Welcome to day three of our live coverage of HubSpot Inbound 2025!
We're live on the ground in San Francisco and ready for a busy last day of Inbound.
HubSpot Inbound 2025 continues today with a keynote from Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, followed by talks from Hot Ones host Sean Evans and Actor Amy Poehler!
Good morning from San Francisco! TechRadar Pro is here for HubSpot Inbound 2025, so check back for all the news and updates as it happens...
We're in for a very busy first morning here at Inbound, and I'm grabbing a quick coffee before we head to our introductory talk. Despite the early start, there's plenty of buzz - and the crowd seems eager to kick this year's event off!
We're sat now for the opening speeches here at Inbound - hearing first from CEO Yamani Rangan for an overview of Hubspot's plans, announcements, and playbook. AI is of course front and center at this year's event - with some big new tools being introduced....
Rangan is talking us through the death of organic traffic, calling it the 'traffic apocalypse'. Companies need to take a new approach, she argues, and take advantage of new AI tools - try something different to revitalize your marketing.
Hubspot has built a 'growth playbook' - The Loop. This is a dynamic, AI partnership between humans and agents. AI will tailor your message to your customers, meeting your customers where they are, diversifying it across all channels, and evolving the message in real time. Hubspot calls this 'human authenticity with AI efficiency'.
The Loop has three steps; connecting all your data, building your AI team, and enabling your people. The product will come alongside significant updates to their platform with over 200 new products arriving to help drive growth with their 'human-AI hybrid team'.
'Marketing subreddits right now are a very dark place' Rangan jokes, and AI is shaking up the landscape. AEO, or AI engine optimization, will be a huge shift in the coming years - and organizations will have to embrace these if they want to survive. Rangan laughs about Huspot's own blog traffic being down, but the other side of the story, she says, is that Hubspot has invested in podcasts, newsletters, and socials - which has boosted their engagement in a big way. 'We did not chase clicks, we built trust'.
Next up, we're hearing from Karen Ng, EVP of product. AI is here whether you're ready for it or not, she argues, but Hubspot's new human/AI hybrid management goals can help small businesses get ahead of their marketing goals.
To make this vision a reality, Hubspot is also launching their all new Data Hub, as well as updates to the Smart CRM and a host of new Breeze assistants and agents. All of these help Hubspot deliver one-to-one experiences with customers, with dynamic messaging, and an intimate tailored message in a more personalized way.
Smart insights and reports can help customers flag important changes and digest data like never before, giving customers a clear competitive advantage. The new 'project object' within the Smart CRM helps track and manage project data - which is now 'unbundled' and available on it's own.
Before the next speech, I'm headed into the Agent Showcase section of the conference. There’s plenty of stalls here at Inbound - so I’m going to take a look. These brands are showing off their marketing tools and services - all showcasing campaigns that engage their customers and grow their audiences.
There are plenty of Hubspot partners here, all outlining how they use the tools to integrate their marketing and grow their bases. I spoke first to Huble - Hubspot's #1 global partner of the year, and one of the company's longest standing partners. They use Hubspot's tools to deliver on 'practical outcomes, not fluff'.
Next up, I'm talking to Otter.ai - an AI note taking platform that connects with Hubspot to offer insights, writes follow up emails, and pushes call notes. The platforms sync with Sales Insights automatically for a quick and seamless experience.
Next, we're sat to hear from Angela DeFranco, VP oh Hubspot Marketing products - who is talking through the change in buyer behavior and shift away from the '6 month campaign' marketing strategy - which she argues cannot keep up with changing how quickly buyers are changing.
Marketers are winning by being genuine, she argues. People-driven channels are winning over content volumes. Bad content is easy to push, but content that resonates, comes out on top - 'authenticity is currency'.
DeFranco tells the tale of a frustrated marketer who found audiences and engagement struggling, despite using AI to push content. DeFranco talks about 'generic, forgettable, and soulless' AI content that is made without a unique voice.
