Meet David Wass
One of these things is not like the other. Tucked in among this group of thirty-something women is David, our Google Ads expert. For a long time, David was the only man on the Starling Social team. Alyson had a knack for finding people who are the best at what they do, which is how David joined this gaggle of gals — and he fit right in!
If there's one thing David knows, it's how to make your ad budget work smarter. He's the kind of guy who looks at a Google Ads account and instantly sees what's working, what's wasting money, and what needs to change.
With 21 years of experience in paid search strategy, campaign optimization, and performance analytics, David has helped businesses of all sizes—from B2B enterprises to direct-to-consumer brands—get real results. He's about strategy, efficiency, and making sure every advertising dollar actually does something.
Work Life
If the thought of Google Ads is confusing to you, you aren't alone. It's one of the most common questions we get! Let's break it down.
Google Ads is a form of PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising, but not all PPC ads are Google Ads. PPC is a broad term that covers any online ad where advertisers pay when someone clicks, whether on Google, Facebook, or other platforms. Google Ads is Google's own PPC platform, allowing businesses to place ads on search results, YouTube, Gmail, and partner websites.
David uses Google Ads to reach people actively searching for specific products or services, grabbing high-intent customers when they're looking for solutions.
The next question people ask is usually, "Why are they so expensive?" and the answer is: because they work.
David says, "It's not who you show your ads to. It's who you don't show your ads to that matters when we're talking search campaigns." The goal isn't just visibility—it's precision. The best PPC campaigns make sure only the right audience sees the ads, increasing the likelihood of conversions.
David uses detailed audience targeting, keyword selection, and budget control to reach the right people at the right time. Ad success depends on things like ad quality, landing page relevance, and proper campaign optimization. When managed well, and with David — it's managed well — Google Ads can deliver a strong return on investment by driving traffic, leads, and sales.
This is a guy who loves figuring things out. He's always learning, refining his strategies, and looking for ways to stay ahead of industry trends.
His favourite projects? The ones that challenge him.
"I love digging into the data, finding opportunities others miss, and watching the numbers improve. When a campaign goes from 'meh' to 'wow,' that's the fun part."
Before diving into PPC, David worked in the travel industry, which gave him a deep appreciation for exploring the world. "The first things online were books and travel," he recalls. His job at the Great Canadian Travel Company in Winnipeg introduced him to digital marketing, and from there, his journey into PPC began.
One of his most memorable trips was to India. "I've been all over India. That was a lot of fun," he says. Travel experiences have broadened his perspective on culture, business, and marketing.
Why He Loves Starling
David enjoys working at Starling because of the people and the variety of industries he gets to learn about. "I like learning new stuff, being exposed to new industries, new companies, new people. That's the best part."
He jokes, "I'd do it for free if I didn't like nice things."
Personal Life
Outside of work, David is an avid golfer. "In the summertime, I golf three, four times a week," he shares. And in the winter? "I work to pay for the three or four times."
His love for the outdoors goes beyond the golf course. "I'm more at home in a canoe than I am in a car," he says. Fishing, in particular, is something he never gets tired of—if there's water, he'll find a way to cast a line. David's grandmother is Cree, which helped nurture his love of hunting and fishing while growing up.
When he's not on the course or working on ad campaigns, David spends time with his three dogs: Gus, Bailey, and Lucie. Gus is an 11-year-old Puggle, Bailey is a nine-year-old Bichon Poodle, and Lucie is a four-year-old Bichon Poodle. One of his past dogs was a foster fail—he and his partner Cheryl took in two senior rescue brothers who couldn't be separated and ended up keeping them.
David has a unique philosophy on life: "I try to be the person my dog thinks I am."
For the past five years, he has followed a low-carb lifestyle and doesn't eat bread, carbs or pasta. But there's one thing he won't cut out: tequila. Cheers to that!
David brings passion and dedication to everything he does. Whether optimizing an ad campaign or planning his next trip, he approaches life with curiosity, strategy, and a great sense of humour. If you're interested in starting a Google Ads campaign and have some questions, you can contact us here.
