Let’s face it, having a full-time marketing executive isn’t always practical. That’s especially true for growing businesses in places like Buffalo, NY—where budgets are lean, teams wear multiple hats, and clarity is more valuable than complexity.
That’s where I come in.
I’m Ashley Friedman, a fractional CMO based out of Buffalo, NY who helps purpose-driven businesses nationwide build durable, search-first marketing systems. Whether you’re revamping your digital presence or tired of disconnected tactics, I bring full-time integrity to part-time leadership.
What Is A Fractional CMO?
A fractional CMO is a part-time or contract-based Chief Marketing Officer who provides strategic leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive. If you’ve searched for “what does a fractional CMO do” or “fractional CMO meaning,” you’re likely exploring how to scale your marketing without hiring an in-house CMO. This model is becoming increasingly popular, with over 6,000 monthly searches on “fractional CMO” alone.
Why the Role Is Gaining Popularity
Startups and scaling companies often reach a critical point: the founder or head of product has been making marketing decisions, but growth stalls or becomes chaotic. They don’t need a full-time CMO—yet. That’s where a fractional CMO steps in. The role is not just about overseeing execution; it’s about unifying your brand, your funnel, your data, and your growth strategy with calm, repeatable systems.
What Does A Fractional CMO Do?
Fractional CMOs bring senior-level strategy and accountability across key marketing areas. They develop positioning, guide content and SEO strategy, manage digital channels, and oversee teams or agencies. It’s high-impact leadership without the full-time expense.
Here’s a snapshot of what I do as a fractional CMO:
- Define brand positioning, messaging pillars, and value propositions.
- Lead full-funnel marketing plans from awareness to conversion to retention.
- Audit, scope, and implement technical SEO, Local SEO, and AEO strategies.
- Oversee content creation that drives search visibility and nurtures leads.
- Launch and optimize email sequences for lifecycle and sales engagement.
- Manage reporting, analytics, and campaign measurement for continuous improvement.
Who Hires Fractional CMOs?
Companies of all sizes, but especially those in transition:
- Startups moving beyond founder-led marketing.
- Mid-size teams that need executive strategy but can’t justify a CMO salary.
- Organizations seeking to overhaul their digital presence.
- Teams preparing for fundraising or acquisition and needing a marketing tune-up.
What Does Fractional CMO Mean?
It means flexibility, focus, and functional leadership. You get the insights of a seasoned CMO—on strategy, storytelling, systems, and signals—without the red tape or overhead. This model works especially well for teams who need traction and clarity, not just more tactics.
How to Become a Fractional CMO
If you’re curious about how to become a fractional CMO, here’s the truth: it takes more than a resume. You need proof of execution, clarity in your process, and the ability to speak both strategy and implementation fluently.
Here’s how many of us got here:
- Years in marketing leadership roles across in-house and agency settings.
- Deep specialization in channels like SEO, content, demand gen, or ops.
- Ability to scope, lead, and measure multi-channel programs.
- Systems thinking: building operating models, not just one-off plans.
- Empathy and communication: guiding teams, not just giving directives.
How I Work: Foundation-First, Always
Most marketing problems aren’t really campaign problems—they’re foundation problems. Before you can scale what works, you need to fix what’s broken. That’s why I don’t chase trends or patch over chaos. I start by making sure you
1. Marketing Foundations Come First
As a fractional marketing consultant, I focus first on infrastructure. Without clean data, tight messaging, and technical stability, campaigns are just noise. Most of my clients come to me with some version of this sentence: “We’ve tried so many things, but we’re not sure what’s actually working.” That’s a foundational problem—not a campaign problem.
- Audits: technical SEO, content structure, analytics, and visibility.
- Scope of Services: SEO, Local SEO, AEO, Content Marketing, Email Marketing.
- Deliverables: 90-day plan, priority plays, KPI scoreboard.
2. Weekly Execution and Cadence
We move together, every week. I lead briefs, write drafts, provide feedback, publish content, optimize systems, and report with clarity. You’ll never wonder where we are in the process.
- SEO: high-intent pages, internal linking, site fixes.
- GEO: GBP updates, citations, location pages.
- AEO: structured data, canonical FAQs, source-of-truth docs.
- Content: outlines, edits, publishing.
- Email: onboarding, win-back, editorial sends.
3. Metrics That Matter
We focus on KPIs that tie to real growth—qualified traffic, engaged sessions, conversions, and pipeline. Not just impressions or vanity metrics.
- Monthly Reporting: performance rollups, learnings, next steps.
- Process: test backlog, roadmap, and simple SOPs.
