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Having joined the NewcastleGateshead Initiative team less than a year ago as Marketing and Digital Executive, Curtis Wake has left an indelible mark on NewcastleGateshead's online presence and the organisation as a whole. With his innovative ideas and creative approach, he has significantly contributed to building engagement and visibility of the city across various digital platforms.
Curtis has made a significant impact on the tourism website of Newcastle and Gateshead, welcoming an impressive 1.6 million visitors annually. His dedication and expertise have been instrumental in enhancing the website's functionality and optimizing its performance. One of Curtis's notable achievements is his role is keeping the website up to date and engaging by adding events regularly to what is the most visited section of the website. By curating and showcasing a diverse range of events happening in the region, he has successfully attracted both locals and tourists alike. This proactive approach has contributed to increased website traffic and user engagement, further solidifying Newcastle and Gateshead's reputation as vibrant tourist destinations.
Not content with resting on his laurels, Curtis is determined to take the website's performance to even greater heights. He plans to undergo training with SEMRush, a renowned SEO tool, to bolster his knowledge and proficiency in technical SEO. By implementing technical SEO best practices, Curtis aims to improve the website's search engine rankings, visibility, and overall organic traffic, thereby expanding its reach to a wider audience.
Curtis’ innovative spirit led him to develop a unique and entertaining Geordie-themed ChatBot using AI which can be integrated into WordPress websites. The AI-driven ChatBot adds a touch of famous and friendly Geordie personality to visitor interactions, resulting in a more memorable and enjoyable user experience.
Another noteworthy achievement of Curtis is his prowess in video content production during key events for the region including the North East Tourism Awards and UKREiiF. His ability to effectively communicate our message through engaging social video content has proven to be a powerful tool in connecting with our audiences.
In addition to his work on the tourism side of the business, Curtis has been instrumental in managing our social media channels for Invest Newcastle with exceptional finesse. His deep understanding of different social media platforms and their audiences has resulted in the creation of captivating and targeted content. By leveraging data-driven insights by creating monthly reports, he has optimised Invest Newcastle’s social media campaigns, increasing our follower base, generating a strong engagement rate of 8% on LinkedIn, and helping drive investment enquiries for the city.
Beyond his designated responsibilities, Curtis’ proactive approach has been truly commendable. He took it upon himself to learn basic coding and used his newly acquired skills to make valuable changes to our suite of websites. His hands-on involvement in website improvements has significantly enhanced user experience, reduced bounce rates, and boosted overall website performance.
Curtis’ dedication, creativity, and passion for continuous learning have made him an invaluable asset to our team and a driving force behind our digital marketing success. With his proactive attitude and a keen eye for optimisation, Curtis is undoubtedly set for even greater accomplishments in the future.
