Editorial Content Strategist — Shopping, Culture & Social Storytelling

I’m looking for an exceptional editorial-minded content strategist to help me build the content architecture for a consumer shopping app. This is a focused strategy engagement. I am NOT looking for: * Social media management * Community management * Content production * Someone to make a posting calendar * A generic brand or social strategy * “Educate / entertain / inspire” content pillars I’m looking for someone who understands editorial storytelling and modern social formats and can help turn shopping into a compelling, recognizable content world. The assignment The initial ecosystem includes: Instagram — Reels + Stories TikTok Substack Pinterest I want to determine the specific content formats, franchises and storytelling devices that should live across those channels. Not just what topics should we cover? I want to drill down into how we actually tell the stories. What is the recurring Reel format? What does the opening hook look like? What’s the storytelling structure? What belongs in Stories that shouldn’t become a Reel? What Story formats could become habitual? What’s our TikTok-native language? What deserves a longer editorial treatment on Substack? What can originate on Substack and become a Reel? How does Pinterest function as more than a dumping ground for assets? What recurring franchises can travel across platforms — and which should belong exclusively to one? I want to architect the formats themselves. Think like an editorial director The person I’m looking for probably has some combination of editorial, publishing, digital media and social experience. I want someone who understands why great lifestyle publications and digital-native media brands become destinations. They develop franchises. They create recognizable formats. They have recurring columns. They know how to turn a cultural observation into a story. They understand how one editorial idea can become a feature, a recurring series, a conversation, a visual format or an entire content franchise. I want to bring that editorial discipline into a modern social ecosystem built around shopping, lifestyle and culture. Shopping is the subject. Storytelling is the opportunity. I’m interested in shopping as a much larger human and cultural behavior. What are people searching for? What suddenly becomes desirable? What’s in everyone’s cart? What are people hunting down? What are they returning? What’s worth the splurge? Who or what is influencing what we want? What does a television show, celebrity moment, meme or cultural shift suddenly make people want to buy? What are people wearing, carrying, decorating with, gifting or saving? Where are people shopping? Why do we want what we want? These are starting points, not proposed content pillars. I want the strategist to help uncover the most interesting editorial territories and then figure out how those ideas become repeatable content formats. I want someone who already knows what’s good You should be deeply plugged into digital media, social, internet culture, pop culture and emerging content formats. Part of your value is bringing that intelligence into the work. I want you coming into conversations saying things like: “This storytelling format is getting interesting.” “This is why this Reel works.” “Everyone is covering this cultural moment the same way. Here’s the white space.” “This should be a Story franchise, not a feed post.” “This could become a weekly editorial property.” “This idea should start on Substack and break into three other formats.” I don’t want to bring every reference to you. I want you bringing references, formats and ideas to me. What we’ll build together This will be collaborative. I have a strong POV and will be deeply involved in the process. But I’m specifically hiring you to bring editorial expertise, format thinking and storytelling architecture to the table. The work should ultimately define: * Core editorial territories * A portfolio of ownable content franchises * Specific recurring Reel formats * Specific recurring Instagram Story formats * TikTok-native formats and storytelling structures * Substack editorial formats/columns * Pinterest-native content formats * Hooks and storytelling structures * Reactive/pop-culture formats * Evergreen formats * How stories travel across platforms * How one idea can expand into multiple pieces of content without simply being reposted * Recommended cadence and mix * Examples/references showing what each format could actually look and feel like The output should be concrete enough that a creative or production team could pick it up and understand what they need to make. Who I’m looking for I’m particularly interested in people who have worked as: * Editorial directors * Digital editors * Lifestyle or shopping editors * Editorial content strategists * Social creative strategists with strong editorial backgrounds * Content directors at digital publications or consumer brands Experience in digital publishing, lifestyle media, shopping, fashion, beauty, culture or consumer media is particularly relevant. I care much more about your editorial brain and taste than a long list of brands you’ve worked with. How to apply Please don’t send me a generic social media proposal. Instead, send me: 1. Three publications, brands, creators or social accounts whose content you think is genuinely excellent right now — and WHY. 2. One recurring content franchise or editorial format you’ve created or helped develop. Tell me what the format was and why it worked. 3. Show me an example of your strongest editorial/content strategy work. 4. Give me one example of a story or idea you’ve seen recently that was executed brilliantly on social. What specifically made the FORMAT or storytelling work? And finally: If you were building an editorial universe around the culture and behavior of shopping, what’s the first place your brain would go? I’m not looking for a “right” answer. I’m looking for the person whose answer makes me think: I want this brain in the room.