B2B Marketing in the AI Era: SEO, Learning, and Standing Out with Barry Ryan

Most marketers talk about learning and development - but how many actually practice it inside their own teams?

In this episode of the B2B Vault, I sit down with Barry Ryan, Head of Marketing at Thirst, to dig into how real learning happens inside a marketing department - not the theory, the practice.

Barry shares how his team builds a culture of constant learning, knowledge sharing, and experimentation while staying ahead in one of the fastest-changing industries on earth. From creating scalable systems for team learning to turning first-party data into a competitive edge, this episode shows how smart teams learn their way to growth.

What You’ll Learn:
• How to actually apply L&D inside a marketing team (and make it stick)
• Why sharing knowledge beats chasing new hacks
• How first-party data gives you a moat AI can’t copy
• The future of SEO and AI search - and how to prepare now
• Why authenticity and originality are the new marketing currency
• The real reason most teams stop sharing ideas (and how to fix it)
• How Thirst builds a system where learning compounds

About Barry Ryan:
Barry is Head of Marketing at Thirst, a modern learning platform helping teams grow faster through continuous learning and knowledge sharing. With 14+ years in digital marketing and SEO, he’s helped startups scale through clarity, creativity, and data-driven experimentation.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
01:50 – How Thirst applies L&D to marketing
07:00 – Why marketers struggle to share what they learn
10:20 – Gamification
14:20 – Standing out in an AI-driven market
20:10 – How Thirst approaches SEO and content
23:20 – Using AI for smarter briefs (not lazy content)
25:30 – SEO x AI
34:40 – Authenticity and originality in B2B
38:15 – Winning at the game of life

Connect with Barry & Ugi:
Barry: linkedin.com/in/barry-ryan
Ugi: linkedin.com/in/ugljesadj

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