustainable and real.

4. Offer free advice on LinkedIn.

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This one always works. I’ll post something like:

• “Drop your website below, and I’ll give you a custom growth idea.”

Then, I reply to each person with an actual suggestion, usually something I’ve already written about in the newsletter. At the end of each reply, I include a link to subscribe.

These posts get massive reach, drive hundreds of new subscribers, and often spark conversations with founders, marketers, and creators I’d never have met otherwise. It’s one of the most effort-intensive tactics I use, but also one of the most rewarding.

And it’s not a gimmick. It works because it feels like what it is: real help, one person at a time.

5. Use infographics to boost shareability.

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I include infographics in my newsletter issues, even when they’re arguably unnecessary.

Why? Because people love sharing them.

If someone reposts one of my visuals on LinkedIn or X, it makes them look smart. A shared infographic feels like thought leadership. A shared newsletter link? Less so.

Even when the infographic doesn’t add much new info, it amplifies reach. I’ve seen the data: Issues with visuals are shared more frequently, linked more often, and ultimately lead to more subscribers.

6. Activate superfans on Reddit.

Reddit was a surprise growth channel.

One day, I noticed a few people recommending Marketing Ideas in random Reddit threads. I checked the UTM tags and saw that each of those comments was driving dozens of new subscribers.

Source

So I tracked those users down — literally just searched for my domain on Reddit — and reached out to thank them. I found out they were genuine fans. No hidden agenda. They just liked the newsletter and wanted to spread the word.

I asked if they’d be open to a small monthly payment to keep sharing when it made sense. They said yes, and we set up a simple agreement. They were already doing it for free; this just gave them an extra reason to keep going. And now, I have active, trusted users helping promote the newsletter in a channel where self-promotion is usually a non-starter.

7. Repurpose unsolicited praise as social proof.

Every time someone posts something nice about the newsletter or leaves a thoughtful comment, I save it.

I keep a growing database of these and turn them into testimonial-style posts. I don’t ask for permission because they’re public, and I always link back to the original comment in case anyone wants to see it in context.

These screenshots perform way better than any self-promotional post ever could. They’re authentic, unexpected, and precisely the kind of social proof people trust.

8. Promote other newsletters to spark reciprocity.

Sometimes, I’d reach out to a newsletter creator I admired and get no response.

Instead of giving up, I’d flip the script. I’d promote their newsletter anyway. I highlight it in a LinkedIn post, share it in Marketing Ideas, or just recommend it in passing.

Once I had some results (clicks, comments, shares), I’d follow up with the original creator and show them what I did. Nearly every time, they’d respond and return the favor.

This tactic works because you’re not asking for anything. You’re giving first, with proof. And when you do that, people are way more likely to say yes.

Hard-Learned Lessons

Looking back, there are two things I’d change if I were starting again.

1. Don’t wait for the perfect design.

Source

I spent months tweaking my logo, header layout, and colors before launching. I already had content ready, but I held off because the visuals didn’t feel “good enough.” Huge mistake.

Nobody cares about your branding the way you do. They care about what you’re teaching them. If I could do it over, I’d launch earlier and refine the look later.

2. Stop writing like you’re trying to impress other marketers.

In the early days, my issues were long. Some were 2,000+ words packed with context and backstory. But readers didn’t want a mini-essay. They wanted the tactic. The “here’s what to do and how to do it” part. Once I leaned into that, engagement shot up. Every week, I now focus on delivering one thing: Something useful you can try today.

The Playbook is Still Being Written

I‘m still testing, still tweaking, still figuring it out. What worked a year ago might not work tomorrow, and that’s part of the fun.

If there‘s one thing I’ve learned, it‘s this: Growth doesn’t come from doing what everyone else is doing. It comes from trying things most people overlook because they seem too small, too weird, or too unscalable.

The best growth tactics aren‘t hiding in expensive courses or fancy marketing tools. They’re in comment threads, DMs, and the spaces where honest conversations happen. They're genuinely helpful before you ask for anything in return.

Want to stand out? Be useful. Be human. Do the things that don't scale. And, if you find a tactic that works? Share it.

16 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

The actual recession marketing tactics that helped brands survive + how your team can implement them 

In 2020, I interviewed Andrea Lisbona for Forbes about her less than two-year-old hand sanitizer brand, Touchland. The pandemic was wreaking havoc and the very green startup needed to act quickly and smartly.

That they did — tightening their marketing strategy to meet the demands of the times. It was a real-time masterclass in surviving turbulent periods.

Fast forward to today: If the recent $700 million acquisition by Church & Dwight is any indication, Touchland didn’t just survive — they’ve established themselves as a major category leader.

In this post, I’ll review 10 companies, including Touchland, that viewed turbulent times as opportunities to innovate, scale, and build invaluable loyalty.

1. Touchland

Touchland sells hand sanitizers and body and hair fragrances. They feature lovely scents and unique packaging for their products, aiming to turn mundane moments into little bursts of delight.

During the pandemic, Touchland doubled down on empathy, transparency, and two-way communication via social media, email, and SMS, ensuring their customers felt seen and supported.

“During a time of global uncertainty, we leaned into uplifting, sensorial experiences that helped people feel a sense of joy,” Lisbona told me in a more recent check-in for this piece. “It was critical to lead with transparency, empathy, and innovation. We weren’t just selling a product; we were redefining what personal care could feel like.”

Setting out to make hand sanitizer feel less like a commodity and more like a personal care experience, they ditched traditional ads (likely saving them a pretty penny) and leaned heavily into content creators, earned media, and impactful storytelling (including behind-the-scenes footage — something consumers love to see).

What They Got Right

I think what made Touchland stand out from other hand sanitizer companies during the pandemic was their focus on connecting with customers on a personal level. Check out this Instagram post, for example.

In this day and age, the personal connection via social media and content marketing feels more authentic than paid ads. Touchland successfully tapped into the emotional side of self-care, which was especially resonant during a global health crisis.

“One of the biggest lessons was that agility beats perfection,” shares Lisbona.

“During the pandemic, we had to make fast, key decisions with incomplete information. Whether it was pivoting our messaging, adjusting supply chain operations, or scaling fulfillment in real time, the experience taught me to lead with decisiveness and trust my instincts.”

What Teams Can Learn

Building two-way dialogue with your audience is vital. I recommend tapping into HubSpot’s conversational chatbot builder as a great start. When you invest in community-oriented brand building, it makes all the difference.

2. TeamLogic IT

TeamLogic provides IT solutions and consulting services for small businesses. It was particularly relevant during the 2008 recession. In fact, sales for technology increased during this time. TeamLogic IT stood out by positioning itself as a cost-effective, reliable solution to tech pain points for companies — a move I believe was key to their success.

Fast-forward to the pandemic, and the same customer-first strategy was applied. Responding to the shift towards hybrid work environments, TeamLogic IT helped businesses develop IT infrastructures that could accommodate both remote and in-office operations.

Source

What They Got Right

I think TeamLogic succeeded during these difficult economic times by staying focused on the changing needs of their clients. They stayed agile and attentive instead of doubling down on their current offerings. This is why listening to your audience is so key, whether that is through customer surveys or social listening.

What Teams Can Learn

Focus your offerings on what customers need most during uncertainty. How can you offer solutions that are both cost-efficient and reliable?

3. Netflix

Netflix needs no introduction. But in case you’ve forgotten (or are too young to remember), Netflix wasn’t always the streaming giant they are now. They used to rent physical DVDs sent via mail to its customers.

When Netflix recognized physical video stores and DVD rentals were failing, they started partnering with Xbox and other platforms to make films accessible, affordable, and digital — just in time for the ‘08 recession when people were seeking easy, at-home entertainment.

Source

What They Got Right

Netflix could have easily gone the way of the dinosaurs, along with so many other outdated technologies. Instead, the company thrived because they were willing to let go of their old way of doing things and invest in the tech of the future.

Back then, it was switching from physical to virtual, while today it is about embracing AI. What remains consistent is that innovation is key for long-term success.

