Marketing Against The Grain

Hubspot Media

Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Hubspot's SVP of Marketing), lead you down the rabbit hole of marketing trends, growth tactics and innovation. On the way you’ll pick up undiscovered strategies to give you that slight edge for success. These are not your typical twitter thread regurgitated marketing tactics that everyone is doing. These are new methods, with unfiltered examination of successful fresh ideas.

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20 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes20

Newest first

Use AI to never run out of winning content ideas
Weekly AI Content Ideation System: https://clickhubspot.com/rtjed Ep. 440 Are you still stuck regurgitating the same content ideas that everyone else is using? Kieran dives into the secrets behind building a world-class AI content ideation system that delivers fresh, high-impact ideas every time. Learn more on mapping proven content patterns to your platforms, crafting rich audience profiles (that go beyond basic ICPs), and building a personal content queue to keep your creativity flowing—all while making AI your creative superpower, not a shortcut. Mentions Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow https://a.co/d/08By5k2w Claude https://claude.ai/ ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com/ Substack https://substack.com/ Atomic Habits https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
Thursday · 16 min
If Your Team Is Producing AI Slop, Here's How To Fix it
Anti-AI Slop Checklist: https://clickhubspot.com/olkw Ep. 439 Are you just passing AI-generated slop back and forth at work? Kipp and guest Hilary Gridley (founder of the newsletter Writerbuilder) dive into how teams can escape the AI slop doom loop and leverage artificial intelligence to scale taste, judgment, and high-performance work—not just automate mediocrity. Learn more on the crucial role of clarity and context in AI-powered teams, why leaders must redefine what “good” looks like, and practical tools to set quality bars, create feedback loops, and eliminate sloppy outputs from your team’s workflow. Mentions Hilary Gridley https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilarygridley Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow https://a.co/d/08By5k2w Writerbuilder https://hils.substack.com/p/writing-is-building-now Maven https://maven.com/hilary-gridley/ai-powered-people-management Whoop https://www.whoop.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
Tuesday · 42 min
How to Automate ALL of your Marketing w/ Claude Cowork
Free guide + skill: build social carousels in claude cowork: https://clickhubspot.com/dkhc Ep. 438 How do you differentiate your marketing when everyone else is using the same AI tools? Kipp and Kieran dive into building next-level marketing systems with AI that actually set you apart, featuring digital growth consultant and educator Grace Leung. Discover why context is king in AI marketing, how to build simple but powerful systems that scale, and the secret to making your brand voice and strategy shine through every asset. Learn more on designing reusable AI workflows, structuring context-rich file systems, and maximizing team collaboration while building a future-proof marketing stack. Mentions Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow https://a.co/d/08By5k2w Grace Leung https://www.youtube.com/@graceleungyl Claude Cowork https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com/ Codex https://openai.com/codex/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 23 · 26 min
Side Hustle King: 3 High Demand AI Businesses I'd Start TODAY
200+ Business Ideas: https://clickhubspot.com/wrdj Ep. 437 How do you find business ideas before they go viral—and turn them into real income? Kipp, Kieran, and guest Chris Koerner (entrepreneur and host of The Koerner Office Podcast) dive into the unique mindsets, strategies, and tactics needed to spot opportunities before they explode and build successful businesses from them. Learn more on how to pattern match hidden opportunities, leverage AI to scale new service models, and uncover overlooked markets that are ripe for innovation. Mentions Chris Koerner https://www.chrisjkoerner.com/ The Koerner Office https://www.youtube.com/@thekoerneroffice Buc-ees https://buc-ees.com/ Shopify https://www.shopify.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ LoopNet https://www.loopnet.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 21 · 39 min
If You Use AI for Work, You Need a Second Brain
Build Your AI Second Brain: https://clickhubspot.com/ldwc Ep. 436 The number one trend in AI right now is the rise of AI second brains—personal operating systems designed to accelerate careers and make work smarter, not harder. Kieran dives into how building your own AI second brain can transform personal productivity, decision-making, and the way you learn. Learn more on how AI second brains store and retrieve knowledge, the core building blocks for setting one up, and why continuous information ingestion helps your personal system compound intelligence over time. Mentions Andrej Karpathy https://karpathy.ai/ Obsidian https://obsidian.md/ Tiago Forte https://www.youtube.com/@TiagoForte Notion https://www.notion.com/ Brian Halligan https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhalligan Claude https://claude.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 16 · 21 min
