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When was the last time you felt like your content marketing efforts weren\u2019t delivering the results you expected?\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re leading a business or marketing team today, chances are that frustration feels all too familiar. You\u2019re investing time and money into creating blogs, videos, and campaigns, but are they actually moving the needle?<\/p>\n
In this episode of Endless Customers, I sat down with Jason Azocar, Founder and CEO of HubSearch<\/a>, live at IMPACT Live<\/a> in Chicago, where we dove deep into what it really takes to turn content into measurable business growth. We also explore why data, strategy, and tech are key to making it happen.<\/p>\n Jason brought a no-nonsense perspective backed by years of experience helping companies build high-performing marketing teams. No fluff. No theory. Just the practical realities of what works and what doesn\u2019t in content marketing today.<\/p>\n We unpacked:<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered why your content isn\u2019t converting or how to stay competitive in a crowded market, this conversation is a must-listen.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n Jason started by pointing out something I\u2019ve seen play out with so many of our clients. The content manager role has transformed in ways that may have caught some businesses by surprise. \u00a0It used to be simple. Write blogs, maybe manage social media, and call it a day. But as Jason put it, \u201cUnderstanding how to produce content is just step one of the journey. You have to be able to take the content and report back to your leadership team on whether it was effective. If so, yes, and here\u2019s why. If not, here are the insights we gained and how we can do better next time.\u201d<\/p>\n That one quote says it all. Today\u2019s content managers need to be part analyst, part strategist, part technologist, and yes, still a great creator<\/a>. They\u2019re expected to interpret data, identify what\u2019s working (or not), and continually refine their approach. They also need to master tools like HubSpot, CRMs, and analytics platforms to make sure every piece of content is not only seen but also measured and optimized.<\/p>\n Jason noted that titles don\u2019t often reflect this evolution. Whether your team calls this person a content manager, digital marketing manager, or something else entirely, what matters is the capability. This role now sits at the crossroads of creativity and business intelligence, and that blend is exactly what drives results.<\/p>\n We see it all the time. Businesses that invest in training their content managers to be both creative and data-driven grow faster and more sustainably. It\u2019s no longer enough to just hit publish. You need someone who can steer the strategy, track performance, and pivot when needed<\/a>. That combination is what produces meaningful outcomes.<\/p>\n One of my favorite moments in the conversation came when Jason said, \u201cA content manager can also be a content creator, digital marketing manager, or even marketing manager. The words start to meld into each other.\u201d And he\u2019s absolutely right.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen this repeatedly across businesses. Marketing job titles have become vague and inconsistent. You might meet a marketing coordinator who\u2019s managing strategy, video production, distribution, and analytics. Or a digital content lead who\u2019s effectively leading your growth strategy.<\/p>\n What truly matters is whether the person is producing results.<\/a><\/p>\n At IMPACT, we talk a lot about hiring for outcomes, not roles. That means looking beyond the title to understand what the business truly needs and whether the person in the seat can deliver.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s the kind of person who keeps the flywheel turning. Whether you call them a content manager or something else, the goal is to find someone who can think strategically, create effectively, and operate in a tech-enabled, data-informed landscape. That blend of skills is where the real value lies.<\/p>\n We dug into why data is so important, and Jason nailed it: \u201cThe only way you\u2019re going to stand out is if you have a really deep, nuanced understanding of your audience.\u201d That means knowing who you\u2019re targeting, why they care, and what will move them to act. Data is the roadmap.<\/p>\n And tech? That\u2019s your vehicle. Whether you\u2019re using HubSpot, another CRM, or a whole mix of tools, your ability to deploy content strategically and track its performance is everything. Jason put it bluntly: \u201cYou can\u2019t just be a creative. You have to think through what tools you\u2019re going to use to deploy this content in the right way, to hit the right audience, and to measure the effectiveness of your campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n The message here is simple. Content without strategy and tech is like a car without an engine. It might look nice, but it\u2019s not going anywhere.<\/p>\n This shift is hard to overlook. Too often, companies focus on producing polished videos or beautifully crafted blog posts without asking the most important question: \u201cDid it work?\u201d Jason emphasized that being a great content manager today means owning the entire cycle, from ideation to execution to performance review. Without that follow-through, it\u2019s just guesswork.