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Growth hacking: a deep look into online marketing for startups

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Growth Hacking: A Deep Look into Online Marketing for Startups
by Samantha Sineni

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS
December 2014

Copyright 2014

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Acknowledgements
I would like to give a special thanks to my thesis committee Burnghardt Tendrich, Matthew LeVeque and
Laura Jackson for their transformative feedback. Their expertise brought my paper to a new level. I’d also
like to thank my advisor Michael Ploszek for guiding me through the process. Professor Andrea Belz,
thank you for taking a chance on me and allowing me to take your Venture Initiation class. It was here
that learned the steps to launching a startup through assisting in a real launch. The class put the theories
into practice that I read about and heard people speak about for so long. Also, I’d like to thank my dad for
supporting me and assisting me financially while I carve my path to success on the West coast.
Abstract
Growth Hacking: A Deep Look into Online Marketing for Startups sets out to define the new subculture of
marketers that call themselves growth hackers. The paper looks at how the term differs from traditional
marketing and what this means for the future.
Growth hacking is a term partially created and popularized by Sean Ellis, Founder of Qualroo, in 2010
that puts growth at the forefront of marketing efforts. The high failure rate of startups calls for rapid user
acquisition and puts growth as the top priority for a startup team. The difference between traditional
marketing and growth hacking is the focus on data and split testing, along with the set of issues startup
marketers address. Often, startup teams need to define their audience and find product-market fit,
whereas established companies focus on issues such as rebranding or increasing sales. A growth hacker
finds innovative ways to use existing platforms for growth and is passionate about metrics. The new term
is needed to highlight the importance of data in marketing and ingraining marketing into product design in
the tech space.
The goal is to take people that are unaware of the product or service and transform them in to brand
advocates as quickly as possible. The main types of growth hacking include: viral acquisition, word of
mouth marketing, email marketing, paid acquisition, content marketing, search engine optimization and
A/B testing. By examining tactics carried out by Dropbox and Candy Crush, one will see first-rate
examples of growth hacking success.
Critics claim that growth hacking promotes false hope of achieving rapid growth by employing one fast-
acting tactic. Some say that the term defines nothing new, and it is all just marketing. The negative
perception is due to a miscommunication of the intention of the term’s creation and its definition. Others
argue that the practice is unethical. Ethical lines are sometimes crossed when discussing spamming
networks and obtaining contact information, which calls for a higher set of standards for all marketers.
Though big businesses and agencies do not have the integration between the marketing and product
development departments that growth hacking requires, the ideas will cross over to such organizations.
As evaluative techniques improve and our society continues to move online, all marketers will need to be
tech savvy and will be held accountable for showing the results of their strategies. Qualifications for
marketing positions will change to support a technological and data-driven world.

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Table of Contents

List of Examples…………………………………………………………………………………………..4
List of Exhibits…………………………………………………………………………………………….5
1.What is growth hacking?............................................................................................................6
2. What growth hacking is not.....................................................................................................14
3. What makes growth hacking different than traditional marketing?..........................................14
4. Characteristics of a growth hacker..........................................................................................17
4.1 Growth Teams...........................................................................................................18
5. Why is there a need for growth hacking? ...............................................................................19
5.1 The Shift to Digital.....................................................................................................19
5.2 Growth Hacking for Startups......................................................................................20
6. How is it done? ........................................................................................................... ………..21
6.1 Four Key Questions...................................................................................................21
6.2 Purpose......................................................................................................... ………..22
6.3 Inception......................................................................................................... ……….22
6.4 Adoption.................................................................................................................... 25
6.5 Habits......................................................................................................... …………..25
6.6 Lean Marketing Funnel..............................................................................................26
6.7 Product Market Fit: Risks Benefits and MVPs...........................................................29
6.8 User Engagement..................................................................................................... 32
6.9 Approaching Growth................................................................................................. 38
7. Choosing “Hacks” ........................................................................................................... ……43
7.1 Viral Acquisition.........................................................................................................47
7.2 Word of Mouth Marketing..........................................................................................49
7.3 Email Marketing........................................................................................................ 51
7.4 Paid Acquisition........................................................................................................ .53
7.5 Content Marketing..................................................................................................... 54
7.6 Search Engine Optimization..................................................................................... 55
7.7 A/B Testing......................................................................................................... ……56
8. Case Studies........................................................................................................... …………...59
8.1 Dropbox......................................................................................................... ………..59
8.2 Candy Crush......................................................................................................... ….64
9. Criticisms of Growth Hacking..................................................................................................67
10. Is Growth Hacking Ethical? ..................................................................................................70
11. What does Growth Hacking mean for marketing? ................................................................73
11.1 Growth Hacking in Big Business............................................................................. 73
11.2 In Agencies....................................................................................................... ……74
11.3 Changing Qualifications.......................................................................................... 75
References………..……………………………………………………………………………………..78

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List of Examples
Example 1. BrandYourself……………………………………………………………………………….9
Example 2. Google……………………………………………………………………………………...14
Example 3. Words With Friends……………………………………………………………………….25
Example 4. Twitter and Step 1: The “AHA” Moment………………………..……………………….33
Example 5. LinkedIn…………………………………………………………………………. ………….34
Example 6. Intuit…………………………………………………………………………. ………………40
Example 7: SnapChat…………………………………………………………………………. ………..47
Example 8. AirBnB…………………………………………………………………………. …………...70

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List of Exhibits
Exhibit 1: Basic Consumer LTV Calculation………………………………………………………….22
Exhibit 2: The Lean Marketing Funnel. (StartItUp.) …………………………………………………26
Exhibit 3: Funnel Analytics Conversion Chart. (Singapore Lean Startup Circle.)………………...27
Exhibit 4: Startup Growth Curve……………………………………………………………………….45

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1. What is growth hacking?
Growth Hacking is a term created by Patrick Vlaskovits, New York Times
bestselling author and entrepreneur, Hiten Shah, co-founder of KISSmetrics and
CrazyEgg, and Sean Ellis, CEO and founder of Qualroo. The three entrepreneurs
created the term in 2010 to redefine the qualifications of people responsible for growth
in startups. Ellis is credited with popularizing the concept through his Startup Marketing
blog, startup-marketing.com, and sparking a miniature revolution in online marketing in
the tech space. As a result, a new subculture of “growth hackers” emerged in the
marketing world and earned quite a bit of attention.
In an attempt to hire an individual with a singular job function focused on growth,
Sean Ellis felt that most candidates fell short of his vision. He needed someone with the
solitary goal of expanding the startup's user base and the skills to test and iterate
product design.
Ellis refers to the growth hacking as the “science of understanding growth.” It
focuses on qualitative marketing with product-market fit at its core. It is where statistics,
computer science and marketing intersect. A growth hacker takes a metrics-driven
approach to incorporate user feedback into a product that meets consumer needs and
optimizes conversion rates.
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Ideally, users will see value in the product that will spark
word-of-mouth marketing and cause people to share it with each other on their own
accord.
The growth resulting from “hacking” must be scalable and repeatable. Hotmail’s
“P.S. I Love You” email signature growth tactic is one of the most frequently cited
growth hacking case studies and demonstrates scalability and repeatability.

1
Interview with Sean Ellis.

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According to Mohamed Zahid’s blog post, “What is Growth Hacking Part 1: The
Hack,” the initial launch of Hotmail in 1996 returned lower results than expected and the
growth rate crawled. After studying the channels that drove users to sign up, research
found that 80 percent of signups came from referrals. Zahid reports that Hotmail
investor Timothy Draper suggested the simple addition of “P.S. I Love You. Get your
free e-mail at Hotmail” as a signature. Hotmail users then automatically referred friends
by sending emails using personal Hotmail accounts with this signature featured at the
bottom of each message.
2

Phil Pearce’s presentation “PPC Growth Hacking/Cheating” says the idea
skyrocketed growth, initially achieving 3,000 users per day and reaching 2 million in
roughly seven months. Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia took hold of the Indian market
by sending an email to a friend who lived there. In just three weeks, Hotmail gained
300,000 new signups in India. At the time of Hotmail’s sale to Microsoft, one-and-a-half
years after launch, 17 percent of Internet users sent e-mails through Hotmail.
3

The “P.S. I Love You” signature represents an example of how growth hacking
can take a new technology or existing platform such as e-mail and turn it into a driver of
growth. Hotmail shows that a product design with ingrained marketing based on
consumer research will achieve exponential growth. The “hack” repeated itself each
time a user sent an e-mail, creating a network that expanded independently.
4

When most people think of “hacking,” the concept of computer hacking most
likely comes to mind. Computer hackers generally enter a system without permission to

2
Mohamed Zahid. “What is Growth Hacking Part 1: The Hack.” http://blog.hootsuite.com/growth-hacking-
part-1/
3
Phil Pearce. “PPC Growth Hacking/Cheating: Strategies for Explosive Growth.”
http://www.slideshare.net/phildpearce/ppc-growth-hacking-by-phil-pearce-superweek-2014
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Mohamed Zahid. HootSuite. “What is Growth Hacking?”http://blog.hootsuite.com/growth-hacking-part-1/

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obtain information or change the computer in some way. A negative connotation
surrounds computer hackers and the culture of illegal activity. However, the term
“hacks” is used in a variety of ways, such as “life hacking,” that describe the practice of
actively changing the ways in which a person approaches existing practices or products
to improve one’s quality of life. It is in this context that growth hacking belongs.
Growth hacking involves no illegal practices. Instead, it takes existing platforms
and uses them for the purpose of growth in innovative ways. While “life hacks” may be a
singular quick fix for a problem, growth hacking is a way of thinking that takes a
strategic approach employed after achieving product-market fit.
In an interview with growth hacker Aaron Ginn, Matt Humphrey, Vice President of
Merchandise Research at Rearden Commerce said, “Growth Hacking is acquiring,
retaining and monetizing users more effectively. A growth hacker is an individual who
can, from end-to-end, collect the data, ideate, plan, execute and deploy the necessary
tactics and strategies to hit goals.”
5

According to Sean Ellis, a growth hacker takes the product from ideation to
millions of users. He or she will know how to run the proper tests and analyze the data
to design the product and launch optimally.
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Instead of a “push” method of marketing,
growth hacking uses the common “pull” strategy to draw customers in with offers they
value. Like most smart marketers, growth hackers understand the lifestyle of their target
audiences and place marketing messages in their path to be discovered while doing
daily, routine activities. Lori Turner Wilson, sales coach and guerilla marketer at

5
Aaron Ginn. Aaron Ginn’s Thoughts. “Interview a growth hacker with Matt Humphrey.”
http://www.aginnt.com/post/41372002949/interview-a-growth-hacker-with-matt-
humphrey#.U0GsLq1dWjQ

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Interview with Sean Ellis.

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RedRover, says researching potential users allows the growth hacker to choose product
features and marketing techniques to deliver to potential customers with measurable
and increased success rates.
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To approach growth hacking successfully, one must optimize the first user
experience (FUE) and set conversion as the marketing goal. An FUE is the initial
interaction that a user has with the product. Potential users who see the company's
message and try the product need to understand what it offers and to desire those
benefits. An optimal first user experience will be the deciding factor in whether a
potential user converts.
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Conversion happens when a potential user becomes an active user. Consumers
often find products online or visit websites and leave without taking a desired action,
such as making a purchase or signing up for a subscription. Testing can help determine
the reasons for a low conversion rate, which the growth hacker will address by
redesigning the FUE to increase the likelihood of conversion. The user must feel that
the product will improve his or her quality of life to the degree that the benefits outweigh
the amount of effort needed to obtain the product.
To optimize the FUE, the growth hacker tests and measures each product
feature to determine what works and eliminates features that don’t. This practice is
intended to create the ideal experience, which will drive positive word-of-mouth
marketing and increase virality, which are key components in rapid growth. According to
Stan Chudnovsky, co-founder of Ooga Labs, the belief is that if the product satisfies the
consumer, each individual becomes a potential advocate whose social networks may be

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Lori Turner Wilson. Memphis Daily News. “Employ Both Push and Pull Marketing.”
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2013/may/15/employ-both-push-and-pull-marketing/
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Growth Hackers Conference 2013.

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further leveraged to drive rapid expansion.
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Employing a pull strategy and maximizing a positive first user experience for
consumers are not new marketing practices, much like most of the concepts on which
growth hacking is based. The difference is that startups and online marketers are
looking for new ways to optimize these ideas to address a different set of problems than
long-standing companies. For example, BrandYourself.com employed growth hacking
tactics to reach 60 thousand followers in the first 60 hours following the website’s
launch.
Example 1. BrandYourself
The online reputation management platform BrandYourself
(www.brandyourself.com) focuses on providing accurate results when an individual
Google searches a person's name. A user creates a profile and uploads links to all of
the Internet profiles he or she wants to appear in the results. The profile receives a
grade based on the number of positive and negative links returned. When a link
appears in a search result that belongs to another individual with the same name as the
user, BrandYourself, alerts the user and allows that person to remove the link. The
platform uses search engine optimization (SEO) to tell users who is searching for them
and through which channels.
For example, a user creates a profile under the name “Samantha Sineni.” The
user uploads Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, About.me and a personal blog to pop up
when someone searches the name. BrandYourself tracks and reports the results
returned by the Google search and allows the user to eliminate links that appear from a
different Samantha Sineni and any that the user didn’t personally upload. A

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Stan Chudovsky. Growth Hacker’s Conference 2013. “Finding Paid Channels That Work.”

