Welcome to my website.

I've had a variety of job titles over my 14-year career: producer, media developer, digital content manager, marketing strategist. I've also been a content designer since before I knew the role existed. In these roles, I've built up a broad skillset, and these days, I tend to think of myself as a communications generalist.Hopefully, this portfolio helps to demonstrate some of the work I've done. Do get in touch if you'd like to hire me or collaborate on a project.Thanks!

Website projects

During my career, I have

  • planned and overseen the creation of new websites, as well as managed major website overhauls

  • written content for multiple websites, from static copy to timely blogposts

  • worked alongside developers, graphic designers, and UX designers to improve the user experience of website visitors and improve accessibility and understanding

  • provided training on content management systems to clients and colleagues

  • produced multimedia content for websites, including photography, gifs, video, and podcasts

Work examples

Edinburgh World Heritage

I inherited an outdated website on an unsupported CMS and was given a small budget to update it. I project managed a team of colleagues, who worked together to expand and improve on the existing content, which was then over to a new CMS. I then trained the team on new content standards, and led the creation of new work to be showcased on the website. I also used the site to improve ways of working across the team.

"Stuart blends a high degree of digital technical competency with an ability to train and enrol others and create solutions that meet the organisation's needs."– Nicholas Hotham, Head of External Affairs, Edinburgh World Heritage

Two Oceans Aquarium

An example of one of the many client sites I worked on at Flow Communications. Here, the challenge was to educate users on specific conservation principles the aquarium followed, distancing them from the poor reputation of other zoos and attractions. We embedded the aquarium's 'explore, experience, engage' ethos into the website's navigation, and made the exhibit content more visually appealing and educational. This new site was also mobile-friendly for the first time and resulted in higher revenue for the aquarium.

"We believe our visitors will thoroughly enjoy the innovative design, especially the beautiful imagery that now dominates the site. The revised layout is fresh, easy to use and fully responsive, which means that you'll experience the best of our website regardless of the device you use."– Alichia Nortje, Marketing Manager, Two Oceans Aquarium

The Scottish Parliament

I was seconded to the Parliament's website upgrade project, and worked on the MSPs and Visit sections. I conducted content discovery sessions with a wide group of stakeholders, and did user research. Armed with user stories and acceptance criteria, I then ran pair writing workshops with subject matter experts and produced content that was tested in front of users, refined, and then published. It continues to be regularly reassessed.

"This investment has achieved a website that makes it easier for users who are less familiar with Parliamentary processes, such as the public, to find and understand information, and engage with the Parliament; this includes making it accessible from mobile devices; also, language that is easier for the public to understand."– Alison Johnstone, Presiding Officer, Scottish Parliament

Other websites:

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway"I really love the new look and feel. Well done! It's clean and crisp and easy to read, and makes me want to go up... and I am seated right here!"– Sabine Lehmann, Managing Director, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway

Hotel Verde“My favourite thing about the website is that it captures the experience of the hotel quite well, encapsulating the luxury, creativity and sustainability that finds itself at Hotel Verde.”– Sarah Farrell, Marketing Manager, Hotel Verde

City Sightseeing South Africa"The team did a great job with the user journey on the site. Being able to see Cape Town and Johannesburg on one of City Sightseeing's tours is a special experience, and the new website reflects this."– Darren Caboz, Programmer, Flow Communications

Writing examples

This is a small sample of the online writing I've produced, ranging from short blogposts, to feature articles, newsletters and static website copy.

Science and Nature

Travel and Tourism Marketing

Heritage and History

Politics

¹This piece received a special commendation from the Profile Awards for science and technology journalism²This was recognised as 'best online newsletter' at the New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards 2016

Exhibitions

'Our World Heritage'

I co-curated an exhibition for Edinburgh World Heritage, exploring the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, and how residents and visitors think about and understand heritage conservation.We had just four months to complete this project, an extremely tight deadline considering the venue was an empty shell without a floor when we began. The Tron Kirk on Edinburgh's Royal Mile receives some of the highest footfall of any building in the city, and in less than a year of Our World Heritage opening, it had been visited by over half a million people.

I was responsible for image selection and acquisition, and created most of the video content that made up the permanent display.