If You're A Marketer, Copy These Codex Skills (Or Stay Behind)
Free Claude + Codex Skill-Building Starter Pack: https://clickhubspot.com/clzf Ep. 435 Are you just asking AI questions, or are you actually building repeatable skills? Kipp and guest Riley Brown (content creator and AI educator) dive into how to level up your content game and marketing efficiency by strategically creating and collaborating with AI agents. Learn more on why documenting your weekly workflows is a game changer, how to turn AI experiments into scalable skills, and what the frontier of agent-powered team collaboration looks like in platforms like Codex and Slack. Mentions Riley Brown https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMcoud_ZW7cfxeIugBflSBw Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637636105?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VPTVJUW097F1PLSGOQTH&bestFormat=true Claude https://claude.ai/ Anthropic https://www.anthropic.com/ SupaData https://supadata.ai/ Notion https://www.notion.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 14 · 32 min
How 1 Human + AI Replaced a 15-Person RevOps Team
Free GTM Prompt Pack for Perplexity Computer: https://clickhubspot.com/gbvs Ep. 434 Can one RevOps leader and a team of AI agents really replace a 10-15 person operations team? Kieran and guest Nate Follen (Head of strategy and Ops for Perplexity) dive into the real-world impact of Perplexity on modern go-to-market and RevOps workflows. Learn more on automating tedious CRM audits, building thoughtful event workflows with AI-powered model councils, and creating a scalable skills library for proactive, agent-driven teams. Mentions Nate Follen https://www.linkedin.com/in/follen Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ Ramp https://ramp.com/ Ironclad https://ironcladapp.com/ Apollo https://www.apollo.io/ Nvidia https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ Gemini https://gemini.google.com/app Claude https://claude.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 8 · 27 min
Build An Army Of AI Employees To Run Your Business (With Hermes AI)
Build Your First AI Employee (Free Workflow + Prompt): https://clickhubspot.com/rkvr Ep. 433 What if you could have an AI employee working right alongside you, automating key business workflows? Kieran and guest Nick Vasilescu (Co-founder of Orgo) dive into how agents are the next big form of business leverage. Learn more on what it actually takes to get a functional AI agent up and running, how new connector tools like Composio make integrations simple, and why giving your agent a second brain with an Obsidian Vault is a game-changer for business productivity. Mentions Nick Vasilescu https://www.nickvasilescu.com/ Orgo https://www.orgo.ai/ Hermes Agent https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/ Composio https://composio.dev/ OpenClaw https://openclaw.ai/ GLM 5.2 https://z.ai/blog/glm-5.2 Obsidian https://obsidian.md/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
July 1 · 39 min
How Top 1% Marketers Are Shifting Their Strategy in Q3 2026
The marketing trends that matter this year: https://clickhubspot.com/djsk Ep. 432 AI usage does not mean productivity. Kipp and Kieran dive into the radical changes required to thrive in the AI-driven “Loop Marketing” era, and why outcome-obsession is now the only way to win. Learn more on why marketing has been more disrupted by AI than any other profession, how top teams organize for speed and learning, and nine essential principles behind Loop Marketing that will turbocharge your career and completely reshape how modern marketing teams operate. Mentions Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637636105?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_213Z2Q17JG0WJ0J5JHR1_1&bestFormat=true Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 25 · 21 min
Automate Boring Tasks With Codex & Claude Code in X Minutes
Workflow for building skills with Claude Code & Codex: https://clickhubspot.com/kcta Ep. 431 Should you just use Claude Code and Codex for your main workflows? Kipp, Kieran, and guest Peter Yang (led products and teams at Roblox, Reddit, Amazon (Twitch), and Meta) dive into how marketers can transform their productivity with AI-driven systems, building reusable automations, and evaluating AI output for real impact. Learn more on identifying and documenting your workflows, building and refining AI “skills,” and harnessing powerful evaluation methods (evals) to ensure your automations actually deliver results. Mentions Peter Yang https://www.youtube.com/@peteryangyt Codex https://openai.com/codex/ Claude Code https://claude.com/product/claude-code Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 17 · 27 min