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BrandYourself user whose search returns mostly results of approved links will receive a
higher grade.
The product design incorporates growth hacking methodology, including virality
and shareability, into its core. People want to share experiences and accomplishments
on social media. The BrandYourself scoring system creates a positive experience for
users and may spark some friendly competition. According to CEO and co-founder
Patrick Ambron the site’s creators iterated the product countless times before launch to
ensure it optimally met consumers’ needs and included features that would propel user
growth.
“People want to do what their friends do,” says Ambron in a presentation given
during a Growth Hackers meetup.
Many Internet startups, especially social platforms, get caught in the cycle of
needing users to get users. Acquiring the first set of customers is the most difficult part,
and even more so when the product depends upon user-to-user interaction. The issue
leads to the need for rapid user acquisition or failure.
Ambron’s presentation explained exactly how BrandYourself expanded so
quickly. First, he cited traditional public relations tactics as the initial method for creating
awareness. The growth team understood how to design an effective pitch that
highlighted one product feature and led back to an optimized landing page.
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According to Ambron, a Mashable article trended on the site for two days that
explained the SEO feature that tells users who searched for them. The article
exponentially increased traffic to BrandYourself’s website. Publications like the

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Patrick Ambron. YouTube.com. “How BrandYourself Unexpectedly got 60k Users in 60 Hours.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShLWASREcPM

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Huffington Post and TechCrunch picked up the article and further drove growth and
increased conversion rates.
Ambron cites StumbleUpon as another platform that can extend the lifecycle of
trending articles. The continuous need for content extends to social media as well, so
building relationships with credible organizations in the industry could result in mutually
beneficial social media posts about the new company.
The company also leveraged user-generated appeal, as current users shared
positive experiences on social media and bragged about their BrandYourself scores.
The social media sharing attracted even more users and spanned across a variety of
online channels. According to Ambron, Facebook referrals alone accounted for 1,870
visits in the first three days.
The initial 10 thousand signups from direct sources each brought 200 new users
through social media sharing, personal BrandYourself profiles and blog posts. The
product met a need that previously went unresolved for those unwilling or unable to
spend the money to hire a firm to manage their online presence. In a world where 75
percent of human resources departments use Google search to investigate potential
hires
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, online reputation management can influence a person's ability to land a job.
BrandYourself’s delivery of a free and easy solution for reputation management is what
attracted users and ultimately sparked its virality.
Ambron explains that the biggest growth hack a company can have is a great
product. A quality product helps market itself and should be the standard for all new
ventures. Beyond product design, the company must publish shareable content that

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Miriam Salpeter. Money-Careers. “How to Improve Your Online Identity.”
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/03/30/how-to-improve-your-online-
identity

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people actually want to read and that relates to the product function or industry. Alluding
to the “pull” strategy, he suggests placing the promotional information on channels that
potential users already frequent, which eliminates the need to search for relevant
content.
Excellent customer service is still one of the most influential points of contact that
drives word-of-mouth marketing. Customers want to know the company cares and
exists to serve their needs. According to Ambron, BrandYourself shows appreciation to
its customers by sending emails to users just to say, “You’re awesome.” Weekly
webinars introduce the team and explain product features so users get the most out of
the platform.
Ambron also suggests meeting users in person whenever possible to build
stronger relationships through face-to-face interaction. He put this theory into action
when he flew out to congratulate BrandYourself's 10,000
th
user with homemade cookies
and a trophy. The engagement and constant conversation are intended to create
passionate users who will turn into brand advocates and help drive additional growth.
Public relations and customer service are marketing branches that one might not
expect when discussing growth hacking. Both represent the concept that growth
hacking means putting rapid growth at the forefront of marketing efforts. Coding and
viral integration in product design matter, but it's all about choosing the right strategies
to drive growth.
12

12
Mattan Griffel. Slideshare. “Growth Hacking or: Lean Marketing for Startups.”

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2. What growth hacking is not
Growth hacking is not a series of technical “hacks” that will guarantee millions of
users overnight. No single technique works for every business or in every situation, and
one quick idea, no matter how clever, will not likely ensure continuous and sustainable
growth. It's important to first understand the individual product or service, and the
customers being served, to effectively apply growth hacking techniques.
According to growth hacker Paul O’Brien, growth hacking also is not a
substitution for traditional marketing. If research shows print ads as the most effective
channel to reach the target market, a growth team will use print ads to obtain the first
users and employ growth hacking tactics later. It's all about finding what works most
effectively for expanding the business.
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Maintaining a data-driven mindset is a core component of growth hacking, and
one that can change the thinking behind all marketing strategy. Data might determine
that growth hacking tactics will not return greater results than traditional marketing, in
which case the team should focus on a traditional approach. The point is that rapid
testing of each step of the process from launch to millions of users will decide the most
efficient way to obtain users and deliver value.

3. What makes growth hacking different than traditional marketing?
Growth hacker Paul O’Brien also stated that traditional marketing for all
industries tends to focus on launching campaigns to increase awareness, sales and/or

13
Paul O’Brien. Quora.com. Answer to “When is it appropriate to focus in growth hacking instead of
traditional marketing?”

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users. Pre-testing and post-testing methodologies such as focus groups help determine
consumers’ preferences and indicate the success of the campaign as a whole.
14

In comparison, growth hacking is more granular; it breaks down each element of
the product design and marketing communication to optimize the product and
messages and build stronger relationships with consumers. The “A/B testing” approach
allows a team to run multiple versions of the same features of a product to determine
the most favorable.
15
Growth hacking operates mostly in the tech space where iteration
is simpler.

Example 2. Google
In an interview with Laura Klein, principal at Users Know, she cited Google's “41
shades of blue” test as an extreme version of A/B testing. The programmers at Google
needed to choose two shades of blue to render links on the search engine pages. The
company launched several different versions of search results, each showing a different
shade of blue. The two shades with the most clicks became the shades now seen in our
results. Although many designers may find such minute details unnecessary to test at
length, A/B testing is used because it can ensure optimization of product features.
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Another differentiator between growth hacking and traditional marketing is that
the marketing is ingrained in the product design, as opposed to supporting the product.
The product itself works as a tool for promotion by requiring sharing features as part of
the way the product functions. Testing is important in traditional marketing as well, but

14
Paul O’Brien. Quora.com. Answer to “When is it appropriate to focus in growth hacking instead of
traditional marketing?”
15
Interview with Laura Klein, Principal at Users Know.
16
Stephen Shankland. CNET. “Google Designer Leaves, Blaming Data-Centrism.”
http://news.cnet.com/google-designer-leaves-blaming-data-centrism/

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the tests are less likely to lead to changes the product itself, since the focus remains on
the communication surrounding it. In growth hacking, the product is constantly
optimized as a result of testing. This means the person in charge of growth needs to
understand how to use the data to suggest or make those changes.
Growth hackers are different from marketers in that they only focus on growth
and are usually part engineer and developer, although those skills are not required. A
growth hacker needs to use the data collected from testing to iterate the product and
engagement efforts. Hiring one person who understands the product in its entirety and
possesses the skills to test, design and market will reduce labor costs and eliminate
disconnects between separate departments within a given company. While a traditional
marketer may not normally understand how to do this, a growth hacker will.
Gagan Biyani, co-founder and CEO of EatSprig, Udemy and the Growth Hacker's
Conference, explains 'The Actual Difference Between Growth Hacking and Marketing”
using a comparison between startups and corporations.
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Biyani says a growth hacker is a marketer with a different set of challenges and
tools. In a startup, the founders often don’t know the target market and exact channels
to reach the proper audience. Corporate marketers usually work toward reaching an
existing consumer base more efficiently, instead of defining who they need to target.
Startups set out to achieve exponential growth. Since the consumer base is
undefined and unreached, a new company needs to acquire users more quickly than an
established corporation. The startup is either breaking into a market or creating a new
one, which means it needs to gain market share more quickly or fail.

17
Gagan Biyani. The Next Web. “The Actual Difference Between Growth Hacking and Marketing.”
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/05/05/the-actual-difference-between-growth-hacking-and-marketing-
explained/#!xzKmg

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Lastly, startups have fewer resources. Growth hackers need to acquire users and
secure a place in the market with limited budgets. “Thus, growth hackers utilize
analytical thinking, product engineering and creativity to significantly increase their
company’s core metric(s),” Biyani said.

4. Characteristics of a growth hacker
According to Aaron Ginn, growth hacker for companies such as StumbleUpon
and Simplee, “A growth hacker is one whose passion and focus is pushing a metric
through use of a testable and scalable methodology.”
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Growth hackers are data-driven and understand the importance of testing each
step quickly to optimize conversion rates and user experience. Everything a growth
hacker does is with a sense of urgency and with growth as the sole focus. Ginn notes
that a growth hacker “thinks outside the box and is willing to employ guerrilla tactics to
accomplish growth goals.”
19

The skills Sean Ellis sought to find when hiring a person responsible for growth
had less to do with engineering ability and looked more toward the individual’s ability to
think quickly and strategically to create new ways to expand startups. According to Ellis,
a growth hacker should be able to carry out a marketing plan from product creation to
obtaining millions of users by employing appropriate methods, regardless of the
technological innovation behind the idea.
20

Biyani, CEO of Sprig, claims the term defines a combination of a programmer

18
Aaron Ginn. Aaron Ginn’s Thoughts. “What is a Growth Hacker?” http://www.aginnt.com/growth-
hacker#.Uw2STEJdX-0
19
Tim Homuth. “Think Like a Growth Hacker.” http://www.slideshare.net/timhomuth/think-like-a-growth-
hacker
20
Interview with Sean Ellis.

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and someone that thinks outside of the box to solve problems. For example, the growth
hacker will look at a popular platform used for growth and find a new way to use it.
Creativity and analytical abilities are what set a growth hacker apart.
Sean Ellis described a common “awareness fallacy” he often saw in potential
candidates who claimed that generating awareness alone will lead to an increase in
sales. In contrast, a true growth hacker understands that, for startups, awareness alone
will not lead directly to conversion. Measuring the success of awareness campaigns to
drive sales growth is difficult and inexact. A startup needs to spend money carefully and
make choices proven to lead to conversion, since the rate of failure in the beginning
stages is high. In a 2012 article, The Wall Street Journal reported that “three quarters of
venture-backed firms in the U.S. don't return investors' capital.” With such a dubious
track record for start-ups, growth hackers find they must operate based on methods
proven to have a higher success in conversion.
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4.1 Growth Teams
According to essayist and entrepreneur Andrew Chen, Growth teams normally
consist of a product manager, designer, developer, data analyst and copywriter to cover
all bases. These are the skills employers look for in a growth hacker. The team will
understand the product and exhibit extensive knowledge of what drives growth.

The team creates growth models, and plans and runs tests. To create these
models, the growth team uses consumer data and analyzes the channels that bring
users to the product. Multiple A/B tests are run simultaneously to find the successful

21
Gage, Deborah WSJ “The Venture Capital Secret: 3 Out of 4 Start-Ups Fail”
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390443720204578004980476429190

19

features quickly. The team then builds a new model and runs more tests based on the
results of the previous test. They enter a testing and iterating loop to ensure a
consistently optimal product.
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5. Why is there a need for growth hacking?

5.1 The Shift to Digital
Companies are beginning to take a more digital and data-driven approach to
marketing as more conclusive methods for evaluating marketing tactics emerge. Job
descriptions in traditional marketing position for companies outside of the tech startup
world now require a basic knowledge of web analytics. The shift to digital makes online
engagement important to every industry, even when the service exists primarily offline.
The Pew Research Center conducted an Internet usage study in 2013 that
concluded that in the United States alone, 71 percent of adult users searched online to
buy products. The number of people that followed a brand or business on a social
media platform doubled from 16 percent to 33 percent.
23
The Pew researchers noted
that the rate of engagement between brands and consumers increases steadily each
year. A company that fails to address the changing methods of communication and
information seeking will risk falling behind and fading out.
24

The Millennial generation remains a mystery to many corporate marketers. Not
only are this generation’s members entering the workplace, but they're an influential
group of consumers and opinion leaders. The need to understand this segment

22
Andrew Chen. @andrewchen. “What does a growth team work on day-to-day?”
http://andrewchen.co/2012/07/02/what-does-a-growth-team-work-on-day-to-day/
23
WTWH Marketing. “Study: How Many People Follow Brands on Social Media and Why?”
24
Pew Research Internet Project. “Usage Over Time May 2013.” http://www.pewinternet.org/data-
trend/internet-use/internet-use-over-time/

20

propelled marketer’s focus on data to figure out how to appeal to a generation that
values personalization, immediacy and transparency from organizations. As a group,
Millennials increased the need for concepts such as growth hacking, which focus on
serving consumer needs by changing the product and including social sharing.
Naturally, businesses need to learn how to approach digital marketing cost-
efficiently. Free web analysis tools and conversations with consumers can uncover the
best ways for companies to communicate online with people within a specific
demographic. The marketing team needs to understand how to best position a product
to appeal to consumer behavior and needs. Growth hackers and young marketers with
a basis in research and data analysis will be well positioned to assist in preparing the
company for a digital world.

