Interview With Tiago (Head of Paid Media)

1) Where were you born and raised? Also tell us something unique about yourself.

I was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal. As for something unique about me, I'm a huge fan of history, anime, and working out. I enjoy creating workout routines inspired by anime characters, and I often listen to history podcasts while exercising.

2) What got you interested in marketing and what was your journey?

My interest in marketing began during my academic journey in 2005/2006. I pursued a bachelor's degree in Cinema and Multimedia Communication, and one of the most pivotal subjects was Marketing. This wasn't just because the director of the degree was the professor, but also due to the crucial role marketing plays in promotion strategies within the cinema and multimedia world. From day one, I was fascinated by what influences a person's decisions toward a product and how the product presents itself to people, as well as the overall strategy surrounding it.

After finishing university, I joined the Portuguese Air Force, where I worked in the audiovisual center and closely collaborated with the Public Affairs Office (PAO). While my primary focus was on communication design, I contributed to the internal and external communication plans, gaining valuable insights into strategic communication. Once my contract with the air force ended (lasting 6 to 7 years), I transitioned to working in two marketing agencies. Here, I gained extensive experience in paid media and analytics.

Following this, I worked with a sports supplement brand, where my role expanded to include content writing and social media management, in addition to paid media. Currently, I am focused solely on paid media and data analysis at a SaaS company, continuing to build on my marketing expertise.

3) What skills and industry do you specialize in?

I specialize in paid media strategy and data analysis, particularly in creating and optimizing advertising campaigns and using analytics to guide decisions. I work in the SaaS industry with Xray by Xblend, a tool integrated with Jira that helps teams manage their testing processes, improve software quality, and speed up delivery.

In my role, I focus on understanding our target audience's pain points, clearly communicating how we can solve their problems, and presenting our value proposition in a way that resonates with them. My goal is to drive as many trials or demos as possible by engaging potential customers with compelling content and precise targeting.

4) What is your best soft skill?

People often tell me that my best soft skill is my ability to listen carefully. I'm also pretty good at breaking the ice and getting people to talk when there's an awkward silence, ahaha. It helps me connect with others and create a comfortable atmosphere where everyone feels heard and engaged.

5) What softwares and tools do you use regularly?

I use a variety of software and tools to manage and optimize my work. For paid media campaigns, I rely on Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads. Google Analytics helps me track and analyze website performance, and Google Sheets is great for organizing and analyzing data. I also use HubSpot for customer relationship management and marketing automation, Google Tag Manager for managing website tags, and Jira and Confluence for project management and team collaboration.

Additionally, I use Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) for creating detailed and interactive data visualizations.

6) What are your goals for the next year and into the future?

Over the next year and into the future, I want to specialize in data analysis as it applies to marketing. I truly believe that deepening this expertise will allow me to bring even more value to my current company or any future one I work with. Finding the time to study properly has been tough, but I’m gradually making progress and staying committed to my goal.

7) What has been the hardest thing you dealt with in your career path?

The hardest thing I've dealt with in my career path is staying up to date with the constant changes in the digital ecosystem. There are so many updates and new information to keep track of that I often find myself feeling overwhelmed. It's a challenge to stay on top of everything and ensure I'm always using the latest and most effective strategies.

8) What is the biggest mistake you made that you want others to avoid?

Not believing in myself enough and being too hard on myself. It's important to cut ourselves some slack and not constantly compare ourselves to others. Everyone has their own unique journey and pace, and it's crucial to recognize and appreciate our own progress and strengths.

9) Who are your favorite people in the industry that you follow?

In the paid media and analytics field, I follow:

Roberto Cortez - A Portuguese entrepreneur and digital marketing expert who founded Massive Growth & Performance. He's great for insights on online ads and performance.

AJ Wilcox - The go-to guy for LinkedIn Ads. As the founder of B2Linked, AJ shares practical tips for maximizing LinkedIn ad campaigns.

Julius Fedorovicius - Founder of Analytics Mania, Julius is a guru in Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics, offering detailed tutorials and insights.

In the SaaS marketing field, I follow:

Peep Laja - Founder of CXL, Peep is known for his expertise in conversion optimization and SaaS marketing strategies.

April Dunford - An expert in positioning and marketing for tech companies, she provides invaluable advice on making SaaS products stand out.

Elena Verna - Interim Head of Growth at Dropbox, Elena has a wealth of knowledge in B2B growth strategies and customer-centric marketing approaches.

10) Who has had the biggest influence on your career to date?

The biggest influence on my career has been Márcio Miranda. He's currently working at Delta Cafés and was one of my digital marketing instructors after I left the air force. Márcio is incredibly humble, highly knowledgeable, and has a sharp mind for strategy. His guidance and insights have significantly shaped how I approach digital marketing.

11) What has been your favorite course that you taken and why?

One of my favorite courses I've taken was on Google Data Studio a few years ago. It was a game-changer for me and marked the beginning of my passion for data analysis. This course was so important because it taught me how to create detailed, interactive data visualizations, making complex data much easier to interpret.

Being able to effectively visualize data is crucial for making informed decisions and communicating insights clearly to others. It has significantly enhanced my ability to analyze and present data in a meaningful way, which is essential in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.

12) What would you tell yourself or someone who is just starting out in marketing?

If you're just starting out in marketing, my biggest piece of advice is: don't try to learn everything at once. Focus on one thing at a time, and prioritize what you think will bring the most value to your work. It's easy to get overwhelmed with the vast amount of information and tools available, but honing in on one area and mastering it can make a big difference.

Start with the basics, build a solid foundation, and then gradually expand your knowledge and skills. This approach will help you stay focused and make your learning journey much more manageable.

13) If the entire world was listening to you, what would you have to say?

If the entire world was listening to me, I'd say: "Complain less and be more thankful." We often get caught up in what's going wrong and forget to appreciate the good things in our lives.

Gratitude can shift our perspective, improve our mood, and help us build stronger connections with others. It’s about focusing on the positives and recognizing the small blessings we might otherwise overlook.

14) Where can we find you?

On my LinkedIn profile.