What Teams Can Learn

Don’t be afraid to innovate to meet shifting consumer behaviors and needs. Staying relevant is the only way to thrive.

4. Citigroup

Banks don’t exactly have the best reputation during recessions — economic downturns breed a lot of skepticism and distrust for financial institutions, which is understandable. But Citigroup became one of the few banks to actually grow its assets post-recession by focusing on quality branding, building trust, and supporting local communities.

For example, they launched efforts to support affordable housing and small business lending. They also funded non-profit organizations that provided financial literacy.

Source

What They Got Right

When your industry is under public scrutiny or has suffered a PR crisis, I think it’s more important than ever to lean into your brand. What’s your mission? What sets you apart from competitors? Why should customers choose you?

Showing up matters. It’s not enough to just offer great services — going the extra mile in being a valuable resource yields solid trust and loyalty. Teams that go beyond their core offerings to genuinely support their customers and communities stand out.

What Teams Can Learn

Lead with your mission. Help customers know what to expect from your brand. If you feel that you don’t have a strong brand identity, I recommend using this free guide to explore, define, and communicate your “why.”

5. Lego

You might assume the toy industry would be deemed unessential during a recession — and you’d be correct. So during the 2008 U.S. recession, Lego decided to expand into a global market, concentrating its efforts on building revenue in Europe and Asia.

The company reached an all-time high profitability by identifying that the best way to weather a domestic storm was to set its sights on untapped territory.

Source

What They Got Right

As the 2008 recession was most acutely felt by the U.S., expanding into new international markets that were better off financially was a great move for a brand selling unessential goods.

What Teams Can Learn

Thinking small (literally) will cost you. When your home market is tough, looking beyond familiar borders and exploring new opportunities can be the key to survival. If you feel your current market stagnating, you can explore new markets using these tools to expand your reach.

6. Mailchimp

Mailchimp has been through a lot. The email marketing company weathered the economic downturn in 2001 (in fact, that’s when it was founded) and the 2008 recession. In 2008, the company altered its entire model to become a freemium business. Their revenue soared after that.

Source

What They Got Right

I think Mailchimp is a great example for other SaaS businesses. They knew they offered a valuable service and that many companies would benefit from it, but they recognized that tightening budgets would prevent brands from signing up.

By offering a freemium plan, they could provide real value to businesses at no cost. Once those businesses truly appreciated Mailchimp’s service and wanted to grow, they were willing to pay for the higher tiers.

What Teams Can Learn

Many customers wanted to use Mailchimp during the recession because it was free. By adjusting to the times and offering a no-cost product, the brand was able to grow. They’ve maintained this business model ever since — and you can implement it, too.

Wondering how to price your SaaS products? Check out this blog.

7. Warby Parker

Warby Parker sells glasses in person and online. They sell frames for prescription glasses as well as sunglasses and contacts. What really stands out to me is their innovative way of selling frames online.

I’m a big fan of Warby Parker’s model — I just so happened to be one of their customers during the pandemic. I conveniently selected five frames online and had the chance to test them out at home for free for five days before deciding on which I liked most. Once my decision was made, I then sent them back via a prepaid label. My selection (this time with my actual prescription) made its way to me shortly after.

Source

What They Got Right

Warby Parker was filling a necessary gap during crisis: Providing a low-pressure and affordable way to shop for fashionable glasses without leaving your house. By making their service available in a different form, Warby Parker was able to weather the pandemic when many other companies went out of business and better serve their customers.

P.S. I still have my “Hughes” in the Chestnut Crystal today — just with an updated prescription. Warby even sends me reminders when my prescription is nearing expiration, along with a suggestion to use their own Virtual Vision Test.

What Teams Can Learn

This is a lesson in how teams can capitalize on industry needs and major unaddressed pain points. Warby Parker created a solution to tedious and expensive eyewear shopping that’s still in demand today. Consider how you can better serve customer needs or make your offering more convenient to today’s customers.

8. Partake Foods

During the pandemic, Partake Foods, an early-stage snack company catering to those with major food allergies, was thriving. It closed a $4.8 million series A funding round in late December 2020, led by investors including Rihanna.

When I exclusively interviewed its founder, Denise Woodard, for Forbes in January 2021, Woodard told me her grind got her very far. “I sold cookies out of my car up and down the street in New York every single day; I drove to natural food stores and did demos every single day . . . there’s so much of a longer grind.”

Source

What They Got Right

Woodard’s marketing efforts and team have evolved from these early days, but this hands-on approach, purpose-driven storytelling (like leaning into the food allergies of Woodard’s own daughter who inspired the brand), and spirit of connection remain major through lines. This strong brand story and identity make Partake foods stand out from other brands, in my opinion.

What Teams Can Learn

Don’t underestimate the value of mission-driven branding; it’s often what makes you stand out and build lasting loyalty, especially in crowded markets. A strong story and message, even with a niche concept or product, can make all the difference.

9. Rent The Runway

Rent The Runway launched in 2009 to offer high-end apparel and accessories on a subscription or one-time rental basis. The brand was a saving grace during the recession — people with much tighter budgets could experience luxury fashion without the hefty price tag or long-term commitment of ownership.

What’s more, RTR was a welcome option for a growing consumer base conscious of sustainability and mindful consumption.

Source

What They Got Right

RTR changed luxury apparel shopping forever. Recognizing that most people didn’t have money to burn on fancy clothes for one occasion, they realized they had an opportunity to change a one-time purchase into a rental/subscription model.

What Teams Can Learn

Identifying consumer needs is the foundation for unlocking your most compelling selling points. When you truly understand what your customers are struggling with, hoping for, or aspiring to, you can highlight the aspects of your product or service that matter most to them. Try thinking outside of the box to disrupt the norms and offer something new.

10. Topicals

Topicals, which offers science-backed tailored skin-care solutions, launched in August 2020 at the height of COVID. Stigmas around skin issues and how it affects mental health played a huge role in the brand’s marketing.

Within months, Topicals was selling out repeatedly. I think Topicals’ success lies in identifying the underlying cause of a consumer pain point coupled with a strong community.

Source

What They Got Right

Topicals created an online community for its customers at a time when most people were isolated and lonely. They took the opportunity not just to promote their product but to genuinely connect with their buyers and connect them to each other.

Want to build an online community, too? Use these templates to get started.

What Teams Can Learn

Consider how you can lean into personalized marketing. I wrote about how Topicals does this masterfully in a previous HubSpot article. Making customers feel special and appreciated is especially important in tough times.

Remember: Opportunity is abundant in turbulent times.

Speaking to Touchland some five years ago, I knew it was poised for greatness. Why? Because its fearless leader had the right mindset and mission.

“Turbulent times force clarity,” says Lisbona. “They make brands focus on what truly matters to customers and eliminate distractions. During the pandemic, we saw a surge in demand for hand sanitizers, but more importantly, we saw a desire for elevated self-care. That insight allowed us to position Touchland not as a utility, but as an indulgent moment of joy in people’s routines.”

I’m inspired by brands like Touchland that use uncertain times to double down on their why. We can all agree that the state of the world will always be unpredictable, but the companies that stand firm in their purpose, aren’t afraid to pivot, and stay attuned to the most pressing needs of their customers are the ones positioned for lasting impact.

12 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

I run a zero-employee marketing agency entirely with AI tools — here’s how 

A few years ago, I was head of content at a health insurance company — a role that required a team of full-time employees and freelancers to get the job done. But once ChatGPT hit the scene, I realized I could strike out on my own.

Managing people is hard, messy, and expensive. I wasn’t always doing the part of the work that I enjoyed. When I saw what AI could do, even in the early stages, I thought, “Wait, what if I can just do this myself without hiring anyone?”

I started small, but even from our first client, I realized it was feasible. Then, with OpenAI’s improvements and the progress in artificial intelligence, I realized that I could scale my agency exponentially with just these tools.

How My AI Agency Works Day-to-Day

Before I go any further, let me explain my agency model. I work with startup founders who have limited internal headcount and time. Many of them don’t have a marketing team, so I am it.