5.2 Growth Hacking for Startups
Tech startups operate in a sink-or-swim environment. Everything tech
entrepreneurs do needs to happen as quickly and strategically. A sense of urgency
exacerbates the need for cost-efficiency. That's a lot of pressure for a typically small
team of people. The initial group building a startup needs to consist of people who can
do it all while managing costs and launching quickly.
The tech industry also faces the risk of market saturation. Online marketing
suffers from a need for ever-changing growth methods to stay ahead of the competition.
Once a particular marketing method is proven effective, its overuse eventually phases it
out. When consumers see the same tactic used repeatedly, it loses effect. Growth
hackers for startups need to stay ahead of the saturation risk and find unique and
innovative ways to leverage the same platforms.

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For instance, checking Facebook notifications can be a scavenger hunt of sorting
through spam from friends to find the engagement that matters. Postings like “Your
Friend invited you to play Farmville” and “DJ Fr3shMIXX invited you to EDM GLOW
RAVE PARTY” litter notification pages and dilute the effectiveness of reaching out on
Facebook. Compelling content can push past the spammy invites, but eventually people
grow fatigued of constant advertisements, which makes targeted communications
critical.
Growth hacking also gives the startups a chance to be more competive with
bigger, better resourced corporations and industry leaders. The relative lack of
resources puts a startup at a huge disadvantage when matching up against a company
with an existing user base and millions of dollars in revenues. Growth hacking and
targeted communications give startups a free, or at least more affordable, way to gain
attention and market share.

6. How is it done?
6.1 Four Key Questions
Effective growth hacking requires knowing the business and its consumers. First, the
growth team needs to achieve product-market fit, and then switch the focus to growth.
There are four key questions to ask when dealing with growth. A marketer must look
at:
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• Purpose – What needs to be solved?
• Inception – How will users become aware?
• Adoption – How can the marketers teach users to use it?
• Habits – How can the marketers keep them using it?

25
Anil Narasipuram. Slideshare. “Growth Hacking: Blurring the lines between marketing, product and
engineering.” http://www.slideshare.net/anilmohan/takegrowth-hacking

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6.2 Purpose
First, a growth hacker must understand the problem that needs solving. If the
product fails to address a need, the product itself will fail. Understanding the problem
involves learning which consumers face the issue, also known as product-market fit.
This will allow the marketer to tailor the communication toward the correct audience.
Effective marketing efforts must start with concise and measurable goals that will be
tested and used for iteration. Each goal should be singular, such as “gain 20 Instagram
followers in 30 days,” to allow for simple evaluation.

6.3 Inception
After defining the purpose for the product, the team must determine how to make
the users aware. Growth needs to begin somewhere, so a growth hacker must look for
methods to obtain first users and provide simple ways for them to share their findings.
First users might be members of the team's personal network, bought through efforts
such as advertising and affiliate marketing, or obtained through traditional non-paid
approaches such as public relations.
A 2012 Mashable article quoting Eric Reis, the entrepreneur credited for creating
the Lean Startup movement, outlines a step-by-step process to obtain first users at any
startup. Reis defines three engines of growth: viral, sticky and paid.
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Viral growth is the involuntary result of product use. Tom Eisenmann, professor
of business administration at the Harvard Business School, explains that when users
value a product, organic word-of-mouth marketing will drive growth on its own. Virality is

26
William Griggs. Mashable. “How to Get to Your First 1,000 Users.”
http://mashable.com/2012/06/27/startup-guide-1000-users/

23

measured using the viral coefficient, which is the average number of new users an
existing user acquires. A marketer must also look at the viral loop, or the number (not
averaged) of new users per existing user.
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The sticky engine is used when a product increases in value over time. The
consumers begin using the product and become addicted. The online social game
“FarmVille” is an example of a sticky product. Initially, the user creates a farm. As the
player cultivates crops and befriends their neighbors, the game becomes more
interactive. Users earn experience points and advance in levels that unlock additional
farm animals and crops. The more time spent playing and engaging with others, the
more features and possible actions are unlocked, improving the player’s experience.
The paid growth engine is the most traditional method of acquiring new users.
Google AdWords is an example of a paid channel that can be used for driving growth.
For a successful paid strategy, the marketer must calculate both the consumer lifetime
value (LTV), which estimates the dollar value of each consumer relationship over a
specific amount of time, as well as the customer acquisition cost. For the paid engine to
be a viable option, the consumer lifetime value needs to exceed the cost to acquire the
customer.
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To calculate the LTV, KISSmetrics provides the following basic formula:

(Average Order Value) x (Number of Repeat Sales) x (Average Retention Time)
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Exhibit 1: Basic Consumer LTV Calculation

27
Tom Eisenmann. Venture Fizz. “Business Model Analysis, Part 5: Virality.”

28
David Link. Deviant Bits. “Engines of Growth.” http://www.deviantbits.com/blog/engines-of-growth.html
29
Inbound Ecommerce. “How to Calculate the Lifetime Value Ecommerce Customers.”
http://blog.hubspot.com/ecommerce/how-to-calculate-the-lifetime-value-of-ecommerce-customers

24

To calculate the LTV, a marketer will need to know these variables:
• Average customer expenditures per visit
• Number of visits per week
• Average customer value per week, which is found through expenditures multiplied
by visits for five customers

The constants needed for the calculation include:
• Average lifespan of a consumer
• Average gross margin per customer lifespan
• The rate of discount
• Customer retention rate
• Profit margin per customer

According to Kissmetrics, there are three different ways to calculate LTV: simple,
custom and traditional. Large companies will take the average of all three equations to
determine the final LTV.
30

Simple LTV calculation takes the average customer value per week and multiplies
it by the average lifespan of the consumer. Custom LTV uses the average lifespan of
the consumer multiplied by the product of expenditures per visit, visits per week and
profit margin per customer. The traditional method takes average gross margin per
customer and multiplies it by retention rate, while also factoring in rates of discount.
Applying these formulas to different consumer segments enables companies to
learn the lifetime value of each cohort within their target market.
After calculating LTV, marketers should refrain from launching major marketing
campaigns based on the aggregate data, and instead look at core users, who are
essential for sustainability and driving word-of-mouth. Initial feedback from core users
should be gathered and used to change the product. The users should be asked how
they would feel if the product became unavailable to determine whether or not they

30
KISSmetrics. “How to Calculate Lifetime Value – The Infographic.” http://blog.kissmetrics.com/how-to-
calculate-lifetime-value/

25

consider it a “must-have.” Once the product achieves this distinction, word-of-mouth
marketing can drive growth.
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6.4 Adoption
After the first group of users discovers the product, they must understand how it
works, which makes the third question in this process, how can marketers teach users
to use it? The product must “click” for users and allow them to understand its benefits as
they navigate through their first experience. The “click” is referred to as the “AHA”
moment.
Several methods exist for teaching users, but the most effective methods pop up
as the individual is attempting to use the product. “Clippy,” the Microsoft Word paper clip
icon, is one example of in-use education, even if he was not the most popular with
users. The Microsoft program was designed to recognize patterns to predict what the
user was attempting to accomplish, and would then ask if they needed help. This
process educated the user about how to create the specific document properly within
Microsoft Word, eliminating possible frustration and uncertainty.

6.5 Habits
Lastly, one must consider sustainability. How can marketers keep them using the
product? Rapid growth can sometimes mean rapid decline. A growth hacking team
looks at the factors that users consider to determine whether a given product is a “must
have,” and uses that information to drive marketing communication. A/B testing helps

31
Griggs, William. Mashable. “How to Get Your First 1,000 Users”
http://mashable.com/2012/06/27/startup-guide-1000-users/

26

determine what works and what doesn’t, by rapidly testing each potential new feature or
idea. According to growth hacking pioneer Sean Ellis, tactics fade out about every six
months
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, so it is important for marketers to continually find new approaches to enhance
user expansion and retention.

Example 3. Words With Friends
The meteoric rise of the online game Words With Friends took off in 2012,
reaching 6.7 million daily users at its pinnacle. As of 2014 that number dropped to 1
million daily users. How did such a successful game lose almost 85 percent of its users
in such a short period? It is likely that the game did not adequately focus on retention.
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After a 2 million-user loss, in 2012, Zynga, the company responsible for the
game, decided to survey users to find out what new features and improvements would
keep them coming back. The feedback came too late and Words With Friends phased
out in the mainstream, to be replaced by newer apps such Draw Something, which was
later replaced by Candy Crush.
34
Without testing and gathering consumer feedback,
Zynga lost users to functionality issues and failed to innovate according to consumer
needs. Earlier feedback could have pinpointed the reasons people were losing interest
and enabled the company to introduce new features, potentially saving the game.

6.6 Lean Marketing Funnel
The principle of “lean marketing” and its process funnel is a useful tool in

32
Interview with Sean Ellis.
33
Game Chitah. http://gamechitah.com/words-with-friends-cheats-s-tricks-strategies.html
34
Sean Patterson. Web Pro News. “Words With Friends Loses 2 Million Players.”
http://www.webpronews.com/words-with-friends-loses-2-million-users-2012-05

27

mapping a product’s marketing lifecycle through five phases: acquisition, activation,
retention, revenue and referral, illustrated below.
35

36

Exhibit 2: The Lean Marketing Funnel. (StartItUp.)

Exhibit 2 shows that the funnel aims to bring users quickly from acquisition to
revenue, then use referrals to generate more acquisition. Applying the funnel to
marketing involves the following activities:
• Acquisition - drawing people to the site.

• Activation – convincing people to sign up or commit to return

• Retention – engaging users to become active

• Revenue - monetizing active users

• Referral – encouraging active users to bring in more users

The Lean Marketing Funnel provides a different way to look at the business
operations model. To understand how to grow their user base, an entrepreneur first

35
Mattan Griffel. Slideshare. “Growth Hacking or: Lean Marketing for Startups.
http://www.slideshare.net/mattangriffel/growth-hacking
36
StartitUp. Lean Marketing Funnel. http://startitup.co/guides/595/lean-marketing-funnel

28

needs to map out how people will convert from unaware individuals into paying
customers or active users. By outlining each step in the process, the marketer creates a
set of steps or stages to focus on optimizing, which are intended to move people
through the process smoothly. Clearly identifying each step also makes it easier to
pinpoint and fix flaws in the system.
The chart below, published by the Singapore Lean Startup Circle discussion on
funnel analytics demonstrates the way a potential user moves through the funnel.

Exhibit 3: Funnel Analytics Conversion Chart. (Singapore Lean Startup Circle.)

As seen in Exhibit 3, the process begins with Acquisition – individuals visit the
site. The Activation phase assumes the potential user has found the product information
and chosen to act. Note that the Lean Marketing Funnel begins with drawing people to
the site. A potential user cannot move through the funnel if they remain unaware of the

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product in the first place.
The chart reveals a decrease in conversion rates
but a rise in the estimated
value. Retention demonstrates the phenomenon reflected in the increase of total net
number of visitors, but reduced conversion rates as some people drop off along the
way. However, the estimated value of remaining site visitors increases as each creates
an account and in Referral, refers others, which generates even more revenue. While
the aggregate rate of conversion might be lower, each retained user returns more profit
than in the site visitor stage, which does little but increase web traffic numbers and
awareness.
When using the Lean Marketing Funnel, the marketer should measure
conversion rates at each step. Initially, the most important part to focus on is Activation.
How many people who visit the site sign up? If the activation number is low, there may
be a problem with the product or site that's deterring signups, and usability tests are
needed to determine precisely where users drop off.
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After the activation rates
improve, Retention should take precedent. Plenty of people sign up for accounts and
never touch them again. To address this, the growth hacker needs to focus on how to
get users returning and remaining active on the site.

