People Over Platforms: Karen Steele on AI, Data and the New Marketing Org

ICYMI: Karen Steele on the Human Side of Martech in an AI-Obsessed World

“You gotta get the data right. And someone has to be the shepherd of that data.”

Recently on 10 Minute Martech, Karen Steele, the founder of Steele-Alloy and an expert fractional CMO, joined host Sara Faatz for a conversation that’s equal parts pragmatic and inspiring.

From AI-fueled distribution to the evolution of buying groups and revenue ops, Karen calls it like she sees it. She urges marketers to stop chasing hype and start rethinking how teams, data and tech need to work together. Her bottom line? It all comes back to people.

Karen pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to thrive in today’s martech space. Starting with better data, smarter tools and more empowered teams. She challenges assumptions about SEO, redefines buyer journeys with “interest data” and outlines what next-gen marketing orgs will look like.

Whether you’re a CMO, a marketing ops lead or just tired of surface-level AI chatter, this sit-down is packed with real talk and practical perspective.

It’s the kind of conversation that helps you zoom out and refocus, not just on what’s new, but on what actually moves the needle.

Karen Steele’s 10 Memorable Moments on 10 Minute Martech

1. You Gotta Get the Data Right

Karen’s top martech mandate? Before anything else, get your data in order and designate someone to own it.

“You gotta get the data right. And someone has to be the shepherd of that data.”

2. AI’s Superpower Is Distribution, Not Just Creation

Too many marketers stop at content creation. Karen says AI’s greatest value lies in helping teams scale and repurpose content smarter and faster.

“I think the biggest opportunity is content distribution. That’s where people are missing out.”

3. SEO Isn’t Dead—It’s Just Getting Smarter

SEO is evolving, not disappearing. Karen sees AI helping marketers discover patterns and build smarter keyword strategies.

“I don’t think SEO goes away. I think it gets smarter.”

4. AI Enables. Humans Empower.

Technology isn’t the hero. People are. AI should support creativity and judgment, not replace it.

“AI enables. But humans empower.”

5. Bad Data In = Bad Results Out

No matter how good the tools are, the outcome is only as good as the data feeding it. Karen warns against hoping AI can clean up foundational messes.

“If the data is garbage going in, the outcome is going to be garbage going out.”

6. The Comeback of Impressions

Not every buyer visits your website. Karen reminds us that older metrics like impressions still matter, especially for brand lift.

“We’re seeing more brands focus on impressions as a measure—again.”

7. AI for Sales Enablement Is a Game-Changer

Karen highlights tools like Amplify10 and SalesHood as great examples of how AI can actually help sales teams do more, better.

“There are tools now that take content and slice it into enablement for sales. That’s huge.”

8. Buying Groups Are the New Target

Forget just accounts, today’s marketing is about understanding how groups make buying decisions and using interest data to map them.

“What we’re seeing is more emphasis on buying groups and how they operate.”

9. Your Org Chart Will Evolve

Karen predicts big structural shifts ahead as AI reshapes content ops, SEO, media planning and demand gen, creating new roles in the process.

“Org structures are going to change. I think we’ll see some real innovation there.”

10. Martech Without Customer Love Is Meaningless

Her bottom line? Tech stacks are just tools. Loving the customer and designing around their journey is what actually drives results.

“We don’t survive in this competitive landscape unless we love the customer. Technology is secondary.”

Karen’s Martech Hot Take

“It’s the people. It’s the customer. Technology is secondary.”

Karen’s take is rooted in what really matters: people. For her, the future of marketing is about transforming how we support our teams and how fiercely we advocate for our customers. Loyalty, love and real relationships are the edge. Martech is just the enabler. When marketers put humans first, everything else falls into place.

Karen’s Recommended Reading List

Looking to sharpen your Martech edge? Karen recommends:

• LinkedIn – Her go-to space for insights, especially from:
  • Pavilion
  • Exit Five by Dave Gerhardt
  • GTM Partners by Sangram Vajre

She also values peer groups, reports from 6sense and Demandbase, and AI workshops across adtech and media planning.

Listen Now

• Watch the full episode on YouTube

  
  

• Subscribe on Spotify

• Listen on Apple Podcasts

Next Up in the 10 Minute Martech Series!

Sara sits with Mallory Russell, an award-winning content marketing strategist, who shares why marketers need to lean into AI experimentation and rethink traditional playbooks.

Want to keep reading in the meantime?

Full Episode Transcript: Karen Steele

Here’s the full transcript to keep you transfixed. Every insight, every quote, unedited and unforgettable.

Sara Faatz: I’m Sara Faatz and I lead community and awareness at Progress. This is 10 Minute Martech.

