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We’re kicking off something new at Conifr - Conifr SaaS Interview Series, a series where we sit down with some of the sharpest minds in B2B SaaS to talk about what’s really working in growth marketing today. No fluff, just honest insights, real challenges, and fresh perspectives from the people driving results.
To start things off, we had a great conversation with Alex Nazarevich, VP of Growth at Pixieset. If you’re not familiar, Pixieset is a platform helping photographers grow their businesses with tools for galleries, websites, contracts, and more. Alex shared some fascinating insights on navigating the changing digital landscape, the balance between content quality vs. quantity, and how leveraging unique data and user-generated content can create authentic engagement.
This is just the beginning of our interview series, and we couldn’t think of a better guest to kick things off. If you're in marketing, growth, or just want to understand what’s working today, you’ll want to read this one.
Read on to dive into our full conversation with Alex!
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
Michael: Alex, thanks for joining us! To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about Pixieset and your role there?
Alex: Absolutely! Thanks for having me. I’ve been VP of Growth at Pixieset for about four months now, and I come from a mixed background of B2C e-commerce, digital marketing, and B2B lead generation. Pixieset is all about empowering photographers to grow their businesses, offering everything from client galleries to websites and contracts. We provide tools that let photographers focus on what they love—capturing beautiful moments—without getting bogged down in admin work.
As VP of Growth, my job is to identify scalable growth opportunities across both product and marketing. Growth roles vary across companies, but for me, it’s a blend of product positioning, market presence, and figuring out which channels can be scaled efficiently.
Michael: What are some of the channels where you’re seeing the most growth at Pixieset right now?
Alex: It’s been a tough couple of years for paid marketing channels, and many digital marketers are feeling that. Costs are rising, and returns are harder to come by. So, instead of doubling down on paid channels, we’ve taken the opportunity to go back to basics—focusing on high-quality, valuable content that truly helps our audience.
With the rise of AI-generated content, there's an overwhelming amount of low-quality material flooding the internet. Consumers are becoming more discerning, and they’re seeking real, valuable, insightful content. This is why brands need to understand customer pain points deeply and create content that speaks directly to their needs.
One of our biggest growth drivers right now is our referral program. We have thousands of satisfied customers, and it’s powerful to see them recommending Pixieset organically. Encouraging referrals—especially through in-product nudges or incentives—has been an incredibly effective way to drive growth.
Michael: Many marketers struggle with the balance between quantity and quality. AI makes it easy to churn out content, but not all of it is meaningful. How do you approach this balance?
Alex: I think the whole quantity vs. quality debate is being looked at the wrong way. It’s easy to think, “We have AI, so let’s just do more of what we’re already doing.” But that’s not the right approach.
Instead, our focus has been on creating unique, well-researched, and proprietary content—things that only Pixieset can provide. AI can support content distribution, like repurposing a key piece into multiple formats, but the core content needs to be human-driven. For example, when I was at Unbounce, we created the Conversion Benchmark Report, which analyzed millions of data points to give marketers insights they couldn’t get anywhere else. That kind of unique, proprietary content makes all the difference.
At Pixieset, we take inspiration from our user base. Our customers are incredibly creative, and they’re producing stunning visual content every day. Tapping into user-generated content (UGC) and community-driven storytelling allows us to maintain authenticity while keeping our content engaging.
Michael: As VP of Growth, how do you connect brand positioning and visual storytelling to measurable business outcomes?
Alex: Every growth leader needs to understand the business model inside and out. You need to track prospects from the moment they become aware of your brand, through website engagement, and into product adoption. At Pixieset, we operate on a freemium model, so understanding which actions indicate long-term success is crucial.
It’s about identifying the “magic moments”—the key actions that signal a user is likely to stick around and eventually convert. Growth isn’t just about getting more signups; it’s about understanding the behaviors that lead to long-term retention and revenue growth.
Michael: Looking ahead, what’s the biggest trend you’re watching in marketing for 2025?
Alex: I think the biggest unknown right now is organic search. It’s shifting in unpredictable ways. AI tools like ChatGPT are changing how people find information, and Google’s AI-generated search summaries are often unreliable.
What does this mean for content marketing? It’s not about churning out more content—it’s about having content that’s authoritative, well-researched, and continuously updated. Brands that focus on domain authority, backlinks, and evergreen content will be in a much stronger position. Instead of publishing 50 mediocre blog posts, focus on five incredible ones that are constantly refined and improved.
Michael: This has been incredibly insightful, Alex. Any final words of advice for growth marketers?
Alex: Keep it simple. Listen to your customers, understand their pain points, and create marketing that actually helps them. Refine your messaging, focus on what truly differentiates your brand, and double down on what’s already working. The digital landscape will keep shifting, but if you stay focused on delivering real value, you’ll always be ahead.
As digital marketing continues to evolve, brands that prioritize authenticity, value, and strategic growth will stay ahead of the curve. Thanks to Alex for sharing his insights! If you enjoyed this conversation, stay tuned for more expert interviews in our Conifr SaaS Interview Series.
Michael is a Partner at Conifr and oversees operations. Michael has been in web development, digital marketing, and analytics for nearly two decades, with experience running agencies and leading in-house marketing teams. He has led integrated digital marketing teams for both paid search and SEO across household name brands, such as Norwegian Cruise Line and 1-800-Pack-Rat. Michael specializes in strategy, business development, and analytics. Before Conifr, Michael was the Chief Marketing Officer at a sustainability focused online gaming startup.
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