6.7 Product-Market Fit
38
: Risks, Benefits and MVPs
Finding the right market for the product is essential. People need a reason to
engage, and to buy. A successful product solves a problem for the people it targets, a

37
Scott Bales. SlideShare. Funnel Analytics. http://www.slideshare.net/scottiebales1/slsc-funnel-
analytics-scott-bales
38
Sean Ellis. “Lean Startup Marketing.”

30

phenomenon known as “problem-solution” or “need-solution fit.” Several steps typically
need to happen before achieving the right fit.
First, the marketer needs to document their assumptions regarding the target
market. Assumptions such as, “everyone gets product information on Facebook” will
only hurt the business if it then attempts to target potential users solely through this
channel. The marketer may find out later that their target audiences don't actually look
to Facebook for information. A failure to gather sound consumer behavior research and
acting on assumptions will result in money lost.
This is why assumptions about targeted audiences must be written down and
tested for validity by speaking with consumers. Surveys and face-to-face interviews can
be used to help determine the needs of potential users. Simply asking a consumer may
be the easiest and most valuable method for obtaining subjective insights on what
factors result in a high value product.
After gathering customer data, possible risk factors need to be identified, defined
and tested. Not all risk represents potential failure; some may present an opportunity. A
risk assessment can prepare the marketer for certain variables that might require a
change in the business plan or marketing approach. The accounting and consulting firm
of Price Waterhousecoopers recommends assessments to examine each specific
business objective.
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New risks are likely to emerge as entrepreneurs familiarize themselves with the
market and moves through the launch process. Exploring potential risks and
assumptions may lead to changes in the business model, which could ultimately push

39
Price Waterhouse Coopers. “A Practical Guide to Risk Assessment.”
http://www.pwc.com/en_us/us/issues/enterprise-risk-management/assets/risk_assessment_guide.pdf

31

the organization in a new direction. The concept of changing direction due to emerging
information is popularly referred to as “pivoting” in the Silicon Valley.
Another critical aspect of product-market fit focuses on analyzing the business to
find the minimum viable product (MVP), or the fewest number of features the company
can offer for the initial launch while still effectively solving a problem for consumers.
Testing usability and talking to potential users will find whether or not the product is a
“must-have” and which features in particular make the product that way. The MVP is
found through setting defined milestones and testing features. Once the tester finds the
essential features, the others should be eliminated. What's left should be a product that
is optimized to serve a specific audience. An entrepreneur should choose a method that
best aligns with their business model; in some cases, they may need to create
something new. Assumptions, risk and MVP will find the correct product-market fit that
is essential for a successful launch.
For example, online cloud vendor Dropbox used an “explainer” video on Digg to
find the product’s MVP before launch. By offering potential users an inside look at the
way the product worked, Dropbox gathered the same feedback for post-launch and
used it to eliminate unneeded features and save money. According to “The Ultimate
Guide to Minimum Viable Products,” Dropbox’s video took the waiting list from 5,000 to
75,000 in one day. MVP research not only uncovers relevant feedback, but assists in
building a user base pre-launch.
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Online funding mechanisms such as Kickstarter campaigns also can be used to
help find the MVP, as well as fund the launch and develop a following for a new product.

40
Vladimir Blagojevic. ScaleMyBusiness.com. “The Ultimate Guide to Minimum Viable Products.”
http://scalemybusiness.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-minimum-viable-products/

32

Entrepreneurs will put up a basic product and measure the effectiveness of the
campaign, thus determining whether the limited set of features is still attractive to the
target market. The campaign will also peak interest and create buzz for the launch.

6.8 User Engagement
User acquisition is only the first step in rapid growth. The growth hacker must
design features to keep the user coming back. Engagement is driven by products that
consistently deliver an enjoyable user experience and is the key to retention and
sustainability.
Mounia Lalmas, Scientist at Yahoo! Labs, shared the characteristics of user
engagement in a Slideshare presentation, with focused attention, positive affect,
aesthetics and “endurability” listed as the factors that comprise a positive user
experience. The content needs to hold the attention of the user and evoke positive
emotions that spark an interest to learn more or continue interacting. The aesthetics
need to support the content and make as bold of a statement about the brand as the
content itself. The visuals’ influence on buying decisions almost equals the product
benefits and will set the product apart from the competition.
Lalmas then discusses novelty; richness and control; reputation, trust and
expectation; motivation, interests, incentives and benefits. Novelty appeals to the
curiosity in users and comes from newness. The first discovery of the product should be
exciting and spark conversation.
Richness and control measure growth potential. Richness is the potential for
growth of a specific activity. Control examines how a user achieves that growth. A
product with great potential but an unclear path to access the benefits will fall flat. Users

33

need to see the opportunity and the marketer needs to provide all the information and
channels to drive that user directly to the desired effect.
Reputation, trust and expectation influence the user before interacting with the
organization and are either validated or changed based on engagement. For example,
Amazon.com is a trusted marketplace for online shopping. Shoppers enter the site
expecting an experience that lives up to the company’s claim as “Earth’s most
customer-centric company.” The tagline sets the standard for a flawless experience.
Amazon.com’s reputation as a leading marketplace and supporting press coverage
helped build the company’s trustworthiness and reputation. The experience needs to
live up to all of the predispositions a potential user brings when entering the site. If the
user finds an element unsatisfactory, he or she will leave with failed expectations.
For companies yet to establish a strong reputation and trustworthiness among
consumers, effective user engagement paired with smart marketing can help.
Reputation and trust are like an upward spiral that increases expectation and
perpetuates growth as the company gains loyal users.
Motivation, interests, incentive and benefits all stem from understanding the
consumer. The information learned from discovering product-market fit and finding the
minimum viable product will apply to designing an engaging product experience. The
marketer needs to know what drives the consumer to look for such a product and what
will keep their attention. Understanding the users will tell the marketer which incentives
will work to achieve a desired behavior and which benefits to place at the forefront of
communication.
41

41
Mouina Lalmas. Slideshare. “Measuring User Engagement.”
http://www.slideshare.net/mounialalmas/measuring-userengagement

34

Elliot Shmukler, vice president of product and growth at Wealthfront.com, outlines
three steps to user engagement.
42
The first step is to discover the “AHA' moment, the
point at which the user understands what the product does and the benefits of using it,
or when it “clicks” for the user. The growth team must find the defining moment and lead
the user to it as quickly as possible. Step two is use email to contact consumers directly.
Lastly, step three focuses on engaging the already engaged to get them talking about
the product.

Example 4. Twitter and Step 1: The “AHA” Moment
Twitter is a prime example for explaining the “AHA” moment. Shmukler found that
a user fully understands the benefits of Twitter after obtaining 30 followers. After the
user engages with 30 or more people on the site, the individual will experience all the
features offered. As followers increase, so does the amount of information users see
and the number of people that engage with that person. A growth director at Twitter,
therefore, would likely have a goal of getting new users to obtain 30 followers within a
few days of signing up.
How would one push a new user to 30 followers? It begins by educating the user
about the product. Features and functions must be clearly defined and easily
accessible. A well-tested first user experience will help determine the likelihood that the
user will return. According to Laura Klein, principal at Users Know, a landing page has
approximately seven seconds to articulate its function or people will move on.
43

42
Elliot Shmukler. Growth Hackers Conference 2013. “Three Steps to User Engagement.”
43
Laura Klein. Growth Hackers Conference 2013. “The Three Reasons They’re Not Converting.”

35

Step 2: Send More Emails
Emails are an effective way to educate and remind consumers about the
existence of a particular product. Explaining the features in-depth via email can teach
users new ways to use the product that might not be immediately apparent. Contacting
users directly can show that the company cares. However, to be effective, an email
needs to be sent at the right time, include a call to action, and link to a proper landing
page that leads users back to the website or application for continued engagement.
The correct frequency of email communication matters as well. The company
should not spam a user's inbox. Relevancy and frequency will determine whether or not
the email is well received. The content of the email should address issues that the
consumer cares about and aim to improve their experience with the product.

Example 5. LinkedIn
The online networking program, LinkedIn, allows subscribers to receive emails
when another user views their profile or sends them a direct message. When a
connection adds a new job or edits an existing profile element, LinkedIn sends
connected subscribers an email to encourage others to view the changes and express
their support. The site allows subscribers to choose the frequency of updates to receive
regarding activities of friends and how friends are interacting with each other.
LinkedIn’s emails serve as a reminder for subscribers to keep revisiting the site
and stay current with their connections. Other people's continued use may give an extra
incentive for a particular user to go back to view updates. The provided link eliminates
the need for people to consciously choose to visit LinkedIn and makes it easy for them

36

to interact directly via the reminder email.
For instance, when LinkedIn alerts users that a connection has added a new job
to their profile, it encourages the user to congratulate that person and provides a link
that brings the user directly to the respective page for commenting on the new position.
The user may enter the site to say congratulations, thereby increasing the chances for
further exploration and interaction.

Step 3: Engage the Already Engaged
The third step in user engagement is to target the current users. Subscribers who
already enjoy the product are more likely to act in desired ways than non-users.
Engaging current users eliminates the need to educate and convert non-users before
asking for a specific behavior such as encouraging referrals.
As Shmukler says, “It is easier to build strength than fix a weakness.”
Instead of focusing on targeting new customers, Shmukler recommends that a
company leverage existing users who will act as brand advocates. People who enjoy
the product are more likely to recommend it to friends. The growth team must therefore
focus on creating optimal experiences for customers that warrant recommendations.
Instead of targeting non-users to convert, encourage current users to do some
marketing for the company.
Engagement is a continuous process. Dan Martell, CEO and founder of the online
business resource clarity.fm, outlines four ways to remind users about product benefits.
Martell suggests email, push notifications, SMS messages and phone calls to show that
a company cares about its customers and will help gather feedback to improve the

37

product.
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Martell uses “Smile and Dial Thursdays” to cold-call users and ask how the
clarity.fm product might better suit their needs, noting that short and appropriately-timed
calls make users feel important. No matter what method a growth hacker chooses,
collecting opinions will likely help enhance the user's experience.
According to Fred C. Lunenburg, merchant professor of education at Sam Houston
University, sharing in decision-making increases acceptance and understanding of a
decision. It also provides a greater number of solutions to the problem.
45

Applied to business, gathering feedback and iterating accordingly will make
customers feel more like part of the decision-making process. If a person takes part in
the decision-making, they will more likely continue using the product. The education and
retention phases of marketing can be addressed through speaking with consumers and
including feedback in the product design. Continuously collecting and applying user
suggestions can increase long-term engagement.
Measuring user engagement can be tricky, but regularly implementing
engagement activities can help improve the product and uncover the most popular
channels that draw in consumers, thereby allowing the marketer to switch focus and
resources as needed to optimize efforts. Testing should vary between subjective and
objective, large scale and small scale, depending on the research goal.

44
Dan Martell. Growth Hackers Conference 2013. “Early stage retention as a test of product/market fit”
45
Fred C. Lunenburg. Group Decision Making. National Forum of Teacher Education Journal.
http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C.%20Group
%20Decision%20Making%20NFTEJ%20V20%20N3%202010.pdf

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6.9 Approaching Growth
When looking at growth, an entrepreneur must start by understanding the current
users’ initial intent and the usability of the website. A survey by the Content Marketing
Institute measuring the value of market analytics determined that 63 percent off
business-to-business marketers cite web traffic as their top content marketing metric.
46

However, measuring only the number of people visiting a site is irrelevant if it does not
solve the problem the visitors sought to address in an easily understandable way.
Failing to address the intent of visiting means driving people to a site that will not deliver
value to the customer. The fallacy of solely monitoring website traffic fails to address the
reason for conversion and continued business.
The growth hacker needs to look at conversion, specifically what turns visitors into
active users, and conversely, what stops visitors from signing up or continuing use of a
given product. Low conversion rates can result from failure to target users that have the
problem your product solves, or from ineffectively conveying the benefits of your
product. The desired audience might find the website, but if the benefits aren't easily
discoverable, then visits will not result in conversion. A confusing or broken website will
decrease conversion rates dramatically. A marketer needs to clearly communicate how
to navigate the site and the functions must work properly, or visitors will become
frustrated and leave.
A/B testing will ensure the most optimal first user experience, but how does
one decide which tests to employ? Testing can be time-consuming and expensive, and
often doesn't return results that will significantly improve conversion. To prepare the

46
Content Marketing Institute. B2B Content Marketing. http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/10/B2B_Research_2014_CMI.pdf

