Marketing Trends

If you’re still optimizing for traditional SEO, this one might sting. But if you’re ready to win the AI search wars, welcome to your new bible.Michael Walrath (CEO of Yext) is not sugarcoating our new AI-dominated environment that has transformed the market. He breaks down exactly how search is being torn apart by AI, why local SEO is being rewritten in real-time, and what it actually means to structure your content for machines — not humans. Stephanie and Mike go head-to-head on search nostalgia (Google geeks, look away) and unpack the playbook for brand visibility in a world that’s splintering fast.Watch the full episode now and tell your SEO team: it’s time to evolve or get left behind.Key Moments: 00:00: Why Google Traffic Is Down and What It Means for Marketers07:07: Yext’s Origin Story: From Call Routing to Search Visibility12:39: Navigating the New Era of Search15:59: The Importance of Structured Data26:02: Challenges in Managing Reputation Across Multiple Locations27:53: Disruption in the B2B Software Market33:58 Big Bets and Innovations at Yext40:14 Fun and Insightful Lightening Round Questions Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

How do you future-proof your marketing strategy when LLMs are rewriting the rules in real time? Salesforce Applications CMO Amber Armstrong has answers — and the data to back them up.Stephanie Postles sits down with Amber to unpack how Salesforce is rethinking SEO, scaling AI agents, and finally cracking the code on account-based marketing. From converting LLM traffic at 40% to building cross-cloud alignment with “guilds,” Amber shares tactical insights and bold bets that every modern marketer needs to hear.Key Moments: 00:00 How AI and LLMs Are Reshaping the Marketing Funnel03:54 Amber Armstrong’s Journey from IBM Intern to CMO at Salesforce06:35 The Expanding Role of AI in Modern Marketing Teams08:52 Inside Salesforce’s Guild System: How Amber Aligns Teams Across Four Clouds17:31 Real AI Use Cases from Amber Armstrong’s Marketing Team at Salesforce26:40 Amber Armstrong’s Playbook for Future-Proofing SEO in the Age of LLMs30:55 How Salesforce’s Website Converts 40% of LLM Traffic into Leads35:58 Building AI Agents at Scale: Lessons from Salesforce’s Agent Force Rollout37:53 The Ongoing Role of Third-Party Validation in Buyer Decision-Making39:49 Amber Armstrong on Adapting Marketing Metrics for an AI-First Future40:40 How Salesforce Aligns Content Strategy Across Business Units44:56 Amber Armstrong’s Advice for Getting Teams Comfortable with AI Tools51:24 Salesforce’s Next Big Moves: Account-Based Marketing and Cross-Cloud Growth Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

What happens when your top-performing SEO strategy becomes obsolete in just 90 days?   In this special “fire drill” edition of Marketing Trends, host Stephanie Postles teams up with guest host Lacey Peace to tackle the urgent question every marketer is asking:   How do we actually show up in an AI-powered search world?   With explosive growth in LLM-powered search results, YouTube and podcast citations rising by over 300%, and AI agents reshaping how buyers make decisions, this episode delivers a practical, 5-step playbook to future-proof your content strategy. Whether you're leading a marketing team or building brand awareness as a founder, this is the episode you can’t afford to miss. Hit play to get the full strategy, and make sure your brand isn’t erased from the future of search. Key Moments:   00:00 Why AI Agents Are Rewriting the Rules of Marketing01:05 Why This Episode Is a Fire Drill for Marketers01:47 SEO Is Broken: What LLM Search Means for Content Strategy03:12 The Data Doesn’t Lie: 102% Growth in AI Overviews, 310% in YouTube Citations06:10 How to Create Content That Actually Shows Up in AI Results09:37 5 Urgent Steps Marketers Must Take to Win in the Age of AI22:48 What Happens If You Don’t Act Now? + How to Stay Ahead Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Harmony Anderson didn’t wait 90 days to make an impact at Superhuman — she launched a major campaign in her first five weeks. Harmony Anderson, Head of Marketing and Growth Product at Superhuman, breaks down why moving fast (and strategically) matters more than playing it safe, especially in high-growth startups. We dig into what it really takes to scale from $20M to $200M ARR, how to enter the enterprise market without abandoning your early adopters, and why traditional attribution models are falling behind in the age of AI and influencers. If you're navigating go-to-market pivots, building modern marketing infrastructure, or just trying to avoid another forgettable brand campaign — this episode is packed with insights. And congratulations to the Superhuman team for being acquired by Grammarly! Key Moments: 00:00 Harmony Anderson on Moving Upmarket and Scaling 01:35 Welcome to Marketing Trends 02:05 Harmony Anderson’s Career Journey 08:33 Fast-Paced Marketing Strategies 13:20 Navigating the Dark Funnel 15:59 Balancing Brand and Attribution 16:47 The Role of Influencers in Modern Marketing 19:27 Positioning in the AI Market 24:41 Moving Up Market: Challenges and Strategies 35:06 Vision Setting and Company Evolution 36:11 Superhuman's Ambitious Roadmap 37:02 Unified Productivity and AI Integration 44:18 Scaling Operations for Rapid Growth 48:09 Innovative Tools and Harmony's Tech Stack 51:13 AI in Content Creation and Marketing 56:02 The Resurgence of Webinars 01:02:14 Superhuman for Startups Program Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