'Kelp Forest Quest'

In 2017 I designed an interactive exhibit for the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town. Their famous kelp forest exhibit was closing for renovation, but they approached Flow Communications to devise a virtual exhibit that would ensure they could keep their sponsor during the renovation.

Implementing the marine conservation principles championed by the Aquarium, I devised a Twitter-based game called Kelp Forest Quest, in which visitors are responsible for adding different marine species to a virtual tank to create the perfect mix of biodiversity. At random intervals the Aquarium's 'release team' (a real concept taken from the organisation – it is one of only a few places that returns their animals to the ocean after some time) comes along and removes a number of animals, thereby creating a continuously fluctuating challenge.The game received over 500,000 visitor engagements.

“Working with the Flow team has been an amazing experience. I often feel like the Flow team is part of our staff complement. They understand our brand, they appreciate our values, they just get it right every single time.”– Helen Lockhart, communications and sustainability manager, Two Oceans Aquarium

Social media experience

I've managed multiple accounts for clients and employers across social media platforms using a variety of tools. This has included:

  • setting up accounts and growing them from scratch, but also taking over client accounts to improve growth and engagement

  • organising promotional campaigns, working with influencers, compiling audits and writing analytical reports

  • overseeing paid advertising activities across social media platforms and optimising for budgets accordingly

  • running workshops for clients and colleagues on social media best practice, crisis comms, and online safety

Social media portfolio

Social media example – Black History Month

In this series of posts, I tried to broaden what is usually a very narrow and elite definition of heritage, in order to connect with new audiences.I wanted to reflect the diversity of people who have contributed to Edinburgh's fascinating history, and by celebrating this in Black History Month, we tied in to a larger, national conversation that helped put our small charity on the map. It also helped position our brand as one championing a more inclusive view of heritage.Using a joined-up approach with our events manager, our social media posts also helped promote a lecture we hosted by an expert in this field. Together, the posts received good engagement and a huge online buzz – leading to such a high demand for event tickets that we had to live-stream it to allow more people to participate.

Accompanying press coverage and feedback from the public:

The following year, I worked with Edinburgh World Heritage again, this time as a freelance videographer, for another Black History Month project. This time, they partnered with Intercultural Youth Scotland, to get young people of colour to respond to the topic of 'heritage' through the medium of dance, poetry and music. The resulting video premiered at the Scotland In Colour Festival in Leith.

Video experience

During my career, I've published hundreds of online videos. These range from short, promotional clips as part of clients' marketing efforts, to explainers, and longer documentaries.I've interviewed some world-renown personalities from Bianca Jagger to Sylvia Earle and Richard Quest. I've filmed in locations from the summit of Table Mountain, to Nelson Mandela's house, to World Heritage Sites like Edinburgh and Cluj-Napoca, and even out at sea surrounded by sharks.I've run filmmaking workshops for young people that premiered in front of local VIPs, and I routinely provide basic video training for colleagues.In recent years, I've focused on gaining more experience in live-streaming and motion graphics.

Videography portfolio

Marketing examples

A summary of the major projects Edinburgh World Heritage worked on in 2017, to help market the charity and encourage donations:

Other marketing:

Documentary examples

A 12-minute documentary on The Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site that I filmed to explain the scientific significance of the area:

Other documentaries:

Event coverage examples

An example of producing a short, wrap-up video from a conference, event, or in this case, an afternoon workshop about working with lime:

Other event coverage:

Fundraising and charity examples

I've created videos that are direct appeals to support a cause or make a donation, as well as coverage of charity events, like this tree-planting day:

Other fundraising and charity:

(I have other videos on my YouTube channel, and many more scattered across other channels that have collectively gained tens of thousands of views).

Motion graphics portfolio

Audio portfolio

Alongside my video work, I also have a passion for audio production – firstly in my radio career, and more recently, through podcasting.

News and talk radio

During my time as producer for the afternoon drive-time show on 567 CapeTalk radio, we managed to secure interviews with some esteemed guests, as well as provide breaking news coverage from stories around the world. Here's an selection of just a few of the many great interviews that went out live with John Maytham between 2009 and 2011:

Podcasts

I've worked on episodes of the Scottish Parliament's podcast, recording, editing and producing each of the following:

In my spare time, I love to talk about pop music, and so I started Strung Together to do just that. You can find all the latest episodes on YouTube.

Drop me a message if you'd like to get in touch.