ERB: Building the Content & SEO Engine for a Global Education Nonprofit
As Director of Marketing Communications at ERB (Educational Records Bureau), I built the organization's first real content and SEO engine — turning deep subject-matter expertise into a reliable inbound channel for a nonprofit serving 200+ independent and international schools worldwide.
The Challenge
ERB is a nonprofit assessment and learning-analytics provider trusted by 200+ member schools globally. The organization had decades of subject-matter credibility but no systematic way to turn that expertise into inbound growth. Content was inconsistent, the editorial process depended on heroics, and organic search wasn't yet a reliable lead source.
In education assessment, credibility and trust carry the purchase. The content needed to earn that trust — not persuade around it.
My Thinking
The opportunity wasn't just to publish more. It was to build a system that could compound. I identified that the engine needed to:
Publish consistently, without depending on heroics
Anchor on topics that member schools actually cared about — not what was easy to write
Make ERB's expertise findable by the educators and administrators searching for it
So I focused on two priorities: building an editorial and content production system that could run reliably, and launching an SEO program that would compound over time.
The Approach
A. Editorial System
Built ERB's first editorial calendar and end-to-end content production system: topic research, writer briefs, review workflow, publishing cadence.
B. SEO Program
Launched an SEO foundation from scratch: keyword strategy, on-page optimization, content gap analysis, internal linking.
C. Newsletter Revamp
Redesigned segmentation, editorial voice, and send cadence to strengthen the relationship with existing member schools.
D. Brand & Digital Leadership
Led brand, content, and digital strategy for a regulated education nonprofit, earning a promotion from Marketing Content Manager to Director within 12 months based on growth impact.
The Outcome
25% YoY growth in inbound inquiries from the content engine
30% growth in organic search sessions, establishing organic as a reliable lead channel
20% lift in newsletter open rate within year one of the revamp
Promoted from Marketing Content Manager to Director within 12 months
What I’d Do Next
Build a marketing-attribution system tied to member growth and retention
Launch a research-led content pillar to deepen thought-leadership authority
Expand distribution into podcasts and partner channels