What do you get when you mix a 70-year-old legacy brand, Gen Z tax filers, and a reality TV show called Responsibility Island?An absolute marketing fever dream. And Jill Cress — CMO of H&R Block — is the mastermind behind it. We unpack how she’s giving TurboTax-meets-Gen-Z realness. We’re talking Roblox integrations, bold brand storytelling, and what happens when you challenge a category that’s historically allergic to change.We cover:– How H&R Block turned tax season into a cultural moment– What marketers get wrong about Gen Z (and how to fix it)– Why AI is useful, but human empathy still pays the bills– The 4 E’s of customer experience (one of them might make you cry)This is legacy brand marketing with ✨main character energy.✨Press play. Take notes. Maybe even call your tax pro. Key Moments:00:00 Introduction to Jill Cress, CMO of H&R Block01:49 H&R Block's Legacy and Innovation13:03 Challenges and Surprises in Marketing19:45 Responsibility Island: A Bold Marketing Move25:41 Measuring Success and Future Plans30:59 Differentiation and Brand Storytelling33:15 Life Stage Stories and Customer Experience38:21 The Role of Empathy in Customer Relationships44:08 AI in Tax Assistance51:33 The Future of Brand Storytelling53:43 Advice for Young Marketers57:02 Relevant or Irrelevant: Lightening Round Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Abhay Parasnis, CEO of Typeface and former CTO at Adobe, shares insights on the future of marketing driven by AI. He argues the focus should shift from traditional methods to impressing AI agents that shop for us. Abhay discusses Typeface's rise through strategic partnerships with tech giants and suggests startups should create what these giants can't. He highlights the importance of blending AI with human connections, the evolving role of CMOs, and the return of offline experiences in an increasingly digital marketing landscape.

Think LinkedIn is the place to reach technical buyers?Auvik CMO Susanne Rodriguez breaks down how her team built an insanely effective Reddit and Facebook strategy — yes, Facebook — to reach IT pros who dodge sales emails like it's their job (because it is).We’re talking memes that convert, subreddits that slap, and how to avoid getting flamed by Reddit mods who smell B2B fluff from a mile away. You’ll also hear how Auvik got dragged for a meme, owned it publicly, and came out stronger — a.k.a. how to market like a human.If you’ve ever uttered the words “we need more MQLs” while ignoring your company’s meme game… this one's for you.🎯 Watch till the end — because the last 5 minutes might make you rethink your entire ABM budget. Key Moments: 00:00 Who Is Suzanne Rodriguez, CMO at Auvik?02:50 Reddit Marketing for IT Pros: Painful, Petty, Perfect08:33 Meme Wars and Raspberry Pis: A Campaign Autopsy25:02 The Great Content Tug-of-War: Entertainment vs. Conversion27:38 Direct Traffic, Zero Conversions, and the Website that Won’t Work34:47 Getting Found in the AI Age: Search Visibility in a ChatGPT World36:13 Instagram and Facebook for IT Pros? Apparently, Yes37:29 No Faking It: Building Trust Through Realness43:36 Radical Candor and Proving the CMO Wrong50:13 Hiring for Grit, Curiosity, and a Love of Data58:21 Hot Takes, Hard Truths, and Lightning Round Wisdom Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