But, using Hubspot's brand identity tool - which helps craft marketing materials that speak to customers on a more personal level - meeting them where they're at.
I'm going for a quick break now to grab some lunch (yum!) and sit in the San Francisco sunshine. When I'm back, I'll be chatting to Sinch's Julia Fraser - where she'll walk me through the transformation of communications in the age of AI.
I'm back on the floor now, speaking to Cheq- a company that identifies invalid and malicious internet traffic. Most of us will be familiar with the research that claims almost 50% of internet traffic can now be attributed to bots - so Cheq protects your site from junk and harmful engagement - and can even use customer behavior and history to identify genuine credentials used by threat actors (in cases of identity theft, for example).
Now, I'm speaking to Dealhub - a firm that deals with contracts - helping customers create quotes and contracts. Contract management is centralised with this tool - and teams can collaborate within the platform to ensure a seamless experience. Dealhub works across Hubspot and Salesforce, but also can work within an organisation's own CRM no matter the size.
Next, I'm speaking to a small legal services platform Monjur - which helps it's customers to handle contracts, eliminating friction and ensuring compliance. With over 800 customers in the US and Quebec, the firm is hoping soon to expand into the UK and EU - although compliance in these areas is a 'totally different beast'.
I'm talking to BHN Tango now - a gift card rewards company that allows organizations to gift rewards cards- commonly in competitions or as a reward for, let's say, completing a survey. The firm boasts some huge customers including the likes of Microsoft.
Quotapath is a commission and benefits platform that helps companies organize and maximize their compensation plans. The organization helps firms stay audit-ready, as well as allowing users to track an automate payouts and plans - all in one space!
That's all from us at Inbound today - tune in tomorrow to see what we get up to and for more live updates!
Good morning from San Francisco! I'm going to grab some coffee before heading in this morning - the first session at 09;00 is with Hubspot CEO Yamini Rangan about the transformative power of AI in business and what to expect in the next 18 months - the question on everyone's mind! Looking forward to a busy day today.
Breakfast is secured (a muffin the size of my head!) - and we're about to head into the main stage to hear from CEO Yamini Rangan and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
At the main stage now, and Amodei talks about growth in Anthropic, and the trust and security it is built on. Amodei argues that the models his firm produces are currently about as smart as an undergrad, and that they're 'not yet' beyond the level of human intelligence - but it's coming, he says.
He says he's most excited about the scientific and medical discoveries that AI will be able to solve in the near future.
Consumer chatbots are used as a substitute for social media, Amodei argues, which is a comfortable experience for users, but doesn't represent the full potential of AI. Business use cases are developing quickly, he points out, and the most compelling adoptions will be unleashed when the friction in businesses is reduced.
All tech revolutions start with a platform, Rangan points out - the app store kick started app creation and AWS allowed a new generation of SaaS to be built. Amodei thinks of Anthropic and Claude in a similar way, and he hopes Claude code can be the platform from which a customers can launch a new age of products.
800 million people use AI every day, Rangan says, but the primary barrier for SMB adoption is that users aren't familiar with the technology outside of the tech industry. Insurance firms, for example, simply aren't aware of how AI can help them transform their processes. C-suite members of SMBs are also hesitant to adopt AI technology because they're comfortable with the tech they have - but this is changing fast.
The Grok model is 'probably undesirable' for enterprise, Amodei says when questioned on AI safety, and Anthropic is striving for the opposite of this. Claude was recently used by state-sponsored actors to carry out ransomware attacks, which the firm has now shut down - but Anthropic is 'very careful' and can help customers protect against the abuse of the models.
Amodei talks about 'project vend' - where Claude essentially ran a small business in the form of a vending machine. He jokes that there were many things the AI was good at, but others that it really struggled with. It excelled at procurement, and the model was 'very savvy in theory' but was extremely easily manipulated - 'if you begged it for a discount, it would give you a discount'. It's 'a little bit lacking in street smarts' - although Amodei stands by his claim that AI is like a 'genius coworker', despite it being very easily tricked.
