Résumé

Hi! I’m Maliyah 💐

I specialize in creating user-centered, research-driven and human-sounding copy that builds community, engagement and trust.

I have 5+ years of experience producing high-impact content and delivering top-notch client services to optimize brand visibility and achieve SEO-driven outcomes. I love to craft compelling narratives, manage diverse multimedia campaigns, implement digital strategies and stay ahead of industry trends to drive business growth and enhance user engagement.

In my current role as Copywriter at Axonify, the key audiences our team's content speaks to are frontline employees and their leaders, and L&D, HR and Operations professionals across various complex and global industries. I'm typically addressing the issues of retail, grocery, healthcare, finance and insurance, hospitality, telecommunications and manufacturing and distribution organizations. (But I have experience writing for many more industries - see below!)

In 2023, Axonify gained a 53% increase in social media impressions, reaching 1.07M through targeted strategies on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram while I managed our digital community of 25.5K+ members. Beyond the original scope of my role, I also actively contribute to our EDI committee as Social Chair.

3 words to describe me: Creative. Lifelong learner. I'm always up for an experiment, to grow a new skill, A/B test and adopt an out-of-the-box approach!

Expertise overview

Core competencies

  • Quality content creation

  • Advertising and paid media

  • Brand visibility

  • Campaign optimization and A/B testing

  • Storytelling

  • Trends analysis

  • Social media management

  • Digital community engagement

  • Cross-functional collaboration

  • Research, editing and proofreading

  • Stakeholder engagement and enablement

  • Content strategy development

  • Relationship building

  • Rhetorical analysis/persuasive writing for targeted audiences

  • SEO

Technical knowledge

Hootsuite | Wrike | WordPress | Google Workspace | HubSpot | Asana | Microsoft Office | CoverageBook PR | Canva | Meltwater | LinkedIn | Meta (Facebook) | Instagram | X (Twitter) | YouTube | Figma | Grammarly | Adobe Creative Cloud | Marketo

Work experience

Copywriter @ Axonify

Waterloo, ON

Feb 2021 — Present

Highlights:

  • Develops SEO-optimized website content that aligns with the company's OKRs and brand guidelines while maintaining Axonify’s style, quality and tone of voice.

  • Brainstorms content ideas and analyzes industry trends in collaboration with Subject Matter Experts, freelancers, and Senior Content, Creative and Brand Strategy Managers.

  • Produces various marketing assets for online and offline channels, including customer newsletters, award submissions, social media posts and digital ads.

  • Coordinates a range of marketing activities, including blog posts, tech award submissions, webinar promotions, pillar content support, website landing pages and pop-ups and speaking session transcripts, to enhance brand visibility and customer engagement.

  • Surpasses B2B industry benchmarks in email nurture campaigns with a 31.17% open rate, 6.88% CTR, and 22.06% CTOR.

  •  Increases conversion rates and audience engagement by enhancing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns through A/B testing, personalized copy and data-driven decision-making.

  • Drives technology integration and gains market insights by nurturing strategic relationships with key industry partners, including SAP, Zebra Technologies and RedThread Research.

  • Creates compelling narratives that communicate the product's value by developing a deep understanding of company offerings and aligning them with the company's mission and vision.

Media and Digital Content Assistant @ Durrell Communications

Waterloo, ON

Aug 2020 — Feb 2021

Highlights:

  • Formulated and applied PR strategies for clients in diverse industries, including healthcare, technology, engineering, real estate and non-profit to increase their brand visibility and customer engagement. Authored and secured the publication of client-focused articles in prominent media outlets, including GreenBiz and Daily Commercial News.

  • Attracted online readership of 83.2 M and garnered 5,410 social shares by securing 56 media placements for THEMUSEUM's Rolling Stones | UNZIPPED exhibit, as tracked by the CoverageBook PR reporting tool.

  • Boosted client digital platform engagement through engaging content creating and executing social media strategies.

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant @ University of Waterloo

Waterloo, ON

Sept 2018 — Aug 2020

Highlights:

  • Promoted awareness and equity by transforming complex historical and social insights through anti-racist research for the University of Waterloo's English Department. Evaluated diverse student submissions, including business reports, email messages, marketing materials and public relations documents.

  • Recognized by professors with a nomination for the departmental Teaching Assistantship Award for exceptional contributions to student learning and mentorship.

  • Conducted a bias detection analysis for Crescendo on behalf of the University of Waterloo. Provided recommendations, solutions and flowcharts to help the company identify and address workplace bias.

  •  Balanced teaching responsibilities for 103 undergraduate students alongside personal studies by providing personalized 1:1 conferences, refining essay feedback techniques, and devising effective strategies to support second-language English learners.

ENGL 108A: The Superhero (Dr. David Shakespeare)

Overview: Examined hero figures, ranging broadly from ancient characters such as Gilgamesh to the modern comic book superhero. Covered literary as well as non-literary materials (e.g., film, comics, games).

ENGL 119: Communications in Math and CS (Dr. Clive Forrester)

Overview: Built students' oral and written communication skills to prepare them for academic and workplace demands. Working independently and in collaboration with others, students analyzed and produced various written and spoken forms of communication.

Class preparation:
Read course material, essay topics, test questions, etc. 

