Growth vs Marketing vs Product: Understanding the Roles
Over the past five years, four significant changes have reshaped how we think about growing tech companies:
1. Foundational Shifts Driving Growth
Access to Data:
— Tools like Mixpanel and Kissmetrics provide granular insights at a low cost.
Access to Platforms:
— Facebook, iOS, and LinkedIn now offer pathways to billions of users for acquisition, activation, and retention.
Scale and Speed:
— Startups grow faster than ever, leading to higher expectations for rapid scaling.
Integration of Tech and Marketing:
— Tools like Optimizely and HubSpot blur the lines between technical execution and marketing strategy.
These shifts demand a more integrated and dynamic approach to growth. Here’s how Growth, Marketing, and Product differ in their roles.
2. Growth vs Marketing
Traditionally, marketing teams focus on the top of the funnel:
— Awareness and Acquisition: Generating leads, signups, and initial user interest
Marketing teams excel at:
— Content creation (blogs, ads).
— Paid acquisition.
— Brand building.
However, growth teams operate holistically:
— Goal: Optimize the entire funnel, from acquisition to retention and revenue.
— Focus Metric: Not just leads, but broader KPIs like — Daily Active Users (DAUs) or Monthly Active Subscribers (MAS).
Growth teams can influence the middle and bottom of the funnel through:
1. Product changes.
2. Platform extensions (e.g., new integrations).
3. Paid re-engagement (e.g., retargeting).
This requires tight collaboration between:
— Engineering
— Design
— Product Management
— Data Science
Unlike marketing, growth teams blend disciplines to achieve long-term, sustainable growth.
3. Growth vs Product
Product Teams focus on:
— Building Core Product Value: Creating features that deliver value and keep users coming back.
— Expanding Product Value: Enhancing the product to meet evolving user needs.
Growth Teams focus on:
— Getting Users to Experience Core Value Quickly: Removing friction in onboarding or first-use experiences.
— Maximizing Core Value Frequency: Encouraging users to return and engage more frequently.
This distinction aligns with Chamath Palihapitiya’s growth framework:
— Product builds value.
— Growth ensures users experience it as quickly and as often as possible.
Key Takeaways
— Growth Teams own the entire funnel, combining marketing, product, and engineering disciplines to drive growth systematically.
— Marketing Teams primarily focus on the top of the funnel, excelling in generating awareness and acquisition.
— Product Teams concentrate on building and expanding core product value to retain users long-term.
In today’s environment, growth isn’t just about tactics — it’s about integrating these disciplines into a cohesive, data-driven machine.
Final Thoughts
Whether you call it growth hacking, full-stack marketing, or technical marketing, the ultimate goal remains the same: scaling businesses sustainably and authentically. By aligning your teams and embracing a holistic growth strategy, you position your company for long-term success.
Over the past five years, four significant changes have reshaped how we think about growing tech companies:
1. Foundational Shifts Driving Growth
Access to Data:
— Tools like Mixpanel and Kissmetrics provide granular insights at a low cost.
Access to Platforms:
— Facebook, iOS, and LinkedIn now offer pathways to billions of users for acquisition, activation, and retention.
Scale and Speed:
— Startups grow faster than ever, leading to higher expectations for rapid scaling.
Integration of Tech and Marketing:
— Tools like Optimizely and HubSpot blur the lines between technical execution and marketing strategy.
These shifts demand a more integrated and dynamic approach to growth. Here’s how Growth, Marketing, and Product differ in their roles.
2. Growth vs Marketing
Traditionally, marketing teams focus on the top of the funnel:
— Awareness and Acquisition: Generating leads, signups, and initial user interest
Marketing teams excel at:
— Content creation (blogs, ads).
— Paid acquisition.
— Brand building.
However, growth teams operate holistically:
— Goal: Optimize the entire funnel, from acquisition to retention and revenue.
— Focus Metric: Not just leads, but broader KPIs like — Daily Active Users (DAUs) or Monthly Active Subscribers (MAS).
Growth teams can influence the middle and bottom of the funnel through:
1. Product changes.
2. Platform extensions (e.g., new integrations).
3. Paid re-engagement (e.g., retargeting).
This requires tight collaboration between:
— Engineering
— Design
— Product Management
— Data Science
Unlike marketing, growth teams blend disciplines to achieve long-term, sustainable growth.
3. Growth vs Product
Product Teams focus on:
— Building Core Product Value: Creating features that deliver value and keep users coming back.
— Expanding Product Value: Enhancing the product to meet evolving user needs.
Growth Teams focus on:
— Getting Users to Experience Core Value Quickly: Removing friction in onboarding or first-use experiences.
— Maximizing Core Value Frequency: Encouraging users to return and engage more frequently.
This distinction aligns with Chamath Palihapitiya’s growth framework:
— Product builds value.
— Growth ensures users experience it as quickly and as often as possible.
Key Takeaways
— Growth Teams own the entire funnel, combining marketing, product, and engineering disciplines to drive growth systematically.
— Marketing Teams primarily focus on the top of the funnel, excelling in generating awareness and acquisition.
— Product Teams concentrate on building and expanding core product value to retain users long-term.
In today’s environment, growth isn’t just about tactics — it’s about integrating these disciplines into a cohesive, data-driven machine.
Final Thoughts
Whether you call it growth hacking, full-stack marketing, or technical marketing, the ultimate goal remains the same: scaling businesses sustainably and authentically. By aligning your teams and embracing a holistic growth strategy, you position your company for long-term success.