The last few years of marketing have been, in HubSpot’s words, “bonkers.” I agree. Search is shifting. Buyer habits are scattered across apps before breakfast. My take is simple: brands that anchor content in one primary channel and remix it across two more will win. That’s the model HubSpot Marketing is following, and it’s the right one for the moment we’re in.
The Case for an Anchor
HubSpot’s team has moved from single-channel SEO to a true multi-channel plan built around an “anchor asset.” As they put it, pick one place to go deep, then translate that content for where your audience actually spends time.
“What’s your core channel? What’s your anchor channel?”
They’ve tested anchors by audience. For sellers, the podcast came first because listeners are in the car or at the gym. For marketers, YouTube is now the hub. That choice isn’t guesswork. YouTube is the second largest search engine, has been reported as the top podcasting platform, and it just passed Disney as the top streaming platform in the U.S. Go where attention already lives.
What Multi-Channel Really Looks Like
HubSpot’s “anchor-and-remix” play is practical. Film one strong video or interview. Trim it for YouTube. Pull the transcript. Feed blog posts, a newsletter, LinkedIn clips, and even offers from that source material. They call it remixing. I call it focus. One 10-minute video may come from an hour of footage—and fuel a month of content.
“You’re taking the anchor… and turning that into a full campaign.”
They’ve done this with Marketing Against the Grain, two CMOs debating AI and the future of marketing. The results are real: audience up 148% year-over-year with a small team. That tells me the play scales when you commit.
Even better, HubSpot ties channel choice to two signals: what buyers do and what large language models cite. I’d flip the order slightly, but the overlap matters.
“Optimize for the overlap… where does your audience spend their time… and what channels do LLMs trust?”
Those channels include Reddit, YouTube, Quora, Wikipedia, and LinkedIn. Google, in particular, leans on LinkedIn. Create for people on those platforms, and you also increase your odds of being cited by answer engines. That’s smart distribution for both humans and machines.
Where I Agree—and Push Harder
I’ve been in this game long enough to know focus beats frenzy. HubSpot’s advice to cap at three channels is right. Pick an anchor, then add two formats you can deliver every week without breaking your team. Video first if you can, because video feeds everything else.
“Three channels max… but you’re going to have to invest in more than one.”
Small team? You still have options. Tools like Riverside (for remote, high-def interviews) and AI assistants help with editing, clipping, and formatting. HubSpot even uses an internal remix tool. But don’t outsource your voice. AI should help you iterate—not write your story.
“AI can be your assistant… it’s there to help you reformat and iterate.”
And I loved this push from Kyle at HubSpot:
“Your employees need to stop being afraid of being on camera.”
He’s right. Practitioners beat brand voice every time. If you want trust, put experts in front of the audience. Give them a show, a series, or a column. Your best distribution is the people your buyers already follow.
My Playbook for the Next 90 Days
Here’s how I’d start if I were advising your team this quarter.
- Interview 10 customers. Ask where they spend time and who they learn from.
- Pick one anchor channel based on those answers. Commit to weekly publishing.
- Stand up two remix lanes (newsletter and LinkedIn are safe bets).
- Source topics from experts inside your company. Put them on camera or mic.
- Use AI for clips, summaries, and formats. Keep a human editor for taste.
- Track two things: audience growth and asset reuse per anchor.
- Give it nine months before judging the program.
This list works because it balances ambition with capacity. It’s focus over frenzy.
Final Word
Stop chasing every channel; start building a system. HubSpot shows that an anchor-and-remix plan can grow audiences fast without a huge headcount. My challenge to you: pick your anchor this week, publish next week, and keep going for nine months. Train your team on camera. Let experts lead. Use AI as a helper, not a crutch. Your future buyers—and the models they use—will find you if you show up with consistent, useful content.
