SEO & AEO Content Agency

Hi there! I’m Riley and I’m the project manager at The Content Lab. I’ve been with the company for just over half a decade now. I studied English and Media at University Limerick and started working here almost right out of college!

I love to write, it’s one of my favourite things to do – even when I’m not at work! Despite my love of writing I’m actually the one talking to clients and organising projects and I think I do a pretty good job of keeping everything flowing the way it should!

Outside of work I play roller derby for Dublin and Munster and I love to play games, read, watch movies and play D&D or other TTRPGs. I’m an avid horror fan (making Halloween my favourite holiday) and I often indulge myself in a variety of spooky movie nights from classic to modern. Not only do I love horror movies, but I love horror novels too and actually think they’re scarier than the films.

I’m also a proud cat dad to two black cats, Púca and Willow – I told you I liked spooky things! They’re absolute menaces but I love them and they love me, I hope.

What’s your role in TCL?

I’m the project manager. I manage the projects. Sort the spreadsheets. Organise meetings and reply to those long long email threads. If you’re working with us I’m the one who’ll get in touch with you when your content is ready for review. I’m the go-to guy for any questions you might have about our work and sometimes I’m even the one who’s updating your socials for you!

I also write. I am a copywriter too, and I actually started out as a copywriter back when it was just myself and Abby writing under some stairs…in the dark. Nah, we had lights but we were actually under some stairs, on desks I built from IKEA!

But back to what I do now. Mostly project management but I do also edit wonderful video testimonials for our clients as well as the odd graphic or two and I’m even in charge of uploading blogs and social posts for some clients.

Why do you do what you do?

For the greater good! And I’d say ‘just joking’ but really in a way it is for the greater good. I want to create and help others create their personal brand, their content and their online presence in a way that authentically represents them and who they are. I don’t want brands publishing generic, unchecked AI content that tells their audience nothing about them.

But also, I do what I do because it’s a lot of fun. And I don’t think you can say that about most jobs. We have an amazing team, great company culture, and we get to meet and chat to a lot of really cool people. Also I just really like writing.

What project was your favourite to work on so far?

There have been so many fun and exciting projects over the years but I think right now I’m really enjoying working on any and all Video Testimonial projects.

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

Inspiration is really weird, and definitely strikes at the worst possible time – toilet, shower, during a really really important meeting. I once had a great idea for a short story while stuck in a meeting with my solicitor, safe to say I was lucky she emailed me the notes afterward. Funny how the mind wanders!

But, when it comes to work and content for our clients I’m definitely inspired by our team. We have amazing writers working for us and I find myself watching in awe as they create really beautiful pieces of content. So, yea, definitely the team.

What’s your favourite quote?

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde

What’s your favourite book?

There are too many books for me to pick just one but I really love Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy is a childhood favourite and I’d be lying if I said I’m not caught up with that skeleton detective’s shenanigans.

What’s a brand you love and why?

I’m going to go quite niche here and say Sakeru Gummy and Long Sakeru Gummy which is a Japanese sweet/gummy. Now, this brand always sticks in my head because a good few years ago they made an 11 part series of ads that followed a couple who loved Sakeru Gummies but they have this ongoing rivalry with a mystery man who would always eat a longer version of the sweet. I’m not going to spoil the story for you but honestly one of the greatest ad campaigns I’ve ever witnessed.

“Long, long maaaaaaaan.”

What’s a fact about yourself that helps with your writing/work?

I’ve been told I’m quite easy to talk to so that helps me a lot when getting on calls with clients or meeting with them to discuss their wants for their content. Plus I make a really good cup of coffee. When it comes to actually writing, I’m quite good at visualising the words in my head before actually writing them.

What’s your favourite animal?

Cats (black cats are the best, I’m not biased), harpy eagles (the best bird), dogs, maned wolves, donkeys – there’s a long list of animals I enjoy

What are your qualifications?

• BA in New Media & English, UL
• Self-certified master of puns and whimsy

Quirky facts

• I play roller derby for Dublin Roller Derby and Munster Roller Derby! Primarily as a pivot but I have been known to block and jam when the mood takes me (or my coach asks me)
• I have a couple of tattoos – none of them were planned

Hello you! Oh, you want to know more about ME? I’m flattered, truly.

I’ve been writing since I was a teeny kid with a head full of stories and a notebook full of nonsense. Now I do it for a living, and I still can’t quite believe I get paid for it!

I’m a writer and brand strategist at The Content Lab, and have been for 4 years. Along with our (ridiculously talented team), I help brands sound like the best version of themselves.

Some days, that means jumping into big strategy sessions. Other days, I’m knee-deep in messaging docs, writing website copy, or helping founders build their personal brand on LinkedIn.

When I’m off the clock, you’ll find me wandering Lisbon’s backstreets, trying to convince a street cat to love me, or plotting my next sweet treat.

What’s your role in TCL?

I’m a copywriter, voice-finder, and messaging maker for brands that know what they want to say, but don’t know how to say it.

I take clients through our discovery process, asking the juicy questions that get to the heart of who they are, what they stand for, and why anyone should give a crap.

From there, I build out brand messaging foundations that capture their voice, shape their story, and give them language they can use everywhere – from their website to LinkedIn to every little corner of their content.

Basically, my job is turning everything a brand is into words people instantly connect with. When a client says, “this finally sounds like us,” I know I’ve done my job well. So if your brand voice and online persona needs a glow-up, I might just be your gal.

Why do you do what you do?

Because getting paid to write is a dream come true for me. I’ve been writing since I was a kid. Stories. Poems. Knots of thoughts unravelling in diaries over decades.

But it wasn’t until I started working in a digital marketing agency that I realised this was something I could do as a career! I was writing blogs, emails, website copy; all sorts.

The rest of the marketing stuff was cool, and I learned a lot. But the writing part? The SEO and brand voice and psychology of it all? That was addictive. It’s all I wanted to do, and now that I’ve made it my entire career, let’s just say I’m a happy woman!

What project was your favourite to work on so far?

That’s an impossible question to answer. I have so many favourites! One that I thoroughly enjoyed has to be the Dinosaur Discovery Center. When they came to us for help, their website sounded a lil’ too stuffy, scientific, and outdated. It was a complete mismatch from their actual vibe (fun, immersive, kid-friendly) and the team (bubbly, hilarious, the literal best).

I was able to get in there and completely transform their brand to reflect who they actually are. New brand messaging, mission and vision statements, core values, differentiators, slogans, taglines, dino puns, dino butts (seriously) – the lot! I then used that new brand foundation to write their website, pulling it from prehistoric times into the now.

What content writing tool would you recommend?

SE Ranking. It makes keyword research, content audits, and strategising a whole lot easier.

What’s your favourite quote?

“What’s meant for ya won’t pass ya by”
– Rita Meagher,
An icon, a legend, my mam <3

What’s your favourite book?

All time fave? Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.
Current fave? Intermezzo by Sally Rooney.

What’s a brand you love and why?

Lazy Oaf is one of my faves. Their tagline is “keep it weird.” That says it all, really?

Every bit of copy, from their social captions to their product descriptions stinks of Lazy Oaf in the best way. Perfectly quirky and “out there,” but still managing to say something meaningful. I’ve seen so many brands destroyed by sh*tty AI take overs. Not this one. May they stay wonderfully weird forever.

What’s a fact about yourself that helps with your writing/work?

I’ve been told I’m an empath, and I’d agree with that. I can’t help but tune into how people feel, which I reckon makes writing for the real humans on the other side of the screen way easier. I’m always picturing who’s reading, what kind of day they’ve had, what they might need from my words.

What’s your favourite animal?

Cats for sure, their little toe beans and teefies are the CUTEST, dogs (obviously, who doesn’t love dogs?!). I also love pigeons because they are goofy and polite.

What are your qualifications?

