What Did We Learn at HubSpot Inbound 2024?

linkedin.com/in/carolynpolanski

linkedin.com/in/bendbullock

In September, HubSpot put on its annual INBOUND conference and announced a variety of new AI tools, along with featured industry expert presentations. We attended and wanted to share a few thoughts on the conference:

Carolyn: HubSpot's INBOUND conference made one thing abundantly clear: AI is no longer just a buzzword. It's a force multiplier that's already reshaping B2B marketing, and its influence is only going to grow.

Ben: That's certainly the takeaway I had, Carolyn. The sessions showcased how companies across various sectors are leveraging AI to achieve tangible results, from streamlining operations to improving customer engagement. What's particularly striking is how accessible AI tools are becoming, even for businesses without extensive technical expertise.

Carolyn: That accessibility is key. But before adopting any new technology, it's essential to understand your goals. Are you looking to optimize content creation, enhance customer service or improve lead generation? A clear understanding of your objectives will guide your AI strategy and help you select the right tools.

Ben: I agree. A measured approach is essential. Start with a pilot project, experiment with a specific AI tool, and gradually integrate AI into your workflows as your team becomes more comfortable.

Carolyn: That's a practical way to start. And one area where AI can make an immediate impact is content creation. Think about these possibilities:

• Content Idea Generation: AI can analyze industry trends, customer data, and competitor activity to generate a wealth of content ideas, from blog topics to social media posts. It can even help outline articles, saving your team valuable time.
• First Draft Creation: AI can create initial drafts of marketing materials, whether it's product descriptions, website copy, or even longer-form articles, based on pulling in lots of research. This gives your writers a foundation to build upon, allowing them to focus on refining the content and adding their unique expertise.
• Content Translation: For businesses targeting global markets, AI can translate materials into multiple languages quickly and accurately, making it easier to reach a wider audience.

Ben: In addition, we had front-row seats as INBOUND revealed even more sophisticated ways AI is influencing content for B2B businesses.

• Breeze Agents: The Future of Content? HubSpot's Breeze Agents are poised to change the content game entirely. These AI-powered agents can research, write, and even optimize content. Imagine using an agent to create a series of blog posts about industry trends, develop compelling landing pages, or even generate scripts for video case studies – all while your team focuses on high-level strategy.
• Interactive Content for Engaged Audiences: In today's digital landscape, static content isn't enough to capture attention. AI can help businesses create interactive experiences like calculators, quizzes, assessments, and product configurators that provide value, engage audiences, and generate leads.
• Democratizing Video Production: Video is essential for effective marketing, but it can be resource-intensive. AI is making video creation more accessible by automating tasks like editing, subtitle generation, and even animation. This allows businesses to create high-quality videos, even without large production budgets.

Carolyn: These advancements in content creation are certainly impressive. But what about improving the customer experience? While at INBOUND, other possibilities were explored:

• AI-Powered Support, 24/7: AI-powered chatbots can provide instant support to customers, answering common questions, troubleshooting issues, and escalating more complex requests to human agents. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also frees up your team to focus on more strategic tasks.
• Personalization at Scale: AI can analyze customer data to create personalized experiences at every touchpoint. Think about tailored product recommendations, proactive support based on individual needs, and personalized messaging that resonates with each customer’s preferences.

Ben: You've highlighted a crucial point, Carolyn. HubSpot's new customer agents are making it remarkably easy to integrate AI into customer service. And INBOUND also emphasized how AI can help businesses attract and qualify high-value leads.

• Breeze Intelligence for Targeted Outreach: This solution from HubSpot blends data enrichment and buyer intent analysis to provide a deeper understanding of your target audience. Businesses can now identify companies actively researching their offerings, exhibiting key buying signals, or even facing challenges that their products or services can address – allowing for highly targeted and effective marketing outreach.
• Form Shortening for Improved Conversions: Let's face it; nobody likes long, tedious forms. Breeze Intelligence can shorten forms by pre-filling information it already knows about the prospect. This streamlined experience leads to more submissions and higher conversion rates.

Carolyn: I really like this one for our client’s customers, Ben! I think our clients will love it, too, as it breaks down the form-fill barriers!

• AI-Driven Lead Scoring: For businesses with complex sales cycles, AI-powered lead scoring is invaluable. By analyzing website behavior, email engagement, social media activity and firmographic data, AI can accurately score leads and help sales teams focus on those most likely to convert.

Carolyn: AI's potential to transform B2B marketing is clear. But some businesses might still be hesitant to adopt it. What should they consider?

Ben: Hesitation is understandable. But the key message from INBOUND is that AI is about augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them. AI can take over repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on strategic thinking, creativity, and relationship building. And as AI technology becomes more refined and affordable, the barriers to entry are lowering.

Carolyn: Yes, and rest assured, as our team here at GGC plays and builds our prowess with AI, we can help guide our clients through this evolving landscape, starting with conversations about how AI can address their unique challenges and goals. By showcasing these practical applications and addressing their concerns, we can help them develop and implement AI strategies that drive tangible business results.

AI constantly evolves, so staying current on the latest trends and best practices is essential. Carolyn and Ben urge you to attend webinars, read industry articles, and experiment with new AI tools to ensure you get the most out of this powerful technology, along with checking in with your favorite GGC’er to see what they’ve been playing with recently. And feel free to reach out us ([email protected]) or ([email protected]) to connect.

(And yes, AI helped us with this blog! We pooled all our notes, and AI helped us find the gems to share with you! What would typically take a few hours of sifting through notes and comparing stories took half that time!)