Demand Gen U

Hiring is anything but a simple process. It’s a delicate balance of finding the right candidates, trawling through resumes, and marketing your brand to attract the best talent.

Metadata’s Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing, have managed their fair share of hiring processes. In this episode, they talk about the challenges of hiring, compare different processes, and explore the idea of marketing your brand to attract the best of the best.

Find out:

• How to attract the best candidates through branding
• What to look out for that you won’t see on a resume
• The biggest challenges and common recruitment mistakes

Tune in to the full session to hear about the best (and worst) ways to hire a marketing team.

0:00 – 0:17 Introduction

0:17 – 5:57 Why you should start thinking about what roles you need first

5:57 – 9:26 Why you need to sell a role to get the best talent

9:26 – 13:42 How to market your brand towards candidates

13:42 – 14:32 Write to candidates like you’re writing a cold marketing email

14:33 – 17:23 How to find the right candidates and look beyond resumes

17:24 – 19:41 Why personal branding is more important than resumes

19:41 – 29:46 How to find an interview process that works

29:46 – 35:08 How to track outbound marketing efforts when recruiting

35:08 – 38:32 Experimenting to find what works (and what doesn’t)

38:32 – 41:29 The biggest mistakes to avoid in the hiring process

41:29 – 42:47 Outro

How can you create a brand narrative and messaging that both resonates and sticks with your audience? It’s no easy feat, and it’s something that leaves all marketers scratching their heads at some point.

Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata, join forces to break down the best ways to think about positioning and messaging for your brand. They share a few pointers and lessons learned from Metadata’s own marketing strategies (both the successful and the not-so-successful).

Find out:

• Why positioning and messaging shouldn’t just fall down to the marketing team
• Why you should start with positioning and messaging before focusing on your website
• How to change your narrative (and when to do it)

Check out the full episode for more tips and lessons on developing positioning and messaging for your brand.

0:00 – 0:38 Introduction

0:38 – 3:44 Why inconsistent messaging and positioning are bad news

3:44 – 10:35 What positioning and messaging really mean

10:35 – 12:37 Frameworks and templates to help you

12:38 – 14:26 When is it time to think about positioning and messaging?

14:26 – 21:11 How Metadata approached positioning and messaging in the early days

21:12 – 23:57 How to start changing your process

23:58 – 24:57 How to apply positioning and messaging to your website

24:57 – 27:47 Why positioning and messaging are never a one-and-done thing

27:48 – 32:57 How Metadata has learned from past mistakes

32:57 – 33:48 How often should you be revisiting your messaging?

33:48 – 35:06 The best way to test messaging

35:06 – 36:18 Outro

Generating leads is an important part of marketing, but it doesn’t end there. Those leads need to end up driving revenue before you can confidently say you’ve met your goals.

So, how do you map out a strategy that will deliver optimum marketing performance?

Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata, discuss how you can build a demand model that’ll ultimately connect your leads to revenue.

Find out:

• What a demand model is and why you need it
• Goals needed to make a demand model work
• The role of historical data in building a demand model

Check out the full episode for practical takeaways that’ll help you build a demand model and improve marketing performance.

00:00 - 00:30 Intro

00:34 - 01:54 Opening remarks on Metadata’s demand model

01:55 - 03:43 How Jason got his start building demand models

03:44 - 05:27 What a demand model is and how to use it

05:28 - 07:18 Benefits of building a demand model from the top-down and the bottom-up

07:19 - 09:36 How to get started building a demand model

09:37 - 12:45 Five big inputs needed to build a demand model

12:46 - 13:10 Why the length of your sales cycle is vital

13:11 - 16:19 Goals needed to make a demand model work

16:20 - 19:16 How often you should look at a demand model

19:17 - 22:37 The dynamics of the marketer-sales team relationship

22:38 - 25:43 How Metadata know when to sound the alarm based on their demand model

25:44 - 30:17 How to adjust a demand model over time

30:18 - 35:45 How Metadata’s demand model has changed over time

35:46 - 38:02 Building a demand model without historical data

38:03 - 38:48 Outro

It’s safe to say that no matter what industry you’re in, the hiring market is a little crazy right now. The top candidates aren’t staying on the market for very long, so this is a big challenge for anyone looking to build their marketing team.

But whether you’re building a team from scratch or just got the green light to boost your headcount, we’ve got some tips for you.

Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing, and Jason Widup, VP of Marketing at Metadata, join forces in this episode to share some of the tips and lessons they’ve learned in their journey to build a top marketing team.

You’ll learn why the type of marketing focus should influence your hiring decisions, why you need to hire people better than you, and how to craft the perfect job description.

Listen to the full episode to refine your recruitment push and build a world-class marketing team.   

