In this episode, Mike Montague sits down with John Suarez of SmartBug Media—co-author of The Marketer’s Manual on Generative AI- to talk about what actually works when it comes to AI-powered marketing. From remixing content to replacing outdated blog strategies, they unpack how small and mid-sized businesses can use generative AI to amplify human creativity rather than crank out content no one reads. They also share how tools like HubSpot’s new Prospecting Agent can support sellers without turning your outreach into soulless spam.
The conversation is a masterclass in Human-First AI Marketing®, touching on content strategy, personalization, AI research, and how to gather first-party insights that actually matter. Whether you’re drowning in disconnected content or just trying to keep up with AI hype, this episode offers grounded advice for marketers who want better results without losing their voice or their sanity.
There’s a common misconception floating around in marketing circles lately: that AI is the magic button we’ve all been waiting for.
Just plug in a prompt, and presto, marketing done.
But here’s the truth, straight from John Suarez of SmartBug Media (and co-author of The Marketer’s Manual on Generative AI): AI won’t save you from bad strategy. It might even make your marketing worse if you don’t know where you’re going.
We sat down on the Human-First AI Marketing podcast to unpack what AI is actually good at, what it still can’t do, and how smart marketers are remixing their strategy, not just their content.
Let’s walk through the key takeaways for SMBs who want to scale marketing without sounding like everyone else.
1. The “4 Blogs a Month” Strategy Is Dead
If your SEO strategy still looks like “write more blogs and hope they rank,” it’s time to rethink it. John was blunt: AI-powered search is changing the game. Tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT aren’t scanning your site like Google used to; they’re pulling summarized insights, citations, and original data.
So the old volume game? Over.
Instead, Focus on source content that’s rooted in real experience, original insights, or customer conversations. AI rewards first-party data, and so do your buyers.
2. Remix Smarter, Not Louder
Generative AI isn’t here to flood the zone with generic posts. It’s here to scale your thinking across platforms and formats. That means taking one strong webinar, interview, or case study and remixing it into blog snippets, social clips, LinkedIn posts, and emails that actually align with your audience’s preferences.
It’s not just “content repurposing”; it’s content relevance engineering.
Different persona? Format it for them. Different channel? Match the tone.
That’s the kind of remixing that gets noticed and gets leads.
3. Start with Great Source Material
The biggest AI trap? Trying to polish something that was never sharp to begin with.
Whether you’re using HubSpot’s remix tools, ChatGPT, or anything else your outputs are only as good as your inputs. And that means going beyond prompts and getting serious about the raw material.
John and I agreed: great marketing starts with real, human content like interviews, customer stories, team insights, or sales Q&As. Capture your voice, your stories, and your subject matter expertise. Then, let AI extend it, not invent it.
4. Outbound Isn’t Dead, But Spam Should Be
One of the most exciting tools John mentioned is HubSpot’s new Prospecting Agent, a tool that helps sellers identify high-intent leads, gather useful research, and even draft personalized messages using AI.
But here’s the catch: it supports humans. It doesn’t replace them.
Cold outreach without strategy is just AI-powered noise. Use AI to qualify, prep, and personalize, but leave the human nuance for the actual connection.
In other words, stop automating your relationships. Automate everything else.
5. Less, But Better
This might be the biggest takeaway of all and the one we talk about all the time at Avenue9.
The winning strategy in 2025 won’t be doing more. It’ll be doing less, but better. That means creating fewer, higher-quality assets. Reaching fewer, more qualified people. And automating fewer things but doing it with precision and purpose.
AI doesn’t change that. It just makes it possible if you’re using it right.
The Human-First Takeaway:
If you’re using AI to crank out more content without more clarity, you’re not ahead, you’re just louder. What separates the marketers who win is this: they use AI to amplify their message, not replace it.
AI can’t tell your story. But it can help you scale it if you start with the right source material and the right strategy.
At Avenue9, we help you build that system with our A9^Factor Framework:
We bring together voice, tools, and workflow so your marketing feels more human, not less.
Want to get clear on what AI can do for your business, without the hype?
Let’s talk.
Book your free Discovery & Strategy Sprint with Avenue9.