I’ve headed to have a peek at some more stalls, and I’ve had a chat with MapMyCustomers - a tool for SMBs with field agents to track and organize customers. The platform provides dashboards and activity feeds, as well as territory insights on trends and competitors - all visualized in an easily digestible map!
Next, it's over to AI-powered advertising firm AdRoll. The company has over 16 years experience in machine learning advertising campaigns, and specializes in 'multi-channel ad campaigns that build brand awareness, deepen interest, and keep customers coming back for more.'
I'm breaking for lunch now, mostly so I can try and find some working wi-fi (fingers crossed!). After lunch, I'm hoping to catch chef Dominique Crenn's session on sustainable growth.
Now, I'm listening to Dominique Crenn, kitchen icon and the first female chef in the US to earn three Michelin stars. She's describing her journey into leadership and scaling her business. She talks about the importance of mentorship and connecting with employees and partners on a personal and human level.
Scaling a culture of excellence is about connection and kindness, she says. Managing performance must be done with understanding and from a perspective of guidance. Curiosity in leadership is important, and a willingness to engage and teach employees is the key to a productive workforce.
Next I'm headed back to the floor to check out some of the stalls I missed. First up, it's Docket - an AI concierge service. People are sick of talking to human customer service agents, they say (admittedly, I'm not sure that's a complaint I've heard) - so Docket delivers an on-site agent to answer any questions and convert traffic into qualified leads.
Wistia is next on my list - as a video marketing firm they've racked up over 30,000 users in the 20 years they've been operating in the B2B space. The platform syncs effortlessly with Hubspot, as well as others in your tech stack like Adobe, Salesforce, and Mailchimp.
I'm speaking with events management firm Cvent, with 5,000 customers and just as many employees. The platform is, of course, AI-powered, and can find hotels and venues as well as publicizing your event and helping you manage each step. Plenty of big brands use Cvent, they tell me, including Okta, Sony, and Zoom.
It's over to SmartBug now, the world's largest and one of Hubspot's longest standing partners, dealing in everything from onboarding, migration, integration, to support. The firm boasts 'expert-led' solutions for AI adoption with quick and seamless returns. SmartBug offers custom AI agents to help businesses grow.
We're finishing the day with a comedy set (?) from Colin Jost, writer for SNL. I must admit, I don't think the show translates particularly well to the British humor, but the crowd is most definitely excited.
I take it back - I enjoyed Colin's set! I'll sign off here for the day, but I'll be back tomorrow for a shorter final day at Inbound, hopefully seeing Sean Evans and Amy Poehler close the show.
To start this morning, I'm headed straight to main stage for the keynote from Aravind Srinivas - Perplexity CEO. But, I did manage to grab some banana bread for breakfast!
Perplexity CEO Aarvand Srinivas talks about the importance of curiosity, and how it can turbo charge your productivity. The most effective people, he says, are the ones with the nest questions, not the best answers. In AI, they're trying to solve problems no one has the answer for.
There are no stupid questions, and the success of your company depends on your willingness to ask questions. For curious people, questions become after answers, not before - he says. Srinivas talks about how vital follow up questions are to Perplexity.
This means answers must be really accurate to create the next set of questions. The answers serve as the best foundation for the next set of questions. A good answer comes from accuracy and verifying the questions.
He jokes that the foundation of Perplexity is just three nerds trying to build something - explaining they spent all their time in the beginning writing code. When Perplexity began, Srinivas didn't even have health insurance, but he believed in their vision.
They were discouraged by investors before their start - mostly thanks to the recent launch of ChatGPT and the virality of AI hallucinations. He says investors saw hallucinations as a popular feature, not a bug. Luckily, he says, they didn't take their advice, and strive to keep their model as accurate as possible.
Be wary of AIs that just tell you what you want to hear, he warns, and don't trust them to make financial decisions for you. Only accurate models are useful, and combining your own curiosity with an accurate model will change the way your professional life develops.
