Marketing Against The Grain

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**Marketing Against The Grain**

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.

Latest Episodes:

Use AI for Ideas, Not Content (Here’s How) May 05, 2026

Show notes

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

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.

How to Rank #1 on Google in 2026 (The 6-Step SEO Playbook) Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

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.

They Spent $150,000 on AI Tokens (And Got Nothing) Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

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.

The New Rules to Beat the SEO Algorithm in 2026 Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Start a free trial of HubSpot's new AEO tool: https://clickhubspot.com/wdlc

Ep. 420

In AI search,, relevancy matters more than authority.

Kipp, Kieran, Beeri Amiel (Product at HubSpot and founder of XFunnel), and guest Sam Parr (Host of My First Million) dive into how AI-driven answer engines are disrupting traditional SEO and what marketers must do to adapt. Learn more on how AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is changing the rules of search, why citation and content relevance matter more than authority, and what tools and tactics you can implement to succeed in the new era of AI search.

Mentions

Sam Parr https://www.linkedin.com/in/parrsam
My First Million https://www.mfmpod.com/
Hampton https://joinhampton.com/
The Hustle https://thehustle.co/
Beeri Amiel https://www.linkedin.com/in/beeri-amiel
XFunnel https://www.xfunnel.ai/
HubSpot AEO Portal https://clickhubspot.com/aeo
Ahrefs https://ahrefs.com/
Google Search Console https://search.google.com/search-console/about

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.

I Run 250+ Social Media Posts/Week… Alone (Claude Code Workflow) Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Get our free Claude Cowork Workflow: https://clickhubspot.com/detf

Ep. 419

How do you publish 250 pieces of content per week with zero employees?

Kipp and Sabrina Ramonov of Blotato, dive into the exact AI-powered content workflow that built a 2 million-person audience—all as a solo creator. Learn more on building repeatable brand voice skills with AI, automating content creation from raw images, and managing an entire social media calendar through smart connectors and tools. Sabrina Ramonov is on a mission to teach 1 million people AI. She’s the solo founder of Blotato.com, an AI SaaS app for creators and entrepreneurs to go viral on multiple social platforms like me (0 to 500k+ in 6 months solo).

Mentions

Sabrina Ramonov https://www.youtube.com/@sabrina_ramonov
Blotato https://www.blotato.com/
Claude Cowork https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork
Airtable https://www.airtable.com/
Canva https://www.canva.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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

We Asked 4 AI Tools About Our Brand (The Result Were Alarming) Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Start a free trial of HubSpot's new AEO tool: https://clickhubspot.com/apeo

Get the AEO playbook that made HubSpot the #1 most visible CRM in AI search: https://clickhubspot.com/mfle

Ep. 418

Did you know tools like ChatGPT and Claude are already telling your customers to buy from your competitors—and you might not even know it?

Kipp dives into the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and how AI search engines are transforming the way businesses are found and recommended online. Learn more on why traditional Google search is no longer enough, how AI-driven recommendations are shaping customer decisions, and the must-do strategies to ensure your brand shows up across every major AI-powered search engine.

Mentions

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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

We Found Where AI Gets Its Answers (It’s Not Your Website) Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Start a free trial of HubSpot's new AEO tool: https://clickhubspot.com/aoec

Ep. 417

Everyone told you the blog is dead—but the data proves we were all wrong.

Kipp, Kieran, Aja Frost (Sr. Director of Global Growth and Paid at HubSpot), and Beeri Amiel (Product at HubSpot and founder of XFunnel) dive into how answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini are reshaping how companies get discovered online, and why your blog matters more than ever. Learn more on real-world AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) insights, why blog posts and listicles dominate AI citations, the science of influencing robots (not just people), and the new playbook for building trust across YouTube, Reddit, and LinkedIn.

Mentions

Aja Frost https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajafrost/
Beeri Amiel https://www.linkedin.com/in/beeri-amiel/
XFunnel https://www.xfunnel.ai/
ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com/
Claude https://claude.ai/
Gemini https://gemini.google.com/app

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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

The Real Reason Your AI Content Is Average (It's Not Your Prompts) Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

Kieran's guide to turn Claude into a marketing machine: https://clickhubspot.com/knbr

Ep. 416

Is your AI marketing output stuck at "just okay" no matter how much you refine your skills?

Kieran dives into why building better skills isn’t enough—and shares the Pixar-inspired secret to world-class, distinctive results with AI. Learn more on the crucial difference between skills and the foundational context layer, harnessing "brain trust" principles to transform your marketing, and the four foundational files every marketer needs to move from average to extraordinary content.

Mentions

Claude Code https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview
Pixar https://www.pixar.com/
Edwin Catmull https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Catmull

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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

The AI Skill Ladder (Beginner → Workflow Builder) Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Free guide to climb the AI Skill Ladder (7 agent tools + prompts): https://clickhubspot.com/mgtv

Ep. 415

What if you could turn AI into your second brain?

Kipp, Kieran, and guest Kevin Hutson (Futurepedia) dive into the levels of AI maturity and how marketers can go from AI novices to master workflow builders. Learn more on the step-by-step journey to AI fluency, the power of building reusable AI skills, and how to leverage tools like Manus to automate complex marketing workflows and outperform the competition.

Mentions

Kevin Hutson https://www.youtube.com/@futurepedia_io
Futurepedia https://www.futurepedia.io/
Manus https://manus.im/
Glean https://www.glean.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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

Can AI Actually Make Good Ads? Replit Ad Maker Review Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Get our free AI Ad Prompt Kit: https://clickhubspot.com/skw

Ep. 414

How do you create killer ads when you don’t have a marketing team or big budget?

Kipp dives into testing out Replit’s latest AI ad generation tool live, showing how anyone can validate ideas and iterate ad creative faster than ever. Learn more on crafting powerful prompts that drive results, iterating your way to great creative without breaking the bank, and navigating the pitfalls and possibilities of AI-powered ad creation on platforms like LinkedIn, Google, and Instagram.

Mentions

Replit https://replit.com/
Claude Opus 4.6 https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-6
Willow Voice https://willowvoice.com/
Base44 https://base44.com/
Lovable https://lovable.dev/

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 Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

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