Ryan Griggs

During my marketing internship at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in the summer of 2025, I identified an untapped opportunity to expand our digital presence through YouTube. While the organization maintained active profiles across multiple social media platforms, the YouTube channel remained underutilized. I proposed and implemented a comprehensive YouTube strategy focused on publishing promotional content and shorts to boost engagement and improve SEO performance. The results significantly exceeded expectations—within six months, the channel had seen an overall growth of 224% (includes watch time, views, engaged views, subscribers, average percentage viewed, and videos posted). By consistently publishing content and optimizing for discoverability, I helped transform a dormant channel into a valuable marketing asset that significantly expanded Wolf Trap’s digital reach and audience engagement.

Recognizing the emerging importance of AI-powered search, I conducted research into Wolf Trap’s visibility across Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode search features. Through systematic testing of both high-volume keywords and long-tail queries, I analyzed how Wolf Trap’s content appeared in AI-generated responses and identified critical gaps in our digital presence. My research revealed that while Wolf Trap ranked first for most traditional searches, AI tools frequently cited third-party sources like “Visit Fairfax” and “TicketSmarter” instead of pulling directly from Wolf Trap’s own content. I presented my findings and strategic recommendations to leadership, proposing solutions based on E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), including implementing schema markup for entity optimization, creating structured content with FAQs, and developing an llms.txt file to help AI models parse our site more effectively. This forward-thinking research positioned Wolf Trap to adapt its digital strategy for the evolving search landscape, where AI-powered search visitors demonstrate significantly higher conversion rates than traditional organic search.

During my internship at Alpha Omega, I served as the primary design resource, creating a diverse range of visual assets, including logos, presentation graphics, and promotional thumbnails that elevated the company’s brand presence. My flagship project involved reimagining and redesigning a conference room mural, transforming the corporate space into a more engaging and professionally branded environment. This hands-on design experience allowed me to develop practical skills in corporate visual identity while understanding how physical spaces contribute to brand storytelling. Beyond pure design work, I actively integrated my creative contributions into broader marketing initiatives, collaborating with the team to ensure my artwork supported campaign objectives and maintained consistent brand messaging across multiple touchpoints. This internship provided me with a holistic view of how design functions within a business context, bridging the gap between creative execution and strategic marketing goals.