- A Passion for Communication - Coming out of High School, Matt enrolled in the Phys. Ed. program at Brock University in hopes of one day becoming a teacher. However, after taking a Business Communication course, he realized his true ambition was in the transmission of information and ideas to others. When he first studied Marshall McLuhan's famous phrase "The medium is the message," it was as if a lightblub was turned on above his head, and he knew he had a new path to pursue.
After graduation, he moved to the Niagara College Public Relations & Communications post-graduate certificate course. It was here that Matt refined his writing and grammar skills under the tutelage of his very skilled instructors. It was also here that he gained a passion for media and marketing, and developed his personal philosophy that the clearer and more concise the communication, the more likely it is to be absorbed by an audience. - Social Media Agency Background - In his current position, Matt acts as the Social Media Manager in an agency-style role. His responsibilities include planning and creating engaging content using all forms of media for nearly 20 clients. The content he creates ranges from showing off the delicious dishes served at local restaurants, to outlining the services offered at a Toronto-area fertility clinic. Some of his most successful accounts include retailer Marcel Dionne Inc, Canadian tennis legend Daniel Nestor, fertility expert and media personality Dr. Marjorie Dixon, and local restaurant Strada West.
- An 'Optimized' Skill-Set - Another 'hat' Matt wears at his current position is Search Engine Optimization Manager, in which he is tasked with improving the search results of clients websites using tactics like site structure improvements and link-building strategies. However, the single most useful skill he has learned is researching keywords for usage in written content, which comes in handy when writing for digital marketing purposes. Matt truly tries to put himself in the 'mindset of a searcher' when creating written content.
- Experience with Digital Marketing in a Variety of Industries - In his current role as Social Media Manager, Matt has worked with business of all sizes to improve their social media and web presence. From Niagara-area restaurants and tourist attractions, to medical offices and law firms, to professional athletes and media personalities, Matt has worked to increase their audiences and engage their followers through creative, informative and entertaining content.
- Blogging Experience - While blogging is not a function of his current position, Matt does have experience in producing longer-format written content. He created "Bachelor Chow - A Chronicle of Collegiate Culinary Concoctions," as a project for his PR & Communications media class. While it is now defunct, you can still read about his adventures in the kitchen during his university years. Today, Matt occasionally writes about another one of his passions - sports - on his creatively-titled blog "CanSportsBlog," where he writes stories he feels get neglected in the Canadian sports media landscape.
- A Wide-Range of Knowledge - Matt considers himself a fairly well-read, with an interest in many areas, including academics, current events, popular culture, sports, politics, fitness, cooking & nutrition, and technology. In short, he's excellent at Jeopardy. This knowledge gives Matt a head-start in writing, whether for creative or technical purposes.
Want to learn more about Matt?
You can check him out on Twitter.
You can see his resume.
Or you view his LinkedIn profile.
When you're ready to discuss more, you can email him.