Fractional CMO Services Explained
Being a fractional CMO isn’t just about offering strategy—it’s about rolling up my sleeves and leading real execution. Here’s how I help businesses build sustainable growth systems across core marketing functions.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is the foundation of discoverability. I ensure your website is built to attract, educate, and convert. That means aligning your technical health, keyword strategy, and content architecture so people—and search engines—can understand what you offer at a glance.
What this includes:
- Full technical audits and crawl/index fixes
- Schema markup for enhanced search features
- Content strategy mapped to intent and search behavior
- Internal linking systems to support SEO equity
Why it matters:
It reduces dependence on paid media, boosts credibility, and brings in qualified visitors actively looking for what you do.
Content Marketing
Content isn’t a volume game—it’s a clarity game. I help you create and maintain content that actually supports your sales, answers real questions, and builds authority over time.
What this includes:
- Content planning aligned with buyer stages
- Drafting or editing authority pages, FAQs, guides, and case studies
- Ensuring all content is internally linked, structured, and on-brand
- Briefing writers or editors with clear SEO guidance
Why it matters:
Good content shortens the sales cycle, nurtures trust, and improves rankings without gimmicks.
Email Marketing
Email is where relationships deepen—if you use it well. I set up and optimize email flows that are honest, measurable, and relevant. My focus is always plain-text clarity, clean deliverability, and segmentation that reflects user intent.
What this includes:
- Lifecycle flows (onboarding, win-back, nurture)
- Plain-text editorial updates and product emails
- Deliverability improvements (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- List hygiene and UTM/event tracking
Why it matters:
Done right, email quietly drives revenue, loyalty, and feedback—without sounding like a marketing machine.
Marketing Team Management
Many companies already have writers, designers, or devs—they just need leadership to align the moving parts. I step in to set direction, clarify priorities, and keep your marketing team focused and accountable.
What this includes:
- Weekly sprint planning and reviews
- Briefs, edits, QA, and publishing support
- Coordinating cross-functional collaboration (e.g., product, sales, support)
- Building SOPs and playbooks that create repeatable wins
Why it matters:
Your team runs smoother, everyone knows what success looks like, and marketing starts working like a system—not scattered tasks.
Marketing with Clarity And Heart
If you’re looking for a calm, honest way to grow—without hype, fluff, or guesswork—a fractional CMO might be exactly what your business needs. I bring structure, focus, and accountability to your existing team and channels, helping you build marketing that compounds in value over time. From SEO to content, email to execution cadence, my goal is simple: make your marketing make sense—and make it work.
Whether you’re in Buffalo or beyond, if you’re ready to build something durable, let’s talk. Reach out here.
FAQs: Working with a Fractional CMO
Whether you’re new to the concept of a fractional CMO or you’ve worked with marketing consultants before, it’s normal to have questions. Below are some of the most common things clients ask about how I work, what I deliver, and how this model fits into your existing team and goals.
What’s the difference between a fractional CMO and a marketing consultant?
A marketing consultant typically offers advice or specific project support. A fractional CMO leads. I own strategy and execution, manage deliverables and teams, and stay accountable to results—without the full-time salary.
Do you work with in-house marketing teams?
Yes. Many of my clients already have content creators, developers, or coordinators. I step in to lead, align, and build structure—so your team executes the right priorities, in the right order, with clarity.
Will you write and edit content yourself?
Yes. I write outlines, briefs, and often final copy for priority content like homepage messaging, service pages, authority articles, and onboarding emails. For larger content efforts, I manage writers and editors to maintain quality and voice.
How soon will we see results?
It depends on the foundation. Technical SEO and priority pages can show progress within 30–90 days. Content and authority builds momentum over quarters. I’ll always set expectations honestly and share early wins along the way.
Can you help with analytics and reporting?
Absolutely. I ensure your tracking setup is clean and aligned with actual business outcomes—using tools like GA4, Search Console, UTM standards, and event tracking so you know what’s working.
What if we already have an agency?
That’s fine. I can work alongside your current agency or contractors to ensure strategy, messaging, and metrics are consistent. I’m not here to replace good partners—just to lead with clarity and results.
Do you handle email marketing too?
Yes. I manage segmentation, write or edit copy, set up lifecycle sequences, and optimize for deliverability. I’ll work in your ESP and help your team send email that drives replies, revenue, and trust.
What’s your availability and typical scope?
I typically support clients in a fractional CMO capacity (1–2 days per week) or through 90-day sprints focused on foundation and early momentum. We align on scope before kickoff—no guesswork, no vague retainers.
