The Animalz Content Marketing Podcast

In this season-two wrap-up, Animalz hosts Ty Magnin and Tim Metz distill insights from over a dozen enterprise content leaders into actionable takeaways for content marketers. Enterprises are slower to adopt AI than startups due to risk and brand scrutiny, and the “role of content” varies widely, from being a measurable growth lever (like Zapier’s 454% ROI) to a strategic support function for complex sales (Autodesk, Microsoft).High-impact “big bets” succeed by building on smaller wins over years, while the most effective teams require every content pitch to secure distribution channels before production. Ultimately, governance, analytics, and intake processes determine success at scale. As Ty and Tim put it: “It’s about matching the role of content to the business model.”📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: why enterprise content stays hidden02:15 – Role of content: growth vs support05:01 – Org structure: teams built for scale and collaboration08:16 – Intake: from order takers to consultants10:43 – Distribution first: no content without a channel plan13:29 – Governance and approval: legal, brand, cross-team checks16:14 – Measurement and ROI: own analytics; Zapier’s 454% ROI18:57 – Big bets: stack small wins (Square, MoEngage)21:22 – AI adoption: why big brands move slow and where it fits23:49 – More: stay tuned for season 3🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesAlexanderJarvis.com – Collection of Memos (00:52): Tim’s in-flight reading—an archive of business and political memos for strategic inspiration.Zoom, Klaviyo, Dropbox, Square, Microsoft, Okta, Zapier, Autodesk (04:37): Enterprises featured this season as examples of effective content engines.The Way Up with Guy Raz (Square) (09:05): Mallory Russell’s “big bet” campaign—an example of narrative-driven, high-impact content at scale.Stay updated on content strategy insights at Animalz or connect with the team on LinkedIn.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

What does it really take to run a high-output, high-quality content engine inside a global SaaS company? In this episode, Kate Pluth, former head of Dropbox’s Content Strategy team, explains how she built an operation where structure, data, and editorial taste work in sync.She shares how agile, cross-functional pods keep work moving, how a database-driven content calendar tripled output without increasing budget, and how automation and AI shape day-to-day content operations. You will hear practical ways to handle constant change, keep brand voice consistent, and give creative teams more time to focus on the work that matters.👤 About Our Guest: Kate PluthKate Pluth is the Director of Content Strategy at Qualtrics and the former Head of Content Strategy at Dropbox. Her career includes creating global content networks for Fortune 500 brands at Metia, scaling editorial systems at Dropbox, and introducing AI-powered tools used by more than a dozen teams.She has a hands-on approach that includes tripling output through automation, removing silos between teams, and tying every initiative to measurable business results. Her unique experience offers valuable lessons for any content leader running an enterprise operation.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Agile vs waterfall in content ops00:45 – Meet Kate Pluth and the episode focus04:33 – Dropbox org and where content sits08:00 – Agile pods: performance, explanatory, customer, thought leadership10:49 – Team of eight, data loop, engagement KPIs14:43 – Writing Studio replaces Editorial Council to raise quality16:31 – Tiered resourcing: in-house, approved agencies, Writer22:54 – Tripled output with an automated content calendar25:34 – Digital listening and dark social fuel ideas30:34 – Practical AI: custom GPTs and Dropbox Dash33:00 – KPI framework: measure behavior, not vanity reach36:24 – Taste matters; LLMs act like zero-click platforms38:58 – Follow Kate and hosts’ takeaways and sign-off🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesNew York Times Cooking (02:22): Consumer content model admired for its scale and community engagement.Expedia (02:56): Early inspiration for scalable content operations.Writer (formerly Cordoba) (18:01): AI writing platform powering Dropbox’s style enforcement and overflow workflow.HelloSign / Dropbox Sign (22:37): E-signature product where Kate piloted her content ops model.Airtable (22:52): Original platform for Dropbox’s automated content calendar.SparkToro (28:12): Audience research platform for listening to customer conversations.BrandWatch and Sprinklr (28:44): Digital listening tools for audience research and content ideation.Dropbox Dash (30:41): AI-powered universal search and knowledge agent at Dropbox.Knotch (33:16): Content performance framework/tool for KPI tracking.Forget the Funnel (35:24): Consultancy for user-journey-mapping and KPI strategy.Digital Relevance by Ardath Albee (35:29): Book inspiring the “screw the funnel, it’s an experience” approach.Connect with Kate Pluth to follow her work on content ops, automation, and enterprise strategy.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

