In an industry where digital transformation is constant, few people understand the nuances of growth and innovation like Mike Walton, Marketing Executive and Head of Growth at Rumble. With over 15 years of experience across dynamic sectors such as online gambling, healthcare, and web3, Mike has played a key role in helping businesses adapt and thrive in the ever-changing online landscape. Since joining Rumble, his focus has been on driving significant growth and enhancing user engagement, making him a central figure in the company’s evolution.
In this interview, Mike shares his journey to becoming a growth expert, the unique challenges of leading growth at a publicly traded company, and how Rumble is carving its place in the competitive digital media market. He also discusses the innovative strategies behind the Rumble Advertising Center and Rumble Cloud, and how these tools are designed to meet the demands of advertisers and businesses alike. Get a glimpse into Mike’s vision for Rumble’s future and his plans to keep the platform at the cutting edge of the digital revolution.
Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current Marketing Executive and Growth Expert role at Rumble?
I have over 15 years of experience driving business growth online. After earning my Business Administration degree from Concordia University, I had the opportunity to help multiple businesses evolve by bringing them into the 21st century with innovative marketing and advertising strategies. I’ve always been drawn to the most challenging and dynamic landscapes on the internet, including adult, online gambling, healthcare, and web3. In 2023, I joined Rumble as the Head of Growth, where I’ve played a pivotal role in the company’s evolution. I’m particularly attracted to fun and competitive fields where I can accelerate my learnings and implement winning strategies.
What are the key advantages and challenges you face in your role at Rumble?
One of the challenges I face as Head of Growth at Rumble is similar to what any company goes through in the first few years of being publicly traded: how do we grow? With over 15 years of experience, I’ve grown accustomed to defining growth strategies, but this is my first time working for a public company, which brings its own set of challenges. There’s more stickiness around legal messaging, financial audits, and external pressures, which actually make it fun to be part of. Being Head of Growth isn’t just about marketing or advertising—I’ve become deeply involved in Rumble’s sales team and, as an executive, I’m constantly bringing fresh ideas to the table.
Rumble has grown significantly since its launch in 2013. Since taking on the role of Growth Expert at Rumble, what specific strategies have you implemented to drive further growth and enhance user engagement on the platform?
Since joining Rumble, my focus has been on working closely with a talented team, all collectively driving toward our mission of making the internet a free and open space. It’s important to highlight that none of the growth we’ve achieved has been a solo effort; it’s a team effort to deliver an optimal experience for both users and advertisers.
That said, I’ve had direct involvement in several key areas to accelerate growth. I helped create a partner program to expand our reach, secured event speaking opportunities to build brand awareness, and updated the advertiser flow to simplify sign-up and drive conversions. Additionally, I’ve implemented tracking for lifetime value to improve our paid acquisition strategy, ensuring we’re acquiring profitable users. I also played a role in launching promotions for the Rumble Ad Center, and I’ve been involved with our tech team to enhance our ad platform, which is a key part of our business model. These initiatives, along with many others, have helped drive significant growth and boost user engagement across the platform.
How does the Rumble Advertising Center (RAC) differentiate itself from other advertising platforms in the market?
The Rumble Advertising Center (RAC) sets itself apart by being a constantly evolving and adaptable ad solution in today’s competitive market. One of the key differentiators is the personalized support we provide to our advertisers. Each advertiser is paired with a dedicated rep, ensuring close communication to optimize performance and gather valuable feedback on any challenges or needs they have. This creates a stronger, more collaborative relationship that’s hard to find on larger platforms.
Another aspect that makes RAC unique is our flexibility. We manually review all ads, which allows us to be more open to certain messaging and promotional offers. Unlike other platforms that rely heavily on automated systems that can shadow-ban, suspend, or penalize without proper review, we take a hands-on approach, ensuring fair and accurate ad assessments.
We also offer a more focused way for advertisers to connect with a closed, engaged audience. By limiting access to our user base, we’ve made RAC the go-to avenue for reaching them. Lastly, our pricing is particularly attractive because, unlike saturated platforms like YouTube or Facebook, there’s less competition, allowing advertisers to get better value for their spending.
Can you explain the main features and benefits of the Rumble Cloud for businesses?
Rumble Cloud is essentially the backbone of rumble.com, a platform that handles millions of users every month. What’s particularly impressive about Rumble Cloud is its reliability—it consistently stays online, even in the face of constant DDoS attacks, which is a testament to its strength and resilience, especially given our uncensored approach to content. It’s important to mention, though, that while we support free expression, we never allow hate, nudity, or violence on the platform.
Another key benefit of Rumble Cloud is how it aligns with our core values, like transparency. This is especially important for businesses when it comes to understanding limitations, pricing, and performance. Businesses can trust that we offer clear, upfront information, which simplifies the decision-making process and ensures there are no surprises along the way.
What role does innovation play in maintaining Rumble’s competitive edge in the digital media landscape?
Innovation is crucial in maintaining Rumble’s competitive edge, especially in the highly competitive world of online advertising. To stand out and stay relevant, we have to be constantly evolving. As a small, nimble team, we’re never short on ideas, and our agility allows us to quickly test and implement new strategies. This ability to move fast and adapt gives us a big advantage in a space where standing still means falling behind.
Technology changes rapidly, so it’s essential that we’re always looking ahead to identify new tools and platforms that can improve advertiser performance and enhance user satisfaction. By staying on top of these changes, we ensure that Rumble continues to deliver value for both advertisers and users, keeping us competitive in the digital media landscape.
Looking ahead, what are your primary goals for Rumble’s growth and development in the next few years?
Looking ahead, my primary goal is to continue building a strong structure across Rumble’s various business units, with clear objectives that align with our long-term vision. In the next few years, I want to ensure that we have solid foundations in place in all areas, so we can scale efficiently, whether that’s through organic growth or strategic acquisitions.
I also see a big opportunity in integrating AI into our content, particularly around translations. Right now, most of our content is in English, but imagine a future where people around the world can access and enjoy authentic content in their own languages. By leveraging AI, we could really expand our global reach and make Rumble’s content accessible to everyone, no matter where they’re from.
Explore Rumble’s Success Story
Curious about how Rumble’s rise to success unfolded and the pivotal role Cosmic Development played in its growth? Our in-depth case study, available on our website, reveals how we helped achieve 35% cost savings with an innovative approach, fueling rapid growth in just a few years.
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