GirlWords

a blog and portfolio and stuff
(eventually)

Our Recent Posts

Thinking About Meaningful Editorial Work

It's Tough Being a Woman in Tech (Riverfront Times)

Thinking About the Resilience of My Media Friends

Tags

Website Copy and Social Media Development (CocoaVia)

There are a ton of health supplements out there. Some work, some don't. Some totally mess up your body. But CocoaVia, a supplement from Mars (yes, the candy maker), had the studies, data and results to back its claims of improving healthy circulation. You know those studies that say eating a bit of dark chocolate every day is good for you? CocoaVia's science has similar roots, but instead of waiting until the cocoa is turned into chocolate (which squeezes out the nutrients),

That Time I Ran a Website and Posted Nothing but Cute Animals (YesPets)

Editorial Direction, YesPets, 2015-2016 As the editor for YesPets, I got to do what everyone dreams of: share stories about amazing animals all day long. I know, I know, it sounds like a fake job. I'm not even sure that I completely understood it at first. Something, something, data, something, something, advertisers, something, something, research and assign stories about puppies for eight hours every day. SOLD! I really need to emphasize the "data" part of things. Gateway M

Here's Looking at You, Curtain Call (SPACE Architecture)

Ghostblogging, SPACE Architecture + Design, July 7, 2016 Communications agencies, businesses, civic organizations and nonprofits often tap me to put their brands into words that will entice readers to share and act. With plenty of research and client interviews, I develop blog posts that inform and inspire. Some entities also hire me to combine the posts with an editorial and social media strategy or a specific campaign, maximizing content and views. Blogging and tweeting? Ye

How Five St. Louis Collectors Accumulated Troves of Treasure (Riverfront Times)

Cover story, Riverfront Times, May 11, 2016 Photos by Allison Babka In 2016, I was laid off for the first time in my life. It was just as confusing, demoralizing and frightening as I'd heard it would be from others. I'd been an editor at Gateway Media, assigning and writing stories for BrainJet (a general knowledge site) and YesPets (adorable animals) that went viral every day because of our data techniques, SEO research and social media gamesmanship. Alas, the company put al

What Will It Take For Yes to Be Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? (BrainJet)

Digital opinion piece, BrainJet, December 2015 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons The 2016 class that will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been announced, and many rock music lovers are livid. During a ceremony in April 2016, Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A. and Steve Miller will be inducted. Those acts were selected as the winners from a list of nominees that were announced in October 2015; also up for consideration were The Cars, Chaka Khan,

Here's the Story Behind That Vintage Hot Pink Sofa Everyone Wanted (Riverfront Times)

Feature, Riverfront Times, February 5, 2018 Photo courtesy of Sarah Rodhouse By Allison Babka Two weeks ago, a gigantic pink sofa from the 1950s set St. Louis hearts aflutter. Claude Denis, who owns the St. Louis Hills vintage store The Future Antiques (6514 Chippewa, 314-865-1552), posted photos on Facebook on January 25 of his staff's newest acquisition: what he calls a "Pepto pink" sectional sofa. Made of solid wood with tufted cushions covered in bright bubblegum-colore

Vegas Swank in West County: Joey B's on Manchester (SPACE Architecture)

Ghostblogging, Space Architecture + Design, August 26, 2016 As one of the premier architecture firms in St. Louis, SPACE Architecture + Designs has found a niche building out amazing structures that enhance both brand reputation and consumer experience. for a variety of clients To showcase the firm's work and increase their SEO value, SPACE hired me to write a few blog posts about the owners' favorite projects. One of those projects was Joey B's, the latest restaurant for a m

Now You're Cookin': Lemon Gem (Ladue News)

Feature, Ladue News, February 24, 2017 By Allison Babka Photos by Cheryl Waller Surprisingly, it’s comforting vanilla -- not lemon -- that our nose first detects upon entering Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods. But everything else in St. Louis’ newest boutique culinary store is as fresh as the fruit for which it’s named. With its combination of curated, high-quality inventory and enchanting charm, Lemon Gem is poised to become the next breakout business in The Grove, an increasingly po

'Be a Billiken' Web Copywriting (Saint Louis University)

In my role as marketing specialist for undergraduate recruitment at Saint Louis University, I was focused on connecting with prospective students through new channels -- and in the late 2000s, that meant trying out nifty new stuff on niche owned websites and on Facebook. We had just launched the university's evolving new student recruitment brand "Be a Billiken," and I began using video to communicate SLU's uniqueness and value. As the creator and guardian of the brand's voic

Review: U2 in Chicago, 360 Tour (ReviewSTL)

Concert recap, ReviewSTL, July 13, 2011 Photo by Stephanie Young Merzel via Flickr Creative Commons I’ve finally forgiven Bono one year after he threw his back out and canceled my 2010 Chicago show. And all it took was U2 playing a rare song live and completely blowing my mind. U2 is known for adoring Chicago – the band often waxes poetic about their early shows there, and the city kicked off the whole “360 Tour” with two dates back in 2009. During the band's July 5 show at

2 3 4 5