Portfolio
Communications Strategy
Yelp Data Journalism Program
Led creation of a data science journalism program at Yelp to boost perception of the brand as trustworthy and high quality. Worked with a team of data scientists to uncover the most fascinating stories out of mountains of data, analyze complex data to translate it into layman’s terms, write blog posts to show our audience its value, curate project-launch messaging to help spokespeople shine, and pitch national press to secure millions of dollars in favorable earned media coverage. Guided creation of Yelp’s ongoing quarterly economic report, establishing the company as a source for economic forecasting.
The Yelp Wordmap: Local knowledge revealed
Women’s Health and Yelp Reveal the Top 20 Social Cities of 2014
These 50 Zip Codes Are The Hottest Hipster Markets In America
Yelp Data Shows Economic Impact of Minimum Wage Increase in Harvard Study
Yelp Data Reveals Top 100 Places to Eat: Bookmark These Babies Now!
IDEO U Creative Confidence Podcast
ideou.com/podcast / I produced IDEO U’s Creative Confidence Podcast, a live digital event series that hosts candid conversations with some of today’s most inspiring change makers, design thinkers, and creative minds. From overall program strategy to securing guests, producing live podcast recordings, shaping interview topics, writing articles, and guiding podcast edits, I did it all, alongside a team of talented folks. As one of IDEO U’s largest marketing programs, the Creative Confidence Series drives content production for the blog, email campaigns, and social media. It raises awareness of the IDEO U brand and products and helps the company stay in touch with learners between purchases. Find the Creative Confidence Podcast on Apple, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
Yelp Blog Redesign & Content Migration
yelpblog.com / As Yelp grew, our existing content systems became outdated and overloaded. We needed a new blog to increase engagement, provide opportunity for extended content marketing, and improve the mobile experience. I vetted several agencies through an RFP process and worked with one to create a custom WordPress site designed to meet our unique needs. I created a content migration plan, style and user guide for the new CMS, and an editorial calendar for 100+ contributors. As a result, content creation increased, site metrics improved, and we were able to pull blog content into the Yelp mobile app.
Yelp Social Activism Campaign
Media coverage of small businesses paired with the lightning speed of social media led to users posting reviews on Yelp business pages about news coverage instead of actual experiences with the business, a violation of Yelp’s terms of service. When those reviews were removed, backlash would ensue. I worked with a cross-functional task force to create a pop-up message we could enable on an individual business page, intersecting the user flow and inserting our message into broader awareness. Combined with national media outreach, a blog post positioning the action as a consumer protection measure, and user support site content explaining our policies around reviews, this campaign led to a dramatic decrease in misuse of the site and an improvement in the brand’s perception.
Yelp Foundation Website
yelpfoundation.org / To increase understanding and awareness of the Yelp Foundation, I worked with the head of product and an agency to design a new website. We were challenged to create a look similar to Yelp’s branding, but clearly indicating a separate entity. We worked collaboratively to design wireframes and a content plan, and I wrote blog posts and copy for the site before shepherding it through rounds of edits. Video testimonials from grant-winning nonprofits added impact and a contact form created a route for grant-seeking nonprofits to get in touch.
Yelp Fact Sheet
yelp.com/factsheet / To increase accuracy in media coverage and create a “source of truth” for employees, I worked with the internal front-end engineering team to create a website with company stats that could double as a printable fact sheet and a source for graphics to use in presentations.
Yelp Public Relations
At Yelp, I used a mix of owned and earned content to raise the brand’s profile among consumer and local business audiences, drive adoption of new products and features, and boost site traffic. I have years of experience briefing journalists, conducting media trainings, crafting messaging strategy, and supporting executives for speaking appearances and interviews. I secured hundreds of media placements during my time at Yelp. Here is a selection of favorites.
Washington Post: 'You can now look up ER wait times, hospital noise levels and nursing home fines on Yelp'
NPR's Marketplace: 'Yelp's CEO on the end of the professional critic'
Wired: 'YOLO! Yelp’s New Data Tool Lets You Map Cultural Trends'
Slate: 'America's Best-Rated Restaurant Is a Tiny Shack in a Condo Complex in Hawaii'
LA Times: 'Yelp names BBQ joint in Big Pine, Calif., best restaurant in U.S.'
TechCrunch: 'Yelp’s bug bounty improves security and attracts talent'
TODAY: 'Yelp's Word Map means never having to dine with hipsters again'
Apartment Therapy: 'Hipster Homes: Artisanal Coffee and Avocado Toast Point Toward The Next Hot Housing Markets'
WWD: 'Yelp and Shoptiques Link for E-Commerce'
Entrepreneur: 'More Businesses Can Now Offer Booking Options on Yelp'
Adweek: 'Yelp Launches Cash Back Rewards Program'
TechCrunch: 'Yelp Liberates Its API To Box Out Foursquare And Google'
Fast Company: 'Now You Can Use Emoji To Search Yelp'
CNN: 'It's one delicious drone -- the Burrito Bomber'
Mic: 'There are more than 160,000 US businesses with gender-neutral restrooms'
Wall Street Journal: 'Yelp Looks Beyond Reviews'
Washington Post: 'Yelp won’t have to turn over names of anonymous users after court ruling'
Vanity Fair: 'What You Should Know About Jeremy Stoppelman'
Time: 'Why Yelp’s CEO Turned Down Google'
AdAge: 'Yelp Tries Custom Audiences Push in Bid for Facebook, Google Ad Dollars'
Charlotte Tourism Marketing
To market Charlotte, NC, as a destination, my team at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority was tasked with speaking to a wide variety of audiences, both consumer (tourists) and business (meeting planners and large-scale events). To create messages tailored to distinct subgroups, but promoting many of the same destination highlights and tourism attractions, we created individualized sample itineraries. I also planned many press trips, resulting in positive media coverage of the city in publications like CNN and The Daily Mail.