39

website for A/B testing, growth hackers can conduct usability tests and conversations
with site visitors to gather the necessary feedback. The tester will find the points where
visitors get “confused, nervous, skeptical or frustrated,” which are all factors in
abandoning the product. Improving functionality and ensuring that the product meets
expectations will determine the problems that need solving before beginning the A/B
testing process.
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To understand what initially brings people to the website, a keyword data analysis
will identify the terms people associate with the business. Since Google’s Hummingbird
update, keyword data is not as prominent as a method for understanding the problem
the user is looking to fix. However, it will still reveal the keywords that will properly SEO
the website and show the degree to which the user has accomplished their initial goal.
Growth hackers can look at what the users typed into the search bar before finding the
website and include those words in communication efforts and published content.
The Hummingbird update changes the way the search engine analyzes keywords.
Normally, if a user types in “Italian food in Downtown Los Angeles,” results will return
pages that closely combine those words. The update allows Google to understand the
context of the words more accurately to analyze intent. Google will recognize whether
the user searching for “Italian food in Downtown Los Angeles” wants pizza, pasta or the
like in Downtown and deliver results that match.
If a product consistently fails to solve the problem most visitors have, there could
be a problem with language used in the campaign. An examination of the channels that
attracted the users who are not part of the target market will show the keywords that
brought them in. Eliminating those words from all future content can help filter out

47
Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”

40

people who are outside of the primary targeted audience.
Once the right people find the site, they need to navigate through it and enjoy the
first user experience. A path analysis is a method for testing multiple variables at one
time to find information about individual features and how those features interact. The
intent is to find the drop off points and problem areas in website usage, which result in
low conversion rates.
Tracking the way people navigate through the website will uncover exactly where
visitors tend to struggle or abandon the site. The analysis will also find the “Aha!”
moment, which should be placed at the forefront of the user experience.
Tools such as Usertesting.com and Ethn.io perform on-boarding tests on groups of
people from a targeted demographic, gathering data as visitors navigate through the
website. Participants are encouraged to think out loud while completing each step of the
process, starting with selecting keywords to enter into the search engine and
discovering the product. The marketer completing the research will view video footage
and listen to participants’ opinions as they go through, finding the best and worst parts
of the website. The goal is to measure whether visitors find the site “trustworthy,
compelling and whether or not they're motivated to accomplish goals through the
website.”
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The only way to completely understand a person's motivations and reasoning is to
speak directly with that person. To gain relevant insights, ask visitors what they
originally came to the site to find and why, then see if they accomplished that goal. The
answers will help developers design the product to help users best meet their needs.
Conversion problems also might come from product flaws. During site visits, quick

48
Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”

41

surveys should ask questions about user intent. A simple “yes or no” question asking if
the visitor accomplished their goal can prove useful, especially when accompanied by
an open-ended question asking for further explanation. Exit surveys for non-converters
will uncover their reasons for leaving. For those who did convert, the exit survey might
ask something like, “Was there anything that almost deterred you from signing up
today?”
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Example 6. Intuit
Intuit is an online financial and tax preparation software company that saw a 211
percent increase in conversions by adding a chat function to the website. After speaking
with consumers, the company discovered that people were purchasing products that
didn't fully solve their problems. Lack of necessary purchasing information led to
negative reviews.
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The solution added a live chat for customers to ask questions and for
representatives to guide them to the product that best suited their needs. The chats
improved the user experience by simplifying information seeking and pointing
customers directly to the right product to buy.
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A path assessment found the “Review
Your Order” and “Product Comparison” pages to be the optimal place for the new chat
feature.
In this case, talking to consumers was the “growth hack.” Not every business will
improve rates with a live chat, but if research shows a lack of information is preventing

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Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”
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Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”

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Tommy Walker. The Daily Egg. “6 of My All Time Favorite Conversion Rate Optimization Case
Studies.” http://blog.crazyegg.com/2013/12/06/conversion-rate-optimization-case-studies/

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signups or activation, making information accessible is the answer.

When possible, face-to-face interviews and phone conversations allow for in-depth
responses where researchers can get deep into the issues and opinions about the
product. Here, users are able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the product
as well as usability pitfalls in detail.
According to CEO and founder of Qualroo, Sean Ellis, to design a complete
research plan that will gather consumer insights, the researcher should draft 10 tests to
address different aspects of the site. The first four should deal with optimizing the need-
solution fit. The second four look for points of confusion, nervousness, skepticism or
frustration. The last two will determine how to effectively place the “AHA” moment at the
beginning of the user experience.
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After getting a rough idea of what might work for the startup, the research begins.
Start by targeting the right audience, or achieving product-market fit, and focus on
conversion rate optimization (CRO).
Sean Ellis explains that “CRO amplifies acquisition channels, makes marketing
profitable, opens new profitable channels, and improves customer happiness.”
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Ellis notes that optimizing conversion rates depends on a simple formula: Desire –
Friction = Conversion.
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Friction comprises all the steps it takes for the user to receive
the benefit of the product. The developer needs to design the acquisition channels with
the goal of leading people to the product benefits in the most direct way. Highlighting
the benefit of the product is essential in reducing friction. Remember, the visitor needs

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Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”

53
Sean Ellis. User Testing Webinar. “The Biggest Growth Opportunity is Right Under Your Nose.”
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Sean Ellis. User Testing. “Three Keys to Building Sustainable Growth.”
http://www.usertesting.com/blog/2014/01/15/3-keys-to-building-sustainable-growth/

43

understand what the site offers within seven seconds or the rate of conversion drops
drastically.
CRO will ensure that the highest number of visitors to the website convert to
active users, meaning more revenue and a lower customer acquisition cost. Optimizing
conversion rate involves understanding the consumer, reducing friction and delivering a
memorable first user experience that will influence a potential user to become an active
user.
The conversion rate is measured by dividing the number of conversions by the
number of unique site visits, though a calculation using total visits will provide a clear
picture as well. Using the unique number eliminates the overlap of customers that return
to the site without converting.
The beginners guide to CRO pinpoints six factors that will make or break a
conversion rate.
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• Value proposition – What is the perceived benefit of the product in
comparison to the perceived cost?
• Relevance – Does the website content match user needs and
expectations?
• Clarity – Is the key message clear and are users able to understand the
product benefit easily?
• Anxiety – Are there elements of the page that cause uncertainty?
• Distraction – Does the first page element support the main purpose?
• Urgency – Does the page include elements that will urge users to act?

An optimal website will examine these six factors to deliver a first user
experience that meets consumer expectations and presents a clear message and call to
action. The marketer needs to run tests to find elements that distract from the goal of

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Qualroo.com “The Beginner’s Guide to CRO.” https://qualaroo.com/beginners-guide-to-cro/what-is-
conversion-rate-optimization/

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both the user and the website. Broken, aesthetically unpleasing or hidden features will
turn people off to the company and create skepticism as to whether or not the brand will
deliver a quality product.
At Amazon.com, the company demonstrates different levels of friction depending
on which stage of the lean marketing funnel the user reached. A shopper with an
account experiences low friction but a new user requires more steps before purchase. A
new user needs to create an account, which requires entering personal and billing
information. In contrast, an existing user with a credit card or PayPal account on file is
able to purchase an item with just a few clicks. Of course, the existing user might have
to sign in, which requires remembering their password. Amazon’s goal is to offset any
friction by reducing the amount of effort a user puts forth to access the product benefits.
Regardless of the amount of research the entrepreneur compiles or how strategic
their plan might be, at one point a part of the plan is likely to fail. The growth hacker
must learn from failure. Each new failure represents how not to run a business or what
not to do with the product. If applied, the resulting lessons should work out all the kinks
and strengthen the brand. According to Sean Ellis, an initial failure often leads to a
better ultimate result than does an immediate success.
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7. Choosing “Hacks”

Morgan Brown, marketing executive at Qualroo, recommends that before
choosing growth hacking tactics, one should ask:

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Interview with Sean Ellis.

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• What is the value of reaching non-users?
• Does the tactic align with the value proposition?
• Does the tactic improve the user experience? How?
• How can the product help others while gaining distribution?
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Brown suggests that the ultimate driver of growth is a good product. The most
successful hacks work toward improving the way users interact with the product. The
campaign should focus on emphasizing one key feature and one strong message, and
all tactics should align with the values set by the company. The company must reach
only the people who need or want what the company offers, and aim to serve that need
in the best way possible.
An entrepreneur who examines case studies of previous hacks and applies its
lessons to their specific business will increase their likelihood of a successful growth
hacking plan. To find what is suitable, they must understand their target audience's
usage habits and psychographics. Since the term “growth hacking” was conceived, a
number of growth hacking success stories have emerged, including social media
platforms Quora, Twitter and Facebook. A smart growth hacker will study the examples
set by successful companies and find how the strategy might apply to his or her
business.
When approaching growth, the “hacker” needs to set realistic objectives. Not every
organization will gain 100,000 followers overnight and continue to rise steadily until
going public. Growth does not normally show a smooth and constant increase.
According to Jon Yongfook, CEO and founder of Beatrix, the growth curve looks more
like this:

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Morgan Brown. “Growth Hacking Basics” http://www.slideshare.net/morganb180/growth-hacking-101

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Exhibit 4: Startup Growth Curve. Source: Jon Yongfook. Slideshare. “21 Ways to Get More Users:
Actionable Growth Hacking Tactics.” http://www.slideshare.net/yongfook/actionable-growth-hacking-
tactics

Since one “hack” won’t last forever, the growth curve shows flat periods of steady
growth, but not at an exponential rate. A strategic plan and continuous testing will find
the best ways to optimize the business for growth at each level.
A blog posting, “The Actual Difference Between Growth Hacking and Marketing”
by Gagan Biyani, mentioned in the beginning of this text, also examines different types
of growth a “hacker” will strive to achieve. Biyani’s list of growth types includes viral
acquisition, paid acquisition, content marketing, e-mail marketing, SEO and A/B testing
and analytics. Importantly, the growth hacker/team is not limited to choosing one. Often,
companies will aim for a combination of most, if not all of the types of growth, which are

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Jon Yongfook. Slideshare. “21 Ways to Get More Users: Actionable Growth Hacking Tactics.”
http://www.slideshare.net/yongfook/actionable-growth-hacking-tactics

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detailed in depth below.
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7.1 Viral Acquisition
Viral acquisition means building product features that promote shareability. The
most successful virality is ingrained in the product design. The growth hacker needs to
research to find out the type of content users share and through which channels. An
optimal viral product requires the sharing function for the product to work. The person
receiving the information also needs to benefit from the share or product usage will not
spread and continue the viral process.
One way to ingrain virality is to design a product with direct network effects that
require at least two people for the product to function.

Products like SnapChat are direct
networks that encourage virality. Without sharing the product with friends, the user
cannot do anything with it. Virality is the only option.
When considering virality, the growth hacker needs to look at who, what, where,
when, why and how. At this point, the “who” should be clearly defined. Next, he or she
needs to highlight the reasons that people will share. What makes the product
interesting or useful that’s motivating enough for people to talk about beyond the initial
interaction?
On the opposite end of the share, why would the recipient of the shared
information act upon it? Existing users can talk about a product everyday, but if no one
acts on the information, then virality will not occur. Highlighting the differentiator
between the organization and the competition is one way of promoting virality. The

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Gagan Biyani. The Next Web. “The Actual Difference Between Growth Hacking and Marketing.”
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/05/05/the-actual-difference-between-growth-hacking-and-marketing-
explained/#!xzKmg

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“must-have” elements of the product will help achieve virality as people see the product
as offering something they need.
After figuring out why people will share, the growth hacker needs to make it easy
to do so. How and where will users share the content? For example, social media
sharing buttons at the bottom of the page can help encourage the spread of content
over those platforms. Growth hackers need to determine the channels people will use to
discuss the product, and find simple ways for them to get the information out there.
They also should strive to make the process as effortless as possible for existing users,
and offer incentives when appropriate.
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Example 7: SnapChat
SnapChat is a mobile application that sends ephemeral photos and videos
lasting up to 10 seconds, to which users can add captions and draw pictures. The
application targets the 18-24 year–old demographic. As of February 2014, an estimated
77 percent of college students used SnapChat at least once per day, totaling 400 million
daily snaps.
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The company is now looking for a way to monetize their viral success
after allegedly turning down a $3 billion offer from Facebook.
SnapChat is a product designed with direct network effects. Without urging friends
to join and exchange snaps, the product is useless. The need for virality makes the
“how” and “where” of sharing extremely important.
The app landing page features an account creation form for users to select a

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Sangeet Paul Choudary. Quora. “The Five Questions That Determine Viral Growth.”
http://growthhacking.quora.com/The-Five-Questions-that-determine-Viral-Growth
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Jordan Crook. TechCrunch. “How Could SnapChat Make Money? College Kids.”
http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/25/how-could-snapchat-make-money-college-kids/

49

username and password. As the account loads, it accesses other friends on SnapChat
to add or invite non-users using address book contacts listed in the user’s device. The
individual taps next to a friend’s name and it either adds or invites the friend. The user is
now free to start snapping.
The benefit of SnapChat’s ephemerality depends on the user, but it provides a
quick way to communicate through photos on subjects that don’t need to last forever.
Users will adopt the app as a way to send expressions or illustrate random thoughts and
feelings throughout the day. SnapChat has only a few functions, making the process to
achieve it ultimately frictionless. The product design needs virality to survive, and its
inherent design created a simple method to achieve it.

