Talk
Scaling Creative Operations at Yelp: From 2-Person Team to 30-Person Machine Running 100+ Annual Campaigns
2 → 30 People | 100+ Campaigns/Year | 25% Brand Visibility Increase
The Challenge
In 2021, Yelp's creative team was a 2-person operation trying to support a public company's marketing needs. Every campaign was built from scratch, timelines were unpredictable, and stakeholders across Product, Marketing, and Partnerships were frustrated by bottlenecks.
The ask: Scale the team and build infrastructure that could support growth without sacrificing quality or speed.
How I Approached It
I treated this like building a product, not just hiring people.
Phase 1: Systems Before Scale
Built the operational foundation:
- Platform-wide content systems (CMS, templates, brand standards)
- Workflow automation and project management frameworks
- Vendor ecosystem for 20-25 freelancers and agencies
- Cross-functional collaboration rituals with Product, UX, Marketing
Phase 2: Strategic Team Growth
Scaled from 2 to 30 with intention:
- Hired for specialized skills (designers, writers, producers, PMs)
- Created training programs and documentation
- Built creative brief and QA systems
- Established brand consistency checks
Phase 3: Performance & Iteration
Made the operation measurably better:
- Tracked campaign metrics (impressions, engagement, conversion, brand lift)
- Ran post-mortems to identify bottlenecks
- Codified what worked, killed what didn't
- Created predictable delivery timelines
The Work
Notable Campaigns:
- Led campaign generating 30M+ impressions (Bon Appétit, Page Six, NY Times coverage)
- Directed "The Servies" - 3M+ impressions, 17K+ public votes
- Creative lead on digital experience awarded Awwwards Site of the Day
Team & Operations
2 → 30 People
Scaled creative operation 15x while maintaining quality
100+ Campaigns/Year
Integrated campaigns across digital, social, video, partnerships
20% Faster Delivery
Reduced campaign time through workflow optimization
Business Impact
25% Brand Visibility Increase
Measured via impressions, reach, brand lift studies
15% Engagement Growth
CTR, time-on-page, social interactions
20% Conversion Lift
Through content systems and UX collaboration
Recognition
Awwwards Site of the Day
- Honorable Mention for design innovation
30M+ Impressions
Flagship campaigns with earned media
$2-5M Budget
Full P&L accountability
Results
Key Takeaways
What Made This Work
Systems > Bodies
Didn't just hire more people—built infrastructure that made each person 10x more effective.
Creative as Partner, Not Service Org
Embedded early in planning cycles. Stakeholders trusted us to deliver.
Measured Everything
Connected creative work to business results. This earned budget and headcount.
[IMAGE: Quote from stakeholder or team member, if available]
Key Takeaway
You can't scale creative by just adding bodies. You scale by building systems, workflows, and measurement that let talented people do their best work consistently.
When I joined, Yelp's creative team was underwater. When I left this role, it was a well-oiled machine that stakeholders trusted—and that's what enabled the business to move faster.
Good To Know
Bouwen jullie ook een e-commerce webshops?
Bouwen jullie alleen in Webflow of ook met andere tools?
Wat gebeurt er na de oplevering van mijn website?
Wat houdt CRO precies in en wat levert het op?
Wat zijn AI agents en hoe kunnen ze ons helpen?
Kan ik ook één onderdeel (bijv. alleen development) afnemen?
Werken jullie ook samen met interne teams of bureaus?