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Nicole Canelakes

Nicole Canelakes
Journalist & Content Strategist covering business, real estate, and digital growth.

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Cell:
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972-273-0576

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Email:
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canelakesnicole@gmail.com

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Address:
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Austin, TX 78745

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  • LinkedIn - Black Circle

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.

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EXPERIENCE
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

  • Contributed regularly to The Real Daily, American Genius’s real estate vertical

  • Authored the most-read article of May 2024, ranking as the top-performing piece across the entire site for that month.

  • The article's success led to derivative video content by third-party creators, generating approximately 1M additional views

  • Produced SEO-optimized, audience-first reporting designed for discoverability, shareability, and sustained traffic

  • Worked independently within editorial guidelines to meet deadlines in a fast-paced digital newsroom environment

  • 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

  • Created blog content, website copy, and social media messaging for small business and startup clients

  • Developed SEO-optimized blog strategies that increased site traffic by 120% within the first month

  • Adapted writing style across industries to maintain brand voice consistency and audience engagement

  • Produced discoverable, shareable content designed to perform across search and social platforms

  • Supported long-term content planning to improve visibility, engagement, and audience retention

  • Experienced in performance-driven content creation that balances brand storytelling with measurable growth.

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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

  • Assisted with ad photo shoots, including concept support and photo selection to align visuals with written messaging

  • Supported end-to-end social media execution, including content creation, posting, and community engagement

  • Contributed to digital brand strategy development, ensuring consistency across messaging and visual assets

  • Assisted with event programming and client activations, supporting both the planning and execution phases

  •  Bridges creative execution and strategic planning to help brands communicate clearly and consistently across social and digital channels.

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January 2021-April 2021

 Social Media Coordinator

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Social Media Coordinator- Fireshow Media

(Contract Role)

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  • Invited an average of 300+ professionals per week to LinkedIn-hosted online events

  • Tracked invitee data, connection levels, and engagement metrics to optimize outreach strategy

  • Identified new target audiences and segmented users by engagement level

  • Events experienced consistent weekly growth of 50–100 attendees

  • 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

  • Guided VIPs, speakers, and industry professionals to green rooms and event spaces

  • Provided on-site problem-solving and guest support in a fast-paced, high-traffic environment

  • Coordinated musicians and performers with brands, supplying promotional and advertising materials

  • 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

  • Recruited and led a cross-functional 6-person team through ideation, wireframing, and presentation

  • Collaborated with executive mentors to align product vision with corporate culture and technical constraints

  • Delivered a winning pitch to a panel of Daimler and Capital Factory executives

  • Awarded First Place and $10,000 prize

2016-2017

Marketing Specialist Intern

  • Worked directly with firm founders to organize digital content and support client communications

  • Wrote, edited, and proofread articles, press releases, and website copy for client brands

  • Coordinated communication between local and remote teams across multiple websites and content projects

  • Supported content quality control and brand consistency across deliverables

2012-2016

University Ambassador & Tour Guide

  • Led hundreds of award-winning campus tours for prospective students and families

  • Organized and supported large-scale events (2,000–10,000 attendees) for students, alumni, and guests

  • Contributed to enrollment growth as the university expanded from 32,000 to 40,000 students over four years

  • Represented the university as a front-facing brand ambassador

EDUCATION
EDUCATION
2012-2017

Bachelor of Arts

Texas State University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – Psychology

Minor in Mass Communications

Service-Learning Designated Degree

Expertise
SKILLS

Writing & Editorial

  • Journalism & Reporting

  • Feature Writing

  • Business, Culture & Consumer Topics

  • Research & Fact-Checking

  • Editorial Storytelling

Digital & SEO Content

  • SEO-Driven Writing

  • Audience-First Content Strategy

  • Search Visibility & Discoverability

  • Content Performance Optimization

Social & Distribution

  • Social Media Content Creation

  • Platform-Native Storytelling

  • Content Repurposing Across Channels

  • Audience Growth & Engagement

Strategy & Collaboration

  • Content Strategy & Planning

  • Pitching & Presentation

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Freelance & Remote Work

Certifications

SEO Certification

  • SEO Basics

  • On Page and Technical SEO

  • Keyword Research for SEO

  • Link Building for SEO: Scaling Your Backlink Strategy

  • Optimizing Your Website for Rich Results

  • SEO Reporting

Research For the Newsroom

  • Make a research plan 

  • Understand the need for adaptability 

  • Use research to fill in holes in stories 

  • Use research to identify news subjects or as a springboard for reporting

  • Find information on people, companies and organizations

  • Find and use databases and commercial resources 

  • “Interrogate” your sources

  • Fact check 

  • Preserve the integrity of your work  

Write Tight and Edit Tighter

  • 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
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

  • Advise on content strategy, community engagement, and professional development initiatives

  • Support growth and quality standards for one of Austin’s most active digital career networks

  • Contribute insights on hiring trends, audience needs, and content direction

Event Management
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Helped bring to life events small and large, from SXSW crowd management to enabling Founder's Institute graduation showcase event live stream production.

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