Eugene, Oregon
Makenna Brakefield
Communications & Content Strategist
I figure out what an audience needs to hear, find the clearest way to say it, and manage every piece it takes to get that message out into the world. For 7+ years, I’ve done that across websites, campaigns, email, editorial, and research.
Selected work
A few projects that show how I think: from the first question about the audience to the finished work.
Giving Richardson a voice online
I planned the structure and wrote SEO-optimized copy for the new website’s homepage, Our Story, and Careers pages, giving the brand a clear voice for customers and future employees.
Quality in every stride
I pitched and led a trail-running campaign from a one-page brief to launch in eight weeks, across email, web, sales materials, and social.
B2B email & lifecycle
Campaigns and email series for business customers, with a 38.5% average open rate.
Making business planning approachable
SEO-optimized articles and educational video that turn intimidating business topics into clear, practical steps for first-time founders.
How I work
Most of my career has been somewhere in the middle of strategy, writing, and actually making the thing.
01
Start with the audience
Before I write a word, I want to know who we’re talking to, what they already believe, and what would make them care. Research, sales data, and customer feedback all count.
02
Say it clearly
Complex information doesn’t have to feel complex. I write in whatever voice the brand or leader needs: plain, warm, and easy to act on. I also write content that’s optimized for search, and I use AI tools to research and refine content faster.
03
See it through
A strong idea only matters once it’s out in the world. I write the briefs, line up the people, and manage the details from concept to delivery.
How I play
A few things that keep me curious (and out of the office) when the laptop’s closed.
Off the clock
- Hiking. Usually somewhere around Mount Rainier, which I’m convinced is the most beautiful place on earth.
- Painting. Amateur acrylic paintings for my 3-year-old niece. (She’s a harsh critic, but I think I’m doing okay.)
- Laughing. Comedy shows whenever I can get tickets, and more podcasts than I’d like to admit.
- Evening walks with my wife, which is honestly where a lot of my best ideas come from.
- Going down rabbit holes. Reading and researching whatever random topic I’ve fixated on that week.
Where I’m headed
Communication that helps people understand their health
Long before marketing, I was fascinated by how people learn about their health, and by how often the information they need isn’t where they’re looking. My undergraduate honors thesis studied how TV shows for teen girls represent sexual and reproductive health. My master’s research looked at why lesbian and queer employees are left without fertility coverage, or the information to navigate it.
I bring that same care to every audience I write for, and I’m especially excited about work in health communication and education.
Who gets left out of health information
Three research projects on the gaps between people and the health information they need, and what brands and communicators can do about it.
Experience
7+ years across software, sports and headwear, and small-business brands.
Senior Copywriter / Marketing Manager
I lead content strategy and copywriting for Vendingpreneurs, an educational community for vending operators, and VendHub, the SaaS product members get access to for finding discounted machines, inventory, and more. I also write for the founders’ personal brands.
- Write conversion-focused copy for VendHub and Vendingpreneurs across landing pages, email campaigns, social media, editorial content, and video scripts
- Build communication email workflows and develop positioning for the upcoming public launch of VendHub
- Develop messaging, positioning, content strategy, and two distinct brand voices for entrepreneur-led brands serving SaaS, community, and personal-brand audiences
- Write long-form YouTube and Shorts scripts, partnering with leadership and videographers from creative concept through final production
- Lead social media strategy and content production while managing multiple copy projects from brief through launch
- A/B test ads, YouTube titles, and email subject lines and preview text
- Use generative AI tools to speed up research, ideation, and copy development while keeping brand voice and quality consistent
- Manage interns and contractors on marketing and content projects
Marketing Specialist
I planned and ran campaigns from the first brief to the final asset for a headwear and team uniform brand that sells through dealers nationwide.
- Wrote website copy and page outlines for the redesigned company website, including the homepage, Our Story, and Careers pages
- Wrote and built HubSpot email campaigns, automated journey flows, and audience segments, achieving a 38.5% open rate and 3.2% click-through rate
- Wrote social media copy and managed all social channels, the content calendar, and paid ads, increasing link clicks by up to 460%
- Developed creative briefs, campaign strategies, and product launch messaging, and presented recommendations to internal stakeholders
- Led campaign creative and content production, including photoshoots for a $40M revenue-driving Team product line, partnering with product, art, and leadership teams
- Optimized website copy and marketing content for SEO and AEO, structuring pages for featured snippets, FAQs, and AI-generated search answers
- Managed interns and contractors on campaign and content projects
Palo Alto Software
I grew through four roles in four years, from content specialist to strategist, writing for small business owners and the leaders who serve them.
Content Marketing Strategist June 2023 – Jan 2024
- Wrote, edited, and optimized long-form SEO and AEO content for the LivePlan and Bplans blogs, structuring articles for featured snippets, FAQs, and AI-generated search answers
- Optimized an article on starting an Airbnb business that earned placement in Google’s AI-generated search answers while the feature was in beta
- Improved Google SERP performance and WordPress on-page SEO through keyword and search intent research
- Translated leadership priorities into clear corporate messaging and wrote educational content grounded in market research
- Managed key accounts and affiliate partners, collaborating cross-functionally with product, art, and leadership teams
Social Brand Manager Mar 2022 – June 2023
- Ghostwrote executive communications, leadership messaging, and company announcements in senior executives’ voices
- Wrote brand-aligned social media copy and content; ran A/B tests on messaging and creative and used results to improve performance
- Wrote video scripts and directed creative concepts for social and editorial video content, including a LivePlan series on common business planning mistakes
Digital Marketing Communications Specialist June 2021 – Mar 2022
- Produced educational marketing videos and customer success stories (case studies) in collaboration with external photographers and customers
- Recruited influencers and creators for the affiliate marketing program
Content Marketing Specialist Sept 2019 – June 2021
- Designed blog layouts and content structure to improve readability, user experience, and engagement
- Partnered with multiple teams on research and design for educational content
Research Assistant & Journalist
- Research Assistant, University of Oregon (Apr – Dec 2021): conducted content analysis of Rwandan news articles and coded U.S. news clips for global communication research projects
- Journalist, Net2TV (Summer 2018): reported on public events and press conferences, and edited video and audio for evening television broadcasts in Accra, Ghana
Education
- M.S., Advertising and Brand Responsibility
University of Oregon, School of Journalism and Communication
Master’s research: health communication and access to fertility benefits for lesbian and queer employees (In Good Company) - B.S., Advertising (Honors)
University of Oregon, School of Journalism and Communication
Honors thesis: The Representation of Female Sexual and Reproductive Health in Televised and Streamed Shows Targeting Girls Aged 10–18 Years
Certifications
- Key Account Management
- Email Marketing
- Customer Service Leadership
- Public Relations Foundations
Skills
Copywriting
Conversion and direct-response copy, website and landing pages, email, social media, video and YouTube scripts, long-form editorial and blog content, case studies, executive communications and ghostwriting, product launch copy, editing and proofreading
Brand & strategy
Brand voice development, messaging and positioning, content strategy, creative concepting, campaign development, creative briefs, audience and market research, editorial planning, content calendars
SEO & AEO
SEO copywriting, keyword and search intent research, on-page SEO, content optimization, featured snippets, FAQ content, AI search optimization
Tools & analytics
HubSpot, WordPress, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, SEMrush, A/B testing, email automation, paid social, generative AI writing tools, Monday.com, Asana, Trello
Collaboration
Cross-functional work with design, product, video, and leadership teams; stakeholder presentations; project management; managing multiple projects and deadlines