Here are some examples of copywriting and blogging I've done over the years.
Interested in more? Just ask.
W Hotel Austin
I MANAGED AUSTIN’S W HOTEL’S ONLINE PRESENCE FROM 2014-2015. DURING MY TIME AT THE PROPERTY, I WROTE ALL COPY AND OVERSAW THE REBRANDING AND REDESIGN OF TRACE RESTAURANT’S WEBSITE AND LIVING ROOM BAR’S WEBSITE.
Living Room Introductory & About copy - 2015
Welcome to W Austin. One of Austin’s most luxurious hotels, we’re located in the heart of downtown in the Second Street District and next door to the famed Austin City Limits Live music venue.
The Living Room Bar aims to be a home away from home for music lovers from near and far. Located in the ground floor of the rock-and-roll paradise of W Austin Hotel, Living Room is a refuge for locals and a favorite of travelers. With four different rooms inside our bar, we have something for everyone - dark and seductive, warm and cozy, or bright and breezy.
Tequila Bar
Our bright and airy Tequila Bar features plentiful plush seating areas, front-seat views of bustling Lavaca Street, and of course its own fully stocked bar. Enjoy the warmth of an intimate shared fireplace between the Tequila Bar and its neighboring Screened Porch areas while you sip on signature cocktails and peruse our collection of coffee table books and games.
Records Room
Austin may be the capital of Texas, but it’s also the live music capital of the world. The Living Room’s Records Room is our homage to Austin’s love of music, featuring over 8,000 vinyl records from a wide variety of artists. Browse Texas classics, worldwide sensations, or hip new releases… we have something for every musical taste.
Secret Bar
Let’s get intimate. Have a seat. Sip on a cocktail. Enjoy the glow. You’re in the Secret Bar (sometimes known to our guests as our “Red Room”… you can see why).
While the rest of the Living Room’s spaces open in the morning, the Secret Bar opens at 4:30pm every evening. Once you’re in, you can enjoy cocktails from its separate, fully stocked bar and indulge in snacks from our bar menu. Secret Bar is also the home to our beautiful, vintage McIntosh Sound System.
Screened Porch
All the beauty and benefits of a classic Southern screened porch…with the added bonus of A/C. Luxuriate in oversized windows perfect for people-watching, views of the lush patio at TRACE Restaurant, and an intimate shared fireplace. Bring your laptop in and lounge while you catch up on emails, or grab a seat at night to indulge in tantalizing treats and signature libations.
Looking for some entertainment? We often offer free screenings of the day’s hottest sporting events and awards ceremonies on our giant projector wall. Sit back and enjoy.
WET Deck
From sunrise to sunset, our WET pool deck is open for your dipping pleasure! Located on the 4th floor of the W Austin Hotel, the WET deck features private cabanas, lounge chairs, tanning shelves, fireplace and two outdoor showers to rinse off after a quick dip.
In prime poolside season, enjoy various happenings at WET: pool parties, cookouts, and even live music has been known to make an appearance at our vibrant rooftop pool scene.
ENDLESS SIMMER
I HAVE BEEN WRITING AND EDITING FOR ENDLESSSIMMER.COM SINCE 2011. see all my blog posts here.
The Most Powerful, Brouwerful Hour
08/21/2012
Seattle has a pretty intense happy hour culture. Seriously — every bar, restaurant, and coffee shop has some sort of drink or food special going on in the early evening. Why? Probably because it’s so dreary and unappealing outside most of the time, businesses need to drag people out of their cozy apartments by any means possible.
One of my favorite happy hours in Seattle technically isn’t a happy hour at all; it’s Power Hour at Brouwers, an amazingly stocked Belgian beer hall in the pleasantly funky Fremont neighborhood. With 64 beers on draft (almost all local or regional craft brews) and over 300 beers available by the bottle, this place is heaven for beer lovers, especially those seeking out hard-to-find European varieties.
Not only is Brouwers’ booze selection great, but they have a solid food menu. These are no average happy hour bar bites; we’re talking freshly baked pretzels with beer-cheese sauce, Belgian-style mussels, frites with spicy, creamy Dragon Sauce.
Brouwers is also home to some of my favorite sliders ever: Carbonade Sliders, Belgian-braised Kobe beef with bacon and St. Bernardus beer, topped with the aforementioned beer-cheese sauce on a brioche bun. Richest baby sandwiches ever?! Maybe, and perfect when washed down with a strong, sweet ale.
Power Hour can be enjoyed from 3-6pm any day of the week, either inside Brouwers’ cavernous, castle-like inside or their serene outdoor patio. Happy hour pricing or not, this little taste of old Europe is worth a trip outside, rain or shine.
The Ecommerce Authority
throughout 2013 I penned an online business & social media advice column called “Dear Emily” for Volusion’s popular ecommerce blog. I was also a featured blogger educating our users on social, design, events, and marketing strategy.
See all advice columns here and all my writing for Volusion here.
Dear Emily: Scheduling Social Posts and Personal vs. Professional Twitter Usage
11/14/13
Social media is an important aspect of your online store’s marketing plan, but it can definitely be overwhelming at times. When you’re stuck on a social problem you just can’t solve, ask me, Emily! I’m Volusion’s social media pro and I’m here to help with any questions you may have, no matter how big or how small.
I recently opened my own store on Volusion and it’s going really well. One thing I need to work on is social media. I started a Facebook business page, but I still need to make a Twitter account. Can I just use my personal Twitter handle to promote my online store? Do I need two separate handles?
Congratulations on opening your online store! As far as your Twitter is concerned, that’s a very interesting question. I’d say it depends on two big factors:
- How personal is your personal Twitter? If the bulk of your Twitter activity consists of sharing generally interesting links and positively responding to Tweets from friends, you could possibly consider using this handle to promote your online business as well. On the other hand, if you’re divulging intimate details about your romantic situation, espousing polarizing political opinions or ranting and raving about life in general, it’s probably not the best idea. You don’t want to alienate potential customers with uninformative or unprofessional tweets that would only be interesting to you and your friends.
- What exactly are you selling? If I were crafting a lifestyle brand and designing a line of purses and accessories called “Emily Teachout Handbags,” then it wouldn’t be out of line to use @emilyteachout as both a company/brand and personal Twitter account (as long as I were following the rules above – keeping any non-business tweets interesting, relevant, and inoffensive). On the other hand, if I were running a business called “Awesome Austin Pest Control” it would make no sense to use @emilyteachout as my official business handle – try something like @AwesomeATXPest, which your customers would recognize.
Basically, if you’re selling yourself as part of your brand, then you’re good to go – but if your business has nothing to do with who you are, it’s best to maintain two distinct Twitter identities. When in doubt, keep ’em separated. It might take a little extra effort to keep up with that extra Twitter account, but it will be worth it for your brand.
The Horn
I was a dining and entertainment columnist for The Horn, an independent news site for the austin college student & 20-something demographic, from 2012-2013.
Fantastic Fest Preview
09/19/12
Calling all film fans: steel yourselves for a week of gore, sex, and major plot twists. Fantastic Fest 2012 runs this week from September 20th-27th and, as always, it promises to be a doozy. The largest genre film festival in the nation, this carnival of delights features horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and other experimental and cutting edge films from around the globe. The Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar, the main location for the Fest, will draw hoards of titillated film lovers from near and far who are waiting to experience the next big things of the cinema world.
There’s plenty of material for cinephiles to get excited about this year. Amidst more well-known features such as a screening of the work-in-progress print ofParanormal Activity 4 and showings of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie 3D, there’s a cornucopia of bizarre, daring, and sometimes grotesque films to pique the interests of all sorts of genre fans.
Here’s a blitz of my personal highlights:
Besties is a tale of toxic female relationships, high school manipulation, and revenge that makes Mean Girls look like child’s play. American Mary tells the story of a broke med student who falls into the seedy underworld of extreme body modification in order to make a buck. A Japanese splatter action comedy (yup, that’s a genre - I’m telling you, this festival has everything), Dead Sushi is about - what else? - flying killer sushi monsters. I’m intrigued by the mysterious Everybody in Our Family, a Romanian film only described as “unsettling.”
Older films are showcased too, such as 1968’s Secret Ceremony, a creepy Liz Taylor film illustrating a twisted mother-daughter relationship that goes off the deep end. Lighter fare is also offered, such as Attack of the Killer Mutant Chickens, an animated short from Bangladesh about a team of kung-fu chefs who must fight killer chickens in order to serve them at their restaurants.
Outside of filmgoing, Fantastic Fest offers a bevy of activities and events to enjoy, from a Nerd Rap Throwdown to Air Sex (Google it) to a Homemade Haunted House Hellbash complete with all-you-can-eat Halloween candy. The four-day festival-within-a-festival, Fantastic Arcade, is a bonanza of lovingly curated video games that is sure to delight gamers and novices alike.
Tantalized yet? Want to get in on the action? No time like the present. Many types of badges are sold out, but day badges are still available for $59 a pop. Additionally, individual tickets are available day of show. I’ll see you in line for Secret Ceremony.
Uncle Billy’s Brewery
I managed all content for this Austin brewery's website and blog in 2012.
National Drink Beer Day
09/28/2012
It’s National Drink Beer Day!
What does this mean? Obviously it’s time to guzzle some craft brews. Pretty convenient that NDBD falls on a Friday this year, although let’s be real. Everyone at Uncle Billy’s celebrates the spirit of this holiday every day.
In honor of this momentous occasion, we’re taking $2 off all tasting flights all day long at Barton Springs. This means you can swing by after work (or during work! After all, it’s a holiday) and sip on some old favorites while trying some of our new brews. Which brings us to everyone’s favorite topic… what’s on tap right now at Barton Springs.
