Ahoy 
hopeful marketer! In this article you will learn everything you need to know about performance marketing and the work of a performance manager. What is performance marketing? As we have already revealed in the title, this type of marketing is mainly focused on performance. Now we’ll look at whether you have what it takes to become a good performance marketer. We will tell you what a performance manager does – what they are responsible for, what are the pros and cons of this job.
What is performance marketing?
Performance marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on results.
“And there is no other?” 
At its core, there is. You want to see results behind every marketing activity, but one of the advantages of performance marketing is that you can see the results of a performance manager’s work very quickly.
You track the performance of campaigns, look for connections in numbers and percentages, think about how to optimize your campaigns in the best possible way.
If something isn’t working, you’re looking for the reason why the campaigns aren’t working as you expected. If something works, you look for a way to do it again, or to do it even better next time. 
That doesn’t sound like boredom at all, does it?
An example of performance advertising in Google search network
Performance Marketing: What is the job of a performance manager?
- keyword analysis/audit
- setting up performance campaigns (setting the right targeting and budget)
- campaign optimization
- campaign evaluation
- preparation of regular reports
- presentation of results
- communication with the client (maybe yes, maybe no)
- understanding the client’s needs
What do I need to know as a performance manager?
As we mentioned in this article, a good performance manager should definitely know his or her way around numbers. To understand them, to see the connections, to be able to find the possible reasons for a good or bad performance. In other words, you should befriend analytics.
Almost anyone can “dial in” the basic settings. The real performance art is knowing how to optimize campaigns for the long term so that they deliver the desired results.
It is currently very popular to divide skills into hard skills and soft skills. So let’s take a look at what your skill set should look like. 
The hard skills of a performance manager
- Work with tools essential for setting up performance campaigns such as Google Ads, Adform, Sklik, Facebook Ads, or tools for setting up programmatic advertising.
- Working with Excel / Spreadsheet documents
- Work with Google products such as Data Studio, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, or other analytics tools.
- Bonus tip: Various certificates e.g. from Google that demonstrate at least the basics about you in the performance field.
The soft skills of a performance manager
- Good time management and self-discipline
- Ability to work on a team
- Presentation skills (presenting your results)
- The ability to make quick decisions
Until a few years ago, there was a “legend” that if you are a student with no experience, you have to work somewhere for free for a month or two or three, and then if you prove yourself, the agency/company will keep you. That is, of course, assuming you are willing to invoice.
But times have moved on and the pandemic situation has also led to a huge increase in e-commerce. Companies have thus realized the necessity of paid advertising, which in turn plays into the hands of budding performance marketers. In other words, there are many more job offers.
So don’t just be tempted into an unpaid internship. Rather, invest a little more in a better course or mentor and don’t be afraid to apply for a paid position. If you have the right drive, you can grow fast in big companies, and in performance marketing this is doubly true.
These positions are highly in demand and pay very well once you get past the junior level. Plus, when you’re independent enough, you can certainly look forward to home office or digital nomadism.
But before that, don’t forget to write a stuffy CV, fix any mistakes and get back to Ahoy Career
