Managing 85K Creators: Udemy's Content Marketing Play

In this episode of The Future of Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Genefa Murphy, Chief Marketing & Content Officer at Udemy. Murphy leads a 140-person team managing both B2B and consumer marketing while overseeing a community of 85,000 instructors who create content for the platform. She shares how Udemy is navigating the shift from paid channel dependency to organic growth, adapting to the AI-driven search landscape, and building authentic experiences in an increasingly noisy market. With a background in product management before moving into marketing leadership, Murphy brings a business-first perspective to marketing strategy, emphasizing execution speed, customer impact, and the critical balance between brand and performance marketing. Topics Discussed: Transitioning from paid marketing dependency to organic channel dominance Navigating the shift from traditional SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AI-powered search Building and managing a global marketing team of 140 across B2B and consumer functions Leveraging third-party agencies strategically to elevate internal team capabilities Managing a creator community of 85,000 instructors as a marketing asset Structuring marketing around method, message, and execution Implementing hyper-localized marketing strategies across global markets Balancing AI adoption with human expertise in marketing operations