Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson

Latest Episodes:

HUBSPOT CEO! Yamini Rangan 😲 AI Content MUST KNOWS! And how search is changing!| Ep. 443 Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

Marketers keep saying the funnel is dead, but this chat actually explains what changed and what to do about it. You’ll hear how to rethink content for 23-word questions, why website traffic is shrinking, and what to build instead, plus a hopeful take on AI that puts humans back in charge. And yes, Jay Schwedelson gets personal with Yamini Rangan about college drop-offs, plants that refuse to live, and the real reason personality now beats playbooks.

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Follow Yamini on LinkedIn and explore HubSpot’s Loop playbook content and the HubSpot Media Network for practical examples you can borrow.

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Best Moments:

(02:45) The college drop-off half-tear that turned into a full-on drive-to-the-airport cry.

(05:01) Is the funnel dead or just changing shape as HubSpot shifts thinking toward a loop.

(06:41) Eight out of ten Google searches end with no click, and what that means for your site.

(08:50) Content has to answer specific LLM-level questions with citations and case studies.

(12:52) Personality beats generic content as podcasts, YouTube, and newsletters win on trust.

(16:15) AI won’t replace humans; it finally makes one-to-one personalization at scale real.

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

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Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

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Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

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Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

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Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

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Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

Ask Us ANYTHING: Your Q4 Cheat Code😳 Regifting Rules and the Gift Bag Debate 🎁 | Ep. 442 Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Feeling stuck on year-end content? Jay Schwedelson makes the case for a simple, printable calendar as your fastest way to spark signups between Nov 1 and Jan 15, with real numbers to back it up. He shares exactly how B2B, consumer, and nonprofit teams can spin a one-hour build into two months of lead gen, then weighs in on regifting etiquette and the very serious question of reused gift bags.

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Best Moments:

(01:32) Calendar content is the simplest year-end boost for signups and downloads.

(02:10) From Nov 1 to Jan 15, calendars outperform by 300 percent in B2B, 200 percent in consumer, and 160 percent in nonprofit.

(03:06) Make an industry event calendar and spotlight your webinars and launches inside it.

(04:02) For consumer brands, ship a 2026 daily habit or wellness calendar people will actually print.

(04:46) Nonprofits win with a 12 month impact and participation calendar that nudges giving and volunteering.

(06:18) Regifting is fine if the gift is good, and anyone shaming you for reusing a gift bag needs to relax.

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

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Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

What’s Up THIS WEEK: Cool NEW Subject Line TEST! Gemini AI News! Kardashian update? | Ep. 441 Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

Target’s Zoom layoff glitch, a sneaky subject line tweak that lifts opens, and why pop-up moments are the new marketing moat... this week’s quick hit has range. You’ll also hear why showing up well in Gemini matters more than ever and a spicy pop-culture rant from Jay Schwedelson about platform responsibility.

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Best Moments:

(00:28) Target’s all-hands layoff Zoom glitches to a black screen and employees learn their fate by email instead.

(01:45) Put brackets at the end of your subject line to spotlight the key hook and lift opens about 15 percent.

(03:17) Cash App x Sabrina Carpenter pop-up racks up 30M views and proves short-lived moments beat evergreen noise.

(04:34) A B2B play you can steal now: a 24-hour “vault unlock” that disappears and concentrates attention.

(06:12) Gemini’s usage surges from 6.4 percent to 12.9 percent while ChatGPT slips from 87 percent to 74 percent.

(07:52) Big audiences, bigger responsibility: why amplifying junk conspiracies isn’t just silly, it’s harmful.

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

SPECIAL SERIES ==> LinkedIn Tactic You’re NOT Doing! And Karaoke Practice? <== | BATHROOM Break #80 COLLAB: The Marketing Millennials + Do This, Not That Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Big event energy meets scrappy growth hacks as Jay Schwedelson and Daniel Murray swap notes on pulling off virtual conferences and squeezing real results out of LinkedIn newsletters. From blindfold karaoke judged by Nick Lachey to the one move that drove 700 plus registrations in a week, this Bathroom Break packs more than a few stealable plays.

