Marketing Against The Grain

Marketing Against The Grain

Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Zapier’s CMO), 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.

  1. 15 HRS AGO

    AI Agents in 2025: Where to Start & What Really Works (No Hype)

    Ep. 301 Is 2025 truly the year of AI agents taking over the workforce? Kipp, Kieran, and guest João Moura (founder of CrewAI) dive into the evolution of AI agents, exploring their potential impacts on business operations and roles. Learn more about what truly defines an AI agent and their distinguishing components, how businesses are successfully integrating agents to enhance productivity, and the potential pitfalls and opportunities that lie ahead in leveraging AI agents to shape the future workforce. Mentions João Moura https://x.com/joaomdmoura CrewAI https://www.crewai.com/ Anthropic https://www.anthropic.com/ OpenAI Operator https://openai.com/index/introducing-operator/ PwC https://www.pwc.com/ Check out the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-N_4XU0FOk Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    41 min
  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    This AI Analyzes Your Website Like a $10k Consultant [Tutorial]

    Ep. 300 Can technology replace a $10,000 consultant? Kipp dives into how you can harness AI tools like OpenAI's Operator to revolutionize your website analysis, saving you time and money. Learn more about leveraging LLMs like Qwen 2.5 for user experience conversion rate testing, maximizing the $200/month investment into OpenAI's Pro tier for advanced model access, and scaling website feedback and testing to outpace the competition. Mentions OpenAI’s Operator https://openai.com/index/introducing-operator/ Qwen 2.5 https://qwen-ai.com/ HubSpot CRM https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm Check out the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKy_x5zxkmE&t=1s Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    18 min
  3. 6 FEB

    I Built 2 AI Assistants That Made Me 10x More Productive | Step-by-Step Guide

    Ep. 299 Can AI make you the most productive person in your company? Kieran dives into creating AI executive and project assistants that radically transform your workflow. Learn more about setting up efficient folder structures for automation, building AI-driven insights engines with Claude, Google Gems, and ChatGPT, and comparing the strengths of each AI platform to find the best fit for your productivity needs. Mentions Claude https://claude.ai/ Google Gemini https://gemini.google.com/ ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com/ Check out this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbVn5IAQm7g&t=769s Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    21 min
  4. 4 FEB

    OpenAI's Deep Research Tool DESTROYS Google Gemini (With Proof)

    Ep. 298 Can an AI agent revolutionize deep research in marketing? Kipp dives into OpenAI's groundbreaking launch of their new Deep Research product and compare it with Google Gemini's offering. Learn more about how OpenAI's Deep Research can tackle complex research tasks with unparalleled depth, how the competition with Google Gemini stacks up in terms of integration and data sourcing, and why harnessing AI for research could be a game-changer for marketers. Mentions OpenAi Deep Research https://openai.com/index/introducing-deep-research/ Sam Altman https://blog.samaltman.com/ OpenAI o3-mini https://openai.com/index/openai-o3-mini/ Dan Shipper https://every.to/@danshipper Check out the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1ZQHC3jxBE Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    21 min
  5. 30 JAN

    Did HubSpot Lose 80% of Blog Traffic? Here’s What Actually Happened

    Ep. 297 Why did HubSpot's blog traffic allegedly plummeted? Kipp and Kieran dive into the viral controversy and break down what actually happened with HubSpot’s blog traffic decline, shedding light on the bigger picture. Learn more on the unexpected lessons for marketers from HubSpot's own journey, the importance of diversified content strategy, and how AI and search engine behaviors are reshaping the marketing landscape. Mentions HubSpot Academy https://academy.hubspot.com/ The Hustle https://thehustle.co/ DeepSeek https://www.deepseek.com/ Here's the YouTube episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBHoJMOkL6Y&t=153s Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    35 min
  6. 28 JAN

    Which AI Model Should You Use? (Claude vs GPT & O1 Pro Live Prompt Guide)

    Ep. 296 What does it take to effectively leverage advanced AI models for your business needs? Kipp, Kieran, and guest Sully Omar (CEO of Cognosys) dive into a comparison of leading AI models, Claude versus GPT, and give a live demo of the powerful O1 Pro. Learn more on the evolving landscape of autonomous agents and their practical applications, the nuanced differences between reasoning models and standard AI, and how to make these advanced tools work for your business. Mentions Sully Omar https://x.com/SullyOmarr Cognosys https://www.cognosys.ai/ Autogrid https://www.linkedin.com/company/autogrid-systems/ OpenAI o1 https://openai.com/o1/ Claude https://claude.ai/ Gemini https://gemini.google.com/ Check out this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNTrfvfIrN0 Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    41 min
  7. 23 JAN

    DeepSeek R1: The FREE AI That's Beating OpenAI’s o1 Model

    Ep 295 Is open source AI the future of marketing intelligence? Kieran dives into one of the most surprising AI launches of the past year and its implications for marketers everywhere. Learn more about how DeepSeek-R1, an open-source AI model from China, rivals the major players in intelligence and reasoning, the game-changing affordability of this new model, and how to leverage it to supercharge your marketing campaigns with real-world tactics and insights. Mentions DeepSeek https://www.deepseek.com/ OpenAI https://openai.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    15 min
  8. 21 JAN

    This AI Prompt Gets You Customer Insights in 5 Minutes (Free Tool)

    Ep. 294 How can AI replace an $84 billion industry with just one prompt? Kipp and Kieran dive into how AI is revolutionizing market research, featuring insights from expert Mike Taylor (https://brightpool.dev/). Learn more about the amazing potential of AI in market research, the magic behind prompt engineering, and how you can leverage these tools to save time and money in your business.  Mentions Mike Taylor https://x.com/hammer_mt “Prompt Engineering for Generative AI: Future-Proof Inputs for Reliable AI Outputs” https://amazon.com/Prompt-Engineering-Generative-AI-Future-Proof/dp/109815343X/ O’Reilly Media https://www.oreilly.com/ Grain https://grain.com/ Get our guide to build your own Custom GPT: https://clickhubspot.com/customgpt We’re creating our next round of content and want to ensure it tackles the challenges you’re facing at work or in your business. To understand your biggest challenges we’ve put together a survey and we’d love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/matg-research 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  Join our community https://landing.connect.com/matg 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 The HubSpot Podcast Network // Produced by Darren Clarke.

    36 min
4.6
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Kipp Bodnar (HubSpot’s CMO) and Kieran Flanagan (Zapier’s CMO), 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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