How to turn an enterprise content team into a true newsroom? In this episode, Lauren Everitt explains how she built Okta’s in-house editorial engine on journalism-grade storytelling, data-driven analysis, and hard results. She shares her “story first, channel second” philosophy, the team’s unique “second-day coverage” approach, and the guardrails that keep 6,000 employees on brand.You’ll learn how Okta blends executive insights, threat intelligence, and customer stories into high-impact content, and why they bet on lean, high-touch video. Lauren also shows how they use AI to speed up their processes while humans keep the final say. You’ll leave with a clear plan to scale content, guard quality, and prove real business value.👤 About Our Guest: Lauren EverittLauren Everitt is the Director of Content Marketing at Okta, where she leads a cross-functional team running one of the sharpest content engines. She leads Okta’s flagship "Businesses at Work" report. The ten-year study, which tracks app use at more than 18,000 companies, proves her knack for turning raw data into compelling stories.Lauren mixes a reporter’s eye with enterprise skills. She built content programs during Slack’s rapid growth and its acquisition by Salesforce, and earlier reported across Africa and the US. That mix of fieldwork, scale, and data fluency now fuels content that earns trust and drives growth.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Why content engines stay mysterious03:12 – Career path: Journalism to Slack to Okta11:35 – The Reader: Her empathy playbook14:46 – Storytelling Beats tactics24:38 – Proving value and winning headcount25:33 – Businesses at Work: Data into stories27:03 – Tapping internal experts30:41 – Second-day coverage for CISOs and CIOs33:55 – Executive Exchange: Filming thought, skipping legal bottlenecks37:18 – AI speeds prep, humans finish38:22 – Workflow: AI draft, expert polish43:19 – Voice training at scale47:15 – Follow Lauren and Okta🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesThe Reeder (Devin Reid) (01:58): Lauren Everitt’s go-to newsletter for audience empathy and voice inspiration in content creation.Content Marketing Institute (02:19): An example of strong writing quality in the content marketing space.Minuscule (02:34): A personal media pick: short, dialogue-free animated stories about insects.Tim’s Africa Documentary Project (10:58): An early-2000s web series filmed and edited in Africa, capturing a first-time visitor’s perspective through weekly on-the-spot storytelling.Businesses at Work Report (15:02): Okta’s decade-long flagship data report, now managed by the newsroom team.Okta Secure Identity Commitment (16:05): The company-wide initiative that guides newsroom content themes after a security incident.Executive Exchange (17:16): Okta’s short-form C-suite video interview series, sharing insights from industry leaders.Oktane (23:14): Okta’s annual flagship event, with 2024 coverage featuring broadcast-style video recaps.Jasper (27:28): The main AI writing assistant for the content team, helping personalize assets at scale.Okta University (30:54): The internal training platform enforcing voice-and-tone standards and AI-governance modules.Wickstrom Dairies video (32:51): Slack customer story filmed on a Northern California dairy farm, showing how the farm coordinates milking and operations entirely through Slack.Connect with Lauren Everitt to follow her work and see how Okta’s newsroom-driven content engine operates in real time.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Kirti Sharma runs marketing for Adobe Learning Manager and Captivate. She starts every plan with product marketing insights, treating them like a sixth sense. A 2,000-person survey feeds reports, keynotes, and posts that AI tools cannot copy, while channels follow, not lead.Her two-tier workflow lets Copilot and Firefly draft low-risk pieces and keeps thought leadership human. Kirti also flips the scoreboard. Keyword ranks matter, but she now tracks softer signals such as brand mentions in LLMs, event buzz, and influencer shout-outs. Those cues prove that her message sticks long before a deal closes. Hear how this mix of research, AI, and sharp positioning drives real revenue.👤 About Our Guest: Kirti SharmaKirti Sharma is the Director of Product Marketing at Adobe Learning Manager and Captivate. She steers product, demand, and content marketing for a 250-person unit at Adobe. Before Adobe, she helped Whatfix win early SEO gains with a tight content plan and later led a 25-person content and design crew at Sprinklr.Kirti blends SEO with thought leadership instead of treating them as separate jobs. Every piece of content maps to clear business goals like product adoption and customer retention. Her hands-on work with AI, modular assets, and team workflows shows how big companies can scale content without losing relevance or results.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Why enterprise content engines confuse marketers03:45 – Kirti's path: Building teams from Whatfix to Adobe07:18 – Early lessons from Freshworks and Rand Fishkin10:05 – Scaling global ops at Sprinklr: Structure and politics13:07 – Adobe playbook: Positioning, research, modular content17:25 – Category SEO: Outranking WalkMe and Appcues20:02 – Quote: “Product marketing insights can be your sixth sense”25:52 – Match content to each industry's digital maturity26:47 – How early SEO still fuels Whatfix demand29:05 – New metrics: LLM mentions, event buzz, influencer talk34:25 – Content barbell: Entertainment top, insights bottom36:03 – Brand bets: Why long plays get cut40:01 – AI as leveler: Raising bar for veterans41:40 – Tiered workflow: Copilot vs. human-led content44:06 – Quote: “If learning is for everyone, it’s for no one”46:45 – Where to follow Kirti🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesAdobe Learning Manager (13:07): The enterprise learning management system that Kirti markets, central to Adobe’s B2B training platform strategy.Adobe Captivate (17:50): Content-creation tool paired with Learning Manager, enabling the development of interactive learning experiences.Whatfix (13:07): Digital adoption platform where Kirti was the first Product Marketer and Head of Content. Discussed as a case study in early-stage SEO and category creation.Sprinklr (10:05): US-listed social-listening SaaS where Kirti built a 25-person India-based content organization focused on global content operations.Freshworks (07:18): Indian SaaS unicorn where Kirti previously worked in marketing, providing early exposure to enterprise content marketing.WalkMe (17:25): Incumbent digital adoption vendor mentioned for category context and competitive landscape insights.Microsoft Copilot (11:48): Generative-AI tool used for first-draft writing and research in enterprise content workflows.Adobe Firefly (41:54): Generative-image tool used by the team for creative prototypes and visual content experimentation.Rand Fishkin (07:18): Industry thought leader whom Kirti follows closely on LinkedIn for insights on content, SEO, and marketing trends.Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (07:22): Non-business book currently influencing Kirti’s thinking on longevity and “health-span.”G2 & Software Advice (29:15): Review sites that Kirti monitors to gather brand perception signals and customer feedback.Scrunch (38:52): AI search-visibility tool Ty recommends for tracking Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) placement.peak.ai (39:25): Another tool mentioned for monitoring LLM (large language model) visibility and AI-driven search performance.Gartner (12:19): Analyst firm whose relations team remained US-based while Kirti ran Sprinklr’s India content organization.Connect with Kirti Sharma to follow her enterprise content insights and leadership at Adobe.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Jennifer Clark turns Zoom content into revenue. She runs a small team that treats every post, video, and webinar like a sales tool. Their pod setup pulls product marketing, lead gen, and writing into one tight team. Jobs land in Zoom Docs, get sorted fast, and appear on dashboards that show actual wins, such as demo bookings and live sales calls. Last year, the team shipped 300 pieces by sharing work across pods, using Zoom AI Companion and other simple tools for call notes, outlines, and reports, while keeping a clear, open culture.👤 About Our Guest: Jennifer ClarkJennifer Clark is the Content Marketing Lead at Zoom, where she leads a small team that produces over 300 content projects a year for a 7,000-person global enterprise. She has built scalable systems that bridge teams across product, sales, and SEO, ensuring every asset aligns with business goals and brand voice, even through multiple reorgs and shifting priorities.She once turned technical topics into engaging, SEO-driven resources at TaxJar. Now, at Zoom, she rallies teams across ten time zones, keeps quality high as output soars, and ties every blog, story, and webinar to real revenue. Her blend of tight process and creative tests gives you a clear map for high-volume work, office politics, and the fast pace of enterprise SaaS.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Content drives revenue, not cost04:33 – Five people shipped 300+ pieces06:55 – Triad pod aligns product, demand, content08:05 – Content glues 7,000 people together14:09 – Intake and calendar live in Zoom Docs15:54 – Weekly stand-ups keep teams aligned24:55 – “Win of the Week” plus smart automations28:42 – Zoom AI Companion handles summaries and outlines32:27 – Track demos and deals, not clicks35:08 – AI search sparks custom visuals and templates🌐 Links and Resources From the EpisodeMake It Punchy by Emma Stratton (02:34): Jennifer calls this her team's "go-to" guide for turning product jargon into barbecue-friendly language.The Little Engine That Could (05:28): Jennifer compares her small team to this classic story about persistence—"I think I can, I think I can."Zoom Docs (14:09): Zoom’s internal documentation and project management platform, powering content intake and editorial calendars.Zoom AI Companion (28:42): Generative AI features within Zoom, including meeting summaries, drafting support, and more.Follow Jennifer Clark for more content marketing insights.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Mallory Russell took Square from one blog to a 40-person content engine that spans editorial, web, social, and organic search. She believes content must be strategic, measured, and linked to every go-to-market move. Big ideas start small, then grow into reports, webinars, and sales assets.She challenges marketers on attribution: "Content is not a channel; it fuels many.” Her team uses Gen AI to reclaim time, keep a living library, slice big pieces into audience-specific clips, and let editors guard quality. Tune in to learn how large content teams really win.👤 About Our Guest: Mallory RussellWith more than fifteen years of leading content for mission-driven brands, Mallory Russell has proved how strategic storytelling drives growth. At Square, she expanded a blog into a 40-person engine spanning editorial, SEO, social, and web, building a culture where every piece starts with audience insight and fuels steady, organic results.Her edge is equal parts vision and process. Award-winning series like "The Bottom Line" and "Running a Restaurant is No Joke" show how she links content, web, and search. She keeps teams ahead of trends, fixes silos, and guards quality as channels keep shifting. Her approach turns sprawling operations into focused work that earns measurable, lasting success.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps• 00:00 – Intro: Solo marketer to enterprise leader• 10:00 – Inheriting and growing Square’s blog• 14:59 – Scaling to a 40-person content team• 15:25 – From SEO to “organic discovery”• 18:46 – Turning “Future of Commerce” into a tent-pole• 23:40 – Pilots first: prove value, then scale• 27:17 – Strategic briefs and cross-team lifts for top-funnel• 39:33 – Rethinking metrics: “content isn’t a channel”• 44:13 – Beyond SEO: new platforms and algorithms• 46:40 – Gen-AI for speed, not volume• 47:06 – Quality over quantity in the AI era• 52:10 – Earning authority in AI-driven search• 53:40 – Connect with Mallory🌐 Mentioned Links & Resources• Square / Block Inc.: The fintech company where Mallory built and led a 40-person organic marketing organization, shaping the enterprise content engine discussed in the episode.• Future of Commerce: Square’s annual tent-pole research report, now a multi-format content platform and cornerstone of their strategy.• The Bottom Line: Square’s branded publication that replaced the original Town Square blog, focusing on actionable insights for business owners.• The Way Up (with Guy Raz): Video-podcast series from Square featuring entrepreneurs’ growth stories, hosted by Guy Raz.• Running a Restaurant Is No Joke (with Eric Wareheim): Comedy-infused content series aimed at restaurant owners, starring Eric Wareheim.• MalloryARussell.com: Mallory’s personal website, featuring her portfolio and information on consulting and fractional work.Connect with Mallory Russell for more insights on building and scaling enterprise content engines via LinkedIn or at her personal site.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Running an enterprise content engine that truly moves revenue demands more than shiny AI tools and blog posts. In this episode, Stephanie Losee details how she built newsroom-style content teams at large companies. She shares hard-won lessons from Autodesk on earning stakeholder trust, pooling budgets for projects, and defending quality even when everyone wants a say. Stephanie digs into practical tactics for securing buy-in, driving cross-functional collaboration, and using small, focused teams to punch far above their weight.👤 About Our Guest: Stephanie LoseeStephanie Losee has led content engines at some of the world’s largest brands, including Dell and Visa. As the Director of Industry & Portfolio Marketing Content at Autodesk, she oversees global executive thought leadership, research, and key account content. Stephanie’s newsroom-inspired approach has helped her teams win “Content Team of the Year” and deliver programs that drive measurable business outcomes, proving that even small teams can have outsized impact when they focus on trust, quality, and collaboration.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – From journalist to enterprise content03:17 – Building Fortune 500 content studios07:47 – Solving matrix puzzles08:41 – Tech Page One drives $1B pipeline11:37 – Buy-in: “no” means “not yet”14:04 – Rebranding Autodesk’s content engine16:05 – State of Design & Make insights19:05 – Tiny team, huge results25:17 – Content teams as enablers29:12 – AI’s limits in localization34:54 – Staying curious after AI failures37:48 – New security risks with AI40:57 – Where to follow Stephanie and learn more🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesTED AI (01:57): In-person events Stephanie attends for honest talks about AI trends and industry changes.RSA Conference (35:22): Security-focused event where Stephanie learned about enterprise concerns with AI.Fortune magazine (03:43): Stephanie’s former employer, where she worked as a technology journalist before moving into brand content.Dell Tech Page One (06:08): Early brand-content site Stephanie created at Dell, credited with influencing $1 billion in pipeline.Content Marketing Institute (01:05): Industry group and early leaders in content marketing, noted for shaping the field.Politico Focus (01:00): Sponsored-content studio Stephanie launched after Dell, building on her work in brand journalism.Visa (03:23): Stephanie served as Senior Director of Content here before joining Autodesk.Autodesk – Redshift/Design & Make (11:53): Autodesk’s brand-content channel and its rebrand, both shaped by Stephanie’s leadership.State of Design & Make Report (14:21): Global insights program and campaign run by a small team, used as a case study in content impact.Connect with Stephanie Losee to follow her work on enterprise content, newsroom leadership, and high-impact content programs. For more on her team’s flagship research, explore Autodesk’s State of Design & Make Report.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