• BA in Communication Studies from DCU.
• Creative Writing Certificate from The Irish Writers Institute.
• Awarded ‘best terrible joke-maker’ by my partner.

Quirky facts

• I moved from Dublin to Lisbon for the craic (no, not that kind of crack).
• I have eight tattoos. One of them is a cat wearing a bonnet (his name is Bonnie)
• I was on RTE’s ‘The Den’ when I was a kid.
• I’m a Twighard #teamedward
• My family play a game every Christmas called ‘guess where Ciara’s belly button is.’

In 2022, I left the US and moved to Ireland with a dream: to earn my master’s degree in Writing at the University of Galway, land an editing job, learn Irish, and eventually graduate from ‘blow-in’ to ‘local’. Since then – thanks to UG and The Content Lab – I’m halfway there!

As The Content Lab’s in-house Copyeditor, I get to work with a talented team of Writers and Strategists, an incredible Project Manager, and the Best Boss a girl could ask for.

We bring our A-game to every project, meeting, training, and brainstorming sesh, eager to support each other as individuals and as a team. And we bring that same energy, respect, focus, and dedication to every client we work with.

I’m proud to be part of such a phenomenal team.

When I’m off the clock, you can find me sea-staring, writing poetry, performing at local literary events, taking Irish language classes, screeching out a few tunes in a nearby trad session, or buried under books in the cosiest chair in the house.

What’s your role in TCL?

Copyeditor & Proofreader Extraordinaire!

I take what’s already great about what our Writers produce and shine it up, tighten the screws, and help make sure it’s publish-ready.

I proofedit for formatting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

I reframe for clarity, consistency, brand voice, and flow.

And I can spot an extra space between two words – or the difference between ‘default black’ and ‘custom’ font – from sixty paces.

If copy needs cleaning-up, I’m your girl!

I also write. I am a copywriter too, and I actually started out as a copywriter back when it was just myself and Abby writing under some stairs…in the dark. Nah, we had lights but we were actually under some stairs, on desks I built from IKEA!

But back to what I do now. Mostly project management but I do also edit wonderful video testimonials for our clients as well as the odd graphic or two and I’m even in charge of uploading blogs and social posts for some clients.

Why do you do what you do?

A poet at heart, I know the power of the written word.

I’ve seen a single word substitution change the meaning of an entire message. A well-placed punctuation completely eliminates confusion. Stories that have swayed public opinion and sparked action on local, national, and even global scales.

I’m here for that kind of impact.

(…that, and it’s hard to find other jobs where ‘nit-picking’ is a valuable skill to bring to the table!)

What project was your favourite to work on so far?

Since I’ve edited the vast majority of the projects we’ve done for the past few years, it’s hard to pin down one fave!

In general, I love seasonal content – blogs, newsletters, and social posts that highlight the holidays, or even just the changing of the weather from one season to the next.

And as a rule, I pretty much NEVER write copy myself. But once, we were approached by a fellow poet looking to rework her website to reflect her new publications, speaking availability, her background as a writer, and the inspirations that keep her coming back to the craft. I got to write that one – and it was lovely!

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

When I’m feeling stuck, I try to get out of the house. I’m always inspired when I head somewhere new, forcing me to pay closer attention to my surroundings, my senses, my own thoughts. Even a walk in the woods, or sitting by the sea can give me a glimmer of inspo when I need one.

Another place I tend to find a spark? In other people’s writing. Not in a plagiarism kinda way – but sometimes reading something I love (or something I hate) can point me toward something I wouldn’t have thought of before.

I keep a bank of lines and ideas in my Notes app, which I consult when I sit down to write!

What’s your favourite quote?

“The only way out is through. The only way through is forward.”
(a slight paraphrase of Robert Frost’s saying: “The best way out is always through.”)

What’s your favourite book?

HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CHOOSE.