Find out:

• How to align your marketing vision with your recruitment
• Why it’s always important to hire people better than you
• Metadata’s process for building a marketing team

0:00 – 0:21 Introduction

0:22 – 4:15 Why building a modern marketing team depends on the role of marketing in a business

4:15 – 6:17 Jason’s approach to building a marketing team

6:17 – 9:07 Jason’s vision for his marketing team

9:07 – 12:17 What to look for in your first hire

12:17 – 13:37 How to vet the right people for your team

13:37 – 19:59 How to decide which roles to prioritize hiring for

20:00 – 23:48 Should you hire generalists or specialists?

23:49 – 27:54 How to structure a marketing team

27:55 – 34:33 What’s the perfect headcount for a marketing team?

34:33 – 39:50 The importance of diversity when building a team

39:50 – 42:30 The top things Jason learned from building a team from scratch

42:30 – 44:20 Outro

How do you get your paid ads to start reeling in results that measure up? The key is experimentation. Like every part of the scientific process, there are steps, methods, and guidelines for ad experimentation, and that’s what we delve into on this episode of Demand Gen U.

Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing is joined by Silvio Perez, Head of Performance Marketing at Metadata to explore the ins and outs of experimenting with paid ads.

We explore the common mistakes people make with experimentation, how to start testing ads, different outcomes to look out for, and some insights into ads testing well with Metadata customers.

Watch the full episode to learn how to make the most of your paid ad experiments.

Find out:

• What common mistakes people make when testing ads
• Steps to take when experimenting with paid ads
• Five core outcomes for paid advertising

00:00 - 00:54 Intro

00:55 - 03:37 Why it’s vital to keep experimentation simple

03:38 - 05:40  The importance of attaching an outcome to your goals

05:41 - 09:26 Why capturing demand should be your first outcome

09:27 -  12:42 When to start creating demand

12:43 - 14:16 How to align your budget with your outcomes

14:17 - 18:09 Why isolating variables is the focal point of experimentation

18:10 - 22:01 How to actually test your ads

22:02 - 23:40 The rule of thumb when testing ad variations

23:41 - 28:19 Gated vs ungated content

28:20 - 29:35 How to approach different types of ad experiments

29:36 - 33:23 What Silvio is experimenting on with metadata customers

33:24 - 36:02 Silvio’s inspiration for new experimentation ideas

36:03 - 37:00 Outro

After all the planning and strategizing that goes into an event, it’s all over after the event ends — or is it?

There’s so much you can do with the content you’ve generated that won’t only promote your brand, it’ll also build anticipation for future events.

Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing, and Justin Simon, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Metadata, discuss several ways to tap into the content goldmine that is your event. We look at how pre-recorded sessions can give you a head start with your content, a five-part repurposing framework, and also share a few hiccups that happened down the line.

Listen to the full episode to learn how to get enough valuable content out of your event long after it’s over.

Find out:

• How to apply our five-part repurposing framework
• The importance of having a plan going in
• Why your content’s structure and the platforms you use matter
• How email complements social media marketing

00:00 - 00:26 Introduction

00:28 - 03:16 What inspired Justin to repurpose content from the Demand event

03:17 - 04:46 Why your core content has to be good

04:47 - 06:29  Lessons from how the content for the event was structured

06:30 - 09:09 The benefits of having pre-recorded sessions

09:10 - 14:07 How Metadata handled the hiccups that occurred during the event

14:08 - 15:34 Why it’s vital not to bank on perfection

15:35 - 29:50 Justin’s five-step framework for repurposing events

29:51 - 30:45 The importance of finding good partners

30:46 - 32:58  Justin’s approach to getting traffic and ranking

32:59 - 34:26  The unexpected successes during Metadata’s event

34:27 - 35:03 How old content can be just appealing as the new material

35:04 - 36:33 Why consistency is important when sending out content

36:34 - 39:40 What Justin and Mark would have done differently

39:41 - 40:45 Outro

Links

• The DEMAND Content Hub: https://metadata.io/resources/demand/
• Justin's course "Content Repurposing Roadmap": https://contentrepurposingroadmap.com/
• Content 10X: https://www.content10x.com/
• Algert: https://algert.co/

Want to crack the secret behind successful Google Ads campaigns? The key to successful Google Ads is a bit of a mystery to some marketers, but we shed some light on it in this episode of Demand Gen U.

Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing, speaks with Silvio Perez, Head of Performance Marketing at Metadata, to get some invaluable insights into the world of Google Ads. We cover the key to successfully planning your ads, three common mistakes to avoid, how to start testing ads, and what the future holds for marketers.

Plus, we also announce a brand new channel in Metadata for Google Ads, which will transform the way you execute campaigns through our platform.

Listen to the full episode to learn the secrets to unlocking the most value from your Google Ads.

