There Is No Future For Performance Marketing

A pretty bold statement by Oren Greenberg, one of three guest speakers at our very first marketing event, hosted in our new office in the heart of Piccadilly Circus.

On an uncomfortably sticky Wednesday evening, around 40 guests gathered in our office to discuss everything around the hotly debated topic of Performance Marketing: is its future coming to an end or has it only just begun?

Speaking with some of the biggest names in the industry, the room was instantly filled with unique insights, invaluable discussions, and a perfect mix of opinions to fire a juicy debate!

If your world revolves around PPC, paid social, or the broader Digital sphere, this was an event not to be missed! Fear not, the evening was too good to not scream and shout about. Take a look below at some of the great topics discussed by our stars of the show, Katrina Broster, Josh Wright and Oren Greenberg.

Are you looking to wear multiple hats, or become an expert in one channel?

We started the ball rolling with a discussion on specialising early on – is it worth it for everyone?

Why buy a specialist when you can ‘rent’ one ever more efficiently and cheaply? Deciding on whether to hire in-house or to outsource agency side ultimately whittles down to what your business is trying to achieve in the longer term.

Katrina, who is a champion working with agencies, said in the last two years this question has cropped up more and more in meetings. The ideal scenario is to have a team who works to one goal, within the same space, creating a fluid process with whom everyone feels more accountable for achieving that goal. But in reality, there is no definitive answer.

Whilst agencies can help, educate and build up their skillset, Oren recommended if your channel is big enough, take the plunge and do it in-house!

On the flip side, when is it right for you to make your move from agency to client side?

The quick answer – it’s not easy. Having just moved from agency to client, Josh was all too happy to spill his reasons for making the move. “Rather than the right time, consider if it is the right opportunity. Don’t be afraid to push your limits and try something different.”

But career progression won the limelight on this topic. It’s common for marketers to feel that their career path should begin agency side to build the skills needed to ‘jump the fence’ to an in-house team. However, it boils down to the dynamic of the business. A marketing agency’s purpose is to grow revenue and expand, and great people performing at the top of their game is what makes that possible. This is good news for agency side individuals, as they have a great opportunity to progressively build their careers if they can perform well and prove their value to an agency’s management.

And some advice on making the move – put your thinking cap on and fill in the gaps. The most successful candidates are those who understand the difference between agency and client-side roles and are taking the necessary steps to fill the gaps between the two! It’s all too easy to think you’re ready to make the move, but do you have a great understanding of what it truly entails?

What does a Performance Marketer look like?

And we don’t mean literally. Such a skillset is new to the marketing world – 10 years ago the idea of PPC and SEO was unheard of. Now, these specialist roles are on the rise. But what sets these specialists apart from general marketers?

An overwhelming response was the mention of data. Being analytical and strategic, as well as confident and comfortable working with numbers is a must. Katrina describes the perfect person to be so much more than the particular skillset itself, e.g. a paid search manager is not only skilled in this specific segment, but also understands audience segmentation, knows the in’s and outs of marketing technologies and is commercially minded to hit targets whilst being aware of the wider picture.

Being a culture fit for a business was also recognised. Becoming part of a team means working together, integral to making things happen.

Getting down to the nitty gritty

Last, but no means least, we crack the case on what truly is the future of Performance Marketing.

Josh Wright started the debate with a pretty open response – “I don’t think we really know yet, it could go any which way”. However, he did say he visualises Performance Marketers to become a mix of people who are specialist experts, working collaboratively within a dynamic team. He also sees partnerships between brands or agencies and tech providers rise.

Katrina was up next, who jumped at the chance to address the elephant in the room; regulations! GDPR will inevitably affect how you directly approach and engage with your audience, always keeping an eye on how you comply with this. Katrina also predicts cookie targeting and improvements in marketing technology are bound to switch up the industry and change things for the future.

Personalisation was also something Katrina was passionate to mention. It’s not news to anyone that brands are finally realising the full potential of personalisation, and the sophistication of targeting technology and artificial intelligence will enable markets to run these campaigns more efficiently and at scale.

To spin that on its head, Oren confidently predicted there will be no future for Performance Marketing, with machine learning algorithms transforming the way we will eventually do things.

Whilst that is an obstacle within itself, Oren does see for the time being the role becoming a full funnel, ultimately going ‘full circle’. Retention, CRM and integration will slowly ease its way into the role, with skillsets inevitably becoming more diversified across data and programming.

Despite Performance Marketing being talked about now, no doubt it will continue to be an ongoing conversation in the future. Gone are the days we thought a billboard could do all the selling; we must adapt to the ever-evolving market and be prepared for what is to come.

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Thank you to everyone who attended our very first event in our new 3Search office!

A massive thank you to our expert panel, Katrina Broster from ESI Media, Josh Wright from Investec Click & Collect and Oren Greenberg, On Demand Chief Marketing Officer for coming (despite the sunny weather) to talk about their experience and opinions on the hotly debated topic of Performance Marketing.

We hope you enjoyed yourselves – watch this space for our next event!

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3Search is an award-winning UK recruitment consultancy, specialising in marketing, strategy & transformation, and tech positions. Whether you’re seeking new talent or looking for your next career move, we can help. Learn more at www.3search.co.uk.