I need to make content that would normally take an army of creators to produce and actually deliver results. Here’s how I do it.

1. I build workspaces with ChatGPT Projects.

I never just open ChatGPT and start asking it for content without context. Instead, I use ChatGPT Projects to create a custom GPT page that actually reflects the brand I’m working with.

I give the GPT project details and information about the brand’s voice, style, product, and idiosyncrasies. I even feed it a master Google Doc with writing-style samples, so it can get the voice and tone right. That may include work the brand has already published or pieces from a publication they really like.

I also add general information about the company and the product. The goal here is to train the model on everything that it could possibly need. That way, once we start writing something, it already has a lot of context, and I don’t need to include all that in the prompt.

2. I start with material that already exists.

Every piece I make starts with human insights. I may have a webinar, podcast, or interview transcript. I may get a voice note (I love Superwhisper for this). While you can start with research or data, I find that the more conversational, the better.

The most common material I start with is an hour-long interview with a startup founder. Many of these leaders don’t think they have something to say, but once I get them talking about what’s going on in their industry, we find plenty to talk about.

The goal is to turn rambling, sometimes messy, material into polished content. Usually, an hour a month is all I need to create a month’s worth of social media content.

3. I analyze transcripts.

At this point, I feed ChatGPT the transcript in the Projects page and ask it to analyze it for insights. My prompt is usually something like this:

• The text below is a transcript from my conversation with a founder. Your job is to do the following with the transcript: List the main ideas from the conversation that I can repurpose into an insightful blog post. Focus on the most unique and insightful topics and insights shared. It should capture the real meat of the information, not a vague, useless summary.

Another lightbulb moment was figuring out which types of content perform well on different platforms. I then templatized these posts and asked the GPT to look for talking points that map to key phrases.

For example, I know that “I’ll be honest: [vulnerable or surprising truth]” is a successful hook. So, I ask ChatGPT to look for it in every transcript.

4. I use laser-specific prompts.

Next, I choose the topic or insight I want to focus on and feed ChatGPT my ultra-specific content brief. Here’s an example:

Create a comprehensive blog post outline for this topic. The outline should:

1. Start with a compelling headline that will attract [your target audience].
2. Include an introduction section that hooks the reader and clearly states the main thesis/argument.
3. Break down the main body into 3-5 key sections with clear subheadings.
4. For each section, include 2-3 bullet points of the specific insights/arguments to cover.
5. Include a section on practical takeaways or applications.
6. End with a conclusion section that ties everything together.

Use only information from the transcript while expanding the depth of analysis beyond what would fit in a social media post. The outline should provide enough structure and detail that I can easily see the flow of the article before committing to writing the full piece. Make sure each section builds logically on the previous one and supports the main thesis.

The great thing about prompting AI is that you can get very clear, direct, and almost mean! I tell it exactly what I want it to do and what I want it to avoid at all costs. I talk to ChatGPT in all caps all the time.

Pro tip: It’s helpful to add a footnote to your prompt with any words or phrases that are a no-go, like “ensure” or “in the realm of.” If you just prompt those from the start, you can remove steps for yourself down the road.

5. I edit and polish.

After this, you have a first draft. That’s where I come back in as a journalist and an editor. First, I go through the recording or transcript one more time to see if ChatGPT missed any great takes or quotes. Sometimes, it does, and I add those zingers back in.

Then, I work with it a little bit to make sure the content is actually saying something. You have to be present. You can’t just prompt AI and outsource the thinking. The output won’t land. If your content is just repeating what’s already out there, move on to the next idea.

Finally, I edit and proofread the draft to make sure it matches my client’s brand, voice, and goals. If it misses, I may tweak my prompt for the next time so there’s a constant cycle of improvement.

Here’s Why a Zero-Employee Agency Works

Five years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me that I could build an agency with just a tech stack and no team. Here’s why it worked for me, and why it can work for you.

1. It’s affordable.

As I mentioned, my clients are startups and don’t have the budget to hire the top-tier writers. While human writers are still worth every penny, they’re out of reach for many.

The entry-level writers who are affordable need extensive coaching and editing. Sometimes, I would need to rewrite 60% to 70% of their first drafts, which is painful for everyone involved.

2. It’s fast.

As soon as I tried ChatGPT, I realized its drafts were better than what I was usually given, and I didn’t need to wait two or three weeks. I could prompt it, rework it, and get it to the client that same day.

3. It’s lean.

Now, instead of hiring a whole team to do every aspect of the work, I have myself and a robust tech stack that’s much more cost-effective than an agency model.

	Traditional Agency Model	AI Agency Model
Agency Team	Freelance writers Editor SEO specialist Social media manager Copywriter Marketing designer Video editor Audio editor Email writer Data analyst	OpenAI Claude Superwhisper Descript Granola Midjourney Riverside
Annual Cost	$336,000	$786

Staying lean enables me to test new strategies faster and more affordably.

Let’s say I wanted to try email marketing. Before, I would need to hire specialists and brief them. The process might have taken two months to launch. Now, I can test, produce, tweak, and relaunch a campaign on short notice at a low cost.

Prompts to Scale Your Marketing Agency With AI

Ready to get started training your GPT and scaling your agency with AI? I’ve compiled my best prompts into a toolkit to help you extract insights and create on-brand, engaging content, without expanding headcount or compromising on brand standards.

11 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

The HubSpot Blog’s AI Trends for Marketers Report [key findings from 1,000+ marketing pros] 

With 66% of marketers globally using artificial intelligence in their roles, it's no longer a matter of if you should use AI but how. How are other marketers (and your competition) using AI? How can you use AI ethically?

To understand AI in marketing in 2025, we surveyed over 1,000 marketing and advertising professionals worldwide.

Our findings will help us decipher AI trends, find the current most common use cases for AI, and learn how to navigate the technology as new laws and guardrails address its usage.

Table of Contents

• Key Findings: The Current State of AI
• Now that AI is the norm, are there regulations on the use of AI in marketing?
• General Attitudes Towards AI
• How Marketers Are Using AI at Work
• The Future of AI for Marketers

Key Findings: The Current State of AI

1. AI is no longer an experiment — it's integral to marketing workflows.

When AI first began gaining traction, we often encouraged marketers to experiment with AI and see if/how they can adopt it into their workflow.

Well, the days of just experimentation are over, and while the robots aren't taking our jobs, they are now embedded in our workflows.

Here are the facts:

• 91% of marketing leaders say employees/teams at their organization use AI to assist them in their jobs.
• 82% of marketers say either they or their company invested in automation tools for employees to leverage in their roles.
• 66% report that their organization builds internal AI tools specifically for marketing teams.

As you can see from these stats, marketers have fully embraced AI as an assistive tool. So, if you're still not embracing AI within your organization, best believe your competition likely is.

2. Though AI has become commonplace in marketing, barriers still keep more marketers from adopting new AI tools.

While AI has become crucial and normalized in marketing, many marketers are still hesitant to integrate new AI tools into their workflows. Here are the Top 3 concerns I've pulled from our survey:

• Data Privacy — The majority of marketers in our survey (42%) say data privacy concerns have prevented their team from adopting new AI tools in the past year.
• Training and Time Investment — 39% of marketers said investing in time and training on new AI tools created a barrier against adopting them.
• Too Many Similar Tools — 35% of marketers say there are too many AI tools that all do the same thing but don't connect to one another, creating more complications when adopting new ones into their workflow.

3. AI is not taking our jobs.

While I understand marketers worry about their job security in the age of AI, our latest data shows that 65% of marketers champion using AI as an assistive tool while encouraging others not to become overly reliant on it. Why? Because AI is evolving, but it isn’t perfect.

AI-related challenges, like inconsistencies and bias, still exist today.

We haven’t lost the power of the human touch.

Right now, most industry professionals are using AI to support job functions, not replace them entirely. So, you can go ahead and exhale.

Now that AI is the norm, are there regulations on the use of AI in marketing?

In the United States? No. Currently, no comprehensive federal legislation or regulations address the use or development of AI in the U.S.; however, other countries and regions have restrictions and stipulations.

