ElleContent Blog

When