Karen Steele: You gotta get the data right, and somebody has to be the shepherd of that data—which is where I think marketing ops, sales ops, revenue ops, they hold the keys to the kingdom.

Sara Faatz: That’s Karen Steele, founder of Steele-Alloy and fractional CMO. Let’s get started. Well, Karen, I would love to understand from you what is your burning Martech topic right now? What keeps you up at night?

Karen Steele: Well, Sara, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say AI. I think everybody’s talking about data and I think everybody’s experimenting with AI and looking for, you know—is there a silver bullet? Are there best practices? Are there examples or templates? So people are studying and learning, not just in Martech. I just got off a big LinkedIn Sales Navigator call where AI was central. So I think it’s central in sales tech, and it’s certainly central in Martech.

Sara Faatz: Is there a practical use of AI today that you’re super excited about?

Karen Steele: I think we’ve only scratched the surface with content creation, and I think the bigger opportunity is content distribution with AI. I myself haven’t done enough of that yet. So taking the raw content that’s been generated through AI and turning it into videos or podcasts or just extending it from a distribution perspective—again, I’m testing and playing around with tools like a lot of other people. But there are some people that are pushing the envelope, and it’s pretty impressive.

Sara Faatz: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. What do you think from an SEO perspective—how do you think that changes as AI becomes more prevalent? As we look at things like agentic AI, do you see the way we think about SEO changing?

Karen Steele: I do. I mean, I don’t think SEO goes away. I think it gets smarter. I think it helps us identify patterns and I think it helps us learn. I think it helps us take even more data in and turn it into keyword strategies and things like that.

Sara Faatz: Absolutely. There’s a lot of noise out there around AI. And sometimes that makes it hard to figure out what’s real and what’s fluff. Do you have any advice for marketers who are trying to sort through all of that?

Karen Steele: Yeah, I mean, I think the key thing is, if you don’t have good data going into these tools, you’re not going to get good data coming out. So one of the things that I always think about when we’re working with clients is: is your content foundation there? Have you been really thoughtful about who your audience is and what you’re trying to say to them?

And if you haven’t, I wouldn’t try to make AI the first step. I’d try to build a good content strategy first. Then you can take it and expand it and scale it with AI. I think the companies that have done really well with AI so far are companies that already had good practices in place.

Sara Faatz: Yes. What kind of marketing metrics are you tracking or seeing your clients really hone in on?

Karen Steele: I mean, it still comes down to the funnel, right? So most of my clients are still doing demand generation, they’re looking at their funnel. But I think what’s changing is more and more people are trying to get insights into what’s happening at earlier stages of that funnel. You know, not just after someone’s converted or raised their hand.

So things like impressions are starting to come back into play as an early indicator. Things like intent data are becoming more important. And a lot of that’s being powered by AI behind the scenes.

Sara Faatz: Do you see any other major shifts ahead in how marketing teams are structured?

Karen Steele: Oh, absolutely. I think we’re going to see roles evolve. You’ll still have demand gen, but you’re going to see more specialization in content ops, SEO, media planning, and all of that. The tech allows us to do more, faster—but it also means we need people who can really focus on those areas.

Sara Faatz: Do you think AI will actually reduce headcount?

Karen Steele: I don’t think it should. I think the smart companies are using AI to make their teams more efficient—not to replace them. You still need people to think strategically, to guide the tools, and to create differentiated messaging. AI can help, but it’s not a replacement for talent.

Sara Faatz: We talk a lot about ABM and intent data—do you think that’s changing with buying groups?

Karen Steele: Yes! Buying groups are becoming more and more important. We used to target personas or individual accounts. Now it’s more about understanding group dynamics and mapping your content and engagement strategies to that.

That’s where I think tools that can track interest data across multiple buyers at one company—that’s going to be huge. Because it’s not just one decision maker anymore.

Sara Faatz: That’s fascinating. What kind of AI tools have you seen work well?

Karen Steele: There are a few. I’ve seen companies use tools like SalesHood for sales enablement. There’s another one called Amplify10 that helps turn your content into sales assets automatically. Those tools are helping reps be more effective—and they’re doing it in ways that actually feel useful, not invasive.

Sara Faatz: I love that. One final question: what’s one thing you’d want every marketer listening to remember from this conversation?

Karen Steele: I think it’s this: we don’t survive in this competitive landscape unless we love the customer. Everything is about the customer. Technology is secondary. If you keep that in mind, you’ll make smarter decisions—about AI, about Martech, about everything.

Sara Faatz: What a perfect note to end on. Karen, thank you so much for joining us on 10 Minute Martech.

Karen Steele: Thank you for having me. This was fun!