Nicole Canelakes
Nicole Canelakes
Journalist & Content Strategist covering business, real estate, and digital growth.
Cell:
Email:
Address:
Austin, TX 78745
Hi! I'm Nicole.
Writing for a 10M+ annual readership, creating audience-first, SEO-driven content across editorial, digital, and social platforms. Open to remote or Austin-based opportunities in reporting, content creation, and digital storytelling.
EXPERIENCE
Staff Writer (Business & Real Estate) — Freelance
December 1st 2021-December 1st 2025
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Readership 8-11 million annually
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Reported and wrote high-performing digital journalism covering business trends, entrepreneurship, startups, and real estate
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Contributed regularly to The Real Daily, American Genius’s real estate vertical
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Authored the most-read article of May 2024, ranking as the top-performing piece across the entire site for that month.
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The article's success led to derivative video content by third-party creators, generating approximately 1M additional views
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Produced SEO-optimized, audience-first reporting designed for discoverability, shareability, and sustained traffic
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Worked independently within editorial guidelines to meet deadlines in a fast-paced digital newsroom environment
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Specialized in translating complex business and real estate topics into accessible, engaging journalism for mass audiences.
Events, Marketing
August 2023- December 2023
Marketer & Content Coordinator
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Created blog content, website copy, and social media messaging for small business and startup clients
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Developed SEO-optimized blog strategies that increased site traffic by 120% within the first month
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Adapted writing style across industries to maintain brand voice consistency and audience engagement
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Produced discoverable, shareable content designed to perform across search and social platforms
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Supported long-term content planning to improve visibility, engagement, and audience retention
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Experienced in performance-driven content creation that balances brand storytelling with measurable growth.
March 15th 2022-August 2022
Social Media Coordinator
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Created copy for social media posts, digital campaigns, and client advertisements across multiple platforms
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Assisted with ad photo shoots, including concept support and photo selection to align visuals with written messaging
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Supported end-to-end social media execution, including content creation, posting, and community engagement
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Contributed to digital brand strategy development, ensuring consistency across messaging and visual assets
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Assisted with event programming and client activations, supporting both the planning and execution phases
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Bridges creative execution and strategic planning to help brands communicate clearly and consistently across social and digital channels.
January 2021-April 2021
Social Media Coordinator
Social Media Coordinator- Fireshow Media
(Contract Role)
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Invited an average of 300+ professionals per week to LinkedIn-hosted online events
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Tracked invitee data, connection levels, and engagement metrics to optimize outreach strategy
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Identified new target audiences and segmented users by engagement level
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Events experienced consistent weekly growth of 50–100 attendees
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Maintained organized reporting to support event performance analysis and future marketing efforts
March 2019
Sessions Volunteer
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Volunteered 50+ hours over 6 days on an understaffed team to support large-scale festival operations
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Guided VIPs, speakers, and industry professionals to green rooms and event spaces
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Provided on-site problem-solving and guest support in a fast-paced, high-traffic environment
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Coordinated musicians and performers with brands, supplying promotional and advertising materials
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Facilitated demo listening sessions connecting musicians with VIP industry mentors
October 2018
Creator / Team Lead / Presenter
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Conceived and developed a workforce mobility product concept under a 48-hour deadline
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Recruited and led a cross-functional 6-person team through ideation, wireframing, and presentation
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Collaborated with executive mentors to align product vision with corporate culture and technical constraints
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Delivered a winning pitch to a panel of Daimler and Capital Factory executives
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Awarded First Place and $10,000 prize
2016-2017
Marketing Specialist Intern
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Worked directly with firm founders to organize digital content and support client communications
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Wrote, edited, and proofread articles, press releases, and website copy for client brands
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Coordinated communication between local and remote teams across multiple websites and content projects
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Supported content quality control and brand consistency across deliverables
2012-2016
University Ambassador & Tour Guide
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Led hundreds of award-winning campus tours for prospective students and families
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Organized and supported large-scale events (2,000–10,000 attendees) for students, alumni, and guests
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Contributed to enrollment growth as the university expanded from 32,000 to 40,000 students over four years
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Represented the university as a front-facing brand ambassador
EDUCATION
2012-2017
Bachelor of Arts
Texas State University
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – Psychology
Minor in Mass Communications
Service-Learning Designated Degree
Expertise
Writing & Editorial
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Journalism & Reporting
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Feature Writing
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Business, Culture & Consumer Topics
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Research & Fact-Checking
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Editorial Storytelling
Digital & SEO Content
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SEO-Driven Writing
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Audience-First Content Strategy
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Search Visibility & Discoverability
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Content Performance Optimization
Social & Distribution
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Social Media Content Creation
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Platform-Native Storytelling
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Content Repurposing Across Channels
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Audience Growth & Engagement
Strategy & Collaboration
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Content Strategy & Planning
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Pitching & Presentation
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Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Freelance & Remote Work
Certifications
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SEO Basics
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On Page and Technical SEO
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Keyword Research for SEO
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Link Building for SEO: Scaling Your Backlink Strategy
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Optimizing Your Website for Rich Results
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SEO Reporting
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Make a research plan
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Understand the need for adaptability
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Use research to fill in holes in stories
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Use research to identify news subjects or as a springboard for reporting
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Find information on people, companies and organizations
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Find and use databases and commercial resources
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“Interrogate” your sources
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Fact check
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Preserve the integrity of your work
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Writers will learn to structure assignments for brevity, streamline drafts on deadline, and collaborate effectively with editors.
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Editors will gain strategies for guiding writers, cutting excess without losing meaning, and delivering feedback that strengthens stories.
Projects
Executive Advisory Board Member (Volunteer)
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Serve on the Executive Advisory Board for Austin Digital Jobs, a community of 56.5K+ active professionals in tech, marketing, media, and digital roles
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Advise on content strategy, community engagement, and professional development initiatives
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Support growth and quality standards for one of Austin’s most active digital career networks
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Contribute insights on hiring trends, audience needs, and content direction
Event Management
Helped bring to life events small and large, from SXSW crowd management to enabling Founder's Institute graduation showcase event live stream production.