For example, the European Union passed the AI Act, which enforces strict rules on AI transparency, bias, and high-risk applications, such as algorithms. In China, companies must register AI models with the government.

For multinational companies, these regulations mean that AI marketing practices that work in the U.S. could be banned in other regions, thus locking them out of major global markets.

So, if you‘re a strictly U.S.-based company, you don’t have much to worry about, right? Not exactly. While there aren't any set AI laws to adhere to, many consumers are divided in their feelings toward how companies use AI.

For instance, Coca-Cola faced harsh backlash from consumers who called the company's AI Christmas 2024 ad a “creepy dystopian nightmare.”

Audiences were turned off by the ad's choppy appearance and criticized the ethics (or lack thereof) of using AI instead of working solely with artists and animators.

Consumers also worry about how personal data is used in AI training and the chances of a data breach that jeopardizes their privacy.

So, how can marketers address these concerns? The key is to be transparent. Let your consumers know if and how AI is being used in your marketing strategy, whether it's in content creation, data gathering, or communication.

For example, many media outlets include a note at the start or end of their blog posts clarifying that the post was created entirely or with the help of AI.

General Attitudes Towards AI

The Marketer’s Perspective

I mentioned earlier that most marketing pros believe in AI's benefits but don’t want to rely on it 100%.

They believe AI supports two core personal areas: time and productivity.

We found that 79% of marketers agree that AI and automation tools can help them spend less time on manual tasks, and 73% agree that they can spend more time on the most important parts of their role.

66% of marketers say AI and automation tools can help them spend more time on the creative aspects of their jobs.

You know what that means? Less busy work and more time for big thinking. I’d consider that a win.

And if you want to see for yourself how AI can boost productivity and save time, experiment with tools like Breeze Copilot, which uses generative AI and CRM data to elevate work and execute tasks quickly.

The Organizational Perspective

At the organizational level, 50% of marketing leaders say their organization at least somewhat supports marketers using AI in their roles, 30% say their organization does not encourage the use of AI, and the remaining 20% say their company has no specific policy regarding AI.

Meanwhile, 75% of leaders whose organizations have invested in AI say that the investment has yielded a positive ROI. Only 4% say the investment returned a negative ROI and roughly 20% report neither a positive nor a negative ROI.

In addition to productivity, marketing leaders believe AI has had the most impact on making employees more effective at their jobs and helping them make data-driven decisions.

How Marketers Are Using AI at Work

As I said at the beginning, most marketing professionals in our survey report using AI in their current role. Let’s see what they’re using and where they’re seeing the most ROI.

Most Popular AI Tools for Marketers

Image and design generators like DALL-E and Synthesia are the top choice for 40% of marketers. Chatbot tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Copilot are second, with 39% of marketers using them.

Finally, in third place are SmartAI video or audio editing AI tools, such as ones with automatic editing features or AI light, noise, voice, and/or color correction.

ROI of AI-Powered Marketing Channels

As a blogger, it surprised me that email was the #1 channel that marketers are using AI to create for. But as a blogger, I’m also probably biased.

The majority (50.77%) use AI for email marketing and other newsletter platforms. This percentage is just a hair above the 50% who use AI text-based social media.

In third place, 47% of marketers use AI to create blog posts, articles, and other long-form content.

For all of these channels, they’re seeing a worthwhile ROI:

• Email: 63% are seeing at least a somewhat positive ROI.
• Social Media: 67% are seeing at least a somewhat positive ROI.
• Blog/Long-Form: 68% are seeing at least a somewhat positive ROI.

Generative AI and Marketing

Content Creation

The most common task that marketers are using generative AI for is text-based content creation (52%), such as blogs, eBooks, and marketing email copy. For marketers who use GenAI to create content, here’s what they’re doing with it:

• 53% are using it for content quality assurance, such as spellcheck, accessibility review, or writing recommendations.
• 50% are writing copy for marketing content like blogs and emails.
• 48% creating images for marketing content with AI art tools.

However, AI isn’t the full answer to content creation. Only 4% of marketers are using AI to write entire pieces of content for them. The vast majority are using it for inspiration or to give them an outline and a few paragraphs to build on.

And 46% are only somewhat confident that they would know if the information GenAI produces is inaccurate.

Additional GenAI Use Cases

48% of marketers use generative AI to conduct various research, such as market research, finding datasets, and summarizing articles.

Automating direct brand messaging or conversational marketing. (DMs, conversational emails, SMS)

GenAI is also useful for branded communication, with 41% of marketers using it to automate direct brand messaging and conversational marketing.

For all of these use cases, the majority of marketing professionals say AI is very effective, and they’re saving an average of one to two hours in their work day as a result.

The Future of AI for Marketers

We don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have the top AI predictions from over a thousand marketing professionals.

Here’s what marketers are saying about the future of AI:

• 65% of marketing leaders say their team plans to increase their investment in AI and automation tools over the course of 2025.
• 65% of marketing directors believe that most software they use will have AI or automation capabilities built in by 2030.
• 67% of marketers agree that by 2030, most people will use a generative AI tool like ChatGPT to assist them in their jobs.
• 67% of marketers believe that AI will significantly impact how they (and other marketers) do their jobs in 2025.

As the AI landscape changes, we’ll keep tabs on how it evolves and how it’s being used in the workplace.

Keep an eye out for more insights that will allow you to use AI to unleash your human potential — and leave the busy work to the robots.

10 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

Social media image sizes (2025 update) for every platform 

When clients first started asking me to handle their social media, I figured the image part would be easy. Create one clean graphic, upload it across platforms, and the tools would adjust everything automatically.

Boy, was I wrong.

Between cropped headers, stretched thumbnails, and text that disappeared on mobile, it didn’t take long to realize that each platform plays by its own rules — and they change often. I spent way too much time backtracking, resizing, and apologizing for things that looked off once they went live.

Now, I keep a running list of up-to-date social media image sizes and build templates for the most common social media asset sizes my clients need. It helps me move faster, avoid guesswork, and keep everything looking professional from feed to ad to story.

This guide pulls all of that together—current specs, practical tips, ad dimensions, and tools I use to make the process smoother. I’ve worked with dozens of brands on organic and paid social strategy, and image sizing is one of the first things I coach teams to get right.

Table of Contents

• Why You Should Care About Social Media Image Sizes
• Social Media Image Sizes At-a-Glance
• Social Media Image Sizes by Platform
• Image Sizes for Paid Social Ads
• Tools and Templates for Social Media Assets
• Tips for Better Image Optimization
• Why Image Sizing Is Worth the Effort
• FAQs

Why You Should Care About Social Media Image Sizes

I used to treat image sizing like an afterthought. If the content were strong, the image would carry it, right? But after managing dozens of campaigns and cleaning up more than a few formatting issues, I’ve learned it plays a much bigger role in performance than I expected.

Here’s what I pay attention to now.

Engagement depends on visual quality.

I’ve tested posts with the exact same copy and design, but different image sizes, and the difference in click-through rate was impossible to ignore. One version looked sharp and well-fitted; the other was awkwardly cropped and lost a chunk of the message.

That drop in performance was hard to ignore—and I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

According to HubSpot’s 2025 Global Social Media Trends report, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are the top platforms for both engagement and lead quality, and every one of them is powered by visuals. If your images are misaligned, off-brand, or low-res, you’re missing opportunities before your audience even reads the caption.

Ads get rejected or underperform.

One of the first paid campaigns I ran through Meta was rejected for something I didn’t catch: an image that didn’t meet their minimum width requirement. No warning, no adjustment — just silence. I didn’t even realize it hadn’t run until I checked the analytics a few days later.

LinkedIn can be just as strict. I’ve seen image ads quietly throttle their reach because the size wasn’t quite right, or the aspect ratio threw off the preview. If you’ve ever watched a high-performing campaign stall for no apparent reason, image formatting is one of the first things to check.

Your brand looks inconsistent.

Cropped-off logos. Misaligned visuals. Graphics that look perfectly fine on desktop but fall apart on mobile. I’ve been there and so have your customers.

