Team Accord: Simon Steer, Head of Paid Digital
Simon has played an integral role in Accord being recognised as a Meta Business Partner, a Microsoft Advertising Select Partner and a Google Premier Partner Agency - putting us in the top 1% of independent agencies in the UK.
What inspired you to join Accord?
My previous career was in consumer insight, working mostly client-side for companies including Mars, Dyson and Whitbread. Digital was a growing part of this sector and moving to digital marketing seemed like an obvious next step. I moved back to North Devon, where I grew up, and Accord was the stand-out agency in the area, with an enviable client list. I’ve been here 11 years and never looked back!
What is your role, and what do you enjoy most about it?
My job title is Head of Paid Digital. It’s an incredibly varied role, and I am responsible for delivering PPC and paid social activity for our digital clients. The most enjoyable aspect is the fact that nothing stands still for long. I firmly believe that to be successful in the role, you need to be always looking forward, ensuring the way we deliver marketing for our clients is as good as it can be by utilising the best and most relevant new developments that the media has to offer. Our strong relationship with our media partners ensures we are kept abreast with the latest developments and have expert support on hand to ensure we’re adeptly implementing the latest products.
What project are you most proud of?
Not a specific project, but I particularly enjoy onboarding a new client and seeing performance improve as we apply our knowledge and expertise. A combination of our leading-edge data strategies and media best practice is an extremely strong combination.
And what do you find the most challenging?
What I find most challenging is also what I enjoy most, and that’s the ever-changing nature of digital marketing. Keeping on top of the latest developments and identifying the new products that are right for our clients so we can test them and learn which work is a large part of what we do in the team. There’s a really strong culture of sharing within paid digital, so new developments are quickly posted to our “show and tell” Teams channel along with test results and other learnings.
What do you get up to in your spare time outside of work?
Most of my spare time is taken up with the sport of Gig Rowing. I row competitively for a local club, Torridge Pilot Gig Club. The boats we row in are Cornish pilot gigs, which are six-oar rowing boats around 10 metres in length. In May, I will compete in the World Championships on The Isles of Scilly with over 100 other boats and clubs from the UK and the rest of the world. Other than that, I love eating out and watching my son Milo, who’s 14, play sports at school.
What advice would you give to someone starting in the industry?
Be curious. The industry has changed and continues to change at a rapid pace. The only way to be successful is to embrace these changes and treat them as an opportunity rather than an inconvenience. Read industry blogs and articles, follow clever people on LinkedIn (there’s a burgeoning PPC community willing to share their knowledge), and ask questions.
If you could swap your role with anyone else in the company, who would it be?
Charlie Hancock. He’s the newest team member, so he has an exciting journey ahead of him. He’s also much younger than me, so losing a few years would be good.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Super rowing strength. So Torridge Pilot Gig Club can become World Pilot Gig champions this year.
What’s the most interesting book, podcast, or movie you’ve read/watched recently?
I’m currently reading Nick Drake: The Life, a biography of the singer-songwriter who died at the tragically young age of 26. I’ve been a huge fan of Nick since watching a documentary on him 20 years ago. Although he only released three relatively unsuccessful albums, his influence on others is remarkable. Artists such as Kate Bush, Paul Weller, and The Cure, amongst others, cite him as having shaped their work.
What’s something on your bucket list that you haven’t had the chance to do yet?
I’ve travelled extensively but have yet to visit Japan. I am fascinated by the mix of traditional and futuristic cultures there.
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Simon Steer
Simon is Accord’s Head of Paid Digital team. Always at the forefront of how the paid digital landscape is changing, Simon helps clients adapt to ensure the greatest return on their marketing investment.
