The Campaign | A Marketing Podcast by 97th Floor

97th Floor
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Campaign is a marketing podcast about better knowing your audience, innovating beyond best practice and converting visitors into customers. 97th Floor is the number one digital marketing agency built to create pipeline and revenue for clients by crafting and executing custom, audience-first channel strategies that deliver bottom-line results. Our core services include SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and AI Search Optimization, Advertising (PPC, SEM, Social Ads, Display), and Content Marketing. For over twenty years, 97th Floor has worked in the cybersecurity, finance, industrial and manufacturing, insurance, software, and health and wellness industries. 97th Floor proudly works with a diverse range of clients, from well-funded startups to Fortune 50 companies, including Oracle, McKinsey & Company, Google, Crumbl, and Princess Cruises. Learn more and schedule a discovery call at 97thfloor.com.

  1. What SEO Actually Looks Like in 2026 w/ Eli Schwartz, SEO Consultant and Growth Advisor

    3D AGO

    What SEO Actually Looks Like in 2026 w/ Eli Schwartz, SEO Consultant and Growth Advisor

    The Apple-Gemini announcement changed everything—but not in the way most people think. Eli Schwartz, author of Product-Led SEO, explains why this partnership doesn't signal the death of SEO but rather Google's complete dominance over search for the foreseeable future. In this wide-ranging conversation, Eli challenges nearly every assumption marketers hold about SEO in 2026. From why your thin content strategy is obsolete to why some multi-billion dollar companies shouldn't spend a dime on SEO (while others should spend freely), Eli offers a refreshingly honest take on what's actually changing versus what's just hype. Key takeaways for marketers: The expanding definition of SEO: Why your smart alarm clock, car dashboard, and eventually your pillow will all be search surfaces you need to optimize for The 2020 vs. 2026 playbook: Why generic listicles ("top winter vacations") are dead, and personal, emotional, middle-of-funnel content is where SEO belongs now The pizza shop principle: How online and offline worlds are finally aligning—you wouldn't walk into a diner for the best pizza, so why try to rank for everything online? Bottom-line goals vs. mushy emotional goals: The two types of SEO objectives every company has (including making sure the CEO sees you rank when they Google on the way to work) Who shouldn't invest in SEO: The framework for deciding if your company should spend money on SEO (hint: if you're Boeing selling F-35s, the answer is complicated) Resources:  Sign up for Eli’s newsletter at productledSEO.com  Connect with Eli Schwartz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwartze/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Eli Schwartz:  Eli Schwartz is an SEO expert and consultant with over a decade of experience driving SEO and growth programs for B2B and B2C companies.  Eli’s clients have included WordPress, Shutterstock, BlueNile, and Zendesk, all of which he has helped build Global SEO strategies to increase organic conversions at scale.  He is the author of the book Product Led SEO. Timestamps: 02:03 - SEO is everywhere 03:58 - Why Google won  11:22 - How to invest in SEO in 2026 13:45 - The content playbook shift 19:36 - When NOT to invest in SEO 26:56 - LLM visibility is brand budget

    40 min
  2. The 2026 B2B Playbook: Brand, Pricing, and How to Build an Unfair Advantage w/CMO Advisor Bill Macaitis

    JAN 27

    The 2026 B2B Playbook: Brand, Pricing, and How to Build an Unfair Advantage w/CMO Advisor Bill Macaitis