Those inconsistencies add up. They make your brand feel disjointed, even if the message is right. After I started using platform-specific dimensions, our visuals finally felt consistent on every screen. No missing margins. No off-brand templates. Just clean, reliable content that felt intentional across every channel.

And that matters, because visuals are often the first impression your audience gets.

Learn more about what grabs people’s attention on social media with our guide on the most effective types of content on social media.

Social Media Image Sizes At-a-Glance

Social Media Image Sizes by Platform

I used to try to get away with a one-size-fits-all approach. I’d design once, resize for two or three channels, and call it a day. That never worked out the way I hoped.

Every platform handles visuals differently — some crop aggressively, some downscale uploads, and others prioritize entirely different aspect ratios. Now I work from a detailed spec sheet and build everything with those dimensions in mind.

Here’s the breakdown I keep bookmarked.

Facebook Image Sizes

• Profile: 320 x 320 px
• Cover: 851 x 315 px
• Feed post: 1080 x 1350 px
• Stories: 1080 x 1920 px
• Ad formats:

• Feed: 1080 x 1080 px
• Link ad: 1200 x 628 px
• Story ad: 1440 x 2560 px

• Link preview: 1200 x 630 px

I’ve seen the most issues here with cover photos — what looks good on desktop can get oddly cropped on mobile. When in doubt, center your focal point and keep important details away from the edges.

For more tips on optimizing your Facebook visuals, check out our guide to Facebook marketing or explore HubSpot's Facebook ad best practices.

Instagram Image Sizes

• Profile: 320 x 320 px
• Square post: 1080 x 1080 px
• Portrait: 1080 x 1350 px
• Landscape: 1080 x 566 px
• Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px
• Grid thumbnail: 161 x 161 px
• Reels cover: 420 x 654 px
• Ad formats: same dimensions as organic posts

For Instagram, I focus on the vertical format since most of the feed is optimized for visuals that are 4:5 or taller. Square still works, but portrait images tend to perform better in terms of reach and engagement.

If Instagram is a major channel for your team, HubSpot’s free Instagram template can help you build a cohesive grid and maintain consistent brand visuals.

Twitter (X) Image Sizes

• Profile: 400 x 400 px
• Header: 1500 x 500 px
• Feed post:

• Landscape: 1600 x 900 px
• Portrait: 1080 x 1350 px

• Link preview: 1200 x 630 px
• Ad formats:

• Single image: 1200 x 628 px
• Square: 800 x 800 px
• Carousel: 800 x 418 px

I’ve had good luck with landscapes on X, but I’ve recently started testing more portrait crops. The mobile preview space has shifted, and portrait images get more screen real estate when done correctly.

TikTok Image Sizes

• Profile: 200 x 200 px
• Feed, Stories, Carousel: 1080 x 1920 px
• Ad options:

• Vertical (min): 540 x 960 px
• Carousel: 1200 x 628 px (landscape)

Most visuals here are full screen, so I treat TikTok like a vertical-first platform. Even the ads need to match that format to avoid awkward black bars.

LinkedIn Image Sizes

• Profile: 400 x 400 px
• Cover images:

• Personal: 1584 x 396 px
• Company: 1128 x 191 px

• Feed post: 1200 x 627 px
• Life tab:

• Hero: 1128 x 376 px
• Gallery: 900 x 600 px

• Ad specs:

• Carousel: 1080 x 1080 px
• Sponsored content: 1200 x 627 px

For LinkedIn, brand polish matters. I double-check everything — especially on company pages — because even slight misalignment stands out in a professional feed.

To go deeper on optimizing LinkedIn for lead gen or brand building, I recommend HubSpot’s LinkedIn publishing tips and post creation workflows.

Pinterest Image Sizes

• Profile: 165 x 165 px
• Cover: 800 x 450 px
• Standard pin: 1000 x 1500 px (2:3 aspect ratio)
• Carousel or ad: 1000 x 1000 or 1000 x 1500 px
• Story pins: 1080 x 1920 px

Pinterest leans heavily into vertical. If I stick to 2:3 for pins, I avoid any awkward auto-cropping, especially in the mobile feed.

Pinterest can drive a surprising amount of referral traffic if images are done right. This HubSpot overview on image best practices helped shape how I think about vertical visuals across platforms, not just on Pinterest.

YouTube Image Sizes

• Profile: 800 x 800 px
• Banner: 2560 x 1440 px

• Safe zone: center content within 1546 x 423 px

• Thumbnail: 1280 x 720 px
• Podcast thumbnail: 1280 x 1280 px

YouTube’s banner size can be tricky. What looks good on a desktop might get cropped on a TV or mobile device. I test previews on all devices before finalizing.

Threads Image Sizes

• Profile: 320 x 320 px
• Feed post: 1440 x 1920 px
• Link preview: 1200 x 600 px
• Carousel: up to 20 images

Threads content is often cross-posted from Instagram, so I use the same image dimensions and safe zone rules. Portrait orientation tends to display best.

Snapchat Image Sizes

• Profile: 320 x 320 px
• Geofilter: 1080 x 1920 px
• Ads: 1080 x 1920 px
• Banner: 375 x 278 px

With Snapchat, everything is built for the phone screen. I keep designs simple, vertical, and clutter-free near the top and bottom edges.

Google Business Profile Image Sizes

• Logo: 720 x 720 px
• Profile: between 250 and 750 x 750 px
• Cover: 1024 x 576 px
• Video: 1280 x 720 px (max 30 seconds, 75 MB file size)

These visuals appear across Maps, Search, and business listings, so I treat them like front-door signage — clean, high-resolution, and brand-aligned.

Bluesky Image Sizes

• Profile: 400 x 400 px
• Banner: 1500 x 500 px
• Feed image: 1200 x 627 px
• Post image: 1080 x 1080 or 627 x 1200 px

The platform allows some flexibility, but sticking with standard aspect ratios (1:1 or 4:5) keeps things crisp across different screens.

Tumblr Image Sizes

• Profile: 128 x 128 px
• Banner: 3000 x 1055 px
• Post image: 500 x 750 px
• Ads: 1280 x 1920 px

Tumblr still favors vertical imagery and posts that are graphic-forward. I’ve seen stronger results when visuals are kept light on text and optimized for mobile scrolling. It’s worth testing vertical formats here—even legacy platforms have loyal communities.

Image Sizes for Paid Social Ads

Ad specs can be slightly different from organic posts, even when they appear similar in the feed. I’ve learned to double-check image dimensions before launching any campaign. It helps avoid rejections, scaling issues, and blurry visuals that eat into performance.

Here’s what I keep on hand when building creative for paid social.

Facebook and Instagram (Meta)

Common ad formats:

• Feed: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)
• Link ads: 1200 x 628 px (1.91:1)
• Stories and Reels: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
• Carousel: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)

Specs to keep in mind:

• Max file size: 30 MB
• Accepted formats: JPG or PNG
• Safe zone for stories: Avoid placing key content in the top 250 px and bottom 340 px
• Facebook recommends leaving 14% padding on top and 20% on the bottom for Stories/Reels

Twitter (X)

Common ad formats:

• Single image: 1200 x 628 px (1.91:1)
• Square: 800 x 800 px (1:1)
• Carousel: 800 x 418 px (1.91:1) or 800 x 800 px (1:1)

Specs to keep in mind:

• Max file size: 5 MB (images) or 15 MB (GIFs on desktop)
• Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, GIF
• Recommended to avoid placing text too close to the edges—cropping can vary across mobile and web

LinkedIn

Common ad formats:

• Sponsored content: 1200 x 627 px (1.91:1)
• Carousel ads: 1080 x 1080 px (1:1)
• Vertical ads (mobile): 720 x 900 px (4:5)

Specs to keep in mind:

• Max file size: 5 MB
• Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, non-animated GIF
• Minimum width: 200 px
• LinkedIn crops images differently on mobile vs. desktop, so center key visuals and copy

TikTok

Common ad formats:

• Full-screen in-feed video: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
• Carousel: 1200 x 628 px (landscape), 640 x 640 px (square)

Specs to keep in mind:

• Min image size: 540 x 960 px
• Max file size: 500 KB (images), 500 MB (video)
• Format: JPG, PNG for images
• Safe zones: Leave ~150 px padding at the top and bottom to avoid UI overlays

Pinterest

Common ad formats:

• Standard Pin: 1000 x 1500 px (2:3)
• Carousel: 1000 x 1000 px or 1000 x 1500 px
• Shopping ad: Same specs as standard pins

Specs to keep in mind:

• Max file size: 20 MB
• Accepted formats: JPG, PNG
• Avoid placing text near the top 270 px or bottom 790 px—those areas often get cropped in-feed
• Pins taller than 2:3 may be downranked in the algorithm

YouTube

Common ad formats:

• Thumbnail: 1280 x 720 px (16:9)
• Companion banner (desktop-only): 300 x 60 px
• In-video overlay: 480 x 70 px

Specs to keep in mind:

• Max file size: 2 MB (thumbnails)
• Format: JPG, PNG, GIF
• YouTube recommends keeping thumbnails under 2 MB with minimal text
• Keep subject centered—cropping can vary by screen size and device

Here’s a quick guide from HubSpot on image requirements for social posts.

