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 Hughes

Rhonda 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 Marketing

This 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: Rhonda’s mantra, “create value, not noise”
• 03:12 – Career path: From SurveyMonkey to Zoom
• 07:03 – Pod teams: Cross-functional content at Mural
• 09:23 – Zoom: Leading content through hypergrowth
• 15:50 – Analytics: Why measuring impact is still hard
• 19:08 – Strategy: Moving beyond order-taking
• 20:47 – Start with the problem, not the format
• 22:51 – Scaling: Reuse content with internal libraries
• 25:46 – Pilots: Testing ideas and earning trust
• 39:38 – Rhonda’s rule: Value over volume
• 41:39 – Connect with Rhonda

🌐 Mentioned Links & Resources

• Zoom (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 Young

Heike 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 Marketing

This 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 – Introduction: Why enterprise content engines need new rules
• 02:09 – Heike’s career path: From ExactTarget to Salesforce to Microsoft Advertising
• 06:56 – Building research-driven content programs and the “content revolution” framework
• 08:41 – What is Microsoft Advertising? (Bing, Copilot, Xbox, Activision) and the scope of the content engine
• 12:49 – “Changing minds” as the north star for content—not just performance metrics
• 13:51 – Why “spicy POV” content wins the mid- and bottom-funnel
• 18:06 – The “four wheels of the car”: Aligning content, creative, product marketing, and demand gen
• 20:49 – 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 copywriting
• 28:13 – Employee creators vs. brand channels: Empowering real voices for distribution
• 32:33 – 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 & Resources

• Microsoft 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 Clapp

Kay-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 Marketing

This 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 – Introduction: Why enterprise content engines matter
• 03:18 – Kay-Kay’s background: From iFixit to Typeform and lessons learned scaling content teams
• 07:33 – How changing CMS (from Contentful to Webflow) unlocked speed and modularity
• 09:49 – The “fuel & engine” model: Separating creative content from operational systems
• 11:08 – The three-part operating rhythm: Content debt, quarterly campaigns, and SME-driven work
• 16:47 – Turning audience insights into strategy: How Typeform uses real customer feedback to shape content
• 22:07 – The myth of the “big budget = fast shipping” and how enterprise friction really works
• 24:45 – Real-world AI adoption: Using AI to streamline the briefing process
• 28:55 – The 70/30 rule: Balancing proactive strategy with stakeholder requests
• 30:49 – How process enables creativity and why being “a little cringe” is part of the job
• 31:16 – Making content memorable: The power of surprise and delight in B2B
• 33:08 – Creative inspiration: Borrowing from consumer brands and iconic campaigns
• 35:30 – Measuring success: Why “owned audience” is the north-star metric for content teams

🔗 Mentioned Links & Resources

• Typeform (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 overview

00:00 — 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.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and season recap question: Is there value in AI for content?

01:00 Key themes from the season's conversations

02:00 AI as a writing partner, not a replacement

04:00 Systems and workflows as the new competitive edge

08:00 The rise of personality as a critical element in marketing

11:00 The changing future of search and discovery

13:00 Predictions for the next 12 months of AI in content

15:00 What the hosts stole from their guests (voice memos, prompt techniques)

18:00 Second-order effects of AI adoption in content

21:00 Announcement of the next season on Enterprise Content

Mentioned Links & Resources

• ChatGPT (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 Halliday

Alex 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 & 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.

Timestamps

00:00 "It takes 30-50 steps, not 5-10, to create excellent AI content"

02:00 How Alex uses AI for research and information discovery

04:00 Moving into the "perfect information age" with AI synthesis

06:00 AI's impact on learning and creativity: benefits and risks

07:00 Alex's background and how AirOps evolved

09:00 Why human oversight remains essential in AI content workflows

11:00 Alex's connection to Sam Altman and early days in San Francisco

14:00 Where the real value is accruing in the AI landscape

15:00 The new rules of AI content: winning by being impossible to copy

17:00 Three types of content that AI can't easily replicate

20:00 Inside AirOps: How the platform builds sophisticated AI workflows

23:00 Advice for content teams doing "spray and pray" SEO

26:00 Finding your organization's unique "gold veins" of content

28:00 How to optimize content for the "new middleman" of AI search

32:00 Why Alex studies AI search despite leading a content creation platform

35:00 AirOps' strategic focus on content creation despite AI's broader potential

38:00 Alex's AI moonshot idea: context-rich meeting assistants

Mentioned Links & Resources

• AirOps (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 Lee

Ines 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 & 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.