What does it take to turn a scrappy content team into a high-output, high-ROI enterprise content engine? In this episode, Lane Scott Jones shares the blueprint behind Zapier’s content machine: how she proved 454% ROI, built a 30-person team from four, and used AI to scale output by 30%, all while keeping a strong human editorial voice. Lane shows how she turns content into a growth driver, keeps PLG and SLG in sync, and handles the politics and complexity of enterprise marketing. Get actionable frameworks for measuring content impact, integrating AI, and building a content team that earns a seat at the executive table.👤 About Our Guest: Lane Scott JonesLane Scott Jones leads Content and Corporate Marketing at Zapier. She grew a four-person blog into a 30-person team that now attracts more than 4.5 million monthly visitors. Lane pairs rigorous operations with sharp storytelling, blending data, automation, and AI to drive revenue. She builds repeatable content systems, rolls out Zapier’s internal AI tools, and consistently proves content’s ROI to the C-suite.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: Why enterprise content engines matter03:12 – Lane’s path from email to Zapier content lead06:34 – Content drives growth but lacks exec sway08:32 – ROI proof: Zapier’s ROC$ and 454 percent metric11:45 – Turning hard numbers into bigger budgets16:30 – Serving builders versus buyers in SaaS20:12 – AI hackathons that build real skills23:20 – Fast, journalistic content for launches27:27 – Where AI fits in the workflow29:08 – Automating customer stories in seconds32:01 – LaneBot: custom GPTs for ops gaps34:35 – Tech stack: Airtable, Zapier and friends35:19 – Distribution playbook: LinkedIn first🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesHard Fork (01:56): Podcast Lane follows for tech and AI newsZapier (whole episode): Automation platform; primary case study for content opsCampaign Monitor (02:30): Lane’s former employer; part of her career pathEmma (02:30): Another email marketing platform in Lane’s backgroundMCP (Model Context Protocol) (24:30): Zapier product for AI-driven actionsZapier Agents & Chatbots (33:56): Internal tools for workflow automationConnect with Lane Scott Jones to follow her latest thoughts on enterprise content operations, AI adoption, and building content systems that scale. Explore Zapier’s blog to see these strategies in action.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Tracey Wallace, Director of Content Strategy at Klaviyo, explains why her team starts with distribution first. Every piece gets a channel-specific promotion plan before a single word hits the doc. She shows how to manage requests from many squads with a simple Slack intake, keep quarterly roadmaps tight, and protect quality through legal checks and global regions. If you want a clear look at how big teams build content that stays useful and never doubles work, check out this episode.👤 About Our Guest: Tracey WallaceTracey Wallace builds content engines for fast-growing SaaS teams. At Klaviyo, she joined before the IPO and now steers a global strategy that serves eight regions and multiple go-to-market squads. About 70 % of each piece uses Klaviyo data, and 80 % spotlights a customer story. This mix turns content into powerful fuel for demand, retention, and teamwork. Tracey makes for great listening as she's open about challenging topics. In the past she has spoken about managing lay-offs and the myth of "one-off thought leadership."📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Why big teams need a new content playbook05:50 – Moving from creation first to distribution first06:10 – No one visits your site unless you send them09:05 – Content as the hub for every channel and squad13:02 – Saying no to ideas without a distribution plan13:41 – The distribution test: how will you promote this16:56 – Rule: no plan, no content20:22 – Bi-weekly syncs stop duplicate work25:31 – Skipping a formal intake keeps discipline27:10 – Handling legal, procurement, and global rollouts🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesKlaviyo (throughout): Email & SMS marketing platform where Tracey leads content strategy, operating in eight regions.Contentment (newsletter) (03:32): Tracey’s Workweek-hosted newsletter for content marketers, sharing operational insights.Workweek (03:34): Media company that hosts Tracey’s newsletter and supports B2B creators.Substack app (02:41): Tracey’s preferred “lean-back” reading platform, illustrating content consumption habits.Help Center & Academy teams (20:31): Klaviyo’s documentation and education teams, collaborating closely on bi-weekly alignment.Follow Tracey Wallace for more practical content strategy insights by subscribing to her newsletter Contentment. Explore Klaviyo’s approach to content at their blog.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Enterprise content only works when people see it. In this episode, Aditya Vempaty, VP of Marketing at MoEngage, shows you how to build content that spreads and brings in revenue.He starts every project with customer calls. Their words turn into clear messages and sharp ideas. His team builds content “with distribution in mind,” leverages customer research as a non-negotiable input, and uses “borrowed authority” from partners and customers to widen reach. They delete dead posts, keep the few that pull traffic, and rebuild tight topic clusters that tie straight to revenue.Aditya breaks down the simple process, quick data checks, and customer-first focus that help large teams move fast.👤 About Our Guest: Aditya VempatyAditya Vempaty is the VP of Marketing at MoEngage, a $100M ARR customer engagement platform. He’s built enterprise content engines at Amplitude, Unit21, and MoEngage, specializing in programs that start with customer pain points and end with measurable growth. Aditya’s approach centers on operational rigor, customer interviews, and collaborative content with partners, proving that content can drive real business impact, even in large, complex organizations.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – “If you can’t tell me how you’ll share it, we won’t make it.” Why distribution comes first05:56 – How Amplitude, Unit21, and MoEngage built their content engines08:15 – Using content to grow MoEngage’s U.S. footprint10:13 – Weekly customer calls: a must, not a maybe11:30 – Interviews are the answer key for strategy13:08 – Where AI helps and where it doesn’t22:51 – Flagship pieces powered by “borrowed authority”27:06 – Partner content that widens reach30:56 – Webinars that turn into demo machines36:40 – Cutting 90% of posts to focus on winners41:24 – Moving from Zoom to Ztl for quick repurposing45:40 – Crafting MoEngage’s next flagship with customers and partners🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesHow to Take Over the World (podcast by Ben Wilson) (02:06): Aditya’s go-to for leadership inspirationMoEngage (06:26): Customer engagement platform where Aditya leads North American marketingAmplitude (06:06): Product analytics company; site of Aditya’s first major content engineUnit21 (22:28): SaaS company where Aditya produced the ‘Manual of Fraud’ with partner brandsNutanix & Synthego (06:06): Earlier companies in Aditya’s marketing leadership journeyMercury, Brex, Pinwheel, Lithic (24:50): Co-authors on Unit21’s flagship content, exemplifying “borrowed authority”Inbox Monster & Movable Ink (30:59): Email partners in MoEngage’s high-performing webinarsZuddl (41:41): New platform for instant webinar clips and transcriptsCustomer Engagement Book (MoEngage) (45:50): Upcoming flagship asset built on the borrowed-authority modelConnect with Aditya Vempaty to learn more about building content engines that drive real business results. Explore MoEngage’s resource library for examples of flagship, partner-driven content in action.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

Get a front-row seat to a bold, unconventional approach to enterprise content with Matt Hummel, CMO of Pipeline360. In this episode, Matt shares how he personally flew out to hand-deliver a research report to over 700 marketers, shaping a content strategy built on trust.He explains how his team uses research-driven, one-on-one conversations to create personalized content, earn credibility, and unlock new revenue. You’ll hear why he sees ABM as a relationship-first strategy, how roadshows outperform automation, and why listening, not pitching, is the real deal.👤 About Our Guest: Matt HummelMatt Hummel is a B2B marketing leader who’s run content, brand, and demand generation at some of the world’s top SaaS and professional services companies including Deloitte, Thomson Reuters, Demandbase, and Pipeline360. He specializes in building content systems that connect research, product, and revenue, and is known for operational rigor, stakeholder alignment, and an honest take on what works (and doesn’t) in enterprise content. As host of “The Pipeline Brew” podcast, Matt is on the front lines of the quality vs. quantity debate, sales-marketing alignment, and real-world AI adoption in content workflows.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Why enterprise content engines matter more than ever02:11 – Matt’s path: From Deloitte and Thomson Reuters to Demandbase and Pipeline36006:43 – What 700 marketer interviews taught Matt about scaling personalization13:02 – Using research to create product-driven content15:51 – Stakeholder management and internal alignment17:12 – Why listening leads to better content outcomes19:49 – One-to-one ABM: Personalizing content at the account level23:05 – Measuring impact: How content drives account growth25:27 – Doing the unscalable to create a competitive edge26:27 – Building trust: The case for in-person connection32:23 – AI in enterprise content: What’s working and what’s not🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesPipeline360 (02:35): Content syndication and Demand-as-a-Service provider where Matt leads marketing.The Pipeline Brew (Podcast) (32:23): Matt’s show on content, brand, ABM, and demand generation.Deloitte (02:11): Where Matt previously led brand strategy.Demandbase (02:11): MarTech company where Matt ran demand gen before Pipeline360.Thomson Reuters (04:06): Global brand where Matt built early content programs.The Storytelling Edge (02:57): Book Matt is reading to refine brand storytelling.Everybody Writes (02:57): Writing reference always on Matt’s desk.Connect with Matt Hummel for more insights on content, brand, and demand generation. Or listen to his podcast, “The Pipeline Brew,” for deeper dives into enterprise content strategy.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on X or LinkedIn.

What does it really take to build a high-performing enterprise content engine? In this episode, Rhonda Hughes reveals how she transformed scattered content operations into award-winning, data-driven machines. She shares practical frameworks for turning content teams into strategic business partners, building pod-based structures, leveraging imperfect analytics, and balancing creativity with process.Rhonda also explains how to lead through chaos by balancing urgent requests with long-term structure. She shares how to keep content focused on what really drives business impact.👤 About Our Guest: Rhonda HughesRhonda Hughes has spent nearly 20 years leading content and social teams at fast-growing SaaS companies like Zoom, Mural, SurveyMonkey, and Spiceworks. She’s known for building scalable content systems, connecting different teams, and turning content groups into strategic partners. Her approach blends strong operations with a clear focus on creating real value, making her one of the most practical voices in enterprise content today.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Rhonda’s mantra, “create value, not noise”03:12 – Career path: From SurveyMonkey to Zoom07:03 – Pod teams: Cross-functional content at Mural09:23 – Zoom: Leading content through hypergrowth15:50 – Analytics: Why measuring impact is still hard19:08 – Strategy: Moving beyond order-taking20:47 – Start with the problem, not the format22:51 – Scaling: Reuse content with internal libraries25:46 – Pilots: Testing ideas and earning trust39:38 – Rhonda’s rule: Value over volume41:39 – Connect with Rhonda🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesZoom (07:51): Where Rhonda led content and social during unprecedented pandemic growth.TikTok (02:22): Platform for Zoom’s award-winning B2B campaign and a source of creative inspiration.Mural (07:03): Visual collaboration SaaS where Rhonda built integrated content, social, and advocacy teams.Spiceworks (03:41): IT pro community site revitalized by Rhonda with a 20% YoY organic traffic boost.Ziff Davis (04:21): Parent media network for Spiceworks, illustrating publisher-style content ops.SurveyMonkey (03:12): SaaS company where Rhonda led content strategy.Citrix GoTo (03:12): Enterprise software brand in Rhonda’s leadership journey.Brian Kitch (07:23): SEO leader at Mural, recognized for building their content program.Connect with Rhonda Hughes to discuss enterprise content operations, team structure, and building content engines that create real business value.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on Xor LinkedIn.