Find out:

• The three common mistakes to avoid when planning ads
• Why more budget doesn’t always equal better results
• What to expect from the future of Google Ads
•  Bonus: How Metadata’s new Google Ads channel can transform your campaigns

0:00 – 0:26 Introduction

0:27 – 3:30 What Silvio wished he knew when he first started using Google Ads

3:31 – 4:50 Where agencies get Google Ads wrong

4:50 – 9:09 Why running the math is so important when you use paid advertising

9:09 – 11:15 Why you don’t have to guess when it comes to Google Ads

11:16 – 13:38 Resources Silvio recommends to help you learn more about paid search

13:39 – 16:13 How to go from learning about paid search to actually applying it

16:14 – 20:26 The big ways Google Ads is changing 

20:26 – 22:44 What Google’s increased focus on automation means for paid search

22:44 – 25:10 Why you shouldn't only listen to Google

25:10 – 26:50 What Google’s updated privacy policies mean for advertisers

26:50 – 29:19 How Silvio started as a consultant at Metadata

29:19 – 34:41 Why we’re launching a new Google Ads channel in Metadata

34:42 – 36:12 The most exciting things B2B marketers can do with Google Ads and Metadata

36:12 – 37:53 What the future looks like for Google Ads and Metadata

37:53 – 39:03 Outro

What should you expect on the day of your virtual event? You’ve probably already nailed the dynamics of typical in-person events, but it’s safe to say it’s a different ball game when you can’t see or interact with your audience.

Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata, delve into everything that went on behind the scenes at the Metadata virtual event, DEMAND. They cover the successes, failures and lessons learned along the way.

Listen to the full session to learn more about the ins and outs of hosting a successful virtual event, with actual takeaways from the Metadata virtual event.

Find out:

• Why communication is vital —both internally and externally
• The importance of staying true to the goal of your event
• How to be realistic about creating a wholesome attendee experience

00:00 - 01:33 Introduction

01:34 - 04:05 The dynamics of running an event from different geographical regions

04:06 - 06:06  How volunteers play into the success of a virtual event

06:08 - 10:53 Matching people to different roles

10:55 - 18:25 How clear communication during crises curbs negative effects

18:26 - 20:07 Benefits of setting a clear goal for an event

20:08 - 26:26 How to create the right kind of FOMO

26:27 - 27:29 Why relatability is a powerful marketing tool

27:35 - 28:25 Benefits of pre-recording parts of your event

28:26 - 35:11 How to create an enriching attendee experience (at scale)

35:12 - 37:52 Lessons learned from the event

47:53 - 39:43 Managing sponsorships and guest speakers

39:44 - 42:10 Top things Jason and Mark would do differently for the next event

42:10 - 43:29 Outro

What’s the secret to getting people to attend your virtual event? Not just to show up, but to actually want to be there and participate.  

Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata, break down some of the ways they promoted a Metadata virtual event successfully.

Listen to the full session to learn how to successfully plan, promote, and host your virtual event so that people want to show up.

Find out:

• Why getting clear on your intent is the first step to planning a successful event
• How to set realistic goals for your virtual event
• The different ways Metadata promoted its virtual event

0:00 – 0:39 Introduction

0:39 – 2:26 What is a virtual event?

2:26 – 6:38 Where the idea for a Metadata virtual event came from

6:38 – 11:21 Figuring out the event’s main concept

11:21 – 15:15 How to build intent for your virtual event

15:15 – 19:28 Setting goals for a virtual event

19:28 – 23:27 Finding the right speakers

23:27 – 27:11 How the launch was planned

27:12 – 31:05 Metadata’s launch promotion strategy

31:06 – 35:26 How Metadata drove engagement through contests

35:26 – 37:26 What we could have done differently

37:26 – 39:23 Memorable moments from the launch

39:24 – 40:37 Outro

What’s the latest in the demand gen world? The way that B2B marketers talk about demand gen often misses the boat and leaves people scratching their heads when low sales figures come through.

Jason Widup, VP of Marketing, and Mark Huber, Head of Brand & Product Marketing at Metadata, break down what marketers should be doing for demand gen, how it’s changed over the years, and which bad habits we could all do with throwing out.

Find out:

• The top demand gen tactics for 2022
• What sales teams need to stop doing in demand gen
• Why you should sell how people want to be sold to

Listen to the full session to learn more about creating a demand gen strategy fit for 2022 – and not one that belongs in the Dark Ages.

• 0:00 – 0:41 Introduction
• 0:41 – 2:23 How many B2B marketers talk about demand generation
• 2:24 – 4:07 Why demand gen is about more than just paid ads
• 4:08 – 7:43 Why you shouldn’t assume that everyone’s ready to buy
• 7:43 – 9:03 The five stages of customer awareness
• 9:04 – 16:05 Outdated demand gen tactics we should leave behind
• 16:06 – 18:43 The future of demand gen
• 18:43 – 20:16 Why signing up for a demo is about validating the customer’s research now
• 20:16 – 25:22 How to start demand gen and create an experience that buyers want
• 25:22 – 33:58 Metadata’s approach to demand gen in 2022
• 33:58 – 35:59 Jason and Mark’s favorite tactics in demand gen
• 36:00 – 38:28 Top predictions for the world of demand gen in 2022
• 38:28 – 39:33 - Outro