20Growth: How Wix Built a $100M Marketing Machine | Why LTV is BS and Why Time Return On Investment is the Most Important Metric | How to 10x Your Growth: What is the Next Great Channel with Omer Shai, CMO @ Wix - The Twenty Minute VC Recap

Podcast: The Twenty Minute VC

Published: 2026-01-31

Duration: 1 hr 1 min

Guests: Omer Shai

Summary

Omer Shai, CMO at Wix, shares insights on building a $100 million marketing machine by focusing on time return on investment (TROI) instead of lifetime value (LTV). He discusses effective marketing strategies, including the strategic use of Super Bowl ads and diversification of traffic sources.

What Happened

Omer Shai, CMO at Wix, has been integral to the company's growth over the past 18 years. He manages a marketing team of over 400 people, responsible for acquiring approximately 3 million new users monthly. Shai views marketing as an investment rather than an expense, prioritizing time return on investment (TROI) over traditional lifetime value (LTV) metrics.

Wix's marketing strategy is a blend of brand and performance marketing. Shai emphasizes the balance between these two, using high-profile advertising platforms like the Super Bowl to achieve both brand recognition and customer acquisition. This year, Wix plans to run two Super Bowl ads, one for Wix and the other for Base 44, a recently acquired company.

Despite the perceived decline of SEO, Wix has increased its investment in this area, focusing on AI-related search methods to maintain relevance. Shai discusses the importance of remaining adaptable and exploring new marketing opportunities, suggesting that early-stage founders should double down on successful channels while also seeking new ones.

Omer Shai dismisses the traditional lifetime value metric, favoring TROI, which he believes provides a clearer picture of marketing effectiveness. He aims for a comfortable return period of around 11 months, allowing for aggressive investment if the company is comfortable with the associated risks.

Wix's investment in marketing includes both short-term and long-term strategies, with a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Shai stresses the importance of measuring and testing marketing activities regularly to optimize performance and ensure efficient use of the budget.

While TikTok and sports endorsements have not been particularly effective for Wix, Shai sees potential in platforms like LinkedIn. He believes that storytelling should focus on the product itself, rather than solely on the company's mission or values.

Omer Shai is a proponent of hiring individuals who are passionate and AI-savvy, valuing these qualities over traditional marketing knowledge. He is optimistic about the role of AI in reducing the time from ideation to execution, and he sees AI-first individuals as key players in his team.

Key Insights

• Wix's marketing team, led by Omer Shai, consists of over 400 people and is responsible for acquiring around 3 million new users every month, focusing on time return on investment (TROI) rather than lifetime value (LTV).
• Wix plans to run two Super Bowl ads this year, one for its own brand and another for Base 44, a company it recently acquired, as part of its strategy to balance brand recognition with customer acquisition.
• Despite the perceived decline in SEO, Wix is increasing its investment in AI-related search methods to stay relevant, highlighting the company's focus on adaptability and new marketing opportunities.
• Wix's marketing strategy involves a mix of short-term and long-term investments with an emphasis on data-driven decision-making, and Omer Shai values hiring AI-savvy individuals who can reduce the time from ideation to execution.