See how Heike Young, Head of Content, Social & Integrated Marketing at Microsoft Advertising nails enterprise content. In this episode, Heike explains why she measures success by shifted perspectives, not just metrics, and how her team prioritizes influence over reach.She breaks down how content, creative, and marketing ops work together at Microsoft, and why empowering employees as content creators beats traditional brand-first publishing. You’ll learn how she built a scalable system using pre-approved decks, self-serve video tools, and bold POVs aimed at the mid and bottom funnel.👤 About Our Guest: Heike YoungHeike Young has built and led content teams at Salesforce and now Microsoft Advertising, where she oversees global blogs, YouTube, employee advocacy, and integrated campaigns. Her approach is rooted in operational rigor, deep cross-team alignment, and a belief that content’s true job is to change how audiences think. Heike’s frameworks help enterprise content leaders cut through silos, shift team roles toward analytics and operations, and unlock the creative power of employee voices, making her a go-to resource for anyone navigating the complexities of large-scale content.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: Why enterprise content engines need new rules02:09 – Heike’s career path: From ExactTarget to Salesforce to Microsoft Advertising06:56 – Building research-driven content programs and the “content revolution” framework08:41 – What is Microsoft Advertising? (Bing, Copilot, Xbox, Activision) and the scope of the content engine12:49 – “Changing minds” as the north star for content—not just performance metrics13:51 – Why “spicy POV” content wins the mid- and bottom-funnel18:06 – The “four wheels of the car”: Aligning content, creative, product marketing, and demand gen20:49 – Turning product marketing into a content ally (using ICP for planning)22:55 – Why content teams must own their analytics (and avoid dashboard overload)23:55 – Evolving content roles: Why operations and analytics matter more than copywriting28:13 – Employee creators vs. brand channels: Empowering real voices for distribution32:33 – Why LinkedIn’s algorithm favors people over brands (and what to do about it)34:47 – Tools and workflows for modern video content (CapCut, LinkTok Guide)40:38 – Operationalizing authenticity: Letting creators show their real voices🌐 Mentioned Links & ResourcesMicrosoft Advertising / MAI (Microsoft AI) (00:08:41): The business unit Heike leads, including Bing, Copilot ads, Xbox, and Activision inventory.Mustafa Suleyman TED Talk on AI (00:08:41): Heike’s recommended resource for understanding the future of AI.Copilot (00:08:41): Microsoft’s generative AI experience, central to their ad strategy.Salesforce (00:06:56): Where Heike built research-driven content programs and led the Trailblazer community.ExactTarget (00:06:12): Heike’s first content marketing role, later acquired by Salesforce.Trailblazer Program & Dreamforce (00:06:56): Salesforce’s community and flagship event, models for content-driven marketing.Content Marketing World (conference) (00:14:41): Where Heike’s org-chart slides on content structure drew industry attention.Grammarly (00:23:55): Writing assistant that frees up content teams to focus on analytics.Connect with Heike Young to follow her latest content strategies, frameworks, and employee advocacy experiments.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on Xor LinkedIn.

Go behind the scenes of enterprise content marketing with Kay-Kay Clapp, Head of Content & Social at Typeform. In this episode, Kay-Kay reveals how leading B2B SaaS teams build content engines that fuel growth without sacrificing creativity or speed. She shares practical frameworks for managing content debt, running large-scale campaigns, and collaborating with subject matter experts, all while navigating the unique challenges of enterprise environments.Whether you’re grappling with approval bottlenecks, cross-team friction, or the myth that bigger budgets mean faster shipping, this episode delivers actionable advice and peer benchmarks you can use right away.👤 About Our Guest: Kay-Kay ClappKay-Kay Clapp has built and led content operations at some of SaaS’s most respected brands, including iFixit, Appcues, and now Typeform. She specializes in designing scalable systems that balance operational discipline with creative risk-taking, helping enterprise teams ship memorable content at speed even in complex, highly matrixed organizations.📻 About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: Enterprise Content MarketingThis season on the Animalz Podcast, we’re pulling back the corporate curtain to show you how the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door. Our mission: demystify these hidden machines and reveal what it really takes to run content at scale.Hear from content leaders of some of the biggest names in SaaS sharing the systems they've built, the battles they've fought, and the lessons they've learned along the way.⏳ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: Why enterprise content engines matter03:18 – Kay-Kay’s background: From iFixit to Typeform and lessons learned scaling content teams07:33 – How changing CMS (from Contentful to Webflow) unlocked speed and modularity09:49 – The “fuel & engine” model: Separating creative content from operational systems11:08 – The three-part operating rhythm: Content debt, quarterly campaigns, and SME-driven work16:47 – Turning audience insights into strategy: How Typeform uses real customer feedback to shape content22:07 – The myth of the “big budget = fast shipping” and how enterprise friction really works24:45 – Real-world AI adoption: Using AI to streamline the briefing process28:55 – The 70/30 rule: Balancing proactive strategy with stakeholder requests30:49 – How process enables creativity and why being “a little cringe” is part of the job31:16 – Making content memorable: The power of surprise and delight in B2B33:08 – Creative inspiration: Borrowing from consumer brands and iconic campaigns35:30 – Measuring success: Why “owned audience” is the north-star metric for content teams🔗 Mentioned Links & ResourcesTypeform (Throughout): Where Kay-Kay leads Content & Social, a Series-C PLG SaaS company.Contentful (07:33): The legacy CMS that slowed content velocity at Typeform.Webflow (07:33; 17:58): The modular CMS now powering Typeform’s content launches.MKT1 / Emily Kramer (09:49; 11:21; 16:47): Source of the “fuel & engine” analogy and content inspiration.Dear Marketer podcast (16:47): Emily Kramer’s show featuring audience-driven Typeform surveys.Bluey, Blippi, Miss Rachel (03:27): Parental content references.Victoria's Secret “I’m No Angel” campaign (32:14): Creative inspiration for iFixit campaigns.Connect with Kay-Kay Clapp for more insights on enterprise content operations and creative leadership. Explore Typeform’s blog to see these strategies in action.💡 Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to Animalz Podcast. You can also follow us on Xor LinkedIn.

“How do the largest, most complex B2B SaaS teams actually get content out the door?”Season 2 of the Animalz Podcast kicks off with hosts Ty Magnin (CEO) and Tim Metz (Director of Marketing and Innovation) pulling back the curtain on the real world of enterprise content marketing.Ty shares firsthand lessons from leading content at UiPath during hypergrowth, while Tim brings an outsider’s perspective, asking the “obvious” (and sometimes “stupid”) questions that rarely get answered. Together, they dig into why enterprise content operations are so complex, what’s really happening behind all the process and politics, and what they hope to learn from the experts they’ll interview this season.This season, you’ll hear how top B2B SaaS leaders:Build systems that keep content moving amid endless requests.Navigate stakeholder overload, shifting priorities, and org chart mazes.Move content teams from service roles to strategic drivers.Use AI in practical ways, at scale.Get content out the door — and how you can apply their lessons, whatever your team size.Upcoming guests:Kay-Kay Clapp – Head of Content & Social, Typeform (May 27)Heike Young – Head of Content, Social & Integrated Marketing, Microsoft AI (June 3)Rhonda Hughes – former VP, Brand Content & Audience, Spiceworks (June 10)Matt Hummel – VP of Marketing, Pipeline360 (June 17)Aditya Vempaty – VP of Marketing, MoEngage (June 24)More guests to be announced!For more info and all episodes, visit animalz.co/podcast.Timestamped overview00:00 — Welcome & season 2 mission:Ty and Tim introduce the new season’s focus on enterprise content marketing and what makes it so challenging and misunderstood.01:16 — Why enterprise?Ty reflects on leading content at UiPath, and what changes when you go from startup to scale.03:12 — Stereotypes vs. reality:Tim calls out common myths about enterprise content—bureaucracy, politics, and process overload.05:05 — From chaos to operating system:Ty explains how building systems (and tiering content) helps teams regain control.07:09 — Handling stakeholders & prioritization:How to navigate requests from across the org, prioritize work, and avoid being stuck in the middle.08:28 — Complexity at Microsoft and beyond:The challenge of managing content across huge organizations, and the power of using the org chart.09:49 — What actually changes at scale:How reporting, collaboration, and content’s role shift as teams grow.12:09 — Lessons for agencies & startups:Why understanding enterprise reality helps everyone—agencies, freelancers, and smaller companies.13:13 — Season sneak peek:A preview of standout guest stories and the big questions ahead.14:00 — Wrapping up & looking forward:Why these stories matter, and what listeners can expect from the rest of the season.

