The Future of B2B Marketing: Led by AudiencePlus

AudiencePlus embarks on a new journey with Forum Ventures as they secure their seed round, focusing on product development and community growth to revolutionize the MarTech industry.

‍

Leading B2B SaaS companies like Salesforce and Hubspot understand the importance of owning their auience and went out and acquired media companies to help drive that strategy. We believe we are in the early innings of a clear shift in how B2B marketers think about building their audience and we think AudiencePlus will be the category defining company that enables that shift. AudiencePlus is a game-changing player in the Martech SaaS landscape, disrupting the traditional content management system (CMS) paradigm that has long been stagnant and unable to adapt to the ever-evolving needs of emerging content formats. 

They recently raised their $5.4M seed round led by Emergence Capital with participation from Forum, Worklife, GTM Fund, and the CEOs of Gainsight, Guild Education, Redis, and Zoom. This milestone marks an important step in AudiencePlus’ growth and development, allowing them to build on their early momentum, expand their product offerings, and empower their customers to regain control over their audience relationships.

In today's digital age, where content is king, businesses need a platform that not only allows them to create and manage content effectively but also helps them build a strong, owned relationship with their audience. This is where AudiencePlus steps in, offering a cutting-edge solution that empowers marketing teams to take back control of their pipeline and drive sustainable growth, all while leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver Netflix-level personalization to SaaS marketing teams.

The seed funding round will enable AudiencePlus to invest heavily in product development and engineering, focusing on delivering essential features that cater to the needs of their early customers. Additionally, the company plans to invest in content creation and media efforts to promote the owned media discipline, which will ultimately benefit its growing community of more than 2,500 subscribers.

Anthony Kennada, the co-founder and CEO of AudiencePlus, shared his excitement about the partnership with Forum Ventures, stating that Mike, Jonah, and the team have played a crucial role in helping them navigate the fundraising process. 

“Forum was my first call for AudiencePlus” Anthony stated “back when the company was nothing more than a screenshot of an iPhone Note. Mike, Jonah, and the rest of the team have been integral to helping us navigate the fundraising process, and beyond that, to help answer detailed (and frankly naive) questions I've had about going from 0-to-1 as a business.” 

Kennada's experience as the former Chief Marketing Officer at Gainsight, Front, and Hopin, along with his expertise in category creation and building brands, makes him the perfect visionary for AudiencePlus. When reflecting on Anthony’s growth as a founder, Forum Ventures CEO Michael Cardamone said “I’ve known Anthony for 15 years, both being early at Box, and have seen him grow throughout his career into an incredible leader and visionary. He saw a clear opportunity to build a category around owned media for B2B companies and I couldn’t think of a better person to build AudiencePlus.”

Challenging the Status Quo of Marketing 

By focusing on helping customers build an owned relationship with their audience, AudiencePlus is challenging the status quo of relying on rented social media platforms and paid search advertising to reach and engage with potential customers. This shift in approach is crucial for businesses looking to establish a more direct and meaningful connection with their audience, as it allows them to bypass the noise and clutter of social media feeds and search engine results pages. By providing marketing teams with the tools and insights they need to create highly personalized and engaging content experiences, AudiencePlus is enabling businesses to foster a sense of loyalty and trust with their audience, ultimately driving long-term growth and success.

At Forum Ventures, we are beyond excited to have participated in AudiencePlus' Seed round. This is more than just a financial transaction; it's a tangible vote of confidence in a disruptive Martech platform that's poised to redefine the digital marketing landscape. Our investment in AudiencePlus represents a key strategic decision for Forum Ventures. We're not just investing in a startup; we're investing in a vision of a more effective, efficient, and personal digital marketing landscape.

The Power of AI and ML

The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into AudiencePlus' platform is another key factor that sets it apart from traditional CMS solutions. By harnessing the power of AI/ML, AudiencePlus is able to analyze vast amounts of data and user behavior to deliver highly personalized content recommendations and experiences to each individual user. This level of personalization, akin to what users have come to expect from platforms like Netflix, is a game-changer for SaaS marketing teams, as it allows them to create more targeted and relevant content that resonates with their audience on a deeper level.

Regain Pipeline Control 

Moreover, AudiencePlus' focus on enabling marketing teams to regain control of their pipeline is a refreshing departure from the traditional reliance on third-party platforms and advertising channels. By providing businesses with the tools and insights they need to effectively manage their content and audience relationships, AudiencePlus is empowering marketing teams to drive sustainable growth through their own efforts, rather than relying on the whims of social media algorithms and the ever-increasing costs of paid search advertising.

Optimize Content 

In addition to its innovative approach to content management and audience relationship building, AudiencePlus also offers a suite of features designed to help marketing teams optimize their content strategy and drive better results. These features include advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, which allow businesses to gain valuable insights into their audience's preferences and behavior, as well as content performance metrics that can help inform future content creation and optimization efforts. By providing marketing teams with a comprehensive view of their content's impact and audience engagement, AudiencePlus enables businesses to make more informed decisions and drive better results from their content marketing efforts.

Seamless User Experience 

Furthermore, AudiencePlus' commitment to providing a seamless and user-friendly experience for both marketing teams and their audience is another key differentiator in the Martech SaaS landscape. With its intuitive interface and easy-to-use tools, AudiencePlus makes it simple for marketing teams to create, manage, and optimize their content, while also ensuring that their audience enjoys a smooth and engaging experience when interacting with that content. This focus on user experience not only helps businesses create more effective and impactful content but also fosters a stronger connection between the brand and its audience, ultimately driving long-term loyalty and growth.

In conclusion, AudiencePlus is a disruptive force in the Martech SaaS landscape, challenging the traditional CMS paradigm and empowering marketing teams to take back control of their pipeline and drive sustainable growth. By leveraging the power of AI/ML to deliver Netflix-level personalization and focusing on helping businesses build an owned relationship with their audience, AudiencePlus is setting a new standard for content management and audience engagement in the digital age. As more businesses recognize the value of this innovative approach and adopt AudiencePlus' platform, we can expect to see a significant shift in the way content is created, managed, and optimized, ultimately leading to more meaningful and impactful connections between brands and their audiences.

We are thrilled to be part of this journey, anticipating the growth and evolution of the MarTech space. With the combination of AudiencePlus' passion for owned media and Forum Ventures' support and expertise, the future of marketing technology has never looked brighter.

‍

About AudiencePlus 

AudiencePlus is a first-of-its-kind software platform that makes it possible to use owned media to build sustainable pipeline for your business. AudiencePlus replaces the corporate blog, and resource center, or becomes a stand-alone property that allows marketing teams to build, engage, and monetize their audience.

‍

For more information about AudiencePlus and Anthony’s founder journey, check out a recent video interview with Forum here: https://youtu.be/prWK8gh8y5w 

‍