Brandon Russell

Help produce and maintain buying guides, along with select pieces of evergreen content. Work closely with The Verge reviewers and editors to ensure accuracy and timeliness, and perform price/stock checks as needed. Write articles and newsletters informing readers of sales or deals, produce seasonal gift guides anchored around holidays like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, and occasionally assist with special keynote events and product launches.

Write and edit trending news, how-to guides, product reviews, buying guides, and other service-related content. My byline has appeared on Popular Mechanics, Esquire, Men's Health, and more.

- Wrote and produced a mix of best-of lists, reviews, and product news. - Worked within commerce team’s editorial workflow to pitch, write, and publish stories. - Produced work in the CMS using the proper formatting, image selection, and link building. - Revisited, updated and optimized existing content to stay current with new product releases, changes in key consumer trends, and analytical insights.

Wrote and edited news, reviews, and commerce guides.

- Assigned, edited, and published 30-50 stories per week while overseeing editorial schedule and executing coverage of industry events, embargoed content, and product launches. - Improved e-commerce strategy by implementing optimizations and analyzing audience insights, increasing performance of yearly traffic and revenue by 15%. - Managed relationships with company and affiliate partners, and identified new vendor opportunities.

- Concept, planned, and launched content across a wide range of media and platforms, including YouTube, social media, and other digital touchpoints. - Managed production schedules and aligned with editorial and video teams to collaborate and execute on major product reviews. - Distilled complex topics and ideas into content that drove engagement and moved audiences into action. - Launched TechnoBuffalo Instagram account and grew its followers from 0 to over 200k, making it a new source for branded partnerships.

- Wrote and edited technology news, how-to guides, deals posts, commerce roundups, and reviews. - Identified trending topics and drove expansion into new coverage areas, resulting in 20% increase in monthly unique visitors. - Implemented and upheld new quality standards across editorial, video, and social platforms.

After working as an editorial intern, I was offered two monthly columns for OC Metro’s monthly magazine.

Learned the ins and outs of the newsroom environment and worked closely with editors to hone my craft as a storyteller and reporter.

Worked with the library system to ensure books and other media were properly checked in. Collected and shelved materials; assisted patrons at the front desk with checking out and returning materials. Prepared new material for circulation. Before becoming a library page, I volunteered at the library for several months.

Studied with well-known fiction and non-fiction authors to hone my craft as a storyteller. My fondest memories of CSULB were workshopping my work and participating in open feedback with other students.