Meet with the course instructor(s): Consulted with the instructor throughout the term on course delivery, student inquiries and grading issues.

Attend lectures and classes: Attended the first class for introductions.

Student consultations/office hours: Consulted individually with every student in the class to assist with strategies for writing their essays and/or rethinking prior submissions.

Grading: Marked 2 essays per student over the term.

Exams: Set up and proctored the final examination.

Other duties: Responded to student questions or concerns via email.

Attend lectures and classes: Assisted with video recording of student presentations.

Student consultations/office hours: Held 4 consultation sessions with each student over the term.

Grading: Marked 1 in-class writing exercise per student a week, for 6 weeks

Professional and pedagogical development: Developed strategies to assist students who are second-language learners of English. Learned best practices for essay feedback and student consultations and received guidance on grading essays.

Final papers marking: Assisted with 50% of marking final reports.

Supervision and mentorship: Managed student expectations, handled large classes while completing personal academic work and developed materials for use if teaching own section in the future.

ENGL 210F: Genres of Business Communication - Online (Dr. Bruce Dadey)

Overview: A simulated business environment designed to provide students with communication skills for their professional lives. Students in the course inhabit the role of an employee at Living4Learning (L4L).

Class preparation:
Prepared for required readings and assigned students to "Living 4 Learning" departments (Research and Development, User Experience, Marketing, Customer Relations, Human Resources and Operations) based on preferences expressed in the application process.

Meet with the course instructor and other teaching assistants: Consulted with the instructor and the course's other TAs throughout the term to discuss course expectations, student submissions and upcoming assignments/readings.

Grading: Used Dropbox and Learn to evaluate weekly activities, 5 major assignments, peer review workshops, student blog posts, quizzes and the final exam.

Teaching a diverse group of students: Helped students develop skills in working collaboratively and providing peer feedback on writing. The most commonly represented programs in 210F enrollments are math & computer science, accounting and financial management, engineering, biology, sciences, economics and arts & business. 

Student consultations/office hours: Communicated course messages and announcements to all students via an online Ask Your Manager forum, where they could also ask questions.

Professional and pedagogical development: Learned how to make a course interactive and accessible to students from all backgrounds and abilities. Practiced marking and editing in a professional teaching environment for the first time, while also being in control of my teaching philosophy about on-campus equity, tolerance and accessibility. 

Bar and Dining Room Server, Food Expeditor and Host @ Boston Pizza International

Waterloo, ON

Aug 2013 — Sept 2019

Highlights:

  • Worked within a long-term team, actively improving critical ‘soft’ skills like communication, empathy and collaboration.

  • Recognized with multiple MVP awards for achievements in sales and going above and beyond to create positive guest experiences. 

Undergraduate Research Assistant @ The Games Institute (University of Waterloo)

Waterloo, ON

Jun 2019 — Aug 2019

Highlights:

  • Collaborated with a PhD candidate mentor to co-lead an academic project in the field of gamification studies for Scotiabank FactoryU.

Education

Master of Arts: English Rhetoric and Communication Design 

University of Waterloo

Graduated Oct 2020 with Distinction

Dean's Honours List 

Bachelor of Arts: English Rhetoric, Media and Professional Communication

University of Waterloo

Graduated Jun 2019 with Distinction

Dean's Honours List

Etc.

Awards

Best Advance in AI and Machine Learning - GOLD WINNER (Axonify)

Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards 2023

Best Advance in Onboarding Technology - GOLD WINNER (Axonify)

Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards 2023

Best Digital Learning Transformation Programme - FINALIST MENTION (Axonify)

Learning Technologies Awards UK 2023

Best New Hire Onboarding Program - GOLD WINNER (Axonify)

Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards 2024

Best Certification Program - SILVER WINNER (Axonify)

Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards 2024

Best Learning Platform Implementation - SHORTLIST (Axonify)

Learning Technologies Awards UK 2024

Final results to be announced November 2024

Achievements

Dean's Honours List, Graduation with Distinction - GRADUATE & UNDERGRADUATE

Issued by Dean of Arts, University of Waterloo
2020 & 2019

English Department Teaching Assistantship Award - NOMINEE

Nominated by University of Waterloo professors
2020

Walter R. Martin English 251A Award - FINALIST

Issued by Dean of Arts, University of Waterloo
2018

Faculty Entrance Scholarship

Issued by University of Waterloo
2016

Professional Development

Become an AI-Powered Marketer | Semrush

Conversion Copywriting | Growclass

Think Outside the Box: Email Marketing | Google

Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design | Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, Ideate | Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Build Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes | Google UX Design Professional Certificate

Marketing Strategy: SEO Content Writing | LinkedIn

Marketing: Copywriting for Social Media | LinkedIn

SEO Foundations | LinkedIn

Email Marketing: Drip Campaigns | LinkedIn

Media Monitoring with Explore: Foundations | Meltwater

The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing | Google Digital Garage

Writing Emails People Want to Read | LinkedIn

Volunteering

EDI Committee Social Chair at Axonify (Feb 2021 – Present)

Rapid Testing Bus Volunteer at StaySafe by Communitech (Apr 2021 – Jun 2021)

Copywriter at CovidHealth (Mar 2020 – May 2020)

Content Writer at The Weekly Spoon (Apr 2018 – Jun 2018)