    With AI making it easier than ever to launch startups, B2B SaaS companies are facing an unprecedented wave of competition. Bill Macaitis, former CMO of Slack and Zendesk, shares exactly what marketers need to do in 2026 to not just survive—but dominate. Bill brings decades of experience taking companies from startup to IPO, and his perspective on what's coming is both sobering and energizing. The old B2B playbook of white papers, analyst relations, and enterprise sales cycles isn't going to cut it anymore. The companies that win will be the ones bold enough to rebuild their entire go-to-market strategy. Key takeaways for B2B SaaS marketers: Why brand is your competitive moat: How to measure brand metrics (aided recall, sentiment, share of voice) and prove ROI to skeptical boards—including the hidden impact on deal velocity, deal size, and churn Put your marketing where the eyeballs actually are: Why B2B marketers need to stop hiding behind "serious" channels and start creating content on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram (with tactical examples) The pricing revolution: Why per-user pricing is dying and how to transition to usage-based, outcome-based, or token-based models before your competitors do it first Product-led sales for mid-market: How to combine freemium with enterprise upsells by differentiating on compliance features (not functionality) to mine product-qualified leads Bill also addresses the fear many B2B marketers have about being "too consumer-like" with their marketing, explaining why that risk-averse thinking is exactly what will make you invisible in an overcrowded market. If you're planning your 2026 strategy and wondering whether to play it safe or go bold, this episode makes a compelling case for the latter. Resources:  Follow Bill’s YouTube Channel SaaS CMO Pro: https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSCMOPro  Find Bill Macaitis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bmacaitis/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Bill Macaitis: Bill Macaitis has led marketing and growth for the three of the fastest ever growing SaaS companies. At Slack he served as the CRO leading up the marketing, sales, success and support teams. Before that he served as the CMO of Zendesk taking the company through a successful IPO. Before that he served as SVP of Marketing for Salesforce where he helped grow revenues to $3B. Currently, Bill serves as board advisor and independent board member to aspiring unicorns and decacorns. Timestamps: 01:48 - Brand is your only real moat 08:58 - Move B2B marketing to social + video 12:53 - Stop being boring; buyers are people 18:01 - SEO is dying; shift to AIO 21:32 - Use AI imagery when it improves UX 28:34 - Product-led sales makes deals easier

    37 min
  3. The AI Reality Check: What's Actually Working vs. What's Just Hype w/Marie Haynes, SEO & AI Consultant

    JAN 13

    The AI Reality Check: What's Actually Working vs. What's Just Hype w/Marie Haynes, SEO & AI Consultant

    While everyone's talking about AI, very few are actually making it work. Marie Haynes, renowned SEO expert and AI experimentalist, is one of the rare practitioners who's gone beyond the hype—building 50+ custom AI tools (gems), testing workflows daily, and learning what actually ships versus what crashes and burns. In this candid conversation, Marie shares the unglamorous reality of AI implementation: the deleted emails, the abandoned projects, the hours of frustration—and why pushing through that wall is the only way to gain an unfair advantage. Key takeaways for marketing leaders: The 5% rule: Why most AI projects fail and what separates the builders who succeed from those who give up after the first failure User signals over algorithm optimization: Why understanding vector search can actually hurt your SEO if you're not paying attention to engagement metrics The code-without-coding revolution: How Marie went from zero programming knowledge to building custom tools in weeks (and why every marketer should learn to "vibe code") Agents vs. gems: What's actually ready for production right now versus what's still 6-12 months away from being reliable Marie also addresses the elephant in the room: Is the AI bubble real? With Gartner predicting 40% of current AI projects will be canceled by 2027, she shares why she's betting her investment portfolio entirely on AI companies—and what signals she's watching from industry leaders like Zuckerberg and Musk. If you're exhausted by AI hype but still believe there's something real underneath, this episode cuts through the noise with hard-earned lessons from someone actually building in the trenches. Resources:  Learn about Marie’s work and join her community at https://www.mariehaynes.com/  Google’s Python Class: https://developers.google.com/edu/python  Google’s Agent Development Kit: https://google.github.io/adk-docs/  Connect with Marie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-haynes  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Marie Haynes: Marie Haynes is a leading expert in AI and Search. She helps her clients prepare for agentic search, surfacing more often in LLM tools like ChatGPT and using AI in their workflows. Timestamps: 01:26 - Working on AI agents and Google's development course  04:34 - AI overviews change every 2 days 06:10 - Industry missing user interaction signals  41:11 - AI creating work-free future  43:51 - Tips: Use LLMs daily, learn to code

    49 min
  4. How to Turn Audience Insights into Marketing Wins w/ Rand Fishkin @ Sparktoro