In this season finale, hosts Ty Magnin and Tim Metz reflect on what they've learned from their conversations with seven AI content pioneers. They distill the key themes that emerged, from AI as a writing partner rather than a replacement to the rise of personality-driven marketing, and consider what the next 12 months might bring for content teams adopting AI.The hosts revisit their initial question — "Is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?" — and conclude that yes, there is, though the applications are more nuanced than the hype suggests. They also announce their next season's focus on Enterprise Content.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and season recap question: Is there value in AI for content?01:00 Key themes from the season's conversations02:00 AI as a writing partner, not a replacement04:00 Systems and workflows as the new competitive edge08:00 The rise of personality as a critical element in marketing11:00 The changing future of search and discovery13:00 Predictions for the next 12 months of AI in content15:00 What the hosts stole from their guests (voice memos, prompt techniques)18:00 Second-order effects of AI adoption in content21:00 Announcement of the next season on Enterprise ContentMentioned Links & ResourcesChatGPT (02:00): Referenced throughout as the baseline for AI content creation, though with limitations for complex workflows.Lex (02:00): Nathan Baschez's AI writing tool mentioned when discussing AI as a thinking partner.Copy.ai (04:00): Kyle Coleman's platform, referenced for its impact on content workflows and delivering 70% of demand.Daydream (09:00): Thenuka Karunaratne's company, mentioned for insights on programmatic SEO beyond "spray and pray" approaches.Mutiny (09:00): Where Stewart Hillhouse developed integrated campaigns before joining StoryArb.StoryArb (09:00): Content firm where Stewart Hillhouse now serves as VP of Content, implementing his AI team structure concepts.Letterdrop (09:00): Parthi Loganathan's platform that pivoted from SEO to LinkedIn-focused content for the "99%" of professionals.Ali Abdaal (09:00): YouTube creator whose Head of Content, Ines Lee, discussed maintaining authenticity at scale.AirOps (09:00): Alex Halliday's company that builds sophisticated 30-50 step AI workflows for content teams.Cursor (11:00): Code editor with AI pair-programming features that Tim used to build the SEO Forecasting Tool.SEO Forecasting Tool (11:00): Internal tool built by Tim using AI assistance, demonstrating how marketers can create custom solutions.UiPath (21:00): Enterprise automation company where Ty previously led a large content team, mentioned when discussing the next season's Enterprise Content focus.Nathan Baschez's Annual Letter for Lex (24:00): Recommended reading on how AI "coaches" can be tailored to different writing styles.Follow Animalz on Twitter or LinkedIn for updates on the upcoming Enterprise Content season.Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast.

Alex Halliday takes us from Silicon Valley's coffee shops to the cutting edge of AI content strategy. He reveals how his company AirOps helps brands build sophisticated 50-step AI workflows that transform basic prompts into high-performing content. As founder and CEO, Alex shares his "treasure hunt" approach to uncovering unique organizational data and explains why the future belongs to content that's "impossible to copy."Drawing on his connections with OpenAI's leadership and experience implementing AI in real business contexts, Alex offers practical advice for content teams navigating the shift to AI-driven search — from optimizing for the "new middleman" of LLM-based experiences to finding the hidden knowledge assets that exist in every organization.About Our Guest: Alex HallidayAlex Halliday is the founder and CEO of AirOps, a platform that helps brands drive organic growth through AI-powered content strategies. The company began in the data space before pivoting to help creative teams get more value from AI than they could achieve out of the box.Before AirOps, Alex worked at Teespring, Masterclass, and Bungalow, building product expertise that informed his approach to AI workflow design. He has maintained connections in the AI world, including with OpenAI's Sam Altman, giving him unique insights on where the real value in AI is accruing: not just in the models themselves, but also in the implementation layer.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 "It takes 30-50 steps, not 5-10, to create excellent AI content"02:00 How Alex uses AI for research and information discovery04:00 Moving into the "perfect information age" with AI synthesis06:00 AI's impact on learning and creativity: benefits and risks07:00 Alex's background and how AirOps evolved09:00 Why human oversight remains essential in AI content workflows11:00 Alex's connection to Sam Altman and early days in San Francisco14:00 Where the real value is accruing in the AI landscape15:00 The new rules of AI content: winning by being impossible to copy17:00 Three types of content that AI can't easily replicate20:00 Inside AirOps: How the platform builds sophisticated AI workflows23:00 Advice for content teams doing "spray and pray" SEO26:00 Finding your organization's unique "gold veins" of content28:00 How to optimize content for the "new middleman" of AI search32:00 Why Alex studies AI search despite leading a content creation platform35:00 AirOps' strategic focus on content creation despite AI's broader potential38:00 Alex's AI moonshot idea: context-rich meeting assistantsMentioned Links & ResourcesAirOps (00:08:00): Alex's platform that helps brands create advanced AI content workflows.OpenAI Deep Research (00:02:00): A research tool Alex uses to discover content he " wouldn't have found otherwise."Teespring, Masterclass, Bungalow, SocialGo (00:07:00): Companies where Alex worked, mentioned when discussing his background before founding AirOps.ChatGPT (00:17:00): Referenced as the foundational AI model that more sophisticated workflows build upon.Claude (00:20:00): An alternative AI model mentioned for multi-model workflows.Schema.org (00:30:00): HTML schemas for information structures to improve AI readability.HubSpot (00:24:00): Referenced in discussion about content that strays from topical authority.”Everybody Wants Thought Leadership Content” (00:43:00): Animalz article on "earned secrets" mentioned in the wrap-up discussion about finding unique organizational insights.Follow Alex Halliday on LinkedIn or reach him at [email protected] to discuss AI content innovations and opportunities.Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast. You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalz/).

In this episode, Ines Lee shares her journey from teaching economics at Oxford to leading content for Ali Abdaal's 6-million-subscriber YouTube empire. She offers practical insights into how her team balances AI efficiency with human creativity across their content operations.While highlighting various AI-powered workflows — from video editing to content repurposing — Ines emphasizes that AI excels at producing "adequate" content but lacks the personality that makes content truly memorable: "It's like a cover band that really hits all the notes perfectly, but you're never gonna feel that element of jazz."For B2B marketers, she shares valuable lessons from the creator economy, including how to leverage personal brands and treat content as a product itself.About Our Guest: Ines LeeInes Lee is the Head of Content for Ali Abdaal, a top YouTuber with over 6 million subscribers. Her unconventional path from academia to content creation began with a PhD in economics at Oxford and a postdoc at Cambridge before joining Ali's team in 2021.Ines initially balanced academia with content writing as a side gig. In late 2023, she fully committed to creative work when she stepped into her current role. She now leads a team responsible for YouTube videos, newsletters, and social media content that generate revenue through AdSense, partnerships, and sponsorships.Ines recently launched her own Substack, Side Road 38.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 "AI is like a cover band that hits all the notes perfectly"01:00 Introduction to Ines Lee and today's conversation03:00 Ines's content consumption habits: The Second Mountain and recent films04:00 From PhD in economics at Oxford to content creation for Ali Abdaal06:00 How economics training informs content strategy07:00 The structure of a major YouTube creator's content team09:00 How the ideation process works for YouTube videos10:00 When AI first entered Ines's workflow (summer 2023)11:00 Three main buckets of AI usage: video editing, content repurposing, and analysis13:00 Using AI to reverse-engineer Ali's voice and build style guides14:00 Why human judgment remains essential despite AI assistance16:00 B2B lessons from the creator economy: the power of personal brands18:00 Treating content as a product: what B2B can learn from creators20:00 Ali's expansion into AI software with VoicePal23:00 "AI gives us adequate content but lacks personality and jazz"25:00 Current limitations of AI-generated video content26:00 Developing custom AI agents to improve short-form content selection29:00 Ines's AI prompt methodology: analyze first, then generate30:00 "75% of good writing is thinking" - setting appropriate AI boundaries32:00 A day in the life: how AI assists their YouTube content workflow36:00 Where to follow Ines: LinkedIn and Side Road 38 on SubstackMentioned Links & ResourcesThe Second Mountain (00:03:00): A book by David Brooks on meaning and purpose that Ines mentioned she's reread.Emilia Perez (00:03:00): A film Ines recently watched and enjoyed.The Substance (00:03:00): A film with Demi Moore that Ines and Ty found intense.Ali Abdaal YouTube Channel (00:07:00): Ali's main content platform with over 6 million subscribers.Part-Time YouTuber Academy (00:07:00): An info product by Ali that teaches creators how to grow their YouTube channels.Productivity Lab (00:08:00): A 2023 membership program to help people double their productivity.Fire Cut (00:11:00): An AI video editing tool that has cut Ali's team's editing time in half.Grain (00:13:00): For call recordings/transcripts that feed into AI-driven writing workflows.Adam Robinson (00:16:00): B2B founder (Retention.com) with strong LinkedIn presence.Stuart Machin (00:17:00): Marks & Spencer CEO cited for personal brand-led content.Dana Strong (00:17:00): Sky Group executive using personal content and social to boost brand presence.doola (00:19:00): A startup whose founder uses educational content for growth.Founder-Led Content: Blitz-Scaling Social with doola's Arjun Mahadevan (00:19:00): The Animalz interview with doola's founder mentioned by Tim.VoicePal (00:22:00): Ali's new AI app that converts voice memos into content drafts by asking follow-up questions and formatting responses.HeyGen and ElevenLabs (00:25:00): AI tools for creating avatars and voiceovers that Ines mentions when discussing current AI video genera

