Networking tips, career advice, hiring insights, and why the Herd Digital team would love to meet you in Manchester.

Performance MCR has quickly established itself as one of the UK’s leading practitioner-led paid media conferences.

Unlike broader digital marketing events, Performance MCR is built specifically for performance marketers who manage campaigns day in, day out. The agenda focuses entirely on paid media, including PPC, Shopping, Paid Social, Programmatic, YouTube, measurement, and emerging performance channels.

It’s designed for people operating in real businesses, managing real budgets, and facing the commercial challenges that come with delivering results.

Whether you’re an in-house PPC Manager, Paid Media Specialist, Head of Growth, agency-side performance marketer, consultant, or freelancer, Performance MCR offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts and connect with people who understand the realities of modern performance marketing.

The Herd Digital team will be attending this year’s event, and while we won’t be on stage, we’ll be there throughout the day speaking with candidates, hiring managers, agency leaders, and performance marketers from across the industry.

If you’re attending, here are a few ways to get the most value from the event.

Why Performance MCR Is Different

There are plenty of digital marketing conferences throughout the year, but Performance MCR stands out because of its focus.

Rather than covering every marketing discipline under the sun, the event is dedicated entirely to performance marketing.

The audience consists of practitioners who are responsible for delivering results and making commercial decisions.

The conversations are less about theory and more about topics such as:

• Making paid media more profitable
• Improving attribution and measurement
• Managing stakeholder expectations
• Scaling campaigns effectively
• Adapting to platform changes and automation
• Navigating AI’s impact on performance marketing

For marketers working in PPC, Paid Social, Programmatic, and broader Paid Media, it’s exactly the kind of environment where valuable ideas and connections are made.

Go In With a Plan

It’s tempting to simply turn up and move from session to session, but a little preparation can go a long way.

Before the event:

• Review the agenda
• Identify sessions most relevant to your role
• Check out the speaker line-up
• Look at who else is attending

Attend Sessions Outside Your Comfort Zone

Most PPC professionals naturally gravitate towards search-focused sessions.

Paid Social specialists often focus on social content.

Programmatic marketers tend to stick to display and video discussions.

But some of the most valuable insights often come from stepping outside your own specialism.

Performance marketing is becoming increasingly connected.

Understanding areas such as:

• Measurement and attribution
• Creative strategy
• Conversion rate optimisation
• Customer journeys
• AI and automation
• Cross-channel performance

can make you a more effective marketer regardless of your role.

The strongest performance marketers understand how every channel contributes to business outcomes.

Don’t Just Listen. Ask Questions.

One of the biggest advantages of events like Performance MCR is direct access to industry experts.

If a speaker shares an idea that resonates with you, introduce yourself afterwards.

Ask a follow-up question.

Share your own experience.

Start a conversation.

Not only will you gain additional insight, but you’ll also begin building relationships that can benefit your career long after the event has ended.

Network With Purpose

Networking can feel intimidating, especially if you’re attending alone.

The good news is that everyone is there for similar reasons.

Rather than trying to “sell yourself”, focus on being genuinely interested in others.

Ask questions like:

• What are you working on at the moment?
• What’s been your biggest challenge this year?
• Which session are you most looking forward to?
• What trends are you seeing in paid media right now?

The best conversations often start with simple questions.

Why We Love Events Like Performance MCR

One of the reasons we’re excited to attend Performance MCR is because it brings together exactly the people we speak to every day.

From PPC Managers and Paid Social Specialists to Heads of Performance and Growth Leaders, the event attracts marketers who are focused on solving commercial challenges rather than chasing vanity metrics.

The conversations at Performance MCR tend to centre around:

• Making paid media more profitable
• Navigating stakeholder-heavy environments
• Scaling campaigns efficiently
• Understanding attribution and measurement
• Adapting to AI and automation
• Building high-performing teams

As recruiters who specialise in digital marketing, these are the same conversations we’re having with candidates and employers throughout the year.

It’s one of the reasons events like this are so valuable. They provide an opportunity to hear what’s happening across the industry directly from the people living it every day.

If You’re Hiring, Use the Opportunity

Performance MCR isn’t just valuable for marketers.

It’s also an excellent opportunity for employers and agency leaders.

The hiring market across PPC, Paid Social, Paid Media, Programmatic, SEO, and Performance Marketing continues to evolve rapidly.

Many employers are currently asking:

• What skills are candidates looking for?
• What salary expectations are realistic?
• Which roles are hardest to fill?
• How can we retain top talent?
• What impact is AI having on hiring requirements?

Speaking to recruiters, candidates, and industry peers at events like Performance MCR can provide valuable insight that you simply won’t find on a job board.

If you’re currently hiring, we support businesses across areas including Paid Media Recruitment, PPC Recruitment, Paid Social Recruitment, Programmatic Recruitment, SEO Recruitment, and Digital PR Recruitment.

If You’re Not Job Hunting, You Should Still Speak to Recruiters

One of the biggest misconceptions about recruiters is that you only speak to them when you’re actively looking for a new role.

In reality, some of the most valuable career conversations happen long before someone decides to move.

A specialist recruiter can help you:

• Understand current salary benchmarks
• Learn which skills are most in demand
• Explore future career options
• Gain insight into hiring trends
• Understand where the market is heading

Even if you’re happy where you are, it’s useful to understand your value in today’s market.

The best career decisions are usually informed ones.

The Industry Is Moving Fast. Make Sure You’re Keeping Up.

The paid media landscape is changing quickly.

AI, automation, platform updates, privacy changes, and evolving consumer behaviour are all reshaping how marketers operate.

At the same time, employers are changing what they look for in candidates.

Commercial awareness, data literacy, stakeholder management, and strategic thinking are becoming just as important as platform knowledge.

Whether you’re:

• Growing a paid media team
• Looking to hire PPC talent
• Considering your next career move
• Benchmarking salaries
• Trying to understand where the industry is heading

having conversations with people across the market can be incredibly valuable.

That’s where we can help.

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Let’s Talk Paid Media

If you’re attending Performance MCR, we’d love to meet you.

Whether you’re a PPC Specialist, Paid Social Manager, Head of Performance, agency leader, freelancer, or employer looking to grow your team, come and find the Herd Digital team.

We’re always happy to discuss:

• Current hiring trends
• Salary expectations
• Agency versus in-house opportunities
• Building performance marketing teams
• Career progression in paid media
• What we’re seeing across the market

No hard sell. Just useful conversations with people who live and breathe digital marketing recruitment.

And if you’re currently hiring, you can always submit a vacancy through our website and one of the team will be happy to help.

We look forward to seeing you in Manchester.

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FAQs

What is Performance MCR?
Performance MCR is a practitioner-led paid media conference in Manchester focused on PPC, Paid Social, Programmatic, Shopping, YouTube, measurement, and performance marketing.

Who should attend Performance MCR?
The event is designed for in-house marketers, agency professionals, freelancers, PPC specialists, Paid Media Managers, Heads of Growth, and performance marketing leaders.

Is Performance MCR suitable for beginners?
While many sessions are aimed at experienced practitioners, marketers at all levels can benefit from the insights, networking opportunities, and exposure to industry best practices.

Why should I network at Performance MCR?
Networking can help you build relationships, learn from peers, discover career opportunities, gain hiring insights, and stay up to date with industry trends.

Can recruiters help if I’m not actively looking for a job?
Absolutely. Recruiters can provide salary benchmarking, market insights, career advice, and information about future opportunities, even if you’re not planning to move roles anytime soon.