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Follow Daniel on LinkedIn and check out The Marketing Millennials podcast for sharp, no-fluff marketing insights. Subscribe to Ari Murray’s newsletter at gotomillions.co for sharp, actionable marketing insights.

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Best Moments:

(01:03) Six-seven is over and Jay’s bracing for his Nov 6–7 virtual conference while trying not to lose it

(01:34) Blindfold karaoke with Nick Lachey judging and Jay cramming My Heart Will Go On in the car

(03:00) The LinkedIn newsletter launch mistake to avoid and the timing tweak that flips results

(04:53) The step-by-step to start a LinkedIn newsletter and why 150 followers is enough to beat the feed

(06:29) How a newsletter-as-registration blast got flagged by LinkedIn and what not to copy

(08:24) Why newsletters can include all the links you want and still hit inboxes with ~25% opens and 700–800 signups

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

Ask Us ANYTHING: Stop Believing Your Inner Critic 🎯AND Best Movies Ever Ranking? | Ep. 439 Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

Most of us have that voice in our head that says we’re not ready, not good enough, or just faking it—and Jay Schwedelson is here to shut that voice up for good. In this episode, Jay explains how negative self-talk sneaks into your brain, why it’s so convincing, and the weird trick he uses to stop it instantly. Plus, he somehow ties it all back to Mean Girls, Rocky, and Eddie Murphy.

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Best Moments:

(01:15) Why switching careers into marketing isn’t as hard as you think

(02:18) The sneaky power of negative self-talk and how everyone falls for it

(03:49) What UCLA’s research says about how self-doubt rewires your brain

(05:14) The hilarious but effective way Jay shuts up his inner critic

(07:00) Jay’s unapologetic list of the greatest movies ever made

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

Co-Founder Bizzabo! Connecting with People in an AI World w/ GUEST!! Alon Alroy Co-Founder & CMO | Ep. 438 Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

You know that feeling when events seem like a gamble and AI looks like it might replace the whole point of showing up? Here’s the twist: showing up still wins. In this candid chat, Jay Schwedelson digs in with Alon Alroy on why micro events punch above their weight, how to make big conferences actually pay off, and what it takes to challenge a giant without a giant’s budget.

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Follow Alon Alroy on LinkedIn, follow Bizzabo on LinkedIn, and visit Bizzabo.com to explore their event platform and resources. You can also check out Bizzabo’s upcoming webinar on micro events—details available on their site or by messaging Alon directly.

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Best Moments:

(01:28) From Air Force and an Airbnb-style idea to finding the real pain in events

(04:53) AI raises digital noise but live events hit an all-time high for connection

(08:00) Micro events that work cost 10k to 14k and get cheaper when you split with 3 to 4 partners

(10:20) The booth isn’t the strategy pre-during-post activation and same-day follow-up win ROI

(15:00) Challenger playbook move fast a virtual launch in March 2020 vs incumbents months later

(15:45) Busy vs Venti campaign speak directly to competitor pain and make it unforgettable

ㅤ

Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

What’s Up THIS WEEK: NEW Subject Line Test TRENDING! + 👻Top Halloween Costumes! 👻TV Watching Update! 📬 | Ep. 437 Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Instagram just dropped a feature that’s going to change how you scroll, and probably how you argue with your friends. Jay Schwedelson dives into Instagram’s new Watch History tool, the oddly effective subject line hack that’s boosting open rates, and why OpenAI’s latest update might finally make Google nervous. Plus, a detour into Halloween costumes, reality TV, and a few questionable streaming picks.

