Role: Lead editor, writer, content strategist
Collaborators: Design, data, e-commerce, and audience development teams; staff and freelance writers

Challenge

Relaunch Curbed’s how-to section as an evergreen resource with consistent and comprehensive content updates.

Solution

To build consistency into the workflow, I focused on aligning Handbook content with seasonal topics related to the home. I wrote and updated existing content based on their seasonal relevance and assigned freelance writers stories that would fill in any gaps.

To further define Curbed Handbook as a timely resource year round, I worked closely with the audience development team to develop a bi-weekly Handbook newsletter that curated a mix of new and updated stories around seasonal themes. 

Outcomes

• Turned Curbed Handbook into a clear destination on the site for how-to content.

• Boosted evergreen search traffic by prioritizing topical how-to content.

• Expanded affiliate revenue opportunities by incorporating product recommendations in how-to stories.

• Cultivated a newsletter audience from scratch — the subscriber base grew ninefold in one year.

▶ I also created and curated themed content widgets to highlight on the Handbook homepage.

▶ For each edition of the Handbook newsletter, I selected the story mix, wrote the brief top note, tweaked story headlines and descriptions for length, and A/B tested subject lines.