Marketing Master: Andrew Hughes on SEM - Winning with Google Ads and SaaS Growth

What happens when a former journalist discovers the power of Google Ads? For Andrew Hughes, it sparked a 15-year career in digital marketing that took him from small-scale campaigns to leading global SEM at Xero. Along the way, he even won one of Google’s most prestigious global awards.In this episode of Marketing Masters, Zania unpacks the thinking, strategy, and financial modelling behind Andrew’s high-performance marketing approach. From budget planning to full-funnel frameworks, and from AI automation to boardroom credibility, this episode is a practical guide to mastering SEM at scale.What you'll learn:How a $10-a-day campaign kickstarted Andrew’s curiosity in paid mediaWhy smart marketers “earn the right to spend” by starting with unit economicsHow Xero structures SEM inside a global SaaS businessFull-funnel marketing strategies that link brand, performance, and acquisitionHow automation, AI, and Performance Max are reshaping paid searchHow to build trust with finance and executive teams using clear outcomes and a sharp strategyIf you’re working in paid search, performance marketing, or responsible for digital growth, this conversation is essential listening.#MarketingMasters #DigitalMarketing #SEM #PerformanceMarketing #AndrewHughes #XeroMarketing #GoogleAds #FullFunnelMarketing #Marketing #MarketingLeadership