    09/08/2025

    How to Turn Audience Insights into Marketing Wins w/ Rand Fishkin @ Sparktoro

    A staggering 41% of marketers admit they don't do audience research nearly enough, and over half do it very infrequently. In this conversation, SparkToro co-founder Rand Fishkin breaks down why audience research has become marketing's orphaned responsibility and what it's costing companies in missed opportunities. From Fortune 500s sitting on unused data to marketers relying on ChatGPT for audience insights, Rand reveals the systematic problems preventing teams from understanding their customers. He shares how his own company discovered their biggest growth opportunity by actually talking to users, and why the channels you can't easily measure might be your biggest competitive advantage. What You’ll Learn: Why audience research consistently falls through the cracks The hidden dangers of using AI for customer insights  How to identify the most underinvested marketing channels  Resources:  Try Sparktoro for audience research: https://sparktoro.com/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Rand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Rand Fishkin: Rand Fishkin is the co-founder and CEO of audience research platform SparkToro and indie game developer Snackbar Studio. He’s dedicated his professional life to helping people do better marketing through the Whiteboard Friday video series, his blog, and his book, Lost and Founder: A Painfully Honest Field Guide to the Startup World. Rand was previously the cofounder of Moz, and Inbound.org, and a co-author on The Art of SEO. He’s keynoted over 100 events around the world on marketing, technology, and startup topics. Timestamps: 00:08 - Problem with audience research adoption  03:24 - SEO analogy for audience research  10:20 - Who should own audience research  19:17 - AI's role in audience research  31:35 - Serendipitous insights from research  39:51 - Google, AI, and search trends “I want to know who my potential customers are and what they do on the web so that I can target, reach them with the best possible messaging in the best places at the right time. That's marketing 101.” - Rand Fishkin

    52 min
  5. From Disney Magic to Marketing Impact: The Power of Storytelling w/ Matt Frisbie, CMO @ Axomo

    09/02/2025

    From Disney Magic to Marketing Impact: The Power of Storytelling w/ Matt Frisbie, CMO @ Axomo

    Matt Frisbee went from Disney performer to marketing executive, and is one of the best storytellers around. In this conversation, Matt breaks down the art of storytelling in marketing, shares how he built breakthrough campaigns at Little Giant Ladder Systems, and explains why "feeling understood is the sexiest feeling in the universe." This is a masterclass in taking calculated risks, doing the deep research work that most people skip, and why feeling understood by a brand is what drives real customer loyalty.  What You’ll Learn: The "Queen Vicky" Method - Build your entire strategy around one real customer instead of fictional personas The Dangerous Jobs Breakthrough - Why respecting your audience beats safety messaging (and how it stole market share from giants) The COVID Studio Innovation - How a 9-camera setup got Zoom asking questions and kept sales growing during lockdown Resources:  "Story" by Robert McKee - Matt's go-to storytelling reference "So God Made a Farmer" Super Bowl ad - Perfect example of honoring an underappreciated audience FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewfrisbie/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Matt Frisbie: Matt Frisbie started his career as a classically trained illustrator at Disney, where he learned that a picture truly is worth a thousand words – but more importantly, he learned how to architect experiences that make people want to participate in a story. After a stint in Hollywood selling films, Matt found his way into marketing, where he discovered that brands tell stories just as powerful as any movie – stories about solving problems and transforming lives. As CMO at companies including Blendtec and Little Giant Ladder Systems, Matt has overseen marketing strategies that don't just move products – they move people. He's currently leading marketing at Axomo, a go-to-mark...

    47 min
  6. Reddit Listening: Turn Audience Problems into Content w/ Kiersten Gaffney, Deep Tech CMO Advisor

    08/26/2025

    Reddit Listening: Turn Audience Problems into Content w/ Kiersten Gaffney, Deep Tech CMO Advisor

    Most B2B marketers are missing a goldmine of audience insights hiding in plain sight. While everyone flocks to LinkedIn, 68% of Reddit users aren't even on the platform—meaning there's a massive chunk of your audience having authentic conversations about their real problems elsewhere. Deep tech CMO Kiersten Gaffney has cracked the code on mining Reddit for content that actually converts. In this episode, she reveals her systematic approach to turning Reddit threads into pillar content that resonates with technical audiences. What You'll Learn: The Reddit advantage: Why Reddit conversations are more honest and actionable than other social platforms Kiersten's listening workflow: Her exact process using tools like Octolens to track keywords across Reddit, Hacker News, and other platforms AI-powered content creation: How she uses Claude and ChatGPT strategically—one for research, one for writing—to turn insights into content The 70% success rate formula: Her systematic approach that delivers results 7 out of 10 times Technical audience secrets: Why developers and engineers hate being sold to and how to market to them authentically Resources:  Attend a free 60-minute live demo with Kiersten on September 12, 2025 to see her whole in-depth process for transforming tiny insights into incredible content. Register here: https://maven.com/p/a3bef8/turn-dev-complaints-into-content-gold-with-ai Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Connect with Kiersten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kierstengaffney  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Kiersten Gaffney: Kiersten Gaffney is a CMO advisor helping deep tech software companies build their marketing growth engines. She’s advised hundreds of founders from companies like Airbyte, DragonflyDB, and Codefresh to build systematic, measurable approaches to marketing. Timestamps: 03:05 - Reddit's honest opinions vs. other platforms 07:23 - Keyword monitoring with Octalens tool 08:31 - AI analysis: Reddit threads to content ideas 20:55 - Director vs. directed: controlling AI tools 25:28