The next half of the decade will be about moving from answers, to actions. This means AI Agents will most likely be a feature in most workplaces, working in some capacity for a range of industries. Only millionaires had access to assistance, he argues, but that's all changed.
He leaves the conference with two questions; where will AI bring you joy? And if you knew that, what would you ask next?
I don't think I have an answer for those questions, but the crowd seems quite intrigued!
I’m headed back now for one final whizz round to the, admittedly much quieter, agency showcase - which gives me a bit more opportunity to speak to some new stalls.
First, I’m taking a look at Salted Stone, a marketing agency offering end-to-end digital solutions and consulting. They pride themselves on their creativity and people-first mindset which they say helps to deliver data-driven results. These guys have been with Hubspot since 2012, and they're fully embedded partners!
Next, I’m at Inselligence - a RevOps navigation platform with a super smooth UI that helps align sales and marketing goals. The software helps users identify the targets they need to meet and their potential leads.
Right next door, is Happily is a (very cheery) application within Hubspot that helps users plan and manage their events. It uses AI to help capture leads and deliver follow ups and surveys.
Next up, it's JustCall, an inbound/outbound calling system that helps SMBs 'never miss a call again'. They have a 24/7 AI agents and screening system that delivers qualifications, FAQs, and helps organizations optimize their agent-customer interactions - turning inquiries into leads and helping with real-time insights.
GoldCast is an AI-first B2B video content firm which helps its customers develop a number of different media forms like podcasts, webinars, and field events. Many of their employees were previously customers, which they say is just a testament to their company culture and vision!
To finish up at Inbound, I'm heading back to main stage. These next two speakers aren't so tech-oriented (although I may be surprised!), but as a personal fan of the Hot Ones Youtube show, I'm keen to hear from Sean Evans!
Sean Evans is interviewing Brian Halligan, Hubspot's co-founder, in the style of the Hot Ones interviews (in between progressively hotter chicken wings).
Halligan talks about the thinkers that have most inspired Hubspot and his vision. Sam Altman tops the list for pushing the edge and being at the forefront of his industry and pushing tech to the limits.
Scaling content without losing the magic is about quality, Halligan argues, especially in the age of AI. Sales teams are pressuring for content strategy, the two men agree, but sales reps are very consistent in their complaints, Halligan jokes.
That's the last dab finished for the Hot Ones style interview - Halligan's parting message for the crowd is: 'lean into the future!'
Back to some more stalls now, and I'm at ElevenLabs - an AI text to speech and voice generator that operates in a range of industries from gaming, to film, to customer service. People who upload their voices to be used on this sight are compensated when their (voice) likeness is used, and they have deals with various record labels for their content. With millions of users, the platform is growing fast!
I also spoke to SalesAI, a company that helps businesses scale revenue, operations, and support with AI. Their agents can engage, qualify, and resolve customer queries at speed and without friction. On average, their reps tell me, these AI agents save organizations 30 hours per week. They also have a (slightly freaky) robot walking around giving out high fives - so check them out if you have a spare minute!
I also checked out Blinq - a digital business card platform. It's free for use, and you can access virtual background, an email signature, and a digital business card. They have over 3 million users and you can even add your digital card to your apple wallet.
Last up, it's actor and founder of Paper Kites - Amy Poehler talking to Dr Maya SHanker - creator of podcast A Slight Change of Plans. As a huge Parks and Recreation fan, I'm definitely excited for this one!
Poehler talks about breaking into the podcast space, a market that is particularly saturated, and how she was confident in her market gap and creative mission. If you're being authentic and creative then your message will resonate. She of course had the luxury of a huge head start and connections, but fluid content that your audience can get excited about it what drives her.
What a way to wrap up Inbound 2025! It's been an immense pleasure speaking to everyone and hearing the keynotes and talks this year - and thanks to everyone who followed along with the live blog. I hope to see you again soon!
