Brad Holmes web developer, designer and digital strategist.

Dad, husband and dog owner. If you’re here, you either found something I built on Google or you’re just being nosey. Either way, this is me — the work, the thinking, and the bits in between.

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Claude + MCP for Marketing: A Practical Guide

Brad Holmes By Brad Holmes
4 min read

What’s Claude MCP?

Think of MCP (Model Context Protocol) as a USB-C port for AI — a way to plug Claude into real tools and real data. It’s not just about generating content anymore. With MCP, Claude can actually do stuff — like post to socials, pull analytics, or fire off emails — all based on plain English instructions.

No manual logins. No brittle Zap spaghetti. Just smarter automation that works how you work.


What Can You Use It For?

1. Campaign Automation That Runs Itself

  • Social: Schedule posts, reply to comments, track what’s working
  • Email: Build sequences, segment lists, A/B test subject lines
  • Ads: Adjust budgets, pause low-performers, generate fresh creative on the fly

2. Content That Writes Itself — With Context

  • Generate blog posts with live data
  • Personalise email content for different segments
  • Build social calendars around what’s trending
  • Write product descriptions based on inventory, reviews, or user behaviour

3. Reporting Without the Faff

  • Pull numbers from GA4, Meta, HubSpot, etc.
  • Create automated weekly/monthly reports
  • Combine sources for real insights (not just raw data)
  • Monitor competitors: pricing, copy, product shifts

4. Lead Management on Autopilot

  • Qualify leads straight into your CRM
  • Send tailored follow-ups without touching a keyboard
  • Score leads by behaviour, not just form fills
  • Keep contact records updated across platforms

Tools That Work Well with Claude + MCP

Zapier MCP (Free Beta)

Fastest way to plug Claude into 7,000+ apps. No dev needed.

  • Works with: Mailchimp, Salesforce, Google Ads, Slack, Facebook, LinkedIn, and loads more
  • Use it for: Trigger-based actions, syncing tools, connecting platforms without code

Other Popular Integrations

  • CRMs: HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce
  • Analytics: Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, SEMrush
  • Email: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit
  • Social Tools: Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout

How to Set It Up (Without the Headache)

1. Pick Your Path

  • Zapier MCP: Easy, visual, no code
  • Direct MCP: More flexible, needs setup
  • Pre-Built Marketing Pack: For those who just want it working now

2. Connect the Tools You Actually Use

Start small. Plug in:

  • Your CRM
  • Your email platform
  • Your social scheduler
  • Your analytics platform

3. Build a Simple First Workflow

Something like:

“When someone fills out a lead form → add to CRM → send welcome email → ping the sales team in Slack.”

Simple, useful, and saves you time every single day.


Real-World Examples

Content Marketing Agency

  • Pull blog stats weekly
  • Generate keyword-based ideas
  • Auto-publish approved content to multiple platforms

E-commerce Brand

  • Track competitor prices daily
  • Update product pages with review-driven copy
  • Send abandoned cart emails with tailored offers

B2B SaaS Team

  • Score leads based on page visits
  • Auto-start demo booking flows
  • Generate personalised sales outreach messages

A Few Tips

  1. Start simple — One workflow is better than none.
  2. Test before going live — Avoid surprises in front of your audience.
  3. Monitor it — Automations can break. Catch it early.
  4. Stay legal — GDPR, CAN-SPAM, the usual suspects. Don’t ignore them.

Why It’s a Big Deal

Most automation tools still expect you to build logic flows or mess with APIs. Claude MCP flips that. Now you can just ask for what you want:

“Analyze last month’s email results and build a new campaign based on what worked.”

And it just… happens.

This isn’t a shiny new tool. It’s a new way of working — faster, simpler, and actually helpful.


Want to try it?
Start with Zapier MCP. It’s free, quick to connect, and gives you access to thousands of tools straight away.

Do I need to know how to code to use Claude + MCP?

Nope. If you can write a sentence, you can run an automation. Tools like Zapier MCP handle all the heavy lifting — you just connect your apps and tell Claude what to do.

What’s the difference between Claude and normal automation tools

Traditional tools follow rigid logic. Claude uses natural language and real context — it doesn’t just follow rules, it thinks. You get smarter, more human content and decisions without building complex workflows.

is Claude and MCP safe to use with client data?

Yes — as long as you follow best practices. Keep sensitive data secure, make sure your tools are compliant (GDPR, etc), and never feed private info into Claude unless you’ve got the green light.

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Brad Holmes

Brad Holmes

Web developer, designer and digital strategist.

Brad Holmes is a full-stack developer and designer based in the UK with over 20 years’ experience building websites and web apps. He’s worked with agencies, product teams, and clients directly to deliver everything from brand sites to complex systems—always with a focus on UX that makes sense, architecture that scales, and content strategies that actually convert.

Thanks Brad, I found this really helpful
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