Global software company HubSpot maintained nearly 20 percent revenue growth in 2025 despite an 80 percent drop in organic blog traffic attributed to the rise of artificial intelligence, according to the company’s chief marketing officer.
Kipp Bodnar, HubSpot’s chief marketing officer, explained that the significant decline in web traffic, which peaked at more than 20 million monthly organic visits, largely involved users seeking general information who were unlikely to convert into paying customers.
The company shifted its marketing focus from traffic volume to conversion quality and diversified its content distribution channels to offset the impact of AI models like ChatGPT and Claude providing direct answers.
HubSpot’s content strategy evolved significantly, moving beyond its traditional blog. The company acquired The Hustle newsletter in 2021, launched a podcast network the same year, initiated a creator program in 2022, and established a YouTube network in 2023.
Today, approximately 90 percent of HubSpot’s content-generated leads originate from these newer channels, which were largely absent from its marketing mix five years ago, Bodnar said. The company’s blog now accounts for about 10 percent of its content leads.
The company also leveraged AI within its own operations, achieving an 82 percent improvement in conversions through its AI-powered email program. This contributed to an average 50 percent increase across its broader email marketing efforts, according to HubSpot.
Bodnar co-authored a new book, ‘Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow.’, which outlines a new marketing operating system designed for the AI era. This system emphasizes continuous learning and adaptation in a rapidly changing digital environment.
HubSpot has also revised its key performance indicators, now measuring metrics such as ‘revenue per visit,’ ‘AI share of voice,’ and ‘content-influenced pipeline’ instead of solely focusing on traditional traffic volume, Bodnar stated.
Other executives involved in HubSpot’s strategic direction include co-founders Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, and Chief Product Officer Kieran Flanagan.
Source: Search Engine Journal