You’re still optimizing for Google? That’s cute… Marcus Sheridan, author of They Ask, You Answer, joins us for a high-energy episode, he joins host Stephanie Postles to break down why the playbook most B2B marketers are still running is dangerously outdated. They dive deep into the collapse of traditional SEO, the rise of AI-generated answers, and why brands that aren’t building trust through video, transparency, and self-service tools are already falling behind. Marcus shares tactical examples from the likes of Liquid Death, Shasta Pools, and his own viral pool pricing content that generated $35M+ in sales. He also drops a bold prediction: your YouTube channel will soon matter more than your website. Whether you’re a CMO tired of playing it safe or a marketer trying to sell bold ideas up the chain, this episode is your permission slip to think (and market) differently. Key Moments: 00:00: Is Google Dead? Marcus Sheridan On Why Search Is Breaking for Marketers00:23: Why Your YouTube Channel Will Soon Outrank Your Website14:50: The #1 Interview Question CMOs Should Be Asking16:39: The Big 5 Content Topics Buyers Actually Care About29:03: Self-Service Tools: The Secret Weapon for Modern Marketers40:55: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Radical Transparency43:15: Why SaaS Pricing Pages Are Failing the Modern Buyer46:37: Will Websites Matter in 5 Years? AI Is Changing the Game Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

In a twist that flips the format, today’s Marketing Trends episode puts longtime host Stephanie in the guest seat as Lacey Peace — the show’s behind-the-scenes force for nearly a decade — grabs the mic. What unfolds is a no-BS conversation about how AI is dismantling the old playbook, why cold emails are basically spam of the past, and what marketers need to do now to stay relevant. Stephanie unpacks why Account-Based Experiences (ABX) — not just ABM — are the new battleground for meaningful engagement, and why trust, speed, and human connection are the real growth levers in an AI-saturated world. From digital buyer agents and decentralized discovery to building content that LLMs can’t summarize, this episode delivers sharp takes on where marketing is headed — and who’s already falling behind. And if you're curious about cold texting, naming dogs after food, or whether mascots actually move the needle… don’t miss the lightning-fast Relevant or Irrelevant round. Key Moments: 00:00 From 2,000 Interviews to the Hot Seat01:08 How AI Is Reshaping B2B Marketing02:25 The Collapse of Traditional Tactics03:43 AI Disrupting Email & Search Marketing04:39 Why ABX Is the Future of B2B Strategy08:54 AI Buyer Agents Are Coming — Fast13:32 Trust, Community & Decentralized Buying17:07 ABM vs. ABX: What's the Real Difference?21:34 Smarter Metrics for Long-Term Growth23:13 LLMs vs. Google: The New Search Shift24:46 Building Content LLMs Can’t Summarize27:00 Enterprise Entertainment as a Marketing Play30:39 Niche Content That Converts in B2B33:50 Relevant or Irrelevant? Rapid-Fire Trends  Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Imagine onboarding a new employee who never sleeps, speaks every language, knows all your products, and can handle thousands of customers at once.That's the reality Salesforce is building with Agentforce — and it’s already transforming customer success, marketing operations, and revenue growth.In this episode, Salesforce SVP of Digital Customer Success Bernard Slowey joins us to break down how they became Customer Zero for Agentforce, what went wrong (and right), and why agentic AI is reshaping the future of marketing and operations.If you lead marketing, operations, or customer success — and you’re serious about not falling behind — this episode is your AI playbook.Key Moments:00:00: What Is Agentforce? Introducing Salesforce’s Digital AI Workforce 01:21: Meet Bernard Slowey: VP of Digital Customer Success at Salesforce 01:46: From AOL to Salesforce: Bernard’s Career Path Through the Tech Revolution 03:57: The Rise of AI Agents: Why Chatbots Are Officially Obsolete 06:36: AI Agents vs. Chatbots: What They Are and Why They Matter 11:22: Lessons from the Frontlines: What It Takes to Implement AI Agents 15:16: Inside Salesforce: How Agentforce Came to Life 18:55: How Salesforce Launched Agentforce in Just 4 Weeks (And What They Measured) 30:27: Rethinking Success: Metrics That Actually Matter in AI Rollouts 38:25: Why Traditional Customer Service Automation Is Failing Us 42:36: Real Use Cases: How Salesforce Clients Are Winning with Agentforce 44:11: AI Implementation Challenges (And How to Solve Them) 50:32: Cross-Functional Teams and the Future of AI Collaboration 57:18: Why AI Still Needs a Human Touch in Customer Experience 58:33: The New Job Titles and Skills Emerging in an AI-First Era 01:04:02 Human Intuition vs. AI Logic: Finding the Right Balance 01:09:35 Customer Obsession in the Age of Automation  Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.