​​​​NickMasuda​

Post and Courier Myrtle Beach

​Managing Editor | 2020-Present

 

• Lead a team of six reporters in launching the Myrtle Beach bureau of the Post and Courier, including two websites and a weekly print product focused on Horry and Georgetown counties.
• Deployed new social media strategies that have increased engagement by nearly 300 percent, while also seeing follower growth in excess of 50 percent in just three months.
• Topped all Post and Courier bureaus in traffic, averaging 300,000 unique sessions per month just three months after launch. Engagement time on stories in excess of 3 minutes, by far the best of the P&C's four bureaus.
• Engaged in high-level investigative journalism, including shortcomings with education and government.
• Utilized skillset with photography, including sports, breaking news, environment, music and education.

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Santa Barbara News-Press

​DIRECTOR, NEWS & INTEGRATED MARKETING | 2018-2020

 

• Supervised a staff of more than 25, with positions ranging from marketing analysts to sales to editors to reporters.
• Refocused publication to becoming a reliable and vibrant local entity, putting an emphasis on the areas where the publication can win back readership over time.
• Rebuilt organization’s website, creating a more modern approach to delivering digital information through the use of visuals and storytelling.
• Created campaign behind local businesses called Small Business Santa Barbara, focusing on how various businesses have found a way to survive on the South Coast.
• Instituted new budget practices, leading to more than $900,000 in savings in just one year.
• Utilized social media effectively, growing audience across all three major platforms.
• Reintroduced marketing positions to the organization, focused on integrated marketing opportunities that allow for more partnerships vs. clients.
• Grew print readership in just 12 months

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Jeunesse Global

​DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS | 2016-2018

 

• Supervise global staff of more than a dozen writers, editors, social media producers and communication managers in developing personalized content strategies within all verticals.
• Introduced internal communication platform -- Workplace -- in order to better align not only individual staffs, but also corporate leadership.
• Reestablished corporate blog; year-over-year engagement growth in excess of 100 percent. To experience the evolution of the blog, click here.
• Developed real-time, content-driven event portal within company’s mobile app in order to keep attendees updated throughout our 17 global events. Portal averaged 10 uses per attendee after six events.
• Built Distributor-focused news feed within mobile app to give leaders real-time information around the clock that is actionable within their business portal. It was also personalized by region and language (32 languages offered; 140 countries).
• Established new content strategy for use of e-mail, helping open rates increase by 200 percent.
• Implemented new social media strategies surrounding events, traveling to multiple countries to help increase engagement by 1,000 percent, both regionally and through corporate accounts.
• Established internal website for colleagues, allowing global teams to recognize one another, as well as learn about projects happening in different regions.

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Orlando Magic

​DIGITAL STRATEGY MANAGER, SOCIAL & WEB | 2015-2016

 

• Led reorganization of social media accounts, leading to nearly 500 - 800 percent increase in engagement in a year.
• Recalibrated content approach for the organization, focusing on data analytics to set the editorial calendar, moving the Magic into top-5 NBA website for traffic.
• Directed strategy for social growth, including nearly 200,000 increase in followers on Instagram in nine months. Facebook also grew by 100,000 followers, and Twitter nearly 50,000.
• Maintained ongoing partnership with Fox Sports, as well as multiple advertising clients to create unique, consumer-centric content.
• Supervised staff of 9 content experts, including writers, videographers, social producers and multimedia artists.

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Golfweek Digital

​DIRECTOR, DIGITAL CONTENT & INNOVATION  |  2010 - 2015

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• Led all business units – Editorial, Marketing & Sales – to a uniform digital strategy focused on growth for the consumer through best-in-class content that would allow advertisers and external partners alike to seek out Golfweek’s unique audience, growing the brand organically and fiscally.
• Directly supervised more than 10 employees, across all business units.

 

MARKETING STRATEGY

• Identified preferred audience platforms – e-mail, mobile (inclusive of tablet) or desktop – and tailored story forms for each experience.
• Grew the Golfweek digital audience by quadruple over 48 months, moving a niche site of 75,000 monthly uniques to one that averaged 900,000 uniques, including four months of more than 1 million.
• Managed Golfweek’s email databases, taking them from 2,000 to 400,000.
• Aided in revenue growth, moving from $600,000 in 2010 to more than $2.5 million in 2014.

• Supervised an immediate staff of seven, including video, social media & web development.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA & PARTNERSHIPS

• Managed growth of social channels, growing each channel in excess of 2,000 percent, allowing Golfweek content a platform to promote its unique, behind-the-scenes content.
• Developed and maintained all strategic partnerships – including FOX Sports, USA Today, Huffington Post and Tribune Company. The partnership with USA Today led to them purchasing Golfweek in 2017.

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Orlando Sentinel

​NIGHT NEWS EDITOR & SENIOR PRODUCTION EDITOR  |  2007-2010

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• Supervised an immediate group of 10 (designers, editors, online producers), as well as the entire nighttime newsroom staff two to three nights per week, making all necessary news and production decisions, as well as running the website at night for both sports and news.

• Led the reorganization of both the production desks in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, streamlining editing and design functions to create efficiencies for shrinking staffs. 

 

 

Sun Journal Media

​MANAGING EDITOR, VISUALS & SPORTS  |  2006-2007

 

• Supervised an immediate staff of 10 employees (designers, copy editors, sports reporters), while also overseeing newsroom multiple times per week.

• Led the launch of a new, youth-oriented section, focusing in on niche content for those between 18-34.

 

 

San Jose Mercury News

DESIGNER  |  2005-2006

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• Helped launch a new product called In-Depth, telling complicated stories through alternative story forms, including infographics, photos and charts.

• Acted as a sports, business, news and features designer while with the Mercury News, while also reviewing multiple concerts for our entertainment section.

 

 

Santa Barbara News-Press

​DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR  |  2004-2005

 

• Supervised an immediate staff of six employees, including reporters, copy editors and designers, responsible for all production and deadlines.

• Served as a beat reporter for a summer baseball team, while also covering multiple other high school and collegiate sports throughout the year.

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Gannett Media

​DESIGNER, ASBURY PARK PRESS & OBSERVER NEWSPAPERS  |  2001-2004

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• Led the redesign of three community weekly newspapers, leading the staff in a new design and in new forms of storytelling.

• Helped in execution of Asbury Park Press redesign, creating the style guide, while also acting as the nightly editor in seeing through the intricate new look.

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Santa Barbara News-Press

​SPORTS REPORTER, DESIGNER & COPY EDITOR  |  1997-2001

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• While going to school full-time, also worked full-time on the sports desk, taking on daily reporting duties, as well as copy editing and designing.

• When newspaper converted to digital, led the Sports department by first aiding in the system set-up, and then training the veteran staff to use it.