In this episode, Parthi Longanathan explains why his company pivoted from SEO content tools to LinkedIn-focused social selling and how this shift reflects broader changes in the content marketing landscape. After seeing declining demand for SEO services and changing search behaviors due to AI tools, Parthi recognized that AI-assisted, personality-driven content was becoming the clearer path to revenue.Letterdrop now helps companies turn internal expertise into consistent trust-building LinkedIn content for sales and executive teams. Rather than chasing virality, Parthi focuses on helping everyday professionals create content that resonates with the small subset of people who matter: their prospective customers.About Our Guest: Parthi LonganathanParthi Longanathan is the founder and CEO of Letterdrop. He worked as a product manager at Google on the search team and G Suite (now Google Workspace), giving him unique insights on how search works behind the scenes.After leaving Google in 2019, Parthi founded Letterdrop, initially focused on helping marketers create high-quality SEO content by streamlining research and connecting content to revenue. In 2023, noticing changes in search behavior and declining demand for SEO services, he made the strategic decision to pivot toward LinkedIn-focused content solutions.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Check out other episodes in the season hereTimestamps00:00 "I think a lot of people just misunderstand how to use LinkedIn"02:00 Current trends in the RevOps space04:00 Knowledge work automation and relationship-building06:00 Parthi's background at Google and Letterdrop's evolution08:00 Why Letterdrop pivoted from SEO to LinkedIn10:00 Google search principles from an insider's perspective13:00 How content marketers should think about search16:00 The future of search and declining SEO investment19:00 How Letterdrop's original SEO product worked23:00 Building the LinkedIn growth engine for sales teams26:00 Components of an effective LinkedIn strategy28:00 Focusing on influencing "the thousand people who matter"31:00 How AI enhances Letterdrop's LinkedIn content system34:00 The reality about most people's "tone of voice"37:00 The future of content marketing and knowledge workMentioned Links & ResourcesBrian LaManna, Nate Nasralla, and Isaiah Crossman (00:03:00): Sales experts Parthi follows for insights into the sales and RevOps space.Letterdrop (00:05:00): Parthi's company, which pivoted from SEO content tools to LinkedIn social selling systems.Google Workspace (00:06:00): Formerly G Suite, a product Parthi worked on at Google.LinkedIn (00:07:00): The platform where Letterdrop now helps companies build personal brands and relationships with prospects.Google Search (00:10:00): Where Parthi worked as a product manager, gaining insights into how search algorithms evaluate content.ChatGPT and Gemini (00:17:00): AI tools changing Parthi's search behavior that led him to reconsider his business direction.Surfer and Clearscope (00:19:00): SEO tools Parthi mentions when explaining alternative approaches to content optimization.Clearbit and 6sense (00:20:00): Tools mentioned for identifying website visitors and connecting content to revenue.Adam Robinson (00:23:00): Referenced as an example of someone with strong personal brand who receives high response rates.Follow Parthi Longanathan on LinkedIn: "I'm there posting helpful, thoughtful stuff three to four times a week. At least half of it is created by Letterdrop."Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast.You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalz/).

In this episode, Stewart Hillhouse shares a refreshingly practical perspective on how content teams can thrive in an AI-accelerated environment. Fresh from a three-year run as Head of Content at Mutiny and now heading to StoryArb as VP of Content, Stewart offers concrete workflows, AI prompting techniques, and a clear vision for how content teams should restructure for maximum impact.His approach emphasizes both speed and creativity—advocating for shorter planning horizons, integrated quarterly campaigns, and transparent marketing that acknowledges the audience's sophistication. Most importantly, he provides a framework for the "content team of the future" that leverages AI for operational tasks while positioning humans as strategic directors and personality-driven marketers.About Our Guest: Stewart HillhouseStewart Hillhouse has just completed a three-year tenure as Head of Content at Mutiny, where he developed campaigns that generated millions in pipeline while witnessing the company's growth from Series A through the emergence of generative AI. His background is unconventional — he started his career in forestry before making a pivot into content marketing through a self-initiated podcast where he interviewed marketing leaders.Stewart is now beginning a new chapter as VP of Content at storyarb, where he'll focus on newsletter and narrative editorial content. Throughout his career, he has maintained a commitment to experimentation and knowledge-sharing, regularly publishing his techniques and insights for the broader marketing community.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 "You can't think more than 90 days ahead in today's environment"02:00 From forestry to content marketing through podcasting05:00 Building integrated campaigns at Mutiny07:00 The "Survivor" campaign: 10,000 participants, millions in pipeline09:00 Why timeliness trumps perfect execution11:00 Joining StoryArb as VP of Content13:00 "Don't write your own prompts" - The meta AI hack16:00 Using AI but owning the final result18:00 Feeding AI unexpected combinations for creative output20:00 Three foundational guardrails for consistent AI content24:00 "I'm no longer a better writer than AI"26:00 From creation to operations: the changing content role27:00 The future content team: personality marketers, operators, and directors33:00 The open source target account list campaign36:00 Breaking the fourth wall in B2B marketing40:00 The AI research hack: finding relevant podcast segmentsMentioned Links & ResourcesMutiny (00:05:00): Stewart's previous company, a personalization platform.Survivor Campaign (00:07:00): Stewart's AI-focused campaign that generated millions in pipeline.Storyarb (00:11:00): The agency Stewart is joining as VP of Content.95% Content (00:13:00): Podcast where Stewart previously shared AI content tips.DeepSeek (00:20:00): A newer AI model Stewart mentions.Claude and ChatGPT (00:22:00): AI tools Stewart uses with project/memory features.Open Source Target Account List (00:33:00): A groundbreaking ABM campaign where Mutiny publicly shared their 5,000 target accounts and created personalized microsites for each one.Follow Stewart Hillhouse on LinkedIn where he regularly shares content marketing insights.Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast.You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalz/).

In this episode, Thenuka Karunaratne shares how companies can create sustainable competitive advantages ("moats") in SEO as AI transforms search. With extensive experience in programmatic SEO, Thenuka explains why simply using AI to generate content isn't enough — the real advantage comes from proprietary data and strategic implementation.Despite warning against "SEO on autopilot," Thenuka demonstrates the remarkable results possible with thoughtful AI integration. His case study with Twingate shows how programmatically created content quickly generated 50,000 monthly visits, with 20% of their demo page traffic coming from this content.About Our Guest: Thenuka KarunaratneThenuka Karunaratne is the co-founder and CEO of daydream, a platform that automates programmatic SEO. Founded in 2023 with $3.8M in seed funding, daydream builds on Thenuka's experience creating high-performance programmatic SEO systems.Before daydream, he founded Flixed, a streaming industry lead generation business that leveraged programmatic SEO to send over 100,000 subscribers to services like HBO, Disney, and Hulu.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 Why most content teams lack visibility in AI-driven search01:30 Thenuka’s background in SEO and streaming03:30 From affiliate sites to building a programmatic SEO platform06:00 The problem with manual approaches to long-tail SEO08:30 Two major changes in search: AI answer engines and programmatic content11:00 Tools for measuring brand visibility in AI answer engines13:00 Why “SEO on autopilot” is a marketing myth15:30 How AI can automate the strategic aspects of growth marketing19:00 Why the future of SEO requires more technical expertise21:00 Twingate case study: using data breaches to drive programmatic SEO25:00 Why proprietary data becomes your competitive moat27:30 How SEO is becoming a product function rather than marketing29:00 The future of search when “computers talk to computers”Mentioned Links & ResourcesUnbroken (00:01:40): The biography of Olympian Louis Zamperini.Flixed (00:03:00): Thenuka's previous programmatic SEO business.ChatGPT and Perplexity (00:07:30): AI answer engines changing search behavior.Zapier (00:09:10): Tool mentioned in the AI answer engine discussion.Daydream Library (00:12:00): Where Thenuka announced their AI visibility tool.Twingate (00:21:00): Featured in the 50,000-visit case study.Coinbase, Airbnb, and Pinterest (00:26:30): Companies where SEO functions as a product capability.Nexus (00:29:00): A book by Yuval Noah Harari mentioned in the post-interview discussion about finance and AI.Follow Thenuka and daydream at at withdaydream.com or on LinkedIn or X.Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast.You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalz/).

In this episode, Kyle Coleman, CMO at copy.ai, brings clarity and practical wisdom to the AI content conversation. His perspective is positive, practical, and backed by remarkable results: over $50 million in pipeline generated for copy.ai with just $37,000 spent on demand generation.Kyle introduces the concept of "AI-synthesized content" as distinct from "AI-generated content" — a framework that maintains human thinking and authenticity while dramatically scaling production. He articulates content's fundamental purpose as "building trust at scale" and demonstrates how thoughtfully implemented AI workflows can create content that remains authentic while becoming dramatically more scalable.About Our Guest: Kyle ColemanKyle Coleman is the CMO at copy.ai, an AI platform for go-to-market use cases. His career began at Looker, where as the sixth employee he helped grow the company to $110 million in revenue and a $2.5 billion acquisition by Google.Kyle then spent five years at Clari, moving from demand generation to leading all marketing as CMO, helping scale the company 8x in revenue. He's built a significant personal brand on LinkedIn, recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice with over 130,000 followers.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & ContentHello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 "Do your research, know your audience, be a person" 02:00 Kyle's journey from Looker to copy.ai06:00 Building a LinkedIn audience since 202008:30 AI enhances fundamentals but doesn't replace them12:00 Kyle's voice memo to LinkedIn post workflow13:00 The difference between AI-synthesized and AI-generated content19:00 Why content marketers remain skeptical of AI23:00 Systematic thinking for successful AI adoption27:00 "People who like writing are people who like thinking"29:00 $50M pipeline on $37K spend: copy.ai's content flywheel32:00 "Effective content builds trust at scale"36:00 The new content culture is a workflow cultureMentioned Links & ResourcesClari and Looker (00:02:00): Companies where Kyle built his marketing career before joining copy.ai. Copy.ai (00:03:00): Kyle's company, providing AI tools for content marketing and sales workflows.Founders (00:04:00): A podcast Kyle recommends that offers summaries of founder biographies.Acquired (00:04:00): Long-form podcast Kyle recommends with episodes on Mars, IKEA, and Sony.Outreach and Salesloft (00:07:00): Sales platforms Kyle references when discussing outbound tactics.LinkedIn Top Voice recognition (00:10:00): Kyle's 2020 recognition for sales content.ChatGPT and Claude (00:19:00): AI tools Kyle mentions when explaining content creation limitations.Nathan Thompson (00:28:00): copy.ai's Head of Content Strategy and former Animalz strategist.Devin Reed (00:32:00): Kyle's colleague who coined "effective content builds trust at scale."Follow Kyle Coleman on LinkedIn.Enjoyed this conversation?Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast.You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalz/).