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Best Moments:

(00:34) Instagram finally adds a Watch History so you can find that video you lost in the scroll

(01:56) The secret to higher open rates is mid-subject-line capitalization

(03:00) OpenAI rolls out shared projects for all ChatGPT users, taking aim at Google Drive

(04:00) Love Is Blind reunion and other “useless but necessary” TV updates

(04:45) Google’s top Halloween costumes of the year include demon hunters and… the Lorax

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

SPECIAL SERIES ==> ChatGPT Atlas Browser Tips! AI Must Knows! <== | BATHROOM Break #79 COLLAB: The Marketing Millennials + Do This, Not That Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Marketers are about to face a new kind of search—and Jay Schwedelson and Daniel Murray are breaking down what it means. Between trick-or-treating mishaps and Halloween candy hot takes, they unpack how AI browsers like Atlas and Comet are rewriting the rules for SEO, content gating, and how your website needs to function for both humans and AI agents.

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Best Moments:

(02:55) Why new AI browsers like Atlas and Comet could change how marketers think about search

(04:45) How to make your website scannable, fast, and AI-friendly

(06:15) Why you should optimize your forms for AI agents, not just humans

(09:15) The future of gated content and why “resources” pages might disappear

(10:15) How to design sites with fewer clicks and more instant answers

(11:00) The great Halloween candy debate: full-size bars or bust

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

Ask Us ANYTHING: Love is Blind! 😂 Secrets to Nonprofit, Business, & Consumer Marketing! | Ep. 435 Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

Sometimes Jay Schwedelson gets deep about data or strategy—but this time, he’s answering your weirdest, most random questions. From nonprofit marketing tips that actually work to his all-time favorite reality TV obsession (yes, he has strong opinions), this episode swings from helpful to hilarious in the best way.

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Best Moments:

(01:15) Why first-person CTAs like “Count me in” or “Yes, I want to help” drive higher clicks for nonprofits

(03:00) The 75-word rule that separates good emails from ignored ones

(05:34) Why showing real human faces—not AI ones—boosts engagement by 38%

(05:58) The bold prediction that “humanity will be the algorithm” in 2026

(07:45) Jay crowns Love Is Blind Season 9 as the best (and most unhinged) reality TV ever made

(08:30) Why he can’t stand true crime—and what that says about us all

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

💀LIQUID DEATH Founder+CEO!💀 GUEST!! Mike Cessario on Secrets to Content, Growth, and Marketing! | Ep. 434 Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Liquid Death didn’t happen by accident. Mike Cessario went from skateboards and punk bands to building a beverage brand that treats marketing like entertainment, not homework, and he’s brutally honest about what actually moves the needle. With Jay Schwedelson, he breaks down packaging as the real moat, why they tested the brand before the product, and how to stay interesting when AI makes content cheap.

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Grab Liquid Death at your local store or online at www.liquiddeath.com, check out their sparkling lineup, and catch Mike at the upcoming Guru Conference for a deeper dive into their marketing playbook.

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Best Moments:

(02:45) From punk bands and agency life to launching a product so he could finally be the client

(05:04) Why water was the wedge - biggest category, boring brands, plastic everywhere, then a portfolio beyond plain water

(06:55) Most products are commodities - brand and aesthetics win hearts, not tiny functional differences

(08:40) The Facebook fakeout - 3M views and 80k followers before a single can existed, then used to raise money

(11:50) Entertainment first and small bets - nothing over 150k, in-house beats a 650k “at cost” bid

(13:40) Full-funnel media done right - broad awareness feeding precise mid-funnel and conversion work

(16:10) AI as cost saver, not taste maker - youth backlash is real and craft still matters

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Partner with Jay: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/contact

ㅤ

Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It

All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

ㅤ

Subscribe to Jay's newsletter for weekly marketing tips and tactics: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/newsletter

ㅤ

Check out Eventastic (FREE + VIRTUAL!) https://www.eventastic.com

ㅤ

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schwedelson/

Check out Jay's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson

Check out Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/

Ask Jay anything: https://www.jayschwedelson.com/ask

ㅤ

Leave a comment and follow the show, it really helps us out!

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