Hi, I’m Blair Hickman.
I help media companies craft audience-first content, product and engagement strategies that drive growth, revenue and strengthen your brand.
I’ve shaped content strategies that reached hundreds of millions of people, pioneered community journalism programs that won funding and awards, led newsrooms through countless strategic pivots, and built Vox’s consumer revenue program from the ground up.
Lately, I’ve:
Developed a digital forum for community-level information exchange through the Sulzberger Fellowship
Helped a world-renowned festival transform their content strategy to be audience-first
Coached a large YouTube channel through launching a newsletter that is just as delightful as their videos
Co-led a full workshop at the Online News Association Conference to help journalists become independent creators
Feel free to get in touch blair@idamedia.co
Focus areas
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The most successful content and product strategies put your audience first. That is the key to sustainability and resilience, in a world changing algorithms.
I craft data-driven strategies to help you reach the right people, build content and products that they love and move them to action.
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Social media companies can change algorithms on a dime, destroying publishers’ ability to reach their audience. Newsletters put you in the driver's seat. They are an essential vehicle for building loyalty and are, by far, the most effective way to ask fans to support your business and mission.
I offer strategic audits and planning, and lead a 6-week newsletter bootcamp for small teams prioritizing newsletters for the first time.
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I craft bespoke programs, digital fundraising strategies and campaigns that lean into what makes you unique and aligns with your audience values.
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You have to know where you're going, in order to prioritize and make decisions today. I facilitate workshops, do data deep dives and market research, and surface strategies to help organizations set clear goals goals and plans to hit them.
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Few things are harder than leading teams through the constant change of the digital world. You don't have to do it alone. I help leaders and managers transform their workplace culture, motivate their teams and lead through turbulent times.
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Consulting
If you have a specific project or problem, with a defined scope of work, this is your best option. If you need a strategic audit, assessment or help designing a specific program, this is for you. These projects usually last three to six months.
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Fractional executive
With this option, I embed in your team part-time for a minimum of six months. This is a great option if you need senior-level help righting the ship, or don't quite yet have the budget or workload to justify a full time senior-level hire, but need the help.
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Strategic advisory
Want to pick my brain? Need occasional help moving the right direction? This is your best bet. These calls are a mix of coaching and strategic advice. I'll ask you to send me information before we meet, so that I can prepare.
About
I’m a systems thinker, problem solver and innovator, who spent 15 years building audiences, teams and strategic plans in fast-growing newsrooms like Vox and ProPublica.
Most recently, I was the Executive Director of Strategy at Vox, where I oversaw consumer revenue, brand narrative and product strategy. Before that, I lead off-platform content creation, audience development and (a lot) of strategic pivots.
I’ve spoken on much of the above at places like the ONA Conference, F8, news:rewired, and the IRE conference, and taught workshops and classes on writing, reporting and audience engagement at Columbia, NYU, USC and the City University of New York. Journalism.co.uk recently put me on a list of 100 consultants who can help your newsroom.
I have a masters in Digital Journalism and Innovation from NYU, a bachelor’s in Creative Nonfiction from Brown, and am a 2025 Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia.
After a decade-plus on the east coast, I split my time between Salt Lake City and San Juan Island.
This business is named after my great aunt. That’s her in the old photo. She was an intellectual trailblazer, endlessly curious and bold. I always try to infuse a little of her in my work.
