Fractional Director of Paid Search
How this Staffing Agency made Google Ads their top placement source with a Fractional Director of Paid Search
SERVICE PROVIDED:
Healthcare and Education Staffing
INDUSTRY:
Redacted. Industry specifics and information can be provided on call.
NAME:
When I first connected with this national staffing company, their marketing team had a clear goal for recruitment. But they faced a big gap in the digital advertising execution.
After a recent acquisition a few months prior, a consulting firm had identified that they were significantly underinvesting in paid search compared to competitors. As one of their senior marketing leaders put it:
“We were just turning on keywords we thought people were searching. But we weren’t confident in our strategy or setup. We knew we needed help.”
THE CHALLENGE
- Limited in-house PPC expertise
- No strategic campaign management in place
- Lack of end-to-end performance tracking
- Urgent need to scale across multiple brands
- A desire to evolve from tactical marketing to strategic leadership
Another marketing executive noted:
“We didn’t have the internal resources to scale.
We needed someone to take it to the next level.”
OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER
In early 2025, I joined the team through a leadership referral.
While initially hired to focus solely on managing their Google Ads, my role quickly expanded into a broader strategic partnership.
THE BEGINNING
My Approach
In just the first three months working together, we’ve achieved remarkable results:
Why It Worked
RESULTS
Internal marketing team empowered
With this staffing agency client, I focused on five key areas:
while maintaining profitability because of a strategic and gradual approach in scale.
Significant increase in Google Ads investment
beyond Google Ads, including multi-channel paid media planning
Scalable campaign framework
through training and collaboration
I overhauled the entire campaign structure, optimizing for efficiency and scalability.
I also implemented robust tracking, connecting ad performance to their CRM — providing visibility from click to placement, allowing for true end-to-end performance measurement, which had been missing.
2. Data-Driven Scaling Strategy
Rather than ramping up ad spend all at once, I used a phased approach, month-by-month.
This calculated growth allowed for ongoing optimization while maintaining high-quality lead flow. We reviewed performance on the daily to ensure leads were aligned with business goals.
3. Training the Internal Team
Beyond execution, I trained their marketing team to better understand campaign setup, performance metrics, and optimization strategies.
As one team leader shared:
“He didn’t just manage the campaigns — he showed us how to do it ourselves and helped grow our confidence.”
4. Quality Focus
We maintained a relentless focus on lead quality, not just volume.
I proactively partnered with their teams to audit incoming leads and continuously adjust targeting to align with the right candidates and clients.
"He follows up to make sure that the ads are working. He's not just putting them there and forgetting about them."
5. Becoming a Strategic Partner
As our performance improved, my role evolved from execution to strategic partnership.
I began participating in agency reviews, collaborating on broader digital strategy, and supporting the onboarding of their new internal performance marketing lead.
I believe results should come quickly — especially when a channel is new — and that starts with a deep technical understanding of paid search, a willingness to truly learn each client’s service, and an ownership mentality that treats their business like my own.
“He treats it like it’s his company and his money,” another marketing leader remarked. That level of care and accountability drives my approach. I don’t just check boxes — I look for strategic ways to grow your business.
Being available when clients need me is a priority. Especially in the ever-changing world of PPC. One marketing contact noted:
“He’s incredibly easy to reach. Whether it’s Slack or a quick call, he’s always willing to jump in and help.”
And while results matter, so does the partnership. I’m consistently bringing strategic insights — evaluating agency performance, identifying growth opportunities, and offering recommendations that extend well beyond the initial scope.
End-to-end lead tracking
rising from much lower in their lead source rankings
TOP SOURCE IN PLACEMENTS
implemented for true ROI visibility and optimizing campaign performance.
PPC became a
When paid search was first introduced into their marketing efforts, the learning curve was steep. I wanted to ensure they saw results and they saw it quickly (like with all of my clients).
Platforms like Google Ads can be complex, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed without the right support.
As one marketing leader shared:
“Google can be really complicated, and you need someone who doesn’t make you feel dumb for not knowing everything.
He always approaches things with humility and kindness—no matter how basic my questions are. I really value that.”
That accessibility and respect are foundational to how I work.
Continuing Partnership
This case study was built of a conversation with this specific client, going through our work together.
Anything in quotes is a word-for-word statement said by the client on a recorded call or edited by them.
“Stephen was a surprising find for us. The results and impact he delivered in such a short amount of time far exceeded our expectations.
We genuinely enjoy working with him—he’s personable, likable, and feels like an extension of our team.”
Even after hiring a full-time Director of Performance Marketing to support their expanding digital strategy, the company chose to continue our partnership.
“Our leadership team said, ‘We know we’re bringing in others, but we need to keep him on — he’s done such great work with our accounts. We can’t afford to lose momentum.’”
Since then, I’ve worked closely with their new director, helping onboard him and maintain continuity in paid search performance. My role has since expanded to include strategic input across other paid media channels, helping to unify and strengthen their broader digital marketing efforts.
Ready to sustainably scale up your paid search efforts like this staffing company did?
If you're looking for a Fractional Director of PPC who will be as invested in your organization’s success as you are, let's talk.
On this call, we’ll discuss if my services are a good fit and explore how we can achieve similar results for your business.
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