What’s the main difference between a Head of Growth Marketing & Head of Performance Marketing???

I’ve written blogs about the need to use the right job title when recruiting to ensure you not only attract the person you truly desire to hire but also don’t go pissing off the rest.

The terms Performance Marketing & Growth Marketing have almost become interchangeable in recent years. However, there are some critical differences between the two, and therefore, using the correct job title will help secure the right candidate in a much swifter and smoother recruitment process.

So, here’s my take on these two…

*What is Growth Marketing?*
In the UK version, which I feel is marketing-centric (more on the UK vs US versions in another post), it’s all about being full-funnel, using those pirate metrics (AARRR), covering acquisition/activation through to retention/referral, and having a substantial test and learn approach/mindset.

*What is Performance Marketing?*
This predominantly focused on paid channels (paid search, paid social etc.), affiliates, and display. Sometimes it can also include SEO. These professionals create the strategy for these channels and then execute themselves or use an internal team or even agency support.

There you have it. A small amount in it, but knowing these slight differences will put you in a much stronger position to hire and ensure you come across as a credible organisation in the know when it comes to Digital & Growth Marketing.

For those of you working in Growth or Performance Marketing, do you agree? Anything I’ve missed?

***This is a top-level generalisation based on my many conversations and searches across both job titles during my career.

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Alex Marriner is the Founder & Leadership Search Consultant at Acquire Digital Talent.