Tools and Templates for Social Media Assets

I’ve used everything from Photoshop to Paint in a pinch, but over time, I’ve built a go-to stack of tools that simplify sizing, designing, and reformatting social media graphics. These are the tools I return to again and again, especially when I need to resize or reformat social media asset sizes quickly and consistently.

Canva

If I’m building something from scratch or need a quick resize, Canva is the first place I go. Their templates are already optimized by platform, and the drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to maintain brand consistency. I especially like the ability to create custom folders for each client or campaign.

• Built-in templates for feed posts, stories, ads, banners, and more
• Resize tool for reformatting one design across platforms
• Free and Pro versions available

Pixlr

When I need to clean up an image or crop something quickly, I use Pixlr. It’s a lightweight browser-based tool with just enough photo editing features to get the job done, without feeling overwhelming.

• Good for fast edits, crops, or overlays
• Supports layering, transparency, and filters
• Free to use, with advanced features behind a paywall

Adobe Express

Adobe Express is great when I need more design flexibility without jumping into Photoshop. It’s fast, web-based, and comes with a growing collection of pre-sized templates for all major platforms.

• Ideal for branded campaigns or content that needs polish
• Easy-to-use animation and video features
• Supports JPG, PNG, and transparent backgrounds

Adobe Express also makes it easy to format videos for different platforms, which is becoming more important as social feeds lean more heavily into short-form video. If you're keeping an eye on where video is headed this year, HubSpot’s Social Media Video Trends report offers a helpful look at what’s performing and why.

Hubspot Social Media Templates

For consistent branding across platforms, I rely on HubSpot’s free social media image templates. These are especially useful when I’m onboarding a new brand or reworking a content calendar, and they’ve saved me hours when resizing social media assets across channels.

• Includes editable templates for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest
• Sized to match current platform requirements
• Compatible with Canva and other design tools

If you‘re using HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, you can also manage and publish directly through the Social Inbox tool, which helps keep content and image assets organized in one place.

Tips for Better Image Optimization

Sizing your images correctly is a great start, but fully optimizing them requires a few extra steps. These are the tactics I now use as a default when prepping social media visuals.

• Mobile-first design: Most engagement happens on phones. I always test how visuals look in mobile previews and adjust spacing, font sizes, and placement accordingly.

Pro tip: I test every image in preview mode across desktop and mobile before publishing. It takes 30 seconds, and it’s caught more issues than I can count.

• Safe zones matter: For stories, reels, and ads, I leave room at the top and bottom — usually around 250 to 340 pixels — to ensure that buttons, logos, or UI overlays don’t cover up anything important.
• Use JPG for photos, PNG for logos: I stick to JPGs for photos because they are lighter and load faster. For logos, icons, or any design element with transparency, PNGs keep things sharp and clean.
• Stay consistent across platforms: Even when the specs change, the brand elements don’t. I use the same color palette, typography, and layout structure to build recognition, regardless of where the image appears. I follow the same approach for website visuals, too, keeping image sizes consistent so everything loads cleanly and looks sharp across touchpoints. This article on website image sizes is one I come back to often.
• Review AI-generated images manually: Tools like Adobe Firefly or Canva’s AI helpers can speed up production, but I always review outputs carefully. They occasionally miss brand guidelines or crop things in weird ways. AI is great for drafts, but polish still matters.

And authenticity is what wins. In fact, 76% of marketers say their most relatable, lightly produced content performs better than polished campaigns, which means your visuals don’t have to be fancy, just correctly sized and true to your brand.

Why Image Sizing Is Worth the Effort

It took a few campaigns — and more than a few resizing regrets — before I understood just how much image sizing impacts performance. Once I started tailoring visuals to each platform’s specs and aligning them with correct social media asset sizes, I noticed sharper images, stronger engagement, and far fewer issues with paid ads.

One campaign still comes to mind. We were promoting a product launch and created a single image to use across every channel. On the desktop, it looked great. But on mobile, our CTA was cropped. After swapping in a properly sized portrait version, click-throughs jumped 27% overnight.

The fix was easy. The results weren’t something we could have achieved with guesswork.

And we’re not the only ones shifting focus. Nearly two-thirds of marketers now prioritize quality over quantity, which means that every image needs to do its job. Getting the size right is one of the easiest ways to ensure it does.

It’s a small step that makes a big difference. And once you work it into your process, it’s hard to imagine going back.

Want to skip the guesswork and size your social media images right the first time? Download our free image template pack to create platform-ready assets in minutes.

FAQs

Have questions? Here are a few of the most common ones I hear from teams trying to get their images right the first time.

What size should social media images be?

Social media image sizes vary by platform, but the most commonly used dimensions are 1080 x 1080 pixels for square posts, 1080 x 1350 for portrait posts, and 1080 x 1920 for stories or full-screen vertical content.

What’s the best aspect ratio for social media?

The best aspect ratios are 1:1 for square feed posts, 4:5 for portrait images, and 9:16 for stories, reels, and other vertical formats.

Should I use JPG or PNG for social posts?

Use JPG for photos and full-image backgrounds because they load faster. Use PNG for graphics, logos, or images that need transparency or sharper lines.

What happens if I upload the wrong size?

If your image is the wrong size, it may be cropped, compressed, or rejected by the platform. This can make your post look unprofessional and negatively impact performance. That’s why I always test image previews before publishing.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in March 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

10 Jun 2025, 11:00 am

The state of inclusive marketing in 2025 [new data + expert insight] 

Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success.

The Unstereotype Alliance studied 300+ global brands and found that those who create inclusive advertisements brought in 5% higher short-term sales and 16% higher long-term sales, as well as a 62% higher likelihood of a brand being a customer's first choice.

The study results tell me that inclusive marketing resonates with consumers. It shows them that marketers understand their needs, how to meet them and care about their experiences. It's also clearly good for business.

Despite this, inclusive marketing isn't a commonplace practice. So, for this piece, I surveyed 100+ marketing and advertising professionals about whether they practice inclusive marketing and how they implement it and got tips from inclusivity experts on how businesses can create an effective inclusive marketing strategy.

Table of Contents

• State of Inclusive Marketing in 2025

• Goals, Benefits, & Impact of Inclusive Marketing

• How Companies Are Practicing Inclusive Marketing
• Challenges and Barriers of Inclusive Marketing
• Inclusive Marketing Best Practices [Expert Tips]
• The Future of Inclusive Marketing

What inspired me to conduct this research?

Inclusive marketing recognizes consumers' different identities (like race or disability status) and lived experiences and serves and represents those differences in marketing content.

I think it's important because of the goal of marketing: attract an audience to what you offer and convince them to make a purchase. You want people of different backgrounds to come across your content and say, "This brand sees me for who I am, and I understand how it will meet my specific needs." If people can't find that connection, they'll move to a brand that does.

Consumers themselves say this: diversity and inclusion (or lack of it) influence their purchasing decisions.

