About Me
Hi, I’m Jessica K. Murray
Communication is My Passion
Communication is my true passion. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of seeing my efforts reflected through increased sales, a viral YouTube video, or beating a competitor on a search engine keyword. I love crafting messages that resonate and are understood, even if brevity isn’t my strong suit.
As a marketer and creator focused on small businesses, my holistic approach begins with understanding and identifying primary goals, challenges, and KPIs. I develop strategic plans, establish organizational frameworks if needed, and then move to execution and refinement. I believe that time and money are too precious to waste, and that the best gut feelings are backed by data.
My Journey with WordPress
I am passionate about creating and optimizing WordPress websites to enhance user experience and drive engagement. My journey with WordPress began in 2008 when I taught myself the ins and outs of this powerful platform. My experience deepened in 2011 when I began utilizing the Divi theme framework by ElegantThemes, allowing me to design and customize websites with greater flexibility and creativity.
I also have a strong affinity for WooCommerce, the leading e-commerce plugin for WordPress. My work with WooCommerce can be seen on my passion projects, ReachingMyDreams, TheBirdyBabe, and VintageReveries, where I have implemented the plugin to bring these sites to life (and connected the data feeds to Facebook, Instagram, and Google Merchant Center).
My Feathered Companions
I’ve been the lifelong companion to Boo, my Goffin’s cockatoo, since May 2000. My other two cockatoos, Misha (a Moluccan) and Sara (an Umbrella), feel like they’ve been with me just as long. These charismatic birds are a big part of my life and can live 50-80 years in captivity. I’m 100% committed to my small flock.
Feel free to explore my work, and if you’re interested in collaborating, don’t hesitate to reach out!
A Few of My Passion Projects
VintageReveries: Sharing trends from the past to inspire you today
VintageReveries.com: My original vintage fashion and history blog, complete with e-commerce since 2011. I still have over 1000 pieces of vintage clothing to sell since officially going out of business in 2016. In my spare time, I try to list items, blog, and post on social media.
My cockatoos have their own brand: TheBirdyBabe
TheBirdyBabe on Instagram: Join over 18k followers who agree that my three cockatoos are cute and interesting. I started this account in late 2011, and it has grown organically, proving that social media is a long game!
“They” are also active on Youtube and Facebook. WooCommerce is implemented on their site, TheBirdyBabe.com, to sell bird jewelry.
AI art and print shop: ReachingMyDreams
ReachingMyDreams.com: AI art and a print-on-demand product shop. This brand is my “visual AI playground” for experiments and random AI creations.
St. Louis Covid Memorial
StLouisCovidMemorial.com: My attempt at a memorial for lives lost in St. Louis, MO due to COVID-19. I updated it regularly between June 2020 and February 2021 but stopped because it was too depressing, and I needed to focus on more positive projects for my mental health.
TECH STACK
I support small software developers and upcoming SaaS companies, and I love saving money on personal projects. Here are some of the tools and apps in my personal tech stack:
- Nuelink and Sociamonials – social media scheduling and automation (I have the agency plan on Sociamonials)
- SEOCrawl.com for keyword tracking and reporting
- WriterZen.net for keyword and topic research, and competitor analysis
- VoiceAir.ai for AI voices (need to use this one more)
- Afforai.com for longform content writing and research; Magai.co for team projects that involve AI
- Noota.io for meeting transcription and analysis; Minvo.pro for editing social media video and extracting shorts
- MyDigitalCMO.io for marketing planning (need to use this one more, got it for a great introductory price)
- ProWritingAid for grammar and spelling; AutoCrit for my forays into fiction (it provides analysis of style, wording, pacing and word choice)
- Unlimited lifetime member of ElegantThemes.com (Divi) and WPZone.co (Woocommerce and Divi plugins)
In 2015 and 2016 I went viral on national TV
In 2015, I was testing a new video camera hidden behind a pumpkin that I was trying to get my birds to stand upon. Getting a bloody ear and no cute Halloween photos, I posted the clip of Arthur biting my ear to my brand new Youtube channel. When an agent from Junkin Media contacted me about licensing the clip, I figured that I was making no money on the clip, so it's not like I could make less. A few months later my friends started calling me and I got a ton of hateful comments and emails, signs that this clip had gone viral. After that, it was shown widely on national television including Tosh.0, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Right This Minute.
I pride myself in being fearless, spontaneous, and taking calculated risks.