Profile: Croud’s Carly Price – my digital career

Some descriptionSome descriptionLondon CIM member and Oxford graduate, Carly Price, is Head of Marketing at digital marketing agency Croud. Having started her working life at Oxfordshire County Council, we asked Carly how she made the transition to a global, business-to-business digital agency, and we discovered what lights up her day.

Fact file on Carly Price
Head of Marketing, Croud
London-based B2B marketer, passionate about travel, tech and trends
BA (Modern Languages) French and German
CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing
Rowed at Oxford for St Anne’s Boat Club
Hails from County Durham

What made you choose a marketing career?

“The wide variety of roles and responsibilities involved in marketing has always appealed to me. Whilst I love writing (and am a bit of a pedant when it comes to grammar!), I’m also quite mathematical and analytical, and marketing enables me to exercise both parts of my brain.

As a marketer, no two days are the same – with my current position covering everything from organising events to campaign management to reporting and analysis – and it’s this variety that I love.”

How did you progress from a public-sector role to your current job?

“My first full-time role after university was in internal communications at Oxfordshire County Council. Whilst not directly in marketing, this position gave me a taste of the profession, and left me eager to explore further. My subsequent roles have all been in marketing, and have seen me live and work in Brussels, London, Singapore, and London (again!), with each position allowing me to build on my marketing experience and skills. I’m lucky to now be Head of Marketing at Croud – a role that not only allows me to apply what I’ve learned so far along the way, but also to continue learning every day.”

What impressed you about Croud?

“I’d had a taste of agency life in my previous role at Isobar, part of Dentsu Aegis Network, and enjoyed the fast-paced working environment. When I came across Croud, though, I was really impressed by the company’s unique business model, whereby a network of over 1,500 on-demand digital experts (known as ‘Croudies’) support the in-house teams to deliver digital marketing services for the likes of Regus, Amazon Prime, and Hiscox. But, perhaps more importantly, I was really impressed by the culture that Croud’s co-founders, Ben and Luke, have fostered – every employee at Croud is a shareholder, and really cares about the business.”

Do different regions around the world have different digital priorities?

“Croud is very lucky in having digital experts on the ground in 112 markets, and across 90 languages, so we’re able to stay very close to the latest digital trends and developments in each region. Whilst regional priorities are certainly the case, priorities can vary just as much from sector to sector or from client to client in the same market. Often, we see global digital trends – such as a continued focus on investing in video content and optimising for mobile this year – with different regions at different stages on their journey. For instance, whilst paid search advertising spend is increasing rapidly in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, competition for ad space remains comparatively low, meaning that costs-per-click can be considerably lower than in the UK.”

Which trends matter most?

“Machine learning, one facet of AI, is a big one. At Croud, we’ve been harnessing the power of machine learning to deliver better performance for our clients - such as Hiscox, the home and business insurance provider that has seen impressive results from machine learning-based paid search products.

More generally, we’ve seen AI and machine learning gradually influence the type of work that our internal teams are doing. Technology and AI-powered tools have replaced 23% of the time spent on manual tasks 18 months ago and have freed up our internal teams and ‘Croudies’ to focus on more strategic work that adds real value for our clients. This trend will no doubt continue, as marketers seek to find the perfect balance between human and machine.”

See more from Croud with their Hiscox AI case study.

What are the frustrations and joys of leading marketing in a digital agency?

“The main perk of leading marketing in a digital agency is being able to call on the knowledge and expertise of the internal teams – whether that’s running paid search campaigns or analysing our Google Analytics metrics. Working so closely with the likes of Google and Facebook also allows me to keep up to date on the latest digital trends and opportunities.

Not being able to do everything I’d like to, particularly as we’re a small team, is probably the biggest frustration!”

What do you do to unwind?

“My main passion and favourite way to unwind is travelling – whether that’s hiking with friends in Switzerland or sampling the local wines in South Africa. But when I can’t get out of London, I’m also part of a local choir, which is a fantastic way to switch off and do something completely different for a couple of hours.”

What career advice would you give to other marketers?

“Never stop learning! Take every opportunity you can to keep learning – whether in your day-to-day role, through training such as CIM’s various courses and qualifications, or even through volunteering. Whilst it can be easy to sometimes feel overwhelmed in marketing roles, it’s important to take time to step back and focus on your own personal development too – for instance, Croud organises regular lunch and learn sessions, which are a great chance to learn from my impressive colleagues!”

About Croud: brand statement

Croud is a global digital marketing agency, powered by the best talent, custom-built tech and the world's first crowd-sourced network of digital experts. Croud's unique 'Croud Control' technology platform and network of 1,500+ 'Croudies' mean it automates what slows other agencies down and delivers clients dramatically more impactful and efficient results. Founded in 2011, Croud provides services that include SEO, PPC, content, programmatic, paid social and analytics for some of the world's leading brands, including Regus, Virgin Trains, DKNY and Victoria's Secret.

www.croud.com

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How to overcome intercultural barriers in marketing

Habitat and UNILAD: The secrets behind the success of two British brands

5 ways to get the most out of LinkedIn

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