In this episode, Nathan Baschez offers a refreshing perspective on AI writing tools. He explains we're still at "the very bottom of the S-curve of adoption" for writers embracing AI. Meanwhile, programmers have rapidly integrated these tools into their workflows. This gap represents both challenge and opportunity.Instead of getting stuck in the typical AI debate ("Is it a threat to writers or just a shortcut?"), Nathan has a different take. He argues that neither outright rejection of AI nor complete surrender to it serves writers well. Instead, he shares a compelling framework: think of AI as a personal trainer for your writing process rather than a replacement.About Our Guest: Nathan BaschezNathan Baschez is the founder and CEO of Lex, a tool that reimagines writing for the AI era. His unique perspective comes from a career spent in content, media, and tech. He was previously VP of Product at Substack, Head of Product at Gimlet Media, and co-founder/president of Every, a business and technology publication bundle.About This Season of the Animalz Podcast: AI & Content"Hello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?" The AI conversation in content marketing has become deafening — skeptics shouting from one side, shallow tips from enthusiasts on the other. But somewhere in this noise, there must be pioneers who've actually figured something out, right?We've gone on a search for the real pioneers — the ones who've ventured beyond the hype to succeed (or fail) spectacularly. Through their hard-won insights, we'll discover if there's actually something of value hiding in the noise, or if we're all just shouting into the void.Timestamps00:00 "We're at the bottom of the AI adoption curve"01:16 "Pioneers in AI content creation"02:04 "What content have you been consuming?"04:02 "Lex: AI-enhanced writing for better results"06:14 "Lessons from Gimlet, Substack and beyond"08:38 "The birth of Lex as a side project"11:00 "From 25,000 signups to company spinout"15:05 "Why don't more writers use AI?"17:23 "AI as a collaborator, not a replacement"19:37 "The fear of being judged for using AI"24:00 "The masochism in writing culture"26:39 "Nathan's AI writing workflow"28:00 "Reverse outlining and canvas features"30:00 "The ABCD feedback framework"33:00 "Proving reading still matters today"34:38 "AI can't lead - that's what people do"35:25 "Where to follow Nathan and Lex"36:40 "The visual rhythm of good writing"Mentioned Links & ResourcesArt of Accomplishment (00:02:04): A podcast/newsletter by Joe Hudson, former venture capitalist turned coach, mentioned by Nathan as content he's been consuming lately.Lex.page (00:35:03): Nathan's AI writing tool that looks like Google Docs "but on steroids and cleaner."Cursor (00:08:30): An AI-powered code editor that Nathan mentions using instead of VS Code.Nathan's career journey (00:06:14-00:09:00): Before founding Lex, Nathan was president and co-founder of Every (a publication bundle), VP of Product at Substack, and Head of Product at Gimlet Media.Alex Blumberg's media projects (00:06:14-00:07:00): Nathan mentions Blumberg's work at This American Life, Planet Money, and especially the Startup podcast at Gimlet as some of his favorite media and influences.Zapier, GitHub, Linear, and Notion (00:14:00): Companies Nathan mentions as models for sustainable growth.Lex’s Annual Letter (00:14:39): Nathan's thoughtful exploration of the AI adoption gap between writers and programmers. MUST READ if you enjoyed the episode.Follow Nathan and Lex: @nbashaw , @lexdotpage, or email [email protected] this conversation?Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or head over to https://animalz.co/podcast. You can also follow us on X (https://x.com/AnimalzCo) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/).

“Hello... is there anybody out there creating real value with AI?”Welcome to a new season of the Animalz Podcast, where hosts Ty Magnin (CEO) and Tim Metz (Director of Marketing and Innovation) go on a quest to cut through the AI noise and find the real pioneers creating value with AI.In this season introduction, Ty and Tim explain why they've chosen to focus on AI and content — a topic consuming "at least half" of their work-related brain space. While everyone talks about AI, few share what's genuinely working (or spectacularly failing).Looking ahead at their expectations for the season, they voice both excitement and skepticism: Will they discover spectacular use cases in SEO? How will AI reshape content creation teams? And what counterintuitive "second-order effects" might emerge as everyone adopts the same AI tools?The hosts share their current AI workflows, from using AI as a "sparring partner" for writing to leveraging it for sales processes and data analysis. They confess where they're finding value and where the technology still falls short.This season aims to separate hype from reality by speaking with the people actually pushing boundaries in AI-powered content:Nathan Baschez - Founder at Lex (March 4th)Kyle Coleman - CMO at Copy.ai (March 6th)Thenuka Karunaratne - Co-founder and CEO at Daydream (March 11th)Stewart Hillhouse - VP of Content at Storyarb (former Mutiny) (March 13th)Parthi Loganathan - Founder and CEO at Letterdrop (March 18th)Ines Lee - Head of Content at Ali Abdaal (March 20th)Alex Halliday - Founder and CEO at AirOps (March 25th)Season close - Reflections with Ty and Tim (March 27th)For more info, head over to https://www.animalz.co/podcast/.

Ash Read, Editorial Director at Buffer, talks through: how to compete in an industry saturated by content marketing; finding your unique differentiator; the power of brand and vision in content; how to create and update “topical” content; and the content strategy he used to grow his side project’s traffic from 0 to 130,000 monthly pageviews.---HostsAsh Read is the Editorial Director at Buffer, and the founder of modern homeware directory, Living Cozy.Ryan Law is the Director of Marketing for Animalz, an agency that delivers high-quality content marketing to enterprise companies, startups, and VC firms.Mentioned in the EpisodeAsh's side project, Living CozyWebinar, How to Manage Big Blogs (feat. Buffer, Zapier & Amplitude)Breaking Brand, a Buffer podcast seriesThe Animalz article about "content whales," Here’s How to Handle a Wildly Successful Article That Makes the Rest of Your Content Look BadConnectConnect with Ash on Twitter and LinkedInConnect with Ryan on Twitter and LinkedIn

Blake Emal, Chief Marketing Officer at Copy.ai, explains how AI can help small content teams, how to get great at Twitter marketing, and why Copy.ai encourages its team to embrace side projects.---HostsBlake Emal is the Chief Marketing Officer at Copy.ai, and the founder of Float, an online course creator for Notion.Ryan Law is the Director of Marketing for Animalz, an agency that delivers high-quality content marketing to enterprise companies, startups, and VC firms.Mentioned in the EpisodeGPT-3 is the Sparring Partner You Didn’t Know You NeededConnectConnect with Blake on Twitter and LinkedInConnect with Ryan on Twitter and LinkedIn

Dr. Fio Dossetto, editor-in-chief of contentfolks and former Senior Editor at Hotjar, talks through "product-led" content, writing search content without becoming a copycat, and levelling-up your career by thinking less like a writer, and more like a strategist.---HostsDr. Fio Dossetto is the editor-in-chief of contentfolks, and the former Senior Editor at Hotjar.Ryan Law is the Director of Marketing for Animalz, an agency that delivers high-quality content marketing to enterprise companies, startups, and VC firms.Mentioned in the EpisodeFio's newsletter, contentfolksFio's talk for Wynter: Product-LED Content: A Powerful (& Under-utilized) Approach to ContentExamples of product-led contentAhref's free course, Blogging for BusinessAnimalz's article, Copycat Content: SEO Tools Got Us Here, Humans Will Get Us OutAnimalz's article, You’re a Content Marketer, Not a WriterConnectConnect with Fio on Twitter and LinkedInConnect with Ryan on Twitter and LinkedIn

In this webinar recorded for Superpath, Ryan and Andrew talk Jimmy Daly through Animalz's first annual Content Marketing Benchmark Report. They explore six key findings from the data; cover the methodology and process behind the report; and share stories and experience from working with the 70+ SaaS companies analyzed in their research.---Mentioned in This Episode:The Animalz Content Marketing Benchmark Report 2020Read the deck that accompanied the webinarVisit Superpath

In today’s episode, Animalz's COO Haley Bryant talks with Sydney Carlton, Director of Brand Marketing at Storyblocks, a stock videos, images and audio provider. In October, Storyblocks launched Re:Stock, a campaign to more than double the representation of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC content in their library from 5% to 10% by 2021 and 20% by 2022.The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked unprecedented focus on the Black Lives Matter movements. Diversity, equity and inclusion transcends this moment, and to make significant progress, our focus has to be evergreen. As companies are challenged to figure out how to improve internally, some companies are taking their commitment to DEI a step further by sharing their action plans externally to challenge themselves, their customers, and their competitors to step up.---Mentioned in the EpisodeStoryblocksStoryblocks’ Re:Stock Campaign Seeks To Boost Diverse Stock ContentFollow Sydney:TwitterLinkedInFollow Haley:TwitterLinkedIn