Demand is clearly there, but as I mentioned above, not all brands are making space for inclusivity in their marketing strategies, and I wanted to know why. I was also curious how those investing in it are practicing it to get a sense of where there might be space for improvement.

So, I surveyed marketers, asked them exactly that, and compiled the results into this inclusive marketing report.

My colleague Jeanie Thompson, associate marketing manager, had conversations with two inclusive marketing experts, Danisha Lomax, executive VP of client inclusivity & impact at Digitas, and Nandi Howard, associate marketing manager (brand equity) at Ulta Beauty, to get their takes on the survey results and advice on how brands can implement inclusive marketing meaningfully and intentionally.

State of Inclusive Marketing in 2025

I’ll start by exploring the current state of inclusive marketing, including how businesses practice it and find success.

63% of marketers told me their primary place of employment invests in inclusive marketing. 37% say there isn’t investment or they’re unsure if there is.

I was curious about the extent to which inclusivity is embedded into the strategies of those who use it, and a majority said that there are “some” inclusive elements. Just 42% say inclusivity is central to their marketing and communications.

To dive deeper into current inclusive marketing trends, I recommend reading this piece by Sonia Thompson, an inclusive marketing expert, strategist, and consultant.

How do marketers feel about inclusive marketing?

Regardless of company stance, marketers as individuals overwhelmingly find inclusive marketing to be essential:

• 8 in 10 agree that it’s important for diverse communities to be visible in advertisements,
• More than two-thirds think more positively of and are more likely to purchase from companies that include underrepresented groups in their marketing.

For every marketer who thinks current diversity efforts are adequate, ten believe the advertising/marketing industry can still do more to support diverse and underrepresented communities.

I think this belief among marketers is important: even if there isn’t full buy-in where they work, there are still people in the room who can speak up about its importance.

Goals, Benefits, & Impact of Inclusive Marketing

Marketers whose companies invest in inclusive marketing say their top goal is appealing to a broader audience/expanding their audience. They also want to create content that existing audience groups resonate with, which makes sense: you want your audience satisfied, and they’re more likely to be satisfied by relatable content.

When it comes to who benefits from inclusive marketing, respondents say that everyone, not just companies that practice it or consumers within underrepresented groups, benefits. Only 6% think that inclusive marketing only benefits the select group of people it’s for.

I asked respondents to give examples of how their companies have benefited from inclusive marketing, and picked some of the most common themes:

• Increased customer loyalty because consumers build connections with brands that value them: “We have seen higher retention in new customer base and an increase in positive feedback from sales reps that deal directly with consumers.
• Increased revenue because inclusive marketing speaks to a broader audience segment: “[Inclusive marketing] allows us to get more sales from everyone because more people feel like our brand reaches them too.”
• Consumers nowadays value inclusivity more than ever, so brands that do it authentically benefit from “enhanced image and reputation.”
• Consumers are more likely to interact with content and brands they connect with, which brings “increased customer involvement.”

Are marketers finding success with inclusive marketing?

Despite high investments, most respondents describe their inclusive marketing efforts as somewhat successful (61%).

As I mentioned above, my teammate Jeanie Thompson spoke to two inclusive marketing experts (Danisha Lomax and Nandi Howard) to get their thoughts on the data.

She asked Lomax what might distinguish brands that succeed with inclusive marketing from those that don’t. She theorizes that it’s because they’re using the same metrics to grade inclusive vs. non-inclusive efforts, when the measurement process should be different: “What makes a campaign successful is hearing back from the community; hearing them say, ‘Yes, you did this right,’... or ‘I love the way you told a super intersectional story that more people need to see,’ so I think those things — the intangibles — are and should be part of the success.”

This makes sense to me: she’s not saying that KPIs like CTR and sales don’t matter, just that other factors might give a more comprehensive picture of how your inclusive campaigns make your diverse audience groups feel.

“Brands will always want to see moving products and sales — that’s what we are trained to do. So, I think we need to start thinking about the kind of intangibles around doing inclusive marketing and how that future-proofs a brand to be remembered, to be in the psyche of people,” Lomax adds.

Does inclusive marketing impact business success?

I’m not surprised that most respondents say inclusive marketing only has a medium impact on overall business success.

I dive deeper into strategy later on, but most companies invest in inclusivity in a piecemeal fashion (like one-time cultural awareness campaigns), which are less likely to draw in the numbers that regular campaigns get. Basically, fewer inclusive marketing campaigns, less impact on business success.

Howard says the brands that get a positive business impact are consistent: “It’s the brands that show they’re inclusive year-round versus during a key DE&I movement. When you see brands that weave inclusivity into the DNA of everything they do, it will always show up more authentically.”

How Companies Are Practicing Inclusive Marketing

Now we know that companies are investing in inclusive marketing, but how exactly is it implemented?

Primarily visually, through inclusive images that portray multicultural representation. This is followed by accessible web design (like alt text for images), inclusive language, and awareness month campaigns (like Black History Month).

Incorporating inclusivity in a fragmented fashion (using inclusive imagery vs. an overall inclusive strategy) and focusing on calendar-based events tells me that businesses primarily hit surface-level representation over an always-on strategy.

The implementation pattern is what Lomax calls a “checkbox approach” to inclusivity: “Image diversity is great, but I often see that it’s used in a bit of a checkbox way so people won’t get called out. But what is the storytelling that surrounds the imagery? I think that’s where brands need to be looking…How can I tell a story that includes [diverse groups] but also includes me as a brand solving a problem that they have a need for.”

I think the disconnect is that businesses might not know how inclusivity fits into general marketing campaigns. Here’s what I mean: it’s easy to understand what is involved in a Pride Month campaign. The imagery and messaging to use are pretty clear. However, if you’re used to marketing for cultural moments like that, I can see why it would be hard to figure out how your typical approach to inclusive marketing applies to every campaign you run.

Language inclusivity being less common tells me that messaging might not always align with the visuals marketers create. Take KFC, for example. In 2023, it ran a campaign that played off of its “Finger lickin’ good” slogan (pictured below).

Source

“Sorry utensils, it’s finger lickin’ good” is a perfectly mundane copywriting, but the campaign drew near immediate backlash online because of the imagery. Billboards featured Black people eating KFC, but in a way that (likely unintentionally, but intent still matters) played into a racist stereotype that dates back to the early 1900s about Black people loving fried chicken.

The stereotype was often featured in caricatured advertisements (one is pictured below) and minstrel shows, where White actors would paint their faces Black and exaggeratedly eat fried chicken to push the idea that Black people were uncivilized.

Source

In KFC’s case, imagery didn’t align with messaging, which was simply that KFC is so good that people can’t help but lick their fingers after it’s gone, not a reinforcement of the stereotype.

Challenges and Barriers of Inclusive Marketing

Marketers whose primary place of employment doesn’t practice inclusive marketing are unsure what’s stopping them from implementing it. A limited budget is the #2 reason for not investing, followed by a lack of knowledge/expertise about implementing it.

Regarding budget constraints, Howard says there’s another side to that coin: inclusive marketing brings in money. She says, “DE&I will always drive dollars…the more diverse your marketing is to different demographics, the higher the chance you’re going to bring in more money.” Why? You’re appealing to multiple demographics.

Challenges at Companies That Invest

Marketers working at companies that invest in inclusive marketing say budget limitations are the number one challenge. 33% struggle to ensure content appears in brand-safe environments, and 28% worry about resistance and blowback from customers and the general public.

Lomax says that she’s dealt with budget constraints, but it shouldn’t be a bookend to practicing inclusive marketing or not: “Budget pulls and cuts happen all the time in our industry…While you may have to pull budget back to ensure that you’re meeting your sales goals numbers, it doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to pull budget back from those particular campaigns and communities. I would challenge brands to think about other long-term ways to preserve those marketing dollars.”

An example that comes to mind for preserving marketing dollars is a simple change of focus with influencer marketing. If your budget is lacking but you already invest in influencers, update your strategy to ensure you team up with influencers from various communities. They’ll share content with their followers (who likely share the same interests and experiences), exposing them to your brand and vouching for your offer as something that serves people like them.