7.2 Word-of-mouth Marketing
In communications, word-of-mouth marketing as defined by the Word of Mouth
Marketing Association, is “any business action that earns a customer recommendation.”
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Put simply, it is a referral system. Users enjoy the product and share the positive
experience with friends and family. Referrals represent an organic and trustworthy way
to find product information. The trust people share with one another over social media
channels makes word-of-mouth a key driver in viral growth.
Word-of-mouth sharing happens for a number of psychological reasons, such as
trying to be seen as superior or to establish a relationship with another person. For a
company, incentives can be a key motivator for people to discuss the product. A growth
hacker needs to keep in mind that the company is asking the user to essentially
endorse their product to friends and family for free, so providing a little extra motivation

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“What is Word of Mouth Marketing?” http://www.wommapedia.org/

50

should help start the conversation.
Word-of-mouth is not limited to the tech space. For instance, restaurants offering
10 percent discount coupons when a customer writes a positive Yelp review promotes
word-of-mouth growth. Service industries often rely on referrals and reviews as proof of
quality service.
Incentives to share don’t necessarily need to be designed into the product, but can
improve user experience. For instance, Dropbox users have the option of storing their
files through the site without sharing or referring friends. However, the company offers a
500MB storage increase for both the current and new user after an invite results in a
sign-up. The incentive is intended to improve the user experience for users on either
end of the share by increasing the overall available storage capacity for free. It also
addresses the need for the recipient to see the benefit of adopting the product.
Including options to sign-up for the product during contact between customers and
non-users helps achieve word-of-mouth with little effort on the part of the user. For
example, Dropbox includes a product plug in document exchanges. When users share
documents with each other, an automated message alerts the individual that the user
shared the file through Dropbox. The message offers the option to sign up for an
account at that time and features a link that leads to a sign up page.
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The message
exposes the non-user to the product and offers an easy way to create their own
account.
Word-of-mouth marketing is essential for virality, but the converse is not
necessarily true. Regardless of whether a product is capable of virality, a marketer

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Drew Houston. Justin.tv. “Customer Development Case Study: Dropbox.”
http://www.justin.tv/startuplessonslearned/b/262672510

51

wants people to speak about the product positively and often. A clear product design
and excellent customer service will help create an experience users will find worthy of
talking about.

7.3 Email Marketing
Email marketing is another, more traditional approach that is still effective today.
Elliot Schmukler, VP of product and growth at Wealthfront, said simply, “send more
emails” when discussing LinkedIn’s engagement strategy. Emails can remind targeted
consumers about the product and educate them about new features. They are also
social, keeping users up-to-date on the activities of their connections. A carefully crafted
email sent at the right time will remind customers why they love the brand.
According to The Next Web, “Marketers should take advantage of the opportunity
presented by email to share information that is relevant to recipients who are familiar
with the brand, who already associate with it in some way, and who expect timely
updates from their preferred products and services.”
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Emails present a more personal
method for reaching an audience, as it is sent direct to consumer.
The Next Web also points out that emails capture attention more than social
media posts, since there is no distraction from other online information sources. The
opened email is not surrounded by other content that could pull the user away. The
undivided attention creates room for the marketer to focus on interesting content than
the need to stand out among other brands. The approach is targeted to the specific

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The Next Web. “When Should You Use Email Marketing?”
http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2013/11/21/use-email-marketing-best-messages-send-email-worst/

52

audience the business serves, so the message becomes more important than drawing
in the customer.
Sikich, a leading accounting, advisory, technology and managed services firm,
reported that email marketing is cost-effective, versatile, immediate, personal and
trackable. The benefits make email marketing up to 20 percent more effective than
other marketing channels.
The firm created an infographic that provided “10 Easy Ways to Improve Your
Email Open Rates.” First, a targeted list of people that have opted-in will increase the
amount of opens per email. The people on the list will have volunteered to receive that
communication, so the interest is already there.
Sikich also warns against automating emails. Sending from a real person can
make the communication feel more personal and less intrusive. Generic senders may
land in spam folders or get deleted. To avoid the spam folder, writing an attention-
grabbing subject line can be the difference between filtering out of the inbox and
reaching your target. Catchy pre-headers and personalization to the content will also
increase the open rate and increase the likelihood that the email avoids the trash.
Before signing up, the marketer needs to tell the individual what to expect after
putting their name on the list. Inform the person about the frequency of emails and types
of content they will receive. After the email is sent, make sure that the call to action is
displayed early on and clearly defines what is expected from the reader. The recipients
need to have the option to opt-out or control how often they receive emails.
The last step in email marketing is measuring the success of the campaign.
Services such as MailChimp offer reports that include the number of opened and

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bounced emails. The reports also look at the number of people that click the links in the
email, users that consistently click the links and the demographics of these readers. The
data collected from the analysis should be used to alter the next campaign and increase
the level of satisfaction the readers receive from the email.

7.4 Paid Acquisition
Paid acquisition is a more traditional method to obtain first users, but is still
effective. The customer lifetime value (LTV) calculation comes into play when paying for
users, and must exceed the customer acquisition cost (CAC) to make the purchase
viable. A marketer must consider a few things when dealing with paying for users. Cost
per click divided by the percentage of paid conversions will determine the customer
acquisition cost. A comparison of cost per click, cost per acquisition and cost of service
will define whether paid methods will return cost-effective results. Ultimately, the goal is
to spend less money to acquire new customers than the amount of revenue they will
generate for the time they use the product.
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After competing the research and deciding to pay, the marketer needs to decide
which channels to use. Search engine marketing and traditional channels like TV and
print advertising can increase reach, though measuring a direct link to conversion is
inexact. Affiliate marketing is another type of paid acquisition, where a third party
promotes the product for a percent of the revenue, allowing the startup to associate
itself with an existing brand. Paying for placement in an iTunes App store is another
popular channel that can generate recognition for the product.

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Ada Chen Rekhi. @andrechen. “When Does Paid Acquisition Work for SaaS startups?”
http://andrewchen.co/2011/06/01/when-does-paid-acquisition-work-for-saas-startups/

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Channel selection goes back to understanding the consumer. The growth hacker
will need to track the behaviors of potential users and place ads in their path using a
“pull” strategy. For example, if research shows that targeted users check TechCrunch
daily for new tech products, the people in charge of growth should buy an ad or pitch a
story to that outlet.

7.5 Content Marketing
Content marketing means pushing out relevant content to educate or entertain
consumers. The goal is to build a relationship and trust between the organization and
the users. The content put out supports the product and the company.
For example, Domino’s Pizza introduced the Domino’s Tracker available online
and through a mobile app. The tracker allows a customer to monitor the status of their
order from the moment it’s placed until it arrives at their door. The order goes through
five steps listed on a bar which include, order placed, prep bake, quality check and out
for delivery. Customers can follow the flashing red color that fills the bar as the order
progresses through the steps.
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Domino’s took a new approach to connecting with their customers on digital
platforms. Through understanding the consumer, Domino’s found that people often
wonder where their order might be and then found an innovative way to deliver that
information. In a fun and aesthetically pleasing app, Domino’s eliminated any
uncertainty related to their product.
Content marketing is one way to ensure the company will appear in searches for

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Grace Hendrix. Content Marketing Institute. “5 Standout Examples of Content Marketing in Retail
Apps.” http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2014/03/standout-examples-content-marketing-retail-apps/

55

relevant keywords. Social media marketing is part of the content marketing strategy that
will increase search engine optimization, but it’s not the core focus. The company
website is at the center and provides all of the information a consumer needs about the
product and related topics. On the website, materials such as blog posts and
infographics will educate consumers. The idea is to provide all the necessary
information to potential customers in hopes that they will convert to users.
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Mashable set 10 predictions for content marketing in 2014 that shows the practice
taking a bigger role in organizations and stricter regulations attempting to stop deceptive
native advertising. A great number of companies lack strong content, so new positions
will open to bring on people that understand native advertising.
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The Mashable article points out that content marketers may need to focus on ROI
instead of obtaining “likes” or views. Currently, an increased following on social media
or content views show success. To ensure the efforts offer returns, the marketer will
need to prove that the published materials result in action. Surveying users about the
channels and information used to make a purchasing decision and studying web
analytics will determine whether the content inspires sales.
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7.6 Search Engine Optimization
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Google defines search engine optimization, or SEO, as an attempt to manipulate
the signals on which a search algorithm bases the delivery of results, to appear higher

67
Content Marketing Institute. “What is Content Marketing?” http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-
content-marketing/
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Shafgat Islam. Mashable. “The Content Marketing Forecast: 10 Predictions for 2014”
http://mashable.com/2013/12/26/content-marketing-2014/
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Shafqat Islam. Mashable. “The Content Marketing Forecast: 10 Predictions for 2014.”
http://mashable.com/2013/12/26/content-marketing-2014/
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Google. “Search Engine Optimization Starting Guide.”

56

on the list. The more closely the language used on the website matches the words or
phrases entered in the search bar, the more likely the search engine will return the site
first. SEO will increase the likelihood of drawing attention to the company site over its
competitors and bring in relevant users.
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Growth hackers often use search engine optimization to build an infrastructure that
increases reach exponentially. Posting on high-authority websites will increase ranking
in search results. The marketer will still need to choose the appropriate keywords to
attract relevant consumers. After choosing the words, he or she posts on sites that
already appear high on search engines.
Results returned from searching a person's name are a perfect example of
leveraging high-authority websites. A Google search of Sean Ellis returns his LinkedIn
profile first, his high-traffic blog second, followed by IMDB, Twitter and AboutMe. Sean
increased the number times he appears in search results by creating profiles on these
sites.
It works the same way for a company. Instead of only using social media, guest
posting on news sites or blogs will optimize the search results. The company needs to
examine the channels where users find information about the product type and appear
on those high profile sources.
Usability tests and understanding the problems users sought out to solve will help
determine the communication to use on the site that will drive it high in the search
results. Hobo Internet Marketing says that SEO is moving from selected keywords to the

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Google. “Search Engine Optimization Starter’s Guide.”
http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/search-engine-
optimization-starter-guide.pdf

57

inclusion of exact phrases users enter into the search bar.
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For instance, if a user types
in “improve my online reputation” when searching for online reputation management,
BrandYourself should include that exact phrase in the landing page. The most
commonly searched phrase or phrases should appear in the webpage title and the
anchor text, which will show in the search results.
Each page should feature relevant titles and descriptions so users can find the
website. Meta tags tell Google what type of content the website features, but the tags
aren’t visible to users. The meta tags need to give a brief summary of exactly what
goals the user will accomplish when entering the site. Providing a separate tag for each
page of the site will increase the likelihood of one of those pages being picked up by the
search. Uniqueness matters as well, since the competition will use similar keywords and
language on the website.
Google explains that a URL influences search results and will improve usability if
kept simple. The search will return URLs with the most closely associated keywords.
Generic or complicated URLs will be less likely to bring back the proper results and
don’t provide clear guidance for users as they navigate through the search results.
Users will sometimes delete part of URLs in an attempt to find more specific content.
The web designer needs to keep this in mind and allow for partial deletion to lead to a
more relevant page.
With the increase in mobile devices as a primary information source, indexing the
mobile version of the website with the search engine is critical to allow for mobile
searches. Searches on mobile devices will return the desktop version of the website

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Shaun Anderson. Hobo Internet Marketing Blog. Page Title Tag Best Practice for Google
http://www.hobo-web.co.uk/title-tags/

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unless the mobile version is indexed. The mobile URL needs to be readable by the
search engine and the user redirection must be clear and functional.
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The search is the first step in finding the product, so optimizing the website
accordingly will ultimately improve the user experience. SEO will increase relevant
traffic to the website and should help kick start the conversion process, assuming the
growth hacker has implemented the right strategies to maximize the likelihood of
conversion.

7.7 A/B Testing
A/B testing and analytics are a core part of growth hacking. Though not a direct
acquisition technique, this process enables growth hackers to better understand which
features are more effective in satisfying consumer needs and influencing conversion
rates. Users will see two different versions of the same page and decide on the best
option. Ideally, A/B testing will optimize the product so only the strongest features
survive.
Tools like Optimize.ly, Vanity and Unbounce offer split and multivariate testing to
measure multiple variables at one time. Testing multiple features at once will reduce
cost and time to find the optimal features most efficiently. Instead of making an
educated guess on what users will like, the tests allow the users to choose for
themselves.

