Mallory Russell is a fractional MarComms and content leader with over 15 years of experience building high-impact, full-funnel content strategies. Formerly VP of Global Integrated Content Marketing and Strategy at Square, she led initiatives that transformed the company’s approach to organic growth through storytelling, SEO, and cross-channel strategy, growing organic search to more than half of inbound traffic within her first year. Known for pioneering innovative content programs at high-growth tech and mission-driven organizations, Mallory unifies brand, performance, and organic discoverability across emerging platforms.
About the Episode
As AI accelerates content creation and channels continue to multiply, standing out has never been harder. Tyler Lane sits down with Mallory Russell, former VP of Global Integrated Content Marketing at Square, to unpack what high-impact content really looks like in the AI era. They explore how integrated strategy, thoughtful use of AI, and a deep focus on audience needs can turn content from a volume game into a true growth engine.
Key Moments
Mallory’s Content Journey
- How Mallory built and scaled Square’s global content organization from a team of one into an integrated growth engine [2:06], [4:42].
From SEO to Organic Discoverability
- Why relying too heavily on search became risky and how Square diversified content discovery across social platforms and emerging channels [5:09], [6:31].
Cross-Channel Integration in Practice
- What it really takes to align SEO, social, editorial, and web teams around shared goals [7:52], [9:45].
Mission-Driven Content Strategy
- How experiences at Change.org and Square shaped Mallory’s belief in audience-first, mission-led content [10:51], [14:47].
AI as a Tool, Not the Strategy
- Why AI shouldn’t be used to “just make more content” and where it actually delivers the most value [18:06].
Content Management at Scale
- Using AI to audit, optimize, and extend the life of large content libraries that drive long-term results [21:00], [26:04].
Finding White Space With AI Research
- How AI helps uncover competitive gaps and avoid contributing to a “sea of mediocre content” [22:16], [23:40].
Thought Leadership That Serves the Full Funnel
- Designing flagship content programs that drive PR, SEO, lead generation, and revenue together [27:25], [30:49].
Saying No to Shiny Objects
- How Mallory evaluated new formats like podcasts and why timing, strategy, and distribution matter more than trends [33:23], [36:45].
The Future of Content Measurement
- Why traffic matters less, engagement matters more, and how AI forces a reset in content KPIs [37:40], [41:43].
Top Insights
- Treat AI as a tool, not a strategy – Positioning AI as a support system prevents content teams from chasing volume over meaningful impact.
- Invest in content management before new creation – Optimizing and refreshing existing content often delivers higher returns than producing net-new assets.
- Build integrated, cross-channel content teams – Aligning SEO, social, editorial, and web functions enables smarter experimentation and consistent messaging.
- Design content programs, not isolated assets – Planning content as full-funnel journeys ensures thought leadership drives awareness, engagement, and conversion together.
- Redefine success metrics beyond traffic – Focusing on engagement, influence, and downstream impact reflects how content truly performs in an AI-driven ecosystem.
Notable Quotes
- “I just generally think there’s too much content in the world, and a lot of it isn’t necessarily a value.”
- “AI is a really effective set of tools. Right? It’s not the strategy, it’s a set of tools.”
- “I don’t think the opportunity is to create more content, but there is an opportunity there.”
- “You can’t do that well unless you are intently focused on your consumer.”
- “It’s not traffic, right? It never really was, but that is the way people measured success with content.”
Resources
Companies and Organizations
High-Impact Content in the AI Era
AI has made content easier to create but harder to make meaningful. If your brand is producing more but seeing less impact, it’s time to rethink the strategy behind the work. At Session Interactive, we help teams build integrated, audience-first content systems that cut through the noise, scale intelligently, and drive real business outcomes in an AI-driven world.
For more conversations on strategy, analytics, and modern marketing, subscribe to the Built to Convert podcast. Want to build content that actually performs in the AI era? Contact Session Interactive to see how we help brands turn insight into impact.
