| Extravagant installations, community meet-ups, and an impressive list of speakers — Inbound is back in a big way for 2023! Salted Stone is heading to Boston once again this fall to connect with our amazing HubSpot community, learn new things, and bask in the orange glow of our favorite conference. Representatives from our global team will be converging on the convention center and we couldn’t be more excited. |
A member of our team who’s especially excited to attend this year is strategist Gabe McCarthy, who’d be flying around the globe from Australia this year. Gabe has a keen eye for marketing trends and a penchant for playing with HubSpot's latest tools, so we sat down to chat about what to expect from Inbound 2023.
Here are Gabe’s top four predictions for this year’s conference:
1. Growth takes a (marketing) community
2022 saw HubSpot’s guiding philosophy evolve into one that’s more community-minded.
Even former U.S. President Barack Obama, who spoke at the conference last year, acknowledged the value of being connected to something greater than ourselves. “We faced a [pandemic] that saw us come out the other side because of our community-driven support network,” he said.
Gabe expects Inbound 2023 will also revolve around the theme of community, empowering marketers to scale their businesses. From sessions like How To Build a Community That Isn't a Ghost Town to after-hours networking, there will be plenty of opportunities to create a community of your own.
“This is really crucial for getting the most out of HubSpot, and in many ways, building a thriving marketing career,” says Gabe. “I’m most excited for the Sprocketeer community gathering to meet fellow Super Admins in Boston.”
If you plan on going to Inbound, don’t miss the chance to network. Come and visit Salted Stone’s booth if you’re there!”
Other Inbound 2023 meetups Gabe is excited about include:
- The HubSpot User Group Leaders Meetup, which connects HubSpot users and evangelists
- The Out at Inbound Meetup, a welcoming networking space for LGBTQ+ members and allies
- The Designers’ Mixer — UX in the Era of AI, where tech-minded designers can discuss creative problem-solving.
2. New AI-powered tools from HubSpot
We know there’s been plenty of chatter about artificial intelligence (AI) this year, especially in marketing. No one knows this better than HubSpot.
So far, they have released Content Assistant and ChatSpot, two AI-powered tools that streamline workflows and improve productivity within HubSpot CRM. These join existing platform features like adaptive testing, SEO tools, and call transcription, to name a few.
But in 2024, HubSpot will be kicking its AI offerings up a notch, predicts Gabe. Inbound gets a first look at major updates, and the company has teased new features, such as:
- Content generation for emails and social posts
- Support rep assistants driven by AI
- Predictive sales and deal health scoring
- AI-powered website development.
It will be interesting to see what more HubSpot can add to enhance the platform experience. Their users are already adapting: 89% of marketers reportedly use AI to improve content creation.
Gabe says, “It’s important to remember that AI can cut out the boring stuff so we can focus on higher-value work. The upcoming product reveal at Inbound will definitely empower marketers to get even more done with the power of HubSpot.”
To brush up on your AI knowledge, check out the Inbound conference agenda for sessions and speakers.
3. Human-centric marketing is here to stay
We have discussed this previously on our podcast, Under the Hood, but it’s worth repeating: buyers still want genuinely helpful content that helps solve their problems.
When we spoke with Gabe, he said while AI tools and other technologies tend to take the spotlight, the essentials of inbound marketing remain most important for HubSpot and users alike.
“The inbound methodology championed by the folks at HubSpot is more relevant now than ever,” he says. “I expect to see their leaders and other industry experts at Inbound reemphasize the value of human-centric marketing.
No matter how buying habits and technology evolve, people will always want to be marketed to in human, helpful ways — not interrupted.”
So fellow customers, partners, and users of HubSpot, don’t stress over AI! Our human qualities of empathy and creativity are still essential to building meaningful connections with your audience. We recommend checking out the session Driving Business Success Through Connection With HubSpot to learn more.
4. HubSpot integrations galore
Google, Zendesk, Wistia, LinkedIn, and many others will be at Inbound 2023 (most of which are event sponsors, too). It makes sense — tech companies would be silly to pass up the biggest annual event targeting marketing and sales pros.
Gabe explains these big brands want attendees to know their tools play well with HubSpot.
“They’ll speak about the potential for ROI, and most importantly, business growth, from using their technologies with HubSpot. There’s nothing wrong with this at all. The whole point of Inbound is to learn new ways of doing things,” he says.
“But try not to get distracted by shiny new tools. Keep in mind they must align with your objectives to be worth their while.”
If you’re interested in improving your martech knowledge, Gabe recommends sitting in on two sessions: Durable Measurement Solutions With Google and LinkedIn Ads Strategy for the B2B CMO. Just remember: strategy comes first, tools second.
Inbound 2023: where businesses take off
The countdown is on to Inbound, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store. If you can’t attend this time around, keep an eye out for our upcoming Inbound retrospective. But if you do have a ticket, we would love to meet you in person. Come down and say “hi” to our crew!