73
Google. “Search Engine Optimization Starter’s Guide.”
http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/search-engine-
optimization-starter-guide.pdf

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8. Case Studies

8.1 Dropbox: From start to finish
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Dropbox is a cloud storage website and mobile app that allows users to access
and share documents across multiple devices. Created in 2007, the site reached 200
million users and raised $250 million in January of 2014. Dropbox gained success
without advertising. Instead, the company used growth hacking to achieve virality.
Drew Houston, the company’s CEO and founder, studied engineering in college
and pursued business only after the decision to launch his own startup. His knowledge
of code and product development was essential to creating an optimal service.
At Kresge Auditorium at MIT in 2009, Houston delivered a presentation on the
first stages of launching a startup that often remain unclear to those with a big idea. He
used his experience with Dropbox as a model. Every entrepreneur starts with a big idea,
but it can be difficult to determine what to do next. Houston suggests to first:
“Get in over your head.” No one knows exactly what to do. Fortunately, the
Internet is filled with resources that will provide the information needed to fill the gaps.
Just get started and everything will fall into place. As Houston says, “you only have to
be right once,” so don't let the fear of failure prevent the business from getting off the
ground.
Take on responsibility. Taking management roles in organizations will teach
future business owners how to handle achieving goals and motivating people. Houston
did so by assuming the rush chair position in his fraternity. The organization will provide
experience and expand your network. For people outside of a university setting,

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Drew Houston. Startup Bootcamp. “Dropbox.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaJKPCdimLA

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organizations like the American Marketing Association and the Business Marketing
Association may offer similar opportunities.
Involve others. Entrepreneurs might be reluctant to involve other people in their
business out of fear that the new perspective will distract the original vision.
Unfortunately, one person cannot run a multi-million dollar company alone. At one point,
the founder must relinquish complete control and bring others on board.
Persuasive abilities come into play when pitching investors to fund the idea,
convincing new hires to leave stable jobs to work on a new project and acquiring early
adopters willing to provide feedback. Learning to communicate well and working with
others is essential to the success of the startup.
Join someone else's startup first. Houston suggests an internship-style
approach to learning. Patterns will emerge after working in multiple startups and an
entrepreneur will discover best practices. Also, all of the mistakes the potential founder
will make will happen before it's time to apply the lessons to their own company.
As a startup CEO, Houston's first steps focused solely on assessing the market
and writing code. The business aspect came into play after testing and product
optimization. After the product was almost set for launch, the business focused on
building a user base and leading the organization. The CEO's job description changed
every year as the company expanded. Eventually, Houston says, the company will
consist of like-minded people that will continue to develop and market the product
according to the values set by the founders.
The first few people hired will establish the corporate culture and ethical
standards. A startup CEO must define their vision, values and mission both personally

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and for the business. All employees and employee actions should align with the vision.
Houston aimed for a business that was “technically challenging, addressed a large
market” and simple enough to explain to normal people in a bar setting. His initial
employees all came from science backgrounds and were obsessed with building a
quality product. All initial employees all shared the same overall goal.
After Houston and his team set the company culture, optimized product design
and obtained necessary funding, he needed to educate potential users. The team
created two video tutorials, one to obtain the investors and initial users, and one tailored
to the Digg audience for use after the launch.
The second video navigates through Dropbox exactly as a user would. To keep
user attention, secret Easter eggs were placed throughout the video. For example, one
of the Easter eggs is uncovered by first changing a file name to “albert didn't know.”
Once the green check mark appears, the user must change the name to “neither did
aston” and wait for the green mark. Lastly, the user changes the name to “but rajiv
totally knew! Oh shoot!” After the last phrase syncs, a box appears with scrolling photos
of company team members. The Easter egg secret allowed viewers to feel “in-the-know”
and also introduced the team, humanizing the brand.
The Digg video had a great conversion rate, resulting in 70,000 users in the first
24 hours. Within the first seven months, Dropbox went from 100,000 users to 1 million.
Educating the public initiated virality. The viral spread continued due to the integration of
marketing into the product design.
KISSmetrics examines seven ways Dropbox hacked growth. First, the landing
page had only two main options: a visitor could either download Dropbox or watch the

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video. Four links on the bottom provided contact information, press, partnerships and a
place to leave feedback. On the site today, visitors only have the option to download or
watch the video.
The key to a good landing page is clarity. Visitors must understand the site within
seven seconds or they are likely to move on. With only two options, Dropbox created a
simple and effective first contact with potential users.
The signup process does not require a web browser and can be completed on
the user's desktop. Once the signup is finished, the download begins, which includes a
file called “Getting Started” already uploaded to the account. If users skipped the video
tutorial, this file will describe how to use the product.
Perhaps the most effective growth hack Dropbox employed was incentivized
referrals, which increased signups by 60 percent. When a user refers a friend, both
parties receive a 500MB storage increase. The invite page accesses a user’s email
contacts, Facebook and Twitter friends with an option to select which people to send
invitations, and offers a link to share manually.
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A Nielsen study concluded that 84 percent of consumers worldwide trust word-of-
mouth marketing over any other type of advertising.
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Offering incentives for users to
recruit friends is a surefire way to build credible advocates and expand the user base.
Incentives go a long way when asking people to spam their networks with
advertising. Users who connect through Facebook and Twitter or follow Dropbox on
Twitter receive a 125MB storage increase. The connection provides another platform on

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Thomas R. Eisenmann; Michael Pao; Lauren Barley. Harvard Business Publishing. “Dropbox: It Just
Works.”
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Nielsen. “Nielsen: Earned Advertising Remains Most Credible Among Consumers; Trust in Owned
Advertising on the Rise.” http://www.nielsen.com/content/corporate/us/en/press-room/2013/nielsen--
earned-advertising-remains-most-credible-among-consumer.html

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which new users can discover the product. A growth team found that the target market
connects with one another on social media sites and used that information to select the
channels to place product-related content.
The simplicity of file sharing increased virality as well. To share a file, a user
clicks “Get Link” and copies the link from either the website or desktop. A message
appears with the users name that says “USER made this gallery by simply dropping
files into a folder. Get your own public gallery with Dropbox.” The word “Dropbox” in this
message is a clickable link that leads viewers to a sign up page. Providing this simple
message at the bottom of the share eliminates the need for users to do any additional
work to get the product. Everything is laid out for them in an easy-to-use format.
Dropbox spans across multiple devices and platforms. This may be considered a
design element, a growth tactic and the core appeal of this product. Users have access
to files on everything from Linux to Symbian. Crossing platforms increases connectivity
and reach. Users don't have to use the same systems to share files with each other, so
anyone with a computer or mobile device is accessible to the Dropbox growth team.
Despite its considerable success, Dropbox continued growth hacking by
capitalizing on Gameification, the strategy of creating games that intend to evoke some
sort of user behavior, masked in an enjoyable activity. Gameification has increased
since the rise of mobile platforms and social media, and when a game provides value
for users, it will successfully and sustainably drive each person to act.
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Dropbox’s launch of the “Dropquest” contest featured puzzles and scavenger
hunts for which the top 176 high scores won free space or Dropbox merchandise.

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Brandon Workman. Business Insider. “Gameification: Companies of All Sizes are Using This Strategy
to Win Customers and Pummel Competitors.” http://www.businessinsider.com/the-growing-gamification-
market-2013-11

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Contests are another method of engaging with consumers in a fun way. By using
gameification, the file-sharing platform created buzz and user excitement around a
product that inherently faces the risk of being perceived as boring.

8.2 Candy Crush
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Candy Crush Saga is a game that takes the concept of the online game
“Bejeweled,” and makes it sweeter. Instead of jewels, the user lines up a variety of
candy pieces in a set number of moves for points and bonuses. As the user navigates
through the game, moving up through the game’s hundreds of levels, new challenges
increase the intensity, introducing obstacles such as ticking bombs that take over the
screen.
Candy Crush is available on all smart devices, so a user can start playing on
Facebook and pick up where they left off via the mobile app.
Candy Crush launched on Facebook in April 2012 and as a mobile app in
November of that year. Facebook Showcase reports that the game reached over 10
million downloads in the first month. By March 2013, the game reached 45 million daily
active users, making it the highest grossing app in the Apple and Google app stores at
that time. The expansion from Facebook to a mobile app doubled the engagement and
amount of time each user spent playing.
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The social elements built into Candy Crush are an important part of what drove
its rapid success. The main social function happens when a player loses more than 5

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Christina Hsu. Slideshare. “Case Study of Candy Crush Saga.”
http://www.slideshare.net/ChristinaHsu/20130720-case-study-of-candy-crush-saga
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Facebook Showcase: Candy Crush Sage.
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/showcase/candycrushsaga/

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times in a row; the game locks for a set amount of time before that person is allowed to
try again. To circumvent time constraints, a player can request extra lives from
Facebook friends or pay a $0.99 cent fee. At the end of each level, gamers must ask for
a ticket from friends or pay a fee to continue. Players also have the option to ask friends
for ‘boosters’ and other features to achieve higher scores along the way.
Players who sign in through Facebook view the game through Open Graph (OG),
which displays their Facebook friends’ profile pictures at their respective level. If a friend
is stuck on one level for a while, the game will alert others to send extra lives and tickets
to help friends. Progress sharing evokes friendly competition to keep players coming
back to stay ahead of each other. The helpful suggestions push users forward who
otherwise might be discouraged from continuing by the difficulty of the level.
Another important factor in the game's success is the “freemium” model, a
feature also seen in Dropbox. Freemium is the offering of a product for free with the
chance to upgrade for a price. The upgrade could be a simple elimination of ads or the
addition of features. The freemium product can also be time sensitive, such as offering
the first 30 days free.
In the case of Candy Crush, the freemium version is the core product. Most users
turn to personal Facebook networks to move forward rather than pay. The company
designed the game so that even if it won't gain financially from most long-term users,
they expect core users will market the game to friends to improve their own experience,
and eventually, some players will pay to advance. The product becomes the self-
perpetuating engine that facilitates growth which “hackers" aim to create.
Tommy Palm of King.com, the company that created Candy Crush, said, "70

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percent of the people on the last level haven't paid anything. It's designed so you can
complete the game. We focus internally a lot on the player experience, making sure it's
really fun to play. And we do not differentiate between people who pay and people who
don't: we just see them as players, and optimize in making sure the game is really fun.
So far, that's been a great strategy for us."
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The difference between Candy Crush and other social freemium games is the
focus on optimization. Palm and his team aim to deliver the best product based on what
the users want and what works best. For instance, the team found that Candy Crush
had an advantage over other games on mobile platforms because the graphics were
easy to see and the game could be played with one hand, so it expanded to mobile.
The company tracks the demographics and usage patterns of gamers to appeal
to specific needs. Palm plans to hire his new team to better reflect the user-base of the
game. Hiring people of the user demographic will ensure the team understands what
the users want.
In describing product development, Palm said, “We still have this great way of
working where with small teams of 2-3 people we can try new things and fail fast, rather
than the traditional model of very big projects that can run for several years."
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His method goes back to an essential part of growth hacking, which is rapid testing
and iteration. The team is able to test different features quickly to see what works.
When a feature fails, it is quickly eliminated and replaced with another test feature until

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Stuart Dredge. The Guardian Apps Blog. “Candy Crush Saga: ‘70% of the people on the last level
haven’t paid anything.’” http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/sep/10/candy-crush-saga-
king-interview
81
Stuart Dredge. The Guardian Apps Blog. “Candy Crush Saga: ‘70% of the people on the last level
haven’t paid anything.’” http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/sep/10/candy-crush-saga-
king-interview

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only the most successful options remain. Candy Crush created an optimal product that
markets itself and leverages users personal networks for growth.