<\/p>\n We also discussed how platforms like HubSpot have changed how teams operate. Instead of relying on gut feelings, teams can now track how each piece of content performs, who\u2019s engaging with it, and where those prospects sit in the buying journey. It\u2019s a meaningful shift.<\/p>\n Jason summed it up, \u201cEvery leadership team is thinking, \u2018How do I leverage tech and AI to make my business more efficient?\u2019 If you can be the person who answers that question, your value skyrockets.\u201d<\/p>\n Data and tech form the backbone of modern marketing. The companies that embrace this are the ones pulling ahead.<\/p>\n We couldn\u2019t talk about content and tech without diving into the topic that\u2019s on everyone\u2019s mind right now: AI. Jason put it perfectly, and it\u2019s something we\u2019ve been reinforcing with clients across the board: \u201cThe only way you should be threatened by AI is if you ignore it.\u201d<\/p>\n AI isn\u2019t here to replace you. It\u2019s here to make your job easier and, frankly, more impactful. Think of AI as your assistant who never sleeps. It can help you ideate faster, automate tedious tasks like tagging content or updating workflows, and even surface insights that might take you hours (or days) to find on your own. Jason shared that he uses AI tools like GPT all day long as a brainstorming partner.<\/p>\n That kind of adoption gives companies a sharp edge.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the caveat. AI can\u2019t replace your understanding of your brand, your audience, or your strategy. If anything, it makes having a rock-solid foundation in those areas even more important. AI will give you answers, but only if you ask the right questions and you\u2019ve set clear goals for what success looks like.<\/p>\n We also hit on the idea that AI adoption needs to be championed internally. Jason stressed that content managers, marketers, and rev ops folks have to be the ones to bring these tools into the business and show leadership how they can make a real difference. \u201cIf you don\u2019t,\u201d he warned, \u201csomeone else will\u2014and that\u2019s when your role becomes risky.\u201d<\/p>\n AI is here to stay. Embrace it, experiment with it, and figure out how it can amplify what you’re already doing well<\/a>.\u00a0Companies that lean in are going to move faster, operate smarter, and see better results. The ones that hesitate? Well, let\u2019s just say they\u2019ll have a harder road ahead.<\/p>\n Jason shared a standout example from his own company, HubSearch, that really brought all these lessons to life.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the early days, they fell into a trap we see far too often. They were publishing content just to check the box. Blogs, social posts, updates, but there wasn\u2019t a clear strategy. And, unsurprisingly, the results were\u2026 underwhelming.<\/p>\n The turning point came when they shifted focus to something their audience craved: Transparent and actionable data. This is where they launched the HubSpot Salary Guide. Instead of guessing what people might want to read, they leaned into the conversations they were already having every day with clients and candidates\u2014conversations about pay rates, job market trends, and compensation benchmarks in the HubSpot ecosystem.<\/p>\n The guide became an instant hit, racking up thousands of downloads in just the first few days. \u201cWe stumbled into a thing that our audience genuinely cared about,\u201d Jason said. And here\u2019s the thing, it wasn\u2019t luck. It was a smart pivot to content that delivers real value and answers real questions<\/a>.\u00a0You can bet that guide didn\u2019t just generate leads; it sparked trust and positioned HubSearch as a go-to resource in their space.<\/p>\n This is what happens when content aligns with audience insight and is distributed thoughtfully. You stop shouting into the void and start becoming the brand people turn to when they need answers<\/a>. It’s a reminder that when your content resonates, the results speak for themselves.<\/p>\n So what should business leaders and content managers take away from this conversation?\u00a0<\/p>\n For me, it all boils down to one simple but powerful truth: Content, data, strategy, and tech must work together as a unified system for growth.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still thinking of these as separate silos, it\u2019s time to shift that mindset. Jason put it best when he said, \u201cThe deploy, track, report component is absolutely critical to the role.\u201d Creating content is just step one. The real power comes from seeing that content through its entire life cycle\u2014getting it in front of the right audience, measuring its impact, learning from the results, and then using those insights to make your next move even smarter.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how sustainable growth happens.<\/p>\n\n
The evolving role of the content manager<\/h2>\n
Why job titles in content marketing no longer reflect true roles<\/h2>\n
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Why data and tech are non-negotiable for content marketing success<\/span><\/h2>\n
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How AI is transforming content marketing<\/h2>\n
What happens when you get it right<\/h2>\n
Making content work as a system<\/h2>\n