Kieran Flanagan

Dublin

Host and Producer at The GrowthTLDR Podcast

Tweet weekly about using AI to grow your business. CMO, SVP for brands like @Zapier, @HubSpot. Investor. MATG Podcast.

Articles

The Best AI Tools on the Market for Productivity and Audience Growth, as Tested by HubSpot’s SVP of Marketing

1 week ago | blog.hubspot.com | Kieran Flanagan

2024 was the year of AI tools. Thousands of new apps launched — some just photo generators and gimmicks, others much more useful. What stood out to me were the tools that actually helped you get things done. This list comes from a16z’s AI Unwrapped, which largely features consumer apps for personal use. I’m calling out a few favorites from categories like productivity, audience growth, learning, and even building your own tools. You can try these tools tomorrow to start being more productive.
How Qwen 2.5 Just Beat the Top AI Models - HubSpot SVP of Marketing Shares The Industry Impact

3 weeks ago | blog.hubspot.com | Kieran Flanagan

The AI model races are heating up. Right on the heels of DeepSeek-R1’s release, the industry is reeling from yet another powerful AI model hitting the market. I test drove the latest iteration of Alibaba’s Qwen models — Qwen 2.5. In this post, I’ll break down what Qwen 2.5 is, how you can use it, and how it compares to OpenAI o1 and DeepSeek-RI. I’ll also explore what this means for the AI industry moving forward. Let’s dive in.
How to Use Claude to Create a Virtual Assistant (in Under 10 Minutes)

4 weeks ago | blog.hubspot.com | Kieran Flanagan

Who wouldn’t want their own personal executive assistant? Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, with the AI tool Claude, anyone can set up a virtual executive assistant in just ten minutes. In this article, I’ll share how you can use Claude’s incredible new Projects feature to create an executive assistant. That virtual EA can help you analyze meeting transcripts, manage action items, draft follow-up messages, and more. Ready to get started?
The Sales Prospecting Paradox: How to Stand Out When AI Makes Everyone Sound Good

2 months ago | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

AI is making everyone ‘better’ at sales prospecting — and that's exactly the problem. I get laughably bad sales prospecting emails every day. I mean really bad. But that’s swiftly changing, with AI making it increasingly easy for just about anyone to craft polished, personalized messages at scale. But therein lies the paradox. AI is turning sales prospecting into a commodity.
3 Missteps with AI Image Generation and How You Should Be Using Them

Nov 14, 2024 | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

For marketers, AI-generated imagery tools open up new possibilities for content personalization and campaign engagement…but only when applied in strategic, targeted ways. AI-generated imagery platforms like Flux, Runway, and DALL-E are becoming a valuable part of marketing, design, and UX toolkits. But with all the options available, it’s sometimes difficult to understand where and how these tools actually bring value — and where they fall short.
The Startup Distribution Engine: Why You Need One and How to Build It

Nov 7, 2024 | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

As a startup founder or marketing leader, you've likely heard the mantra “distribution is everything.” But what does that really mean, and how do you put it into practice? Building a great product is hard, but it’s only half the battle. The real challenge is getting that product in front of the right customers — repeatedly, and at scale. For most startups, this is where things fall apart.
Personality Content: Strategies for Creating AI-Proof Content

Oct 31, 2024 | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

If you rely on SEO and information-based content to grow your audience, it’s time to rethink your approach with personality content. Informational content used to be the go-to method for building brand awareness and driving growth. And it was a pretty simple process: rank for key search terms, attract web traffic, and convert leads.
Two censuses: religion and the politics of recognition

Oct 28, 2024 | tandfonline.com | Kieran Flanagan

ABSTRACTThe politics of recognition in Ireland related to inequalities of Catholics leading its census of 1861 to cross tabulate occupations and religion. The unique sociological value of these Irish statistics has never been recognised. As a social laboratory at the time, what was permitted in Ireland was debarred on grounds of privacy in England and Wales.
AI Conversion Rate Optimization: How AI Is Transforming CRO Strategies

Oct 17, 2024 | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

The future of conversion rate optimization is here — and it’s driven by AI. From personalized video to scalable email outreach, learn how to maximize conversions with AI CRO. If Kieran and I were to invest our marketing budget anywhere in the next 6-12 months, it would be in AI Conversion Rate Optimization (AI CRO).
Brand Tracking: How to Streamline This Process With AI

Oct 3, 2024 | blog.hubspot.com | Kipp Bodnar |Kieran Flanagan

The future of brand tracking is here — and it’s powered by AI. Brand tracking is an essential marketing strategy for measuring brand performance, customer loyalty, and market positioning. Traditionally, companies rely on surveys, panels, and market research to gather this data. But these methods can be slow, often taking weeks or months to deliver insights, which makes it hard for businesses to adapt to market changes in real time.