Where Speed Meets Quality
How a Global SEO Agency Secured a Senior SEO Leader for Its U.S. Expansion
When StudioHawk, a fast-growing global SEO agency, needed its first senior leader in Atlanta to drive enterprise delivery and mentor a growing team, the stakes were high.
After hiring for talent a their Australian and UK branches, here’s how a proactive, multi-year partnership allowed SEO for Hire to deliver a culture-aligned senior hire within weeks.
Approach
Candidate bench built months before the role formally opened.
Quality
Sourced from high-performance, multi-location SEO agency environments.
Speed
Five interview-ready candidates delivered before search launch; hire made in two weeks.
StudioHawk is a globally recognized SEO agency, originally founded in Australia by Harry Sanders.
The brand has since expanded to the UK and the United States.
In the US, the agency is led by Sophie Brannon, who grew the US division to over $1 million in ARR within its first 10 months, a story Josh Peacock explored in depth on The Agency Growth Club Podcast.
StudioHawk’s culture is built around “wholesome nerds”: people who are genuinely passionate about SEO, not just treating it as a job.
StudioHawk's Hiring Challenge for U.S. Expansion
As StudioHawk US continued to grow, Sophie needed to make her first senior hire in Atlanta.
The new Senior SEO Specialist would be responsible for taking enterprise clients off Sophie’s plate, mentoring the junior team, and leading the SEO department in Sophie’s absence.
The challenge was significant:
The role required a candidate who was both technically strong and a natural leader, and it was a full-time, in-office position in Atlanta (a market where remote and hybrid roles are the norm).
How SEO for Hire Offered StudioHawk a Strategic Hiring Solution
SEO for Hire’s relationship with StudioHawk predates the US launch.
Having already worked with the Australian and UK branches, the team had a deep understanding of the agency’s culture and standards.
This allowed for a proactive approach: months before the role was formally opened, SEO for Hire began building a pipeline of qualified candidates in the Atlanta area.
By the time Sophie was ready to pull the trigger, five candidates were already prepared and ready for interview.
The team specifically sought out candidates from agencies with a similar culture: multi-location, high-performance environments where SEO was a genuine passion, not just a profession.
An Additional Differentiator
Before any candidate was introduced, they were sent a link to our Agency Growth Club podcast episode, featuring Harry Sanders.
This gave candidates a deep understanding of StudioHawk’s culture, growth plans, and expectations, adding the podcast to our signature candidate attraction approach, what we call our Golden Recruitment Formula.
How did StudioHawk Benefit from Our Working with SEO for Hire?
StudioHawk hired one of the five candidates within a two-week interview process. The placement was seamless, and the new hire has been instrumental in the continued growth of the US office.
Why Our Hiring Solutions Worked Well
This wasn’t a reactive recruitment process, it was a relationship-led strategy.
Because SEO for Hire had partnered with StudioHawk across multiple continents, the team deeply understood the agency’s “wholesome nerd” culture, performance standards, and growth ambitions.
By proactively building a local Atlanta pipeline ahead of the official hiring need, we eliminated lag time and ensured every candidate presented was both technically capable and culturally aligned. The result was a seamless senior leadership hire that unlocked Sophie’s time and accelerated the U.S. office’s growth.
“Wanted to share a big thank you to Daris and the SEO for Hire team.
We’re so excited about the senior joining us in the New Year. Daris was awesome at being so flexible with my ever-changing needs and wants, and still finding the right fit! The process was super efficient and the team always deliver. Looking forward to hiring more awesome people through you in the near future.”
Sophie Brannon
Co-Founder, StudioHawk US
Looking to Scale Your SEO Team?
If you are an agency owner or hiring manager looking to build high-performing SEO and search marketing teams, we help you:
Design outcome-driven roles
Access passive, senior-level talent
Build layered teams (not just single hires)
Move fast without sacrificing quality
Book a call with our team to map out your next strategic hire and see how we can support your growth.
FAQs
How Does SEO For Hire Find the top 1% of SEO talent?
We’ve built the largest global network of SEOs—over 52,000 strong—curated through events, content funnels, and referrals. Our vetting process tests real-world skills, communication, and adaptability.
What Roles can SEO For Hire Help Fill?
We recruit across the SEO spectrum—from Junior SEOs to VP and even CEO, covering technical SEO, content strategy, and SEO product management.
How Fast can You Fill a Role?
95% of our roles are filled within 28 days. We often deliver pre-vetted candidates for urgent roles in under 10 days.
What Makes Your Candidates Stick Around?
We ensure long-term alignment on values, goals, and team fit—leading to a 30% boost in retention. All placements include a one-year satisfaction guarantee.
Do You Work with Startups or Large Enterprises?
Both. From nimble startup teams to global SEO operations, we tailor our approach to suit your scale and culture.