In today’s episode, I set out to answer one of the hardest questions in marketing: how do you become a thought leader?I pick the brain of Animalz’s strategist Katie Parrott, and we chat through the defining traits of a true thought-leader (and why it requires more than adding the phrase to your LinkedIn bio); we discuss the idea of “earned secrets” as the fuel for thought leadership; we dig into the 5 “sources” of thought leadership we use at Animalz; and we wrap up by asking—is it really worth it? (spoiler: yes).---Mentioned in the EpisodeEverybody Wants Thought Leadership Content. But How Do You Do It, Exactly?a16z Podcast: Earned SecretsFollow Katie and RyanFollow Katie on TwitterFollow Ryan on Twitter

In today’s special episode of the Animalz podcast, you have questions, and we have answers.I enlisted Animalz CEO Devin Bramhall to help me answer some of the hardest content marketing questions you could throw at us. We tackle launching new websites, balancing paid and organic spend, content promotion, offline buying processes, and a whole lot more. We’ll do another Q&A episode in the not-too-distant future, so if you have a question you’d like us to tackle, click the link in the show notes.---Share your questions via Google Form5 Content Marketing Strategies for Niche B2B IndustriesFollow Devin on TwitterFollow Ryan on Twitter

In today’s episode of the Animalz podcast, I enlist Animalz Head of R&D, Andrew Tate, to talk through the good, the bad, and the downright mind-blowing aspects of GPT-3, the uncannily powerful natural language model from OpenAI.We share examples of the type of content you can create with GPT-3, we analyze the quality and calibre of its writing, and we answer the question on every content marketer’s lips: should we be worried?---Mentioned in the EpisodeTitles and URLs written by GPT-3Tweetstorm partially authored by GPT-3Creative writing authored by GPT-3Copycat Content: SEO Tools Got Us Here, Humans Will Get Us OutOpenAI GPT-3 waitlistFollow Andrew and RyanFollow Ryan on TwitterFollow Andrew on Twitter

Few industries are more saturated with content marketing than ecommerce. From juggernauts like Shopify and Bigcommerce, to a growing multitude of scrappy startups, every ecommerce company is hungry for rankings, traffic and mindshare.In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Laura Moss, Animalz resident ecommerce pro, and the founder of her own ecommerce brand, Adventure Cats. We chat through strategies for turning the saturation and rate of change in ecommerce to your advantage; we dig into the power of “niching down” and competing for search volume on your own terms; we look at the short- and long-term impact of COVID on ecommerce marketing; and Laura shares nascent trends that she thinks all ecommerce marketers should pay close attention to.---Visit Adventure CatsFollow Laura on TwitterFollow Ryan on Twitter

Content audit. Two words to strike fear into the heart of every content marketer.Well, not really. For any blog more than a year or two old, getting to grips with the performance of your older content is a necessity. But the tools used to do that, content and SEO audits, generally get a bad rep. And with good reason: most audits are long, bloated documents crammed full of context-less keywords and statistics.Here at Animalz, we’ve been on a mission to reinvent the content audit, and create a new process that’s fundamentally more useful. In true Animalz fashion, we wanted to experiment with our new audits on... ourselves. So we did! Our head of R&D, Andrew, audited the entire Animalz blog, and surfaced a few familiar problems. And as Animalz Director of Marketing... well, it’s up to me to solve them.---Learn more about content audits for your content and websiteRevive, our free tool for finding content that needs refreshingFollow Ryan on TwitterFollow Andrew on Twitter

As a company whose entire reason for existence is creating the world’s best content marketing, we spend a LOT of time thinking about quality:What does it really mean to create something quality?How can we consistently create quality, despite the fact that we work with hundreds of customers, in dozens of industries, each with their own, idiosyncratic tastes and preferences?How can we stay ahead of changing trends, technology and expectations?In today’s episode, I dive deep into the quality rabbit hole with Animalz CEO Devin.We share the foundational, six principle benchmark we use to safeguard quality at Animalz; we talk through a strategic framework for adapting content to the expectations of other people; and we explore how the defining characteristics of “quality content” change over time.---Follow Devin on TwitterFollow Ryan on Twitter

In today’s episode, Ryan chats with Animalz team members Cassie and Stephanie about Education Technology, an industry undergoing a gold-rush style boom in the wake of COVID-19.We talk through the different business models used in EdTech, and the supporting role of content in each; we discuss the biggest opportunities facing EdTech companies as they launch go-to-market strategies in the wake of coronavirus; and we dig into practical advice for creating killer content marketing for audiences of academics and industry experts.---Follow Cassie on TwitterFollow Stephanie on Twitter

In today’s episode, Ryan talks with Andrew Montalenti, Founder and Chief Product Officer at content analytics platform Parse.ly.We use Andrew’s experience working with some of the world’s largest publishers—the likes of WIRED, The Wall Street Journal, and Medium—to explore the changing face of content marketing. We talk through “platform-risk” and the growing need to diversify marketing channels; we dig deep into content attribution and analysis; and we share “publication”-inspired strategies that B2B and B2C brands can apply to their own content marketing.---Show LinksExplore Parse.lyFollow Andrew on TwitterRead more about Library vs Publication

In today’s episode, Ryan chats to Emily Byford, Content Marketing Manager at SaaStock.We discuss SaaStock’s pivot from one of the premiere in-person SaaS conferences to an entirely online event in the wake of COVID-19; we dig deep into category creation, by way of Emily’s work at would-be category king Akkroo, and explore the role content plays in conceiving, evangelising and owning an emergent category; and we wrap-up by discussing the differences between agency content marketing, and working in-house at a startup.---Show LinksSaaStock Remote, June 10th - 11th (Get 20% off with discount code ANIMALZ-20)Follow Emily on TwitterEmily's reflections on category creation

The Degreed 2020 marketing plan is changing, and fast. With their original plans out the window, learn how their team is adapting their marketing strategy to keep growth trending up and to the right. Degreed's head of content and comms Sarah Danzl and managing editor Bella Lazzareschi joined us to talk about the importance of a diversified marketing plan, the role of PR during a crisis and how the best marketing is empathic.

In this episode, Jimmy and Ryan talk about our new product: on-demand consulting for your content team. We explain what it is, who it's for and why now. We also talk through some of the behind-the-scenes of putting this together. Enjoy!

Are you rethinking your content strategy right now? So is Joei Chan, content director at the e-learning company 360Learning. She was hired to lead content just a few weeks before the Covid-19 crisis and is now launching a new content program right in the midst of it. In this episode, Devin and I interview her about the experience, plans, goals, resources and constraints.

In an environment where acquisition of new customers is very challenging for most business, retention is extremely important. In this episode, Jimmy and Devin talk about what we're doing to retain our customers, and what our customers are doing to retain their customers.

In our first-ever live podcast, Devin and Jimmy talk about content marketing during a crisis. We talk through a few situations that we're seeing our own customers experiencing and take questions from the group. Check the show notes for links, snippets and the video.

Join us for an upcoming LIVE podcast. We're going to talk about content marketing during a crisis and answering live questions. If you'd like to submit a question, just send to [email protected]. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rgucukfsTmuP3t6qTSMrvQ

This is among to the most things we common things we hear on sales calls: "Paid acquisition is getting too expensive and we haven't made any investment in content. How soon can we get started?" It's true that content can reduce your paid acquisition costs, but it also takes time to develop. In this episode, Jimmy and Devin talk about: * How to keep content very lean for better and faster results * The difference between B2B and B2C marketing * Our experience helping customers make this transition If you have feedback, comments or suggestions, reach out at [email protected].

Great content requires great context. In this episode, Jimmy and Jan talk about the inputs needed to paint that context. At the very least, you need a deep understanding of: * The customer * The product * The business model * The industry * The competition * The literature Once you have this information, you can create a strategy that suits the company's business needs.

In this (very) quick episode, Jimmy talks about why so many blogs don't generate leads and talks about how to address that problem. This advice won't disrupt your entire strategy—instead, you might consider a few small changes to help you drive more revenue with content.

Is that a content strategy? A plan? Or is it a vision? We've realized that a lot of the terminology in our space is actually really confusing. Let's make sure that when we say the word "strategy" that we are all actually talking about the same thing. Here are a few of the resources we mentioned in this episode: * https://hbr.org/2019/10/5-simple-rules-for-strategy-execution * https://hbr.org/2018/04/your-strategic-plans-probably-arent-strategic-or-even-plans * https://hbr.org/2019/01/the-strategy-puzzle-of-subscription-based-dating-sites * https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2017/5/11/jpeg-your-ideas Have feedback? Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Terms like top, middle and bottom of the funnel content are thrown around all the time—but are we all speaking the same language? Ryan and Jimmy recently realized they had very different ideas of what these terms actually mean. They sat down to sort it all out and explain how to use this very imperfect framework.

Community is decentralized, hard to measure and difficult for marketing teams to execute on. So why is it so important? In this episode, Devin and Jimmy talk community. Jimmy show his bias for easy-to-measure marketing channels and Devin explains why and all marketers should get a lot more comfortable with this type of work. Community, as it turns out, is probably the best way to create goodwill for your brand and help the people in your industry.