If you’re a founder or early marketing hire trying to figure out where to put your limited budget, you’ve probably run into this question:
Do we go full 360 or just focus on performance?
And yeah, it can feel like everyone has an opinion. One agency tells you to do TikTok ads immediately. Another says you need to sort your brand strategy first. Meanwhile, your investor wants ROI screenshots by next week.
This post is here to help you cut through the noise.
We’ll break down the difference between 360 marketing and performance marketing, explain what each actually looks like in real life (not just in pitch decks), and help you figure out what makes sense for your stage.
Let’s go.
First up: What even is 360 marketing?
360 marketing is the big-picture stuff. It’s your whole ecosystem. Your story, your content, your visuals, your ads, your emails, your website — all working together to build awareness, trust, and a vibe that sticks.
It’s long game energy.
Imagine someone sees your ad, visits your website, follows you on social, hears about you again in a podcast, and then finally signs up because your onboarding emails hit just right. That’s 360 in action.
It’s not just about getting clicks. It’s about creating a world people want to step into.
At early stage, 360 doesn’t mean you need a full-blown agency and weekly content calendars. It can just mean your landing page, socials, and emails all say the same thing, in the same tone, with the same goal.
It’s cohesion, not complexity.
What is performance marketing, then?
Performance marketing is the direct stuff. Think paid ads, conversion tracking, cost-per-lead goals, landing pages, A/B testing, ROAS dashboards.
You spend money, and (hopefully) get measurable results.
It’s the part of marketing that feels like science. Budget in, leads out. When it’s done well, it can be a fast growth lever. But it only works when the foundation is solid.
We’ve seen founders dump cash into ads with no clear message or product-market fit yet. That’s like boosting a post before you even know if anyone cares.
Performance marketing costs money fast. 360 marketing costs time first. Both require brains — just in different ways.
So, which one should you do?
Here’s the honest answer: probably both. But not equally. And not all at once.
If you’re just starting out:
Focus on clarity. What do you sell? Who is it for? Why should anyone care?
Build the basics: a decent landing page, a clear message, a way to capture leads or interest.
Don’t worry about being on every channel. Pick 1-2 that make sense for your audience.
A rough ratio: 70% brand and organic clarity, 30% light paid testing.
Once that’s in place, sprinkle in some low-stakes performance marketing to test what works. This could be a boosted post, a paid search ad, or retargeting visitors who didn’t convert the first time.
If you’re growing:
It’s time to think 360. That means making sure your brand, your product, your content, and your paid efforts are all rowing in the same direction.
It also means investing in stuff you can’t always measure instantly — like storytelling, community, design, or retention workflows.
How do you know you’re ready?
If your CAC is steady, churn is low, and you’ve got real user love — that’s your green light.
At this stage, founders often ask: "How do I know the 360 stuff is working if I can't measure it?" Fair question. Look for leading indicators: more replies to your emails, people mentioning you unprompted, lower bounce rates on your site, or sales calls where people already trust your brand.
Quick scenario to bring it home:
Let’s say you run a startup that offers a budgeting app for freelancers.
If you’re in early traction mode, performance marketing might look like:
running paid search ads for “freelance finance tools”
testing landing page headlines
tracking sign-ups and cost per acquisition
As you grow, 360 marketing might include:
building a content series around freelance money tips
working with creators who share your values
designing a brand voice that actually sounds like your users
setting up onboarding flows that reinforce your positioning
Performance gets the clicks. 360 makes people stay.
So, what’s right for you?
That depends on:
Your stage of growth
Your budget
Your internal resources (aka, who’s actually doing the work)
And how strong your product-market fit is
360 marketing usually takes more coordination and creativity, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. Even a small, scrappy team can do it well if the message is clear.
Performance marketing can feel faster — and sometimes it is. But if you're not getting the results you hoped for, it's usually because your foundation needs work.
At INAT.creative, we help founders figure this out every day. We’re big believers in building a solid base before pouring money into ads — but we also know when it’s time to double down and scale.
If you’re feeling stuck between “push ads” and “build the brand,” this is your sign to zoom out and think a little bigger.
Marketing doesn’t have to be either/or.
Just start where you are. Make it make sense. And build from there.
Still unsure? Ask yourself:
Do I know exactly who I’m talking to?
Is my message working organically before I spend on ads?
Am I building momentum — or just traffic?
Want help getting your foundation right before you spend a dirham on ads? We’ve got you: https://inatcreative.gumroad.com
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash