Dan Kaplan’s latest article on engines of growth has stirred up the conversation around growth hacking once again. The same questions keep popping up: Is growth hacking just a fancy term for online marketing? Is it really anything new? And my personal favorite: isn’t “growth hacking” just another buzzword?
Well, guess what? Yes, it is!
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Think about it—terms like SEO and content marketing were once considered just buzzwords too. People used to ask, “Why call it SEO when it’s just optimizing for search engines?” or “Content marketing? Haven’t we always created content?” Yet, here we are, still using these terms because they encapsulate important concepts in simple, clear ways.
Growth hacking might feel like just another trendy term, but it’s sticking around for a reason. Yes, it involves online marketing, programming, analytics, and more, but using a single term like “growth hacking” simplifies things. Why not use a convenient name that rolls all those activities into one? It’s just a way of streamlining communication, and we’re all about making things easier, right?
What’s in a Name?
Some critics argue that “growth hacking” is a misleading term. After all, what does hacking really have to do with it? And they have a point—using “hacking” might feel a little off when it comes to a growth strategy. But think about it like “life hacks”—it’s all about clever problem-solving, boosting productivity, and finding creative solutions. That’s exactly what growth hacking is about: finding innovative ways to grow.
Sean Ellis, who coined the term, said, “Life hacker was a big part of the inspiration for the name. Essentially, a scrappy problem solver with a singular focus on growth.” That’s what growth hacking is—being resourceful, figuring out what works, and pushing for growth in ways that may not be immediately obvious.
The Overuse Problem
Okay, I’ll admit it—one of the most annoying things about growth hacking is how overused the term has become. Suddenly, every marketing tactic gets labeled as growth hacking, and every marketer wants to call themselves a “growth hacker,” even if they’re not focused on analytics or user funnels.
It’s frustrating, but there’s no real way to control who gets to use the term. And honestly, popularity isn’t always a bad thing. When a concept gains traction, there’s bound to be a bandwagon effect. That just means people see value in it.
So, What Exactly Is Growth Hacking?
In the simplest terms: A growth hacker is someone whose primary focus is growth. That’s it.
Growth hacking stands out because it combines elements of marketing, product management, and data-driven strategies—all with one goal in mind: growth. It doesn’t matter if you’re using traditional marketing techniques, tweaking the product itself, or trying something completely new. If growth is the main objective, you’re in growth hacking territory.
The term itself? Sure, it’s a buzzword. But does that make it bad? Not at all. Growth hacking represents good practices: listening to your customers, making data-driven decisions, and focusing on results. Is there really anything wrong with that?