Timestamps

00:00 "AI is like a cover band that hits all the notes perfectly"

01:00 Introduction to Ines Lee and today's conversation

03:00 Ines's content consumption habits: The Second Mountain and recent films

04:00 From PhD in economics at Oxford to content creation for Ali Abdaal

06:00 How economics training informs content strategy

07:00 The structure of a major YouTube creator's content team

09:00 How the ideation process works for YouTube videos

10:00 When AI first entered Ines's workflow (summer 2023)

11:00 Three main buckets of AI usage: video editing, content repurposing, and analysis

13:00 Using AI to reverse-engineer Ali's voice and build style guides

14:00 Why human judgment remains essential despite AI assistance

16:00 B2B lessons from the creator economy: the power of personal brands

18:00 Treating content as a product: what B2B can learn from creators

20:00 Ali's expansion into AI software with VoicePal

23:00 "AI gives us adequate content but lacks personality and jazz"

25:00 Current limitations of AI-generated video content

26:00 Developing custom AI agents to improve short-form content selection

29:00 Ines's AI prompt methodology: analyze first, then generate

30:00 "75% of good writing is thinking" - setting appropriate AI boundaries

32:00 A day in the life: how AI assists their YouTube content workflow

36:00 Where to follow Ines: LinkedIn and Side Road 38 on Substack

Mentioned Links & Resources

• The 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 generation.
• Stay Strong: Never Let AI Fill Your Blank Page (00:30:00): Tim Metz's article on the Animalz blog that Ines cites as important to her thinking on "human vs. AI tasks" in content creation.
• ChatGPT and Claude (00:32:00): Language models Ines and team use for brainstorming and drafting.
• Spotter Studio and 1of10 (00:33:00): AI tools that optimize YouTube content by analyzing historical performance data.
• Elicit (00:34:00): An AI research tool Ines' team uses to find and analyze scientific papers for evidence-based content.

Follow Ines Lee on LinkedIn and subscribe to her Substack, Side Road 38.

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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 Longanathan

Parthi 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 & 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.

Check out other episodes in the season here

Timestamps

00:00 "I think a lot of people just misunderstand how to use LinkedIn"

02:00 Current trends in the RevOps space

04:00 Knowledge work automation and relationship-building

06:00 Parthi's background at Google and Letterdrop's evolution

08:00 Why Letterdrop pivoted from SEO to LinkedIn

10:00 Google search principles from an insider's perspective

13:00 How content marketers should think about search

16:00 The future of search and declining SEO investment

19:00 How Letterdrop's original SEO product worked

23:00 Building the LinkedIn growth engine for sales teams

26:00 Components of an effective LinkedIn strategy

28:00 Focusing on influencing "the thousand people who matter"

31:00 How AI enhances Letterdrop's LinkedIn content system

34:00 The reality about most people's "tone of voice"

37:00 The future of content marketing and knowledge work

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Brian 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 Hillhouse

Stewart 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 & 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.

Timestamps

• 00:00 "You can't think more than 90 days ahead in today's environment"
• 02:00 From forestry to content marketing through podcasting
• 05:00 Building integrated campaigns at Mutiny
• 07:00 The "Survivor" campaign: 10,000 participants, millions in pipeline
• 09:00 Why timeliness trumps perfect execution
• 11:00 Joining StoryArb as VP of Content
• 13:00 "Don't write your own prompts" - The meta AI hack
• 16:00 Using AI but owning the final result
• 18:00 Feeding AI unexpected combinations for creative output
• 20:00 Three foundational guardrails for consistent AI content
• 24:00 "I'm no longer a better writer than AI"
• 26:00 From creation to operations: the changing content role
• 27:00 The future content team: personality marketers, operators, and directors
• 33:00 The open source target account list campaign
• 36:00 Breaking the fourth wall in B2B marketing
• 40:00 The AI research hack: finding relevant podcast segments

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Mutiny (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 Karunaratne

Thenuka 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 & 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.

Timestamps

00:00 Why most content teams lack visibility in AI-driven search

01:30 Thenuka’s background in SEO and streaming

03:30 From affiliate sites to building a programmatic SEO platform

06:00 The problem with manual approaches to long-tail SEO

08:30 Two major changes in search: AI answer engines and programmatic content

11:00 Tools for measuring brand visibility in AI answer engines

13:00 Why “SEO on autopilot” is a marketing myth

15:30 How AI can automate the strategic aspects of growth marketing

19:00 Why the future of SEO requires more technical expertise

21:00 Twingate case study: using data breaches to drive programmatic SEO

25:00 Why proprietary data becomes your competitive moat

27:30 How SEO is becoming a product function rather than marketing

29:00 The future of search when “computers talk to computers”

Mentioned Links & Resources

Unbroken (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/).