Associate Lifestyle Reporter, TODAY Digital (PEP)

Company Description

We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Here you can be your authentic self. As a company uniquely positioned to educate, entertain and empower through our platforms, Comcast NBCUniversal stands for including everyone. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, coupled with our Corporate Social Responsibility work, is informed by our employees, audiences, park guests and the communities in which we live. We strive to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our employees feel supported, embraced and heard. Together, we’ll continue to create and deliver content that reflects the current and ever-changing face of the world.

Job Description

Want to work with one of America’s most beloved and trusted brands? The TODAY Digital team is a force of creativity, imagination, and collaboration. We’re currently looking for a creative and innovative Associate Lifestyle Reporter to join our growing team. In addition to pitching and ideating stories in the lifestyle space — across topics including health, parenting, wellness, food, inspiration, home, style, and beauty — this role will largely focus on assignments in those categories to be written specifically with SEO in mind.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a project/limited term position, unless otherwise amended or terminated as deliverables within this project are completed. This is a 40hr/week PEP freelance position.

Responsibilities:

• Take monthly evergreen lifestyle keyword assignments from TODAY’s Senior Lifestyle Editor and SEO manager and write fresh, voicey copy, keeping in mind search engine optimization throughout. 
• Update existing stories that require refreshing for timeliness, context, and SEO ranking. 
• Keep an eye on what’s trending in the lifestyle space across Google, as well as platforms ranging from Instagram and TikTok to Pinterest, and pitch story ideas as well as executing on those trends.  
• Serve as an SEO expert, one who knows how to easily evaluate search volume, navigate Google trends, and write punchy stories and explainers keeping keyword placement and SEO top of mind.
• Monitor breaking stories and pop-culture and consider whether there might be an evergreen or SEO-friendly take or angle relevant to our brand.
• Write in a fun, clear, TODAY-friendly voice.
• Be quick and accurate: Typos drive you crazy. Factual errors keep you up at night. You stay calm when working under pressure, think fast and turn around quickly with no drama. 

Qualifications

• At least 2 years of writing experience.
• An extensive knowledge of SEO, including how to evaluate keyword search volume; how to optimize headlines and slugs; how to write optimized copy; how to look at cultural conversations through an SEO lens, and how to spot the SEO angle in any story. 
• Experience pitching and launching on stories with both longtail and same-day turnarounds.
• A portfolio of journalistic skills: Strong and fast writing and editing; clever and impeccable and strong editorial judgment.
• Appreciation for TODAY’s broad range of topics and personalities — from hard news to entertainment to lifestyle, celebrities and newsmakers to ordinary individuals, with a good grasp of topics and stories of high interest to women and young families — is required. 
• The shift will be Monday to Friday, with regular coverage for holidays and special events. 
   

Desired Characteristics:

• Outstanding communication skills with the ability to prioritize while multitasking.
• An appreciation for thinking about editorial content considering SEO, specifically
• A love of numbers, data, and analytics. 
• Desire to work in a creative, demanding, competitive but highly rewarding news environment
• Comfort being an independent self-starter, but also part of a multi-location, multi-time zone team
• Active awareness of TODAY personalities and brands
• Speaks fluent Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, and has ideas for how to harvest and promote stories on social platfo