Classic Billy's Brews:
Back 40 Blonde
Agave Wit
Ax Handle Pale
Hill Country Organic Amber
Brewer’s Choice Rotators:
Pale Meridian
Muscles from Brussels IPA
Hop Shaker IPA
Mr. Nasty IPA
Insomniac Coffee Stout
With three unique IPAs on tap right now, it’s a GREAT time to be a hophead. Hope to see y’all in this weekend – if not for the discounted taster flights today, for Honky Tonk Happy Hour on Saturday or Sunday, with $14 pitchers from 2-6pm.
Incolo Real Estate Marketing
I WROTE MARKETING COPY FOR MANY OF INCOLO’S NEIGHBORHOOD LISTINGS IN 2009 & 2010.
Wallingford Neighborhood Profile
10/27/09
For those searching for an area offering all the accommodations of living in the city yet still retaining a small community feel, Wallingford is an excellent option. Located conveniently in northern part of central Seattle, this charming neighborhood may just be the perfect place to call home.
The residents of Wallingford enjoy close proximity to many of Seattle’s major perks. The neighborhood is bordered by the University District, making it a smart housing choice for students and university employees. It is surrounded by Lake Union to the south and Woodland Park to the north, which equates to many opportunities to enjoy the beauty of the Seattle outdoors. Woodland Park is a draw to children and adults alike, of course because of the Woodland Park Zoo, but the park also features beautiful gardens and an outdoor concert series in the summertime. Down at the edge of Lake Union, in the Northlake area of the neighborhood, is Gasworks Park. This is one of Seattle’s most famous parks, featuring a beautiful view of the downtown skyline across the water. Gasworks also features a huge community festival and fireworks display for the fourth of July, one of the highlights of a Seattle summer. Throughout the year, Wallingford holds many special events and activities for its tight-knit community of residents and friends.
The main thoroughfare of Wallingford is 45th Street, which is home to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, coffeeshops, bars, and services. A main community hub, also on 45th, is the Wallingford Center. Formerly the home of the Interlake Elementary School, this charming building now holds unique boutiques, cafes, and apartments. Families living in this area primarily send their children to Lincoln School and the newly remodeled Hamilton International School, and the soon-to-reopen McDonald school. Most nearby places of worship are nestled in the neighboring University District.
Wallingford is a delightfully eccentric, relaxed community surrounded by both natural beauty and the amenities of a bustling metropolis, truly the best of both worlds. With many housing options such as new condos, old Craftsman houses, and small bungalows, any family size and income can and should consider this neighborhood when relocating.
Fashion Evolution
I was a columnist for this fashion website in 2009, focusing on seasonal trends.
Fall Into Nostalgia and New Favorites
09/11/09
As summer fades into fall and neon colors fade into jewel tones, I am always inspired to dig some of the cozy favorites out of my closet. One item I just can’t seem to let go of is a ridiculously old plaid flannel button-down that actually used to be my father’s. While I definitely wouldn’t categorize this shirt as a fashionable piece, its sentimentality and vintage-y appeal certainly outweigh any pride I have in my appearance. While I’m not going to be wearing this shirt to any black-tie affairs, I know it will always have a place in my wardrobe, a soothing presence ready whenever I want to curl up in front of the fireplace with a book or take a solitary evening stroll around the neighborhood in the autumn twilight.
Just as many people revert to home cooking and comfort foods as the months grow colder, I find myself and my fashion-forward friends turning towards comfort clothing. Almost everyone I know has an old, beloved article of clothing in their closet that somehow seems appropriate to hang onto - an old college sweatshirt, flannel pajama pants, thick woolen socks - truly the “mom’s homemade casseroles” of the fashion world. It’s always a signal that the seasons are changing when a certain trend-obsessed friend turns up on my doorstep wearing a hoodie I know for a fact she’s had since high school! There’s comfort in tradition, and I think it’s perfectly acceptable to sacrifice looking stylish sometimes.
That said, there are ways to take the spirit of an old, shabby standby and incorporate its cozy familiarity into a more presentable trend! Going back to my old plaid shirt, for instance - plaid rears its head practically every autumn, it seems, and this year is no exception. I am seeing plaid everywhere, from dresses to shirts to jackets. More power to it, I say. The print has a great deal of versatility and almost anyone can pull off a plaid piece in a classy and modern way. Many exciting offerings provide a welcome change from the Cobain-esque (and my-father-esque!) flannel button-down of yore. Marc Jacobs, one of my perpetual go-to favorites for fall, is once again providing us with an array of refreshing options to show off some plaid-patterned style.
Thankfully, the fashion world offers us an abundance of ways to marry old favorites with new trends. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, but with a bit of effort we can have the best of both worlds. I recently purchased a cute plaid shirtdress that I can’t wait to wear out and about this season, but I have no doubt that there will be a couple particularly dreary mornings when I will know the only clothing choice that will do the trick is dad’s old flannel… because, let’s face it, in the fashion world and our own personal lives, some things will never change.