9. Criticisms of Growth Hacking
Among the many scathing articles written to discredit the concept, the article
“Growth Hacking is Bull” by Muhammad Saleem, which appeared on
Marketingland.com, seems to have caught the eye of many who've adopted the term.
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Saleem claims that, “Not only is growth hacking a meaningless phrase used to
rebrand online marketing by the very people who’ve spent the better part of their
careers maligning online marketing, but at its worst, it is actually harmful to your
company. Growth hacking perpetuates this myth that you can magically achieve
hockey-stick growth using short-term “hacks.”
Saleem believes that people who consider themselves growth hackers look no
further into growth than creating a magical piece of code. It is important to remember
that growth hacking is not a trick that circumvents marketing to gain millions of users
overnight. It is a different approach to online marketing that relies on data and focuses
on initial growth.
The term might be a little “buzzword-y,” but it's not simply a rebranding of online
marketing. Growth hacking addresses a separate set of issues faced by startups that
marketers for established companies surpassed. The established companies
historically assign coding and data duties to engineers and developers, while the
marketing is handled by the marketing team later in the launch process. Growth hackers

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Muhammed Saleem. Marketing Land. “Growth Hacking is Bull.” http://marketingland.com/growth-
hacking-is-bull-69635

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often combine these skill sets to tackle both product development and marketing issues
simultaneously.
Saleem asserts that the concept is a new term for an old practice, and many
other critics agree. He cites several famous growth hacks and calls them by their
original name. For example, Paypal's incentive program, which awarded $10 to users
who referred friends, and $10 to the friend who signed up, is just referral marketing.
Airbnb's automatic posting of listings onto Craigslist is simply cross-posting. Saleem
says that of the “hacks” that exist are just glorified versions of tactics that have existed
since the beginning of online marketing.
To an extent, this is true. Content marketing, SEO, SEM and all of the other
ideas behind “growth hacks” have been around for a while. It is precisely that reason
that begs for a new way to look at online growth. Growth hacking finds a new approach
that leverages existing online platforms and optimizes current online marketing methods
for rapid expansion. A growth hacker doesn't aim to simply employ online marketing
techniques; they strive to build a digital marketing vehicle that will continue to expand on
its own.
A similarly titled article, “Growth Hacking is BS,” also says growth hacking and
marketing are synonymous. The unnamed author claims that the negative connotation
surrounding marketing sparked the creation of a new title so “employers can hire
marketers that aren't seen as spammers or privacy invaders.”
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A growth hacker commented in defense of the concept. The author's rebuttal
was this:

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Layered Thoughts. “Growth Hacking is BS…It’s All Just Marketing.”
http://www.layeredthoughts.com/startups/growth-hacking-is-bsits-all-just-marketing

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“The goal of a marketer is to grow a customer base. That’s what these growth
hackers are doing, they’re just doing it in a more technically advanced way via data
confirmation and split testing. Referral strategies have been around for decades, the
Dropbox guys didn’t hack anything they just applied an old principle to a new
technology. Growth hacker and marketer are synonymous titles.”
The author said it himself, “they just applied an old principle to a new
technology.” Growth hacking often takes old concepts and adds a new spin, particularly
to apply it to a technology-based industry. The author also highlights two of growth
hacking’s biggest differentiators, which are data confirmation and split testing.
Advancing technologies require new application of marketing techniques. The growth
hacker uncovers the best way to exaggerate current strategies and new ways to
address different problems. In a sense, every new idea is built on the foundation of
something old, that's how we make progress. To bring that argument to it’s logical
conclusion, discrediting growth hacking for using existing ideas says that everything
with a basis in existing theory should be dismissed.
Sean Ellis addressed the backlash in a post on the growth hackers blog,
growthhackers.com. Ellis accepted responsibility for an unclear definition of the term
and his intention behind creating it. The intention was to combat the shaky beginnings
of startups by placing growth at the forefront of all marketing efforts. He's putting an
overarching name to all tactics that fall under the growth umbrella. He doesn't even pin
engineering as the differentiator, though points out that those skills eliminate the need to
work with an engineering department, which has its benefits.
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Sean Ellis. Growth Hackers. “Growth Hacking is Bullshit.” http://www.growthhackers.com/growth-
hacking-is-bullshit/

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Andy Johns, product manager at Quora, also addressed the criticisms of growth
hacking. Johns brings up the point that many people call themselves growth hackers as
a self-promotional tool to improve credibility. He notes that most people who proudly title
themselves as such fail to present any evidence of improving growth in their career.
Without an actual focus on growing a startup and a resume that lacks proof of achieving
significant growth, employers and influential marketers will see through the self-
proclaimed title of “growth hacker.” The people with talent who make significant
changes will draw attention without personal branding.
The term “growth hacker” is not “BS” when used as a descriptor for a marketer
who puts growth as their main goal. Johns pinpoints the growth team as the core of tech
startups. People that will work toward rapid expansion and product-market fit will gain
more credibility through completing the work than an individual who cries “growth
hacker.”
Johns says, “So, if I had to spin it as advice, I would say that if you’re interested
in working on user growth (it is a very interesting and valuable thing to learn!) you
should focus on substance more than salesmanship. Forget the hype.”
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10. Is Growth Hacking Ethical?
The term “hacking” raises suspicion since it is usually used for information and
identity theft. In the case of growth hacking, ethics come into play when considering
what defines spamming and the methods in which growth hackers obtain contact
information. Marketers often tread boundaries of privacy and personal space, even

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Andy Johns. Forbes. “Is Growth Hacking Nonsense?” http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2012/12/14/is-
growth-hacking-nonsense/

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when the activity is well intentioned.
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A personal definition of spamming is when the message contains a blatant sales
pitch. Some think that information relevant to the channel is what makes it more than
spam. Relevant or not, if the message ends with a pitchy attempt at a sale, it tends to
discredit the information and makes it seem like an unwanted plug for the product.
Unethical practices also involve anything intentionally deceptive. Any company
using growth hacking should be as transparent as possible in the effort to obtain
customers. Any act carried out with the intention to hide or distort the truth is unethical.
One example is AirBnB’s efforts to create fake email accounts to facilitate word-of-
mouth marketing.

Example 8. AirBnB
AirBnB is a marketplace for people looking to find or post traveling
accommodations either online or through the mobile app. Users with extra rooms or
houses for rent can post listings, and travelers select which suits their needs best. It
acts like a targeted version of Craigslist, which made the growth hack extremely
successful. Since employing the strategy, AirBnB is valued at over $1 billion and has
over 9 million users.
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The company launched a two-part strategy to expand rapidly after launch. The
first and most celebrated part of the plan involved cross posting automatically to
Craigslist. Users would find AirBnB posts that would draw business from Craigslist

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GrowthHackers.com. “Ask GH: Was there something unethical about AirBnB’s Craigslist hack?”
http://growthhackers.com/questions/ask-gh-was-there-something-unethical-about-airbnbs-craigslist-
growth-hack/

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GrowthHackers.com. “Ask GH: Was there something unethical about AirBnB’s Craigslist hack?”
http://growthhackers.com/questions/ask-gh-was-there-something-unethical-about-airbnbs-craigslist-
growth-hack/

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directly to the AirBnB site. Complaints to this practice point out that since Craigslist did
not pre-approve the tactic, it was a bait-and-switch that diverted traffic from Craigslist to
AirBnB. Despite the damage done to Craigslist, users and marketers seemed to view
this as an “ethical grey area,” perhaps because it did not harm customers.
The company’s second strategy more obviously leapt over ethical lines. The
company created fake email accounts, posing as young women who advocated for the
brand. When a Craigslist user added a posting related to housing, regardless of whether
that person checked the box preventing contact for commercial interests, the fake
woman sent an email to the poster suggesting AirBnB. The email contained a direct link
and appeared as a genuine person with the intent to help the poster find a buyer. Word-
of-mouth marketing can be difficult to achieve organically, so AirBnB fabricated
interest.
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The tactic is clearly deceptive and unethical: AirBnB gained followers through a
falsified identity and false recommendations. Ethical and legal, though often
overlapping, mean two different things. Many poor decisions began with the notion,
“well, I'm not hurting anyone.”
Crossing these lines undermines the entire growth hacking industry and
reinforces the stereotype of sleazy marketers selling lies to get rich. Consumers,
especially in the Millennial generation, see through spammy marketing ploys since the
rise of social media. People have access to an incredible amount of information and
choices, so a company needs to extend its value beyond marketing efforts and offer a
quality product.

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Dave Gooden. “How AirBnB Became a Billion Dollar Company.” http://davegooden.com/2011/05/how-
airbnb-became-a-billion-dollar-company/

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Consumers place more value in a company that’s seen as genuine.
Compromising ethics might work for the short-term, but ultimately, the culprit will get
caught and people will abandon the product. Any plan to deceive potential users to gain
business and fix brand reputation later might initially prove successful, but is still wrong
and breaks trust. Building a good product and maintaining a higher standard of ethics
will ultimately be what will draw loyal followers to a company.
Credible growth hackers don’t aim to deceive and will operate by a code of
conduct, whether established by a leading organization or by the individual hacker
themselves. Obtaining contact information is part of the growth hacking process, but
can be done without tricking people into providing it.
The negative connotation of the term “hacker” requires a higher standard of
ethics. Designing growth plans with the consumer’s best interest in mind will eliminate
some of the inherent distrust the public has for the word. Rapid growth is about
providing a quality product and optimizing the channels in which consumers use and
discuss it. With the proper skill set and a great product, a growth hacker won’t need to
disregard ethical lines.

11. What does Growth Hacking mean for marketing?

11.1 Growth hacking in big business

Growth hacking does not necessarily apply to industries outside of the tech
startup world. Part of the concept involves marketers participating in product design and
redesign based on test results. Big corporations are less likely set up for marketers and
engineers to operate as “one.” The inclusion of growth hacking comes from a change in

74

the approach. Sean Ellis says many large corporations now measure more often and
seek employees that understand digital communications.
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Growth teams currently contribute to a “big business” approach to hacking
consisting of a product manager, designer, developer, data analyst and copywriter. In
the corporate world, the designers and developers usually exist in a separate
department. For a growth team to work successfully, the developers and the rest of the
growth team need to communicate consistently and work closely to incorporate the
data.
Growth teams can see a lot of push back from engineers that take pride in the
product they've created. It is important that both sides working together understand that
company growth is the only goal and personal victories should only be marked by
expanding the company’s consumer base.
Ellis says that, for a concept like growth hacking to work in a corporation, it needs
to create a culture that supports growth as the main focus. The growth team should be
at the core, but all employees need to tailor their work toward growing the consumer
base. Since the engineering and marketing departments will work closely, it will help for
each department to work toward the same goal.
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11.2 In Agencies

Sean Ellis also says that growth hacking couldn’t work in agency settings. The
need to work from ideation and constantly change the product requires the presence of
the team from the ideation stage to success, as defined by the founders. An agency

89
Interview with Sean Ellis.
90
Interview with Sean Ellis.

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would need the freedom to iterate freely and revisit the product at each stage. The time
requirement and deep understanding of product functionality needed for optimization is
better left to the creators and a team focused on growth.
That being said, growth hacking agencies have started to pop up all over. Growth
Devil and Consumer Acquisition are two organizations that aim to help take users
through the lean marketing funnel to increase website traffic and conversion rates. The
firm Growth Republic will even build the product for the entrepreneur. The agencies
seek out founders at the pre-launch or infantile stages of business, to help jumpstart
user acquisition cost effectively.
If the agency contributes to product design and the entrepreneur commits to
allowing the team to control much of the business operations, a growth hacking agency
could work as a method for obtaining first users. However, the company’s founders and
the agency members will need to work closely enough that the business will continue on
the planned path and the one proven to achieve rapid growth.
It would be in both party’s best interest if the agency taught the entrepreneur
along the way, and vice versa. The first large wave of users will expand the business,
but the founders need to understand sustainability or the product will fade out, as we
often see with new apps. The agency should act as a training school that will train the
entrepreneur to sustain the growth, design new acquisition techniques and conduct the
proper research.

11.3 Changing qualifications

Even if growth hacking is not accepted by the entire marketing world, the concept
of digital marketing remains appealing. Eventually, the generations that grew up with

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social media and advanced technology will gain purchasing power and companies will
need to be ready for that. This means employers will need to find marketers for their
teams who are equipped to handle a predominantly technological world.
An extensive knowledge of data analysis is already becoming the industry norm
and will only become more commonplace as job qualification shift to suit new trends.
The individual will need to understand how to select appropriate tests, implement them
and decode the results. Most importantly, they must be able to translate the results into
meaningful actions. A marketer will need to prove that he or she can take data and turn
it into a successful campaign.
Basic coding and graphic design knowledge will set a job candidate apart. In a
corporate setting, the skill might not ever be called upon completely. Big businesses
might rely on a marketer to code content for social media sharing such as memes and
infographics, but the company also may have a development team that focuses on
content creation. Still, coding skills will come in handy as a self-promotional tool that
most other marketers outside of the growth hacking and startup world won't possess.
Creativity is already appreciated, but marketers will need to find even more
creative ways to reach consumers. Many companies will encourage employees to think
outside of the box and challenge the norms of the current marketing practices.
Saturation of online tactics expands well beyond growth hacking. Every organization
needs to try to keep ahead of the trends to avoid being drowned out.
Though not everyone needs to be a growth-hacker, embracing the ideas on
which the term is based will allow for marketing professionals to address the challenges
of a rapidly changing technological world. Society will continue to advance, and more

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industries and current products will move online. Adopting the growth hacker mindset
will prepare professionals to change their thinking and learn to innovate, whether from
within a big corporation or as entrepreneurs.

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Creator Sineni, Samantha Lynn (author)

Core Title Growth hacking: a deep look into online marketing for startups

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 10/14/2014

Defense Date 10/13/2014

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag apps,digital marketing,growth hacking,Marketing,OAI-PMH Harvest,online marketing,SaaS,Silicon Valley,startups,tech startups

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tenderich, Burghardt (committee chair), Jackson, Laura Min (committee member), LeVeque, Matthew (committee member)

Creator Email sineni@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-488635

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Legacy Identifier etd-SineniSama-3012.pdf

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Rights Sineni, Samantha Lynn

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Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

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