John Schlander

Experience

• 

  Road2College

  Managing Editor

  Feb 2023 - Present

  Road2College provides tools, articles and services to help you find the right college at the right price. Get help with admissions, scholarships, and more.

  • Oversee editorial strategy and production for content helping families navigate college admissions and financial aid.
  • Create and optimize evergreen and timely content to drive search and referral traffic related to admissions, scholarships and paying for college.
  • Coordinate with product teams to align content with tools (College Insights) and membership offerings.
  • Manage contributors, reviews and editorial calendar to ensure accuracy and usefulness for parents and students.
  • Use analytics and SEO best practices to prioritize coverage and measure content impact on audience and conversions.

• JJS Content Services LLC

  Owner/Operator

  Apr 2016 - Present

  JJS Content Services LLC is a company.

  • Founded and operate a content services business delivering editorial, SEO and content strategy for clients.
  • Manage end-to-end project delivery: scope, editorial planning, editing, production and client communication.
  • Provide SEO-driven copywriting, headline optimization and on-page content guidance to improve organic discoverability.
  • Develop client relationships, estimate work, and coordinate freelance contributors and contractors.
  • Maintain quality control and editorial standards across all client deliverables.
• 

  Clever Real Estate

  Director of News

  Jun 2022 - Dec 2022

  We match you with top agents nationwide and help you save. Sellers get full service for just a 1.5% listing fee. Buyers can get cash back after closing.

  • Led news and editorial coverage focused on consumer-facing real estate topics, data-driven research and buyer/seller guidance.
  • Built editorial processes to produce actionable content that supports Clever’s product and agent-matching services.
  • Collaborated with product, marketing and data teams to surface research and content that informs customers’ decisions.
  • Implemented SEO and analytics-driven story selection to grow organic readership and engagement.
  • Managed contributors, editorial calendar and quality control for timely real estate coverage.
• 

  The Penny Hoarder

  Managing Editor

  Aug 2016 - Jun 2022

  The Penny Hoarder is one of the largest personal finance websites in America, receiving millions of visitors each month looking to make and save extra money.

  • Lead a 15-person in-house editorial staff responsible for personal finance coverage, hiring and professional development.
  • Define and execute content strategy aligned with company goals while serving on the executive team alongside the CEO.
  • Own analytics, KPI reporting and editorial editing to improve audience engagement and revenue outcomes.
  • Coach editors and writers on headlines, SEO, sourcing and story structure to increase traffic and trust.
  • Coordinate cross-functional initiatives with product, marketing and revenue teams to maximize content impact.
• 

  Tampa Bay Times

  Digital general manager

  Oct 2013 - Aug 2016

  Powered by the Tampa Bay Times, tampabay.com is your home for breaking news you can trust. Set us as your home page and never miss the news that matters to you.

  • Led cross-departmental digital initiatives connecting content, audience and revenue across tampabay.com and related properties.
  • Managed teams and projects including Engagement & Personalization, Mobile Apps, Video, E‑Commerce and Digital Advertising.
  • Owned SEO, analytics, KPI reporting and vendor relationships while advising newsroom leadership on digital strategy.
  • Drove measurable growth: digital revenue +33% year-over-year at departure; social referral traffic +150% over two years; search traffic grew sixfold over eight years.
  • Directed redesign and large CMS implementations, and led internal training on digital best practices.
• 

  Poynter Institute

  Adjunct faculty

  Apr 2011 - Dec 2021

  Poynter is a nonprofit media institute and newsroom that provides fact-checking, media literacy and journalism ethics training to citizens and journalists in service to democracy.

  • Design and teach Poynter workshops including Web Headlines & SEO Essentials and Using Analytics to Drive Your Mission.
  • Deliver multi-week online seminars and custom courses for organizations (examples include MSN and Gannett).
  • Have completed and taught dozens of Poynter courses, training journalists and media professionals worldwide.
  • Present on SEO, headlines, analytics and editing at industry conferences and to professional associations.
  • Help newsrooms apply analytics and SEO practices to improve audience acquisition and editorial decision-making.
• 

  Tampa Bay Times - Times Publishing Co

  Senior editor/online operations

  Oct 2010 - Oct 2013

  • Created and led the online operations role to improve site UX and audience growth for tampabay.com.
  • Managed the site redesign project and coordinated implementation of a new CMS with IT and external consultants.
  • Handled SEO, analytics, communications on digital strategy, and hands-on editing to ensure content quality.
  • Led the site to industry recognition: tampabay.com won the 2014 National Headliner Award for Best Newspaper-Affiliated Website and placed second in 2016.
• 

  Tampa Bay Times - Times Publishing Co

  Executive news editor

  Jan 2005 - Oct 2010

  • Managed a 37-member news copy desk serving both print and web, including recruiting and hiring copy editors.
  • Integrated print and web workflows and led the newsroom’s SEO and style committee efforts.
  • Edited and approved stories for accuracy, tone and discoverability across platforms.
  • Implemented SEO best practices in partnership with the Brand Manager, growing monthly search visits from ~375,000 in 2008 to 1.76 million in 2010.
• 

  Tampa Bay Times - Times Publishing Co

  Previous editing positions

  Jun 1984 - Jan 2005

  • Spent 20 years in progressive editing roles, handling thousands of stories across beats and formats.
  • Held positions including copy editor/designer, North Suncoast news editor, B section news editor, assigning editor (night city editor) and assistant metro/metro news editor.
  • Managed reporters and copy editors, maintained story and visual rosters, and directed daily newsroom operations in multiple roles.
  • Occasionally wrote reporting pieces and supported newsroom training and process improvements leading to later leadership promotions.