The conversation delves into the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, highlighting the shift towards agentic lead gen, the role of AI in advertising, the challenge of jargon in B2B marketing, the value of agencies, and the strategic shift in SEO and brand amplification. Incrementality in marketing and the rise of social media and business media networks are also explored.

Takeaways

• Agentic lead gen is on the rise in B2B marketing
• Incrementality is crucial for marketing success

Chapters

• 00:00 The Shift in B2B Marketing
• 07:20 The Role of AI in Advertising
• 14:47 The Value of Agencies in B2B Marketing
• 25:00 Strategic Shift in SEO and Brand Amplification

Connect

Simon Poulton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smpoulton/

Paula Chiocchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-chiocchi/

Apply to be a guest! https://podcast.outwardmedia.com/podcast-guest-application

This conversation with Paul David, Founder & CEO of Literal Humans, delves into purpose-driven storytelling, data-informed creativity, challenging the status quo, attracting customers and prospects, expanding service offerings, the impact of AI on the business, AI adoption and industry impact, industry evolution and client relationships, future focus and capabilities, and a forward-looking question for marketing leaders. The discussion emphasizes the importance of a human-centric approach and client relationships, as well as the integration of data and technology in creative strategy.

Takeaways

• Purpose-driven storytelling
• Data-informed creativity

Connect

Paul David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldavid-lh/

Paula Chiocchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-chiocchi/

Apply to be a guest! https://podcast.outwardmedia.com/podcast-guest-application

This conversation with Todd Lebo, CEO of Ascend2, covers the importance of thought leadership, the impact of buyer fatigue, and the role of AI in enhancing personalization and efficiency in marketing. It also delves into the challenges of multi-channel attribution, nurturing prospects, and the strategic use of original research in marketing campaigns.

Takeaways

• Thought leadership is critical
• Buyer fatigue is a real risk
• AI can enhance personalization and efficiency

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Thought Leadership Disconnect
• 06:01 Buyer Fatigue and AI in Marketing
• 12:05 AI Applications and Branding
• 18:13 Intent Signals and Buyer Readiness
• 25:08 Multi-Channel Attribution and Research Strategy
• 29:57 Conclusion and Call to Action

Connect

• Todd Lebo: Todd@Ascend2.com
• Paula Chiocchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-chiocchi/
• Apply to be a guest! https://podcast.outwardmedia.com/podcast-guest-application

Episode Overview

What happens when you invest heavily in audience targeting—but your website fails to convert the traffic you generate?

In this episode of the B2B Influence Podcast, Paula Chiocchi sits down with guest Meeky Hwang, CEO and Founder of NDEVR.io, to explore how website performance, user experience, and technical reliability directly impact marketing results and revenue.

Meeky shares real-world examples of hidden conversion leaks—from forms that don’t render for users to slow-loading pages that drive visitors away—and explains why audience strategy and site performance must work together. She discusses practical ways businesses of all sizes can implement automated monitoring, website audits, stress testing, and performance optimization without enterprise-level budgets.

The conversation also covers the importance of managed hosting, load balancing, and scalable infrastructure during high-traffic campaigns like seasonal promotions and product launches. Plus, Meeky explains how AI and automation are transforming development workflows, improving efficiency, and supporting more intelligent customer journeys.

If you’re a CMO, digital marketer, or business leader looking to improve website conversions, prevent costly performance issues, and create a better user experience, this episode provides actionable insights to help turn your website into a scalable revenue platform.

Episode Focus

How to make your website a reliable conversion engine by pairing audience strategy with site performance, and how mid-market teams can adopt enterprise-level discipline without enterprise budgets.

Key Takeaways

• Traffic doesn’t equal leads if conversion elements (forms/CTAs) break or don’t render for real users.
• Always test like a real visitor (incognito / logged out) to catch issues internal teams miss.
• Monitoring + automated checks can catch downtime and performance degradation before customers do.
• Prevention is cheaper than repair, especially in security incidents or major performance failures.
• Stress testing before high-volume campaigns reveals conversion leaks (forms, CTAs, routing, load failures).
• Hosting matters: shared servers and throttling can quietly kill performance during traffic spikes.
• Operational maturity scales: version control, release checks, and regular audits are doable at most budgets.
• AI’s best role today: workflow efficiency + automated basic checks, with humans ensuring quality—especially for content.

Connect

Meeky Hwang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang/

Paula Chiocchi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-chiocchi/

Apply to be a guest! https://podcast.outwardmedia.com/podcast-guest-application

In this episode of B2B Influence: Spotlight on Industry Game-Changers, Paula Chiocchi interviews the Founder and CEO at OM Strategic Forecasting, Oksana Matviichuk. Oksana discusses how AI, generational shifts—especially millennials as buyers—and evolving business models are transforming the industry.

She emphasizes the importance of revisiting business models before updating marketing strategies and shares practical advice for both large enterprises and small businesses on staying relevant, leveraging digital experiences, and balancing AI with human connection to drive sustainable growth.

Learn more about Oksana's work HERE.

Connect with Oksana on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of B2B Influence: Spotlight on Industry Game-Changers, Paula Chiocchi interviews the Owner and Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, Reed Hansen. Reed explores how data-backed targeting, funnel optimization, and behavioral intent signals can replace guesswork with measurable growth.

Reed shares insights on adapting to shifts in digital strategy, the rise of AI and short-form video, and the importance of clean data and simplified funnels. He highlights actionable tactics for audience segmentation, conversion rate optimization, and leveraging AI—emphasizing the need for both technology and critical thinking to drive scalable B2B revenue.

Learn more about Reed's work HERE.

Connect with Reed on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of B2B Influence: Spotlight on Industry Game-Changers, Paula Chiocchi interviews the CEO of Hexagon Media, Debra Bowers. Debra discusses the crucial alignment of marketing and sales for small and mid-sized businesses. Debra emphasizes moving beyond superficial KPIs to focus on smarter targeting, message optimization, and campaign accountability.

She highlights the importance of understanding customers and ensuring that marketing efforts effectively drive sales. Debra also shares insights on continuous evaluation, the role of sales in marketing success, and the need for transparency and a holistic approach.

Learn more about Debra's work HERE.

Connect with Debra on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.

In this episode of B2B Influence: Spotlight on Industry Game-Changers, Paula Chiocchi interviews the Director of HubSpot Strategy at SmartBug Media, John Suarez. John discusses the transformative impact of integrated HubSpot architecture and marketing automation on B2B companies. Key topics include the shift in inbound marketing and revenue operations (RevOps), the importance of data-driven strategies, and the evolving marketing landscape influenced by AI. John highlights how consolidating tech stacks and understanding target audiences can drive revenue growth, improve efficiency, and foster collaboration between marketing and sales teams.

Learn more about John's work HERE.

Connect with John on LinkedIn HERE.

Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply HERE.