If you’re worried about blowback or resistance, Lomax also has some thoughts (and a CTA): “I think [fear of backlash] is a bit of a cop-out. I think what people are saying these days, directly to brands, is that they want to know where [brands] sit in the inclusive space. I think if people are asking for that, then it is on the brand to show and tell.”

“There are so many experts…so many communities who are saying ‘This is what we want in order to spend our dollars with you,’ and so I think that if brands are letting fear get in the way…that is a little lazy,” she adds.

Inclusive Marketing Best Practices [Expert Tips]

So far, we’ve learned that brands recognize the importance of inclusivity in marketing. Still, it’s adopted in fragmented ways with more visual representation instead of full-on inclusivity in every aspect of marketing.

Marketers, even those whose primary place of employment doesn’t practice inclusive marketing, agree that businesses can do more to support diverse/underrepresented communities in their marketing and advertising.

That said, how can companies do that? Let’s dive into what Howard and Lomax recommend.

1. Leverage insights into your community.

“I think people sometimes give themselves more credit in knowing [a] certain community and don’t realize how often they’re leaning on biases or stereotypes when trying to market to diverse demographics,” says Howard.

Her recommendation? Talk to your consumer insights team (or whoever monitors marketing data): “Pull the numbers and see what actually performs well [with the community you’re trying to reach]...We work in lock-step with our consumer insights team whenever we do anything diversity-related because you need their insights to inform your strategy.”

I like this tip because data will tell you exactly what resonates with the communities you want to reach and represent. As I mentioned, going beyond marketing for cultural moments (like Women’s History Month) is essential, so digging into data gives you insights to inform your campaigns.

Howard shared an anecdote of what this looks like in practice for her: “We’ll look at consumer behaviors, like how [customers] like to shop in the retail industry…When I was studying LGBTQ+ consumers, there [is] a lot around found family. So, if you’re positioning something for them [but] use the stereotypical type of family, how can you make that experience feel familiar to them?”

Other strategies I recommend include:

• Analyzing performance data segmented by audience demographic,
• Organizing focus groups with diverse segments,
• Using social listening to understand community concerns and preferences,
• Testing campaigns with representative audience members before launch.

2. Build inclusive marketing teams (and don’t do it “just because”).

A great way to ensure strategies are (and stay) inclusive? Have people in the room with different perspectives and lived experiences to draw from. A diverse team can also provide insight if they find something insensitive.

However, it is important to be mindful of tokenization. If you’re responsible for hiring and building a team, including someone in conversations just because they’re of a specific identity can make them feel like their identities are being taken advantage of to ensure diversity in the room.

“Long story short, it’s not enough to just bring people in…it’s great for [underrepresented groups] to be in the room, but if you’re not hearing or not open to these different perspectives, then it’s a waste of space, in my opinion,” says Howard.

To me, this means making sure everyone in the room has a chance to speak and is genuinely listened to when they do. If someone says an idea feels offensive, it should be a welcomed perspective discussed among the team.

Consumers themselves even believe that internal structural changes can contribute to overall genuine inclusivity: a majority reported that the best way for brands to demonstrate authenticity during Black History Month is by addressing diversity & inclusion within their companies.

Strategies I recommend include:

• Ensuring diverse representation at all levels of marketing teams,
• Creating safe spaces for honest feedback on campaign concepts,
• Inclusive marketing training for all team members.

3. Establish clear frameworks.

11% of respondents didn’t know if their company invests in inclusive marketing, and 49% say inclusivity is only partially implemented. An opportunity for improvement here lies in creating clear frameworks and training for teams (think internal workshops or content guidelines) on authentically incorporating inclusivity throughout all stages of the marketing process.

Clear frameworks can include:

• Written guidelines for inclusive marketing implementation,
• Checklists for campaign development and review,
• Regular training on inclusive marketing principles,
• Explicit processes for raising and addressing concerns.

Howard says there’s no shame in getting external help: “I think if you’re working for a company that doesn’t have the capacity or the skill set, find an external agency…there are agencies out there that specialize in things like that.”

In other words, if you want to do inclusive marketing right but don’t know where to start, begin by outsourcing folks who can guide you into making the right decisions.

4. Embed inclusivity into year-round marketing campaigns.

With 26% of respondents running multicultural campaigns but 36% participating in awareness months, brands risk appearing opportunistic if their efforts to be inclusive are only calendar-based (like Pride Month).

Instead, I recommend finding ways to embed inclusivity into year-round marketing campaigns. Feature diverse voices in content, integrate cultural perspectives, and ensure inclusivity isn’t just a temporary theme.

Lomax says, “Systematizing the way inclusion shows up in every part of your business and every part of your capabilities, from research all the way to measurement, is how you make [inclusive practices] consistent.”

She says that when this happens, inclusivity becomes part of the team's regular thought processes and “Part of how they do the work they know they need to be doing…it’s not easy, but it’s how you make it a best practice.”

5. Use inclusivity as a differentiator, not a quota.

Many companies are incorporating inclusivity in a checkbox fashion and following broad trends.

For example, inclusive imagery is the most popular investment in inclusive marketing. However, just 36% incorporate inclusive language, which I think poses a potential gap for audiences: they see themselves represented visually, but the messaging might not speak to them in the same way.

The opportunity here lies in using inclusivity as a differentiator that truly sets you apart and speaks to more people. For example, you can refine your brand voice to ensure language is welcoming, gender-neutral, and culturally respectful. This can be a major differentiator if you’re doing this, but direct competitors aren’t.

You can also track and report on inclusivity efforts to leadership, publish insights, create transparency reports, and demonstrate a genuine commitment beyond aesthetics.

Key alignment strategies include:

• Developing inclusive language guidelines to complement visual representation,
• Ensuring messaging speaks authentically to diverse experiences,
• Considering historical and cultural context when combining imagery and copy,
• Reviewing campaigns holistically to identify potential disconnects.

6. Don’t forget to center the communities you’re trying to reach.

“The first thing I think about when I think about more authentic, inclusive marketing is, how can a brand that hasn’t yet made direct connections with a community make those connections?” says Lomax. “Ultimately, I think authenticity starts with [asking one question]: are you listening to what the community’s needs are and do you have a solution that can help them?”

If you want your efforts to resonate, the communities you want to reach must be central to any actions you take. It's hard to create content that truly speaks to them without sincerely understanding who they are and what is important to them.

Buyer persona research is a tried and true way to learn more about your customer, and Howard recommends talking to the communities you want to attract.

“Talk to that community. I think brands feel so much of an onus when it comes to building out a strategy…But I don’t think we have to come up with answers. Sometimes, you can just ask that community, ‘what do you want?’” says Howard. “Go online. People will tell you what they want, especially in this current market, which I love.”

Implementation strategies include:

• Building ongoing relationships with diverse communities,
• Creating feedback channels for customers to share their thoughts,
• Addressing community concerns promptly if issues arise.

The Future of Inclusive Marketing

Nearly 90% of marketers think accessibility and inclusivity will be very important in shaping the future of marketing. Regardless of adoption rates, more than 90% of respondents believe digital inclusion is important.

Most marketers also say that they’ve noticed a shift in consumer demand for inclusive marketing, and I have faith that this shift will lead to increased adoption of inclusive marketing in the future.

If you’re a brand looking to increase its efforts, the expert-backed tips I included are a great place to start.

“I want [marketers] to take a very human approach to understanding people and making sure that the values that a brand has match the values that a community is saying they want. If you do that every day, you won’t have to worry about just showing up at Pride and rainbow-washing,” says Lomax.

I fully agree with her: companies that go beyond surface-level inclusivity and truly embed it into their marketing DNA will stand out from the crowd, and diverse communities can come to recognize you as a brand that acknowledges their experiences and meets their needs.

The most significant opportunity with inclusive marketing is making inclusivity a strategic advantage, rather than just a branding move. You draw on a broader audience base, build deeper connections, and inspire loyalty.

So what will you do? And how will you make your inclusive marketing count going forward?