I’ll put it this way:
When we moved to Ireland, we whittled down our book collection to what we could carry. So, naturally, I crammed 40 pounds of books into the largest luggage we had. But I packed a small handful into my backpack to carry onto the plane with me. Among those were:

THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater
NEW and SELECTED POEMS by Eavan Boland
and several more

My favourite recent reads?

HAGSTONE by Sinéad Gleeson
BACK from AWAY by Damien Donnelly
ON WRITING by Stephen King

What’s a brand you love and why?

Wicklow Wolf Brewery comes to mind – I’ve never tried their brews before, but I like their wolfy imagery, warm colour palette, their commitment to sustainability, and the nod to Irish history/folklore in their brand name. Oh, and when they discontinue a beer? They say it’s “extinct”.

What’s a fact about yourself that helps with your writing/work?

Since I was very young, I had both a wildly overactive imagination AND an unusually deep sense of focus. You’d find me climbing to the top of the playground equipment like it was Mount Everest during yard time, locked in to the grammar worksheet in the classroom, playing make-believe all weekend, and buried in a book before bed each night.

I think that combination – of bold creativity and deep focus – has made me the writer/editor I am today, helping me feel out the core of a message, trace the arc of a brand story, and make the precise adjustments that help what’s already great to hit its mark.

What’s your favourite animal?

Red pandas are my #1! But there’s plenty of room in my heart for cats and canines of all sizes, bats, foxes, horses, and all the little birds that come looking for seeds on my back patio.

What are your qualifications?

• BA in English & Creative Writing from University of Oregon
• MA in Writing from University of Galway
• Crowned “High King” of my Old English Module in undergrad for finding the most typos in the coursework – in both Old and Modern English! (Lowkey Obsessive Compulsive)

Quirky facts

• Pre-covid, I worked as a professional belly dance performer, director, and instructor.
• My first BA is in Acting (and my dream is to get cast on Ros na Rún).
• My phobias include spiders, deep water, and really big things.

For the past few years, I’ve been having an absolute ball at The Content Lab. Every day, I get to let my skills shine alongside some of the best wordsmiths in the game.

So far, I’ve had the chance to write for more industries than I can count – from SaaS startups to interior design brands, tax firms to classic motor suppliers (and everything weird and wonderful in between).

And while writing is my #1 passion, I’m not a one-trick pony – I also help with content strategy, audits and calendars, SEO, and plenty more.

Before joining TCL, I worked as a journalist covering court cases – including the occasional murder trial – which definitely sharpened my attention to detail.

When I’m away from work, you’ll usually find me chilling with a good book (currently making my way through the Russian classics — send thoughts and prayers). I also love watching F1 (I’m a big Ferrari fan), going to concerts, travelling, hanging with my dog Pixie, and finding the next hit series on Netflix to binge.

What’s your role in TCL?

Copywriter!

Why do you do what you do?

I love words and stories, and copywriting gives me the perfect opportunity to put that passion to work. There’s nothing like the magic of finding that exact phrase that captures what I’m trying to say – one that hits the mark with a specific audience and inspires them to connect or take action. Every day excites me because I never know what I’ll be writing about next – taxes, law, doggos, flooring… who knows?

What project was your favourite to work on so far?

Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue – a heartwarming dog rescue in Houston who connects loving families with rescued Goldens.

What content writing tool would you recommend?

SE Ranking

What’s your favourite quote?

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt,” Sylvia Plath

What’s your favourite book?

The Pillars of The Earth – Ken Follett

What’s a brand you love and why?

Dove
It’s a brand that actually cares. Their campaigns aren’t about perfection but about real people feeling good in their own skin. I admire how they focus on confidence and self-esteem while still making products that are cruelty-free and high quality.

What’s a fact about yourself that helps with your writing/work?

I grew up as an only child so I spent a lot of time entertaining myself and letting my imagination run wild. I think that’s what made me so creative.

What’s your favourite animal?

Dogs, of course!

What are your qualifications?

• BA in English and Philosophy from Maynooth University
• MA in Journalism from Dublin City University

Quirky facts

• For me, frogs are the most terrifying creatures to ever exist!