HubSpot recently introduced loop marketing as a framework for growth in the AI era. Of course, marketers’ immediate response was the question, “Is loop marketing replacing inbound marketing?” HubSpot has made it clear that loop marketing is not meant to replace inbound. Rather, it builds upon inbound’s foundation, utilizing AI to help you create more relevant content, analyze results in real-time, and optimize your strategy faster.

So how does loop marketing affect your strategy? Here we’ve broken the details down into a quick guide for marketing professionals.

What is loop marketing?

As the name suggests, loop marketing is a continuous four-step cycle: Express, Tailor, Amplify, and Evolve. This differs from the traditional marketing approach of using a linear funnel. Loop marketing revolves around using AI to add value at each stage.

Here’s a quick look at the four loop marketing steps.

1. Express: How will your brand be expressed to your target audience in a way that sets you apart? This is where you define your brand voice, style guide and unique value propositions.
2. Tailor: This is where you use unified customer data and AI to take your established brand identity and personalize both content and experience for each prospect.
3. Amplify: The goal of this stage is to extend your reach beyond traditional inbound channels by leveraging AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) best practices, partnering with creators in your industry, and building a presence in community spaces.
4. Evolve: A focus on continual optimization is what keeps loop marketing going. Use AI-powered insights and predictions, campaign performance monitoring, and A/B testing—then apply learnings within days, instead of waiting months to adjust.

How do I incorporate loop marketing into my inbound strategy?

Inbound methodology includes Attract, Convert, Close, and Delight stages. The four steps of loop marketing align across each stage. Here are examples of how to incorporate loop marketing into your inbound efforts.

Express a brand story that Attracts leads.

The authentic brand voice you set up during the Express step should power your inbound efforts to attract leads and build brand awareness. As you develop your ideal customer profile and brand story, leverage AI to mine data such as client reviews, calls, social media activity and more. This will give you valuable insights into your audience’s challenges, interests and goals, helping to ensure you create relevant campaigns.

Tailor content experiences to Convert leads and Close deals.

The more tailored messaging is to each prospect’s needs, the more likely they are to convert. HubSpot offers AI tools that will help you focus on the right segments and create personalized content at scale. The AI-Powered Segmentation tool identifies high-intent audiences and segments based on behavioral and engagement data from your CRM and website. Then, for each segment, the HubSpot Personalization Agent creates targeted content variants and personalized experiences.

Amplify the reach of your content to Engage more buyers.

Engaging more leads requires reaching a larger audience. Today, buyers have countless ways to access information—from Google and ChatGPT to their favorite social channels and community forums. Diversify your efforts with a multi-channel approach that reaches your clients where they are. Partnerships is also an important strategy at this stage: identify subject matter experts within your industry and collaborate to produce helpful resources that engage prospects and establish credibility for your brands.

Evolve faster and better to Delight each client.

The purpose of AI tools is to help marketers learn and pivot faster—ultimately to delight more clients, close more deals, and create more brand advocates. From AI-predictions to real-time performance insights, the goal is to always be testing, reporting and optimizing each creative to get the most out of your investment.

We hope this guide helps you enhance your inbound strategy with loop marketing tactics and evolving AI technology. While methodologies and frameworks can change, marketing fundamentals will always remain the same: creating value and building relationships with your clients to foster long-term success.