    38 min
  7. Audience-First: the New Standard for Marketing Growth w/ Rachel Bascom, Head of Content Marketing @ 97th Floor

    08/19/2025

    Audience-First: the New Standard for Marketing Growth w/ Rachel Bascom, Head of Content Marketing @ 97th Floor

    Most marketers think they know their audience — but they stop at surface-level demographics and wonder why their campaigns plateau. In this conversation, Rachel Bascom and Paxton Gray break down what it really means to be audience-first, why the “big research lift” mindset is holding you back, and how to turn existing knowledge into exponential results over time. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “research → big deck → nothing changes” loop, this episode will change how you think about audience understanding. You’ll walk away with a practical, ongoing approach to learning about your audience — and turning that knowledge into high-performing creative, content, and campaigns. Resources:  FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Learn about how to create high-quality content that is audience-focused: https://97thfloor.com/articles/high-quality-content-or-ai-slop/  Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbascom/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Read the full article: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/audience-first-marketing-the-new-standard-for-growth  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Rachel Bascom: Rachel Bascom is the Head of Content Marketing at 97th Floor, boasting over a decade of expertise in the realm of digital marketing and a fervent dedication to crafting audience-centric content strategies. In her tenure, Rachel has been a trailblazer in the development of the content marketing department, playing an integral role in the transformative journey that positioned 97th Floor as a comprehensive, award-winning, holistic marketing agency.  Timestamps:  02:27 - What it means to truly know your audience 12:43 - The zodiac campaign breakthrough 18:22 - "It's cumulative, not cyclical" 24:17 - Start by auditing what you already have 27:35

    34 min
  8. How to Turn AI Potential into Performance w/ Aby Varma, Founder and Principal at Spark Novus

    08/12/2025

    How to Turn AI Potential into Performance w/ Aby Varma, Founder and Principal at Spark Novus

    CMOs are more optimistic about AI than ever—yet many organizations are still stuck at the starting line. In this episode, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, joins us to share how marketing leaders can move from AI curiosity to meaningful adoption. Drawing on real-world examples from Fortune 500 companies, Aby reveals why asking “Can AI do this?” is the wrong place to start, how to build a strategy anchored in business value, and what cultural shifts are essential for lasting change. If you’re a marketing leader looking to integrate AI into your team’s workflows without the chaos, this conversation will give you the mindset, frameworks, and practical steps you need. What You’ll Learn: The four mindset shifts CMOs must make to drive effective AI adoption. How to align AI initiatives with your strategic “North Star” for maximum impact. Proven ways to overcome internal resistance and build a culture of AI experimentation. Resources:  FREE Content Consolidation Tools: https://97thfloor.com/articles/podcasts/how-to-consolidate-optimize-and-finally-see-seo-results/  Request a free AI Audit: https://97thfloor.com/ai-audit/  Join Spark Novus's Marketing AI Pulse Community: https://sparknovus.com/marketing-ai-pulse Connect with Aby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abyvarma/  Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/  Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/.  About Aby Varma: Aby is the founder and principal at Spark Novus, transforming marketing through AI, digital, content, and brand strategies. He aligns marketing, sales, and product teams to drive brand positioning and demand activation. Known for his strategic vision and energy, Aby builds inclusive, high-performing teams. He advances AI in marketing through the 'Marketing AI SparkCast' podcast and as the founder of the Marketing AI Pulse and Future Crafters communities. Aby is a member of the Forbes Communication Council. Timestamps: 02:51 - Why "Can AI do this?" is the wrong question 06:22 - Enterprise case study: asset management vs. cold pr...

    44 min
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About

The Campaign is a marketing podcast about better knowing your audience, innovating beyond best practice and converting visitors into customers. 97th Floor is the number one digital marketing agency built to create pipeline and revenue for clients by crafting and executing custom, audience-first channel strategies that deliver bottom-line results. Our core services include SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and AI Search Optimization, Advertising (PPC, SEM, Social Ads, Display), and Content Marketing. For over twenty years, 97th Floor has worked in the cybersecurity, finance, industrial and manufacturing, insurance, software, and health and wellness industries. 97th Floor proudly works with a diverse range of clients, from well-funded startups to Fortune 50 companies, including Oracle, McKinsey & Company, Google, Crumbl, and Princess Cruises. Learn more and schedule a discovery call at 97thfloor.com.

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