Generally, we understand growth marketing and growth hacking — we explain both terms better in the first topic of the article — as advanced marketing techniques that seek accelerated growth above all else.
In startups, for example, the concept is quite popular. Startups, at least in the early stages of their operations, rarely care about profitability. The important thing is to grow.
This was the case with practically all the technology cell phone number database startups that are now part of our daily lives — Netflix, Uber, iFood, etc.
In today's text, we will seek to disambiguate these terms, understand how growth marketing is applied by those who need to grow urgently and, to conclude, we will look at the 5 biggest growth marketing cases in the world.
Starting with disambiguation: are growth marketing and growth hacking synonyms? Spoiler: more or less.
Growth marketing and growth hacking?
The terms are quite similar, and in many cases they are even used as synonyms.
This is because, generally, all of a company's marketing strategies have the main objective of generating more sales — in other words, growth.
It's the same goal as growth hacking.
And growth marketing strategies are what bear the prefix “growth” — if it weren’t for these specific actions, associated with growth, marketing would just be marketing.
But it’s interesting to talk a little more about the “hacking” aspect of growth marketing.
In many cases, we use strategies that have similar goals to others, but are different enough to cause disruption — this is what is often associated with “hacking.”
Let's look at some examples here in the text that, when analyzed more carefully, are disruptions in already established marketing processes.
For example: PayPal's referral system involved financial rewards for those who referred the platform.
In other words: a specific investment was made with the direct objective of converting new users. But this investment was not in an advertisement, but in an action.
This investment was not in a promotion, but in a reward.
And this investment was not spread across multiple areas — it was sized primarily for reward.
Ultimately, growth marketing and hacking are so similar that the two concepts can very well be treated as synonyms.
But strategies like these, which cause disruptions and break away from the norm, are normally associated with the act of hacking marketing, and are better known as growth hacking.
What are the characteristics of Growth Marketing for those in a hurry?
Growth Marketing is actually a strategy for those in a hurry, if you stop to think about it.
The goal of every company is to grow with stability and profit. Growth marketing, or growth hacking, emerges to accelerate this process with disruptive actions.
Here’s a classic example when we talk about growth: AirBnB.
In 2009, the brand had around 21,000 guests on its platform. In 2016, it had 80,000,000. And much of this success is attributed to a single growth marketing action: its referral program.
AirBnB users who recommended the app to someone else earned points on the platform that could be exchanged for extra days of accommodation.
And by providing great service, AirBnB ensured that these new users also joined the referral program, fueling a virtuous cycle of growth.
This is the type of Growth Marketing action for those in a hurry — its application is simple, development is easy, and the results last for years.
Let's talk more about these points in the next items:
Simplicity in the Idea
The first pillar of Growth Marketing is simplicity in designing the strategy. To generate quick results, actions must be easy to understand and execute, both for the internal team and for users.
Simplicity reduces barriers to implementation and encourages virality.
Examples such as AirBnB's referral program or Hotmail's promotional subscription show that the effectiveness of an action does not lie in the complexity of its execution, but in the clarity and immediate value it delivers.
Characteristics of simplicity in Growth Marketing:
Low initial effort: actions such as "refer and earn" are straightforward and do not require large investments in technology.
High perceived impact: Users easily understand the benefit and feel motivated to participate.
Easy iteration: Simple campaigns can be quickly adjusted based on results feedback.
Simplicity is essential to accelerate growth, making actions scalable and adaptable.
Leveraging Existing Resources
Another key point in Growth Marketing is the intelligent use of available resources. Instead of creating something new from scratch, the best strategies identify ways to optimize or reuse elements that already exist in the company or platform.
In the case of AirBnB, for example, the referrals program took advantage of the rewards system that was already integrated into the platform.
Similarly, Hotmail used the footer of emails to promote its service.
Features of resource leverage:
Low implementation cost: avoids unnecessary expenses with development or additional marketing.
Operational efficiency: takes advantage of infrastructures or processes that are already working.
Immediate impact: Existing features already have some traction and can scale faster.
The ability to maximize what is available is a hallmark of successful growth marketing strategies.