There’s no arguing the power of paid search in the world of digital marketing. Just last year, Google’s search and advertising tools helped 1.3 million businesses generate more than $335 billion nationwide. Add Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and private networks to the mix, and those staggering numbers only rise.
Why do we tell you all this? Because at Vital we are always striving to improve, by sharpening our digital marketing skills and by hiring the very best people. In a 2 birds, 1 stone move, we are excited to announce Shawn McCarthy has joined Vital as our PPC Lead Strategist/Manager.
“Shawn is not only a PPC/Paid Social guru, but he is a good guy and a creative mind,” said Zac Gregg, Vital Founder and CEO. “He has helped us over the years as a consultant, where he always came to the table with strategy and concepts that were successful – we’re excited to bring him on.”
A self-described entrepreneur and digital marketer OBSESSED with new marketing strategies and technologies, Shawn brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Vital Paid Search Department.
After cutting his teeth in the world of paid search as a Paid Search Specialist at CSN Stores (now Wayfair), Shawn earned the opportunity to join an emerging Boston startup that has become one of the premier search marketing and SaaS companies.
At WordStream, Shawn got in on the ground floor as a Sales Engineer, and worked alongside founder Larry Kim, considered one of the foremost experts and thought leaders in Digital Marketing. In fact, Larry was voted the most influential PPC expert in 2017, 2015, 2014 and 2013. So yeah, Shawn learned from the PPC genius.
At WordStream, he helped create and oversee the JumpStart program, a hands-on Google AdWords training platform that empowered WordStream customers with the knowledge and tools they need to get the most out of their paid search initiatives. Shawn was also a secret weapon for the sales department, as he had a PPC background that enabled him to find the right solutions for customers based on their needs, budget, and experience using PPC.
In 2010, Shawn left WordStream to start his own PPC Management company Mix Bowl Media. At Mix Bowl, Shawn managed and implemented paid search programs for small- to medium-sized companies like Stonewall Kitchen. He helped Stonewall grow its paid search channel and improve its social media marketing viability, generating $100k in revenue from a $10k investment in just one month. Another big project win for Mix Bowl was the management of the search program for Olejo, Inc., which saw revenue growth from $4 million to $24 million on Shawn’s watch.
Now at Vital, Shawn brings fresh insight and energy to a five-person team with diverse experience helping B2B, B2C, and eCommerce clients across all industries. In his new role, Shawn will oversee the strategy and management of client paid search efforts across all possible channels – Google AdWords, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, and more. The Vital PPC Department roster is as follows:
- Shawn McCarthy – PPC Lead Strategist/Manager
- Chris Getman – Director of Digital Marketing & Strategist
- Dave Currier – the OG PPC SEM SEO Manager
- Max DesMarais – Strategist
- Eden Popek – Paid Search Specialist
Today, Vital’s paid search department is doing incredible work for a wide range of clients who entrust us with their PPC programs and budgets, which total approximately $5 million in ad spend every year. With our PPC strategy, we are able to test paid campaigns that generate valuable data that helps us further qualify your organic strategy – essentially, we shorten a process that would take months to quickly identify more qualified leads and move them through your sales funnel.
With the addition of Shawn, everyone at Vital is excited for the future of our PPC efforts. His advanced experience in specialized areas of SEM – video PPC, content sequencing with remarketing, enhanced social programs, and dynamic keyword insertion – will help us take our paid search programs to the next level.
