In this episode of Audience Architect, Bill Levine is joined by Roberta Muller, SVP of Product Development, and AnnMarie Wills, CEO of Leverage Lab, for a practical conversation about audience persona audits — and why many organizations may not know their most engaged users as well as they think they do.

The discussion explores how personas are evolving from static audience profiles into dynamic, behavior-based systems that help media companies better understand user intent, improve content experiences, support sales teams, and create stronger advertiser value. Roberta and AnnMarie break down the difference between “push” personas based on assumptions and “pull” personas derived from real audience behavior, as well as the data, modeling, and organizational guardrails needed to make this work.

They also discuss how an always-on persona pipeline can help teams move from basic metrics to deeper meaning — turning audience data into clearer insights, stronger client conversations, and more strategic audience engagement.

Key themes include:

Audience persona audits, behavioral data, AI-generated personas, audience segmentation, media sales enablement, advertiser value, audience intelligence, data normalization, and the shift from media vendor to strategic partner.`

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In Episode 19 of Audience Architect, hosts Bill Levine and Rick Ellis speak with Sondra Hadden, Senior Director of Audience Growth & Retention Marketing at Informa TechTarget, working across the Industry Dive portfolio.

Industry Dive has become one of the most admired audience models in B2B publishing — particularly for its disciplined focus on newsletters, trust with readers, and a clear understanding of what audience products are meant to do.

In this conversation, Sondra shares how her team approaches growth and retention in a media environment where distribution is volatile, search is shifting, and audience data is increasingly fragmented.

The discussion explores:

• Why newsletters remain one of the most durable advantages in B2B publishing

• The difference between meaningful audience KPIs and vanity metrics

• How AI-driven search and platform shifts are changing acquisition strategy

• What behaviors signal a “sticky” reader relationship — and how retention is built intentionally

• How audience leaders work across editorial, product, and revenue teams without breaking trust

• How the audience leadership role has evolved from channel operator to systems builder

For media leaders navigating a more complex distribution landscape, this episode offers a practical look at how audience strategy is evolving — and what it takes to build a durable audience engine across channels, products, and teams.

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In this episode #18 of Audience Architect, we sit down with Megan Wray Schertler, Co-Founder and Managing Director of In Real Life Media, a strategy and execution studio helping independent publishers turn their magazines into modern, revenue-generating platforms—without losing the cultural magnetism that makes them special.

Megan draws from her unique experience on both sides of the industry—leading brand and publishing strategy for titles like CR Fashion Book, Fantastic Man, and Interview, and co-founding Case Sensitive, a thought-leadership event exploring the future of print.

We unpack how she’s helping publishers and brands design smarter ecosystems where print and digital actually strengthen each other—and why a new generation, including Gen Z, is rediscovering print as a medium for meaning, connection, and belonging.

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AI is revolutionizing how we create, market, and monetize media, but it’s also

rewriting the rules on trust, consent, and data governance. In this captivating episode of

Audience Architect, host Amanda Landsaw, of EndeavorB2B, is joined by Bettina L. Lippisch of

Omeda and Karl Herbert Grabbi of Credo AI to explore what trustworthy AI looks like in practice.

From demystifying GenAI and agentic AI to navigating risks, frameworks, and organizational

accountability, we unpack how leaders and employees can harness AI’s power without losing

sight of ethics, compliance, or value. Whether you’re building smarter campaigns or smarter

products, this is your roadmap to impactful, yet responsible AI use.

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What does it take to lead a 60-brand media company through seismic change? In this MACMA podcast episode, Scott Jamieson, CEO of Annex Business Media, joins us for a candid conversation on the future of publishing and the evolving business models reshaping the B2B landscape.

We explore:

• How U.S.–Canada trade friction is impacting media
• Strategies for audience development and omni-channel growth
• How to thrive in a fractured attention economy

Whether you're in publishing, marketing, or media strategy, this episode is packed with forward-looking insights and real-world leadership lessons.

🎧 Available on demand now.

#publishing #media #B2B #MACMA #audiencedevelopment #ScottJamieson #marketingstrategy #trends

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In Episode 15 of Audience Architect, we explore the art and science of audience engagement in the evolving world of media and publishing. Hosted by Bill Levine, this episode features Sheena Hakimian, Senior Director of Digital Consumer Marketing at Condé Nast, and Ladell Fuqua, Senior VP of Client Solutions at PWX Solutions. Together, they share actionable strategies for understanding audience behaviors, driving cross-channel engagement, and monetizing audience relationships. From segmentation to personalization, this conversation delivers insights to help publishers connect deeply with their audiences and thrive in today’s fragmented media landscape. Don't miss this practical guide to shaping the future of audience engagement.

SHOW NOTE:

Sheena Hakimian is not only a seasoned leader in digital consumer marketing but also a certified life and career coach dedicated to empowering individuals to build confidence and achieve their goals. Through her coaching business, Sheena provides personalized guidance to help clients navigate career transitions, enhance professional growth, and unlock their full potential. Her holistic approach combines actionable strategies with deep empathy, making her a trusted partner for those seeking meaningful change in their personal and professional lives. Explore more about her coaching services and subscribe to her insightful newsletter at sheenahakimian.com.

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In this episode, host Mike Bennett and Amanda Landsaw, sit down with Len Roberto, V.P. of Audience Growth at CyberRisk Alliance. Len’s career spans over 15 years in the B2B space, where he has consistently demonstrated his ability to transform complex data challenges into practical and effective strategies.

In this casual conversation we discuss how organizations can harness the power of data and derive insights from that data to fuel audience growth and engagement.

We discuss topics such as identifying unknown website visitors, creating frictionless data acquisition journeys and how to leverage data to turn users into deeply engaged power users.

Being able to harness the power of data and correctly interpret its signals is a crucial step to understanding your audience and building a proper relationship with those individuals.

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You are ALL in for a treat.

AnnMarie, Rob, and Amanda explore emerging technologies that empower publishers and media companies to deliver personalized experiences while prioritizing privacy. They delve into contextual targeting and zero-knowledge proofs and discuss how audience exclusion and lookalike modeling can enhance targeting and engagement.

They cover first-party data strategies, emphasizing user consent and industry collaboration for privacy best practices. Learn about engaging high-value audiences, reducing churn, and implementing these changes within your organization, including sales team integration and data-driven decision-making.

They also discuss the importance of leadership buy-in and cross-departmental collaboration to align on privacy-compliant data strategies. Throughout, they highlight the ethical imperative for prioritizing user privacy to achieve better business and audience outcomes.

Host:

Amanda Landsaw

Vice President, Audience Development

Endeavor Business Media

(26) Amanda Landsaw | LinkedIn

Guests:

AnnMarie Wills

CEO & Co-Founder

Leverage Lab

(26) AnnMarie Wills | LinkedIn

Rob McLaughlin

Founder & CEO

Audiences

(26) Rob McLaughlin | LinkedIn

Mentioned in the episode:

International Association of Privacy Professionals (iapp.org)

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