At the crossroads of marketing and technology, the growth hacker, also known as the head of growth, dynamites the dusty codes of traditional marketing. Armed with cutting-edge automation techniques and in-depth analysis of audience KPIs, they boost their company's growth in the shortest possible time. His aim: to achieve quick wins - spectacular, rapid results with a minimum of resources.
Originating in Silicon Valley in the 2010s, growth hacking is a new approach to rapidly increasing the number of users of a product or service. Initially favoured by digital start-ups, it is now being extended to more established companies.
This profession, which originally focused on one-off, short-term assignments, has since evolved to become a key skill in the strategic development of many organisations.
Some successful examples of growth hacks?
Faced with often limited marketing budgets and fierce competition, start-ups are keen to use creative techniques to stimulate their growth.
Facebookinitially targeted students at the most prestigious American universities by launching a campus-by-campus social network. This created a network effect and viral growth among young people.
Secondly, the addition of the famous 'Like' button on external sites helped to increase the engagement and virality of the content.
In France, BlaBlaCar has set up a system for evaluating and checking profiles to reassure new users and encourage car sharing. This has enabled a community of trust to be created very quickly.
Other examples include Doctolib which has integrated its solution directly into medical practice management software, making it easier for healthcare professionals to adopt its platform.
Hotmail added the signature "PS: I love you. Get your free e-mail at Hotmail" to every e-mail sent by its users, leading to viral growth in its user base.
From his side, Airbnb developed a tool allowing hosts to automatically publish their listings on Craigslist, while redirecting users to Airbnb. This enabled them to quickly acquire a large user base.
What are the tasks of a growth hacker or head of growth?
Digital marketing professional, The mission of a growth hacker is to rapidly identify and develop sources of growth for a company. To achieve this, it uses innovative, low-cost marketing and digital techniques.
How do you solve this equation?
- Defining and implementing growth strategies : the growth hacker identifies unconventional growth channels to reach new customers.
- Analysing data to make informed decisions : data is at the heart of its business. It analyses user behaviour to identify opportunities for optimisation.
- Rapid experimentation : The growth hacker constantly implements and tests hypotheses to improve marketing or product performance. It's an iterative approach, with each test validating or invalidating a strategy.
- Optimising the conversion tunnel : the growth hacker works on the entire AARRR funnel (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Recommendation, Revenue) to maximise conversion at every stage.
- Automation : to optimise their time and amplify their actions, they set up automated processes (e-mails, web scraping, bots).
They work alone or as part of a team. They may be involved in content creation, product development, customer data analysis, graphic design or development.
What studies to follow?
There is no single specific training course for becoming a growth hacker, but rather a range of possible paths. Growth hackers generally have a 5-year degree in digital marketing, web development or data analysis.
What are the skills of a growth hacker?
► TECHNICAL SKILLS (know-how)
- Data analysis and statistics : proficiency in tracking and web analytics tools (Google Analytics, Matomo, Mixpanel, Amplitude, Hotjoar, etc.), ability to interpret KPIs to deduce relevant actions.
- Development skills : knowledge of programming languages (Python, JavaScript) for automation, management web scraping (BeautifulSoup, Octoparse, Apify...) or the development of small applications.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEA (Search Engine Advertising) : control of organic and paid traffic acquisition techniques.
- E-mailing : control of tools for sending and managing e-mail campaigns (SendGrid, Mailchimp, Lemlist...)
- Marketing automation : use of tools such as HubSpot, Zapier, Pipedrive or Integromat to automate marketing processes.
- Experimentation and A/B testing tools : Optimizely, AB Tasty, VWO...
- Creation of optimised landing pages : Use tools such as Unbounce, WordPress or Webflow to quickly create high-performance landing pages.
- Fluency in English oral and written
► BEHAVIOURAL AND RELATIONAL SKILLS (soft skills)
- Creativity : Finding innovative, out-of-the-box solutions is crucial to discovering hacks that will work.
- Analytical skills : know how to interpret data to draw relevant conclusions.
- Resilience and the ability to manage failure: Growth hacking is a process of experimentation where failure is frequent. The ability to iterate quickly is essential.
- Curiosity and continuous learning: The digital world is changing fast, and it's crucial to keep up to date with the latest techniques and tools.
- Entrepreneurial spirit : a results-oriented attitude with rapid decision-making and a pragmatic approach.
How much does a growth hacker earn?
The salary of a growth hacker in France depends on a number of factors, including experience, the size of the company and its location.
- Junior (0-2 years experience) : 35,000 to €45,000 gross per annum.
- Intermediate (3-5 years' experience) : 45,000 to €60,000 gross per annum.
- Senior (5 years and over) : 60,000 to €80,000 gross per annum, with variations depending on managerial responsibilities.
In start-ups, salaries can be supplemented by stock options or shares in the company, in addition to various benefits.
What are its development prospects?
There are many ways in which a growth hacker can develop:
- Growth manager or Head of Growth : After several years' experience, they can manage a team dedicated to growth and steer the company's overall strategy.
- Marketing Director : with a global vision of digital marketing and growth, he can take charge of the marketing department.
- Entrepreneurship : With their versatility and entrepreneurial spirit, growth hackers are often tempted to start their own business.
As stimulating as it is demanding, the job of a growth hacker requires the ability to innovate constantly and adapt quickly to changes in the market. With a unique profile that combines cutting-edge technical skills with sharp marketing expertise, the growth hacker is able to deliver fast, tangible results.
At the heart of the digital transformation of businesses, it occupies a strategic position, with excellent prospects for development. Their role is set to grow in the years ahead, as companies become increasingly aware of the importance of digital growth as a lever for innovation and competitiveness.