How Beehiiv's Founder Turned a Newsletter Into a $1M Pipeline
Get our AI Newsletter Stack (with prompts): https://clickhubspot.com/weqr Ep 430 55% of buyers of a $10 playbook became paying users for Beehive, driving massive business value. Kipp and Tyler Denk (Co-Founder and CEO of beehiiv) dive into how founder-led content, owned audiences, and strategic digital products can supercharge growth—even without massive scale. Learn more on the power of email as a direct, owned channel, building trust and community through transparency, and why even niche, high-intent audiences can unlock serious monetization and brand loyalty in the creator economy. Mentions Tyler Denk https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-denk beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com/ Morning Brew https://morningbrewinc.com/ Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/ Cloudflare https://www.cloudflare.com/ David Senra https://www.davidsenra.com/ Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow. https://a.co/d/03y0GZHi Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 10 · 26 min
This AI Second Brain Remembers Everything I Save (Codex)
Free Guide to Build Your Personal AI Wiki: https://clickhubspot.com/fcmt Ep. 425 You can create a second brain in 15 minutes and for free. Kipp and Matt Wolfe (Future Tools) dive into how to build your own "second brain" using tools like Obsidian and Codex, so you can finally make use of all the information you’re gathering. Learn more on setting up a personal wiki to organize your knowledge, harnessing AI-powered agents to automate and interlink content, and turning your information hoarding into proactive recommendations and smarter business decisions. Mentions Matt Wolfe https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-wolfe-30841712/ Future Tools https://futuretools.io/ Obsidian https://obsidian.md/ Obsidian Web Clipper https://obsidian.md/clipper Codex https://openai.com/codex/ Claude Code https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview Cursor https://cursor.com/ Andrej Karpathy https://karpathy.ai/ Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/ Notion https://www.notion.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 4 · 30 min
Google is overhauling Search - what you need to know
Audit your AI Search Visibility with our free resource: https://clickhubspot.com/orjh Ep. 428 93% of searches in Google’s new AI mode end without a single click—are your SEO dashboards lying to you? Kipp dives into Google’s biggest search overhaul in 25 years and what it means for marketers and businesses. Learn more on why keyword ranking is dead, how AI-driven search is changing consumer behavior, and the three strategies you need to shift your marketing for the new era of AI-powered search. Mentions Logan Kilpatrick https://x.com/OfficialLoganK Google I/O https://io.google/2026/ ICODA https://icoda.io/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 4 · 20 min
How Dhar Mann Built A 65B View Machine Without Chasing The Algorithm
Ep. 427 Are Dhar Mann videos more therapeutic than talking to friends, family, or even a therapist? Kipp, Kieran, and guest Dhar Mann (founder of Dhar Mann Studios), dive into how brands can unlock explosive growth and deep audience connection. Learn more about what it takes to move hearts and communities through storytelling, how to balance emotional connection versus gaming the platform algorithm, and the step-by-step HEART framework that transforms content into impact. Mentions Dhar Mann https://www.youtube.com/@DharMann What Happens Next - The Dhar Mann Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR9M5Nh-CftZxJZqfcNnIYw/featured Adobe Premiere https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow https://a.co/d/0bliMe9t Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 4 · 42 min
Google Data Analyst Shares Her $300k/year Codex Workflow
Free: Build an AI Data Analysis Agent in Codex https://clickhubspot.com/eqfk Ep. 429 Is AI-powered data analysis light years away from replacing humans? Kipp and guest Sundas Khalid (data science and AI leader) dive into how agentic analytics is transforming data science, what human judgment still brings to the table, and how to master cutting-edge AI tools for your work. Learn more on how to leverage Codex and other AI tools for real-world data analysis, the crucial mindset shifts and skills every data-driven professional needs, and why asking the right questions—and validating AI output—will set you apart in the age of agentic analytics. Mentions Sundas Khalid https://www.youtube.com/sundaskhalid Codex https://openai.com/codex/ Gemini https://gemini.google.com/ Claude https://claude.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
June 3 · 32 min
This Is the End of Chatbots
Get the Voice AI Prompt Pack for Marketers: https://clickhubspot.com/fd5a Ep. 426 AI will give your brand an actual voice. Kipp dives into the hottest trend in AI that not many are talking about—Voice AI—and how it’s set to revolutionize your brand’s customer experience. Learn more on why real-time voice is the new marketing channel you can’t afford to ignore, how foundational advances from OpenAI and Thinking Machines make AI conversations faster and more human than ever, and the steps every marketer should take to define, audit, and upgrade their brand’s voice in the age of AI. Mentions GPT‑Realtime‑2 https://openai.com/index/advancing-voice-intelligence-with-new-models-in-the-api/ Thinking Machines https://thinkingmachines.ai/ Willow Voice https://willowvoice.com/ ElevenLabs https://elevenlabs.io/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
May 14 · 19 min
How Brands Win in ChatGPT Search
Get the Winning AEO Playbook: https://clickhubspot.com/oksd Ep. 424 “I can't go a single second without someone asking me what the heck answer engine optimization is.” Kipp and Kieran have Beeri Amiel (Product at HubSpot and founder of XFunnel) and Aja Frost (Sr. Director of Global Growth and Paid at HubSpot) dive into the launch and demo of HubSpot's brand new AEO tool, built to track your visibility in answer engines and help you win the next evolution of search. Learn more on building your AEO strategy, measuring share of voice and sentiment, and using actionable insights to drive results your boss will love. Mentions Aja Frost https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajafrost/ Beeri Amiel https://www.linkedin.com/in/beeri-amiel/ HubSpot AEO Portal https://clickhubspot.com/aeo Dell https://www.dell.com/en-us HP https://www.hp.com/us-en/home.html Lenovo https://www.lenovo.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
May 7 · 17 min
Use AI for Ideas, Not Content (Here’s How)
Grab our Claude Code Skill to find a unique content angle: https://clickhubspot.com/lhdv Ep. 423 There’s one Claude skill that will separate you from the other AI content. Kipp and Kieran dive into how AI content creation is broken—and how you can use the “Opposite Start” framework to break out of the red ocean of repetitive ideas and truly stand out. Learn more on why most marketers use AI the wrong way, how to find blue ocean ideas by inverting mainstream narratives, and practical strategies to turn AI into an ideation powerhouse—not just a content machine. Mentions Claude https://claude.ai/ Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
May 5 · 14 min
How to Rank #1 on Google in 2026 (The 6-Step SEO Playbook)
Get our Guide to Rank #1 on Google in 2026: https://clickhubspot.com/lmfv Ep. 422 How can you differentiate valuable content from generic AI-generated slop? Kipp dives into how to create non-commodity content that AI and your competitors can't replicate, giving you an edge in the new search-driven world. Learn more on the crucial differences between commodity and non-commodity content, the six key checkpoints every marketer should hit (like proprietary evidence, expert takes, and a real point of view), and how to use a free grader tool to level up your blog, landing pages, and newsletters for better rankings and more traffic. Mentions Barry Schwartz https://x.com/rustybrick Danny Sullivan https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannysullivan Dharmesh Shah https://www.linkedin.com/in/dharmesh Brian Halligan https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhalligan Claude https://claude.ai/ Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
April 30 · 20 min
They Spent $150,000 on AI Tokens (And Got Nothing)
Get the most out of AI with our free AI ROI Scorecard: https://clickhubspot.com/epkj Ep. 421 What if your team burned through your entire AI budget in just six months? Kipp and Kieran dive into the wild world of “token maxxing”—the new Silicon Valley trend of spending as much as possible on AI tokens without clear outcomes. Learn more on why AI token usage is skyrocketing, the difference between “token maxxing” and “outcome maxxing,” and powerful frameworks every marketing leader can use to turn AI spend into real business growth. Mentions Nvidia https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ All In Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwW8GKwHB3I Claude https://claude.ai/ Perplexity https://www.perplexity.ai/ Manus https://manus.im/ Gemini https://gemini.google.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt Resource [Free] Steal our favorite AI Prompts featured on the show! Grab them here: https://clickhubspot.com/aip We’re on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGtXqPiNV8YC0GMUzY-EUFg Twitter: https://twitter.com/matgpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matgpod Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934 If you love this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review https://link.chtbl.com/h9_sjBKH and share your favorite episodes with friends. We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, https://twitter.com/kippbodnar Kieran Flanagan, https://twitter.com/searchbrat ‘Marketing Against The Grain’ is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.
April 28 · 15 min

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They Spent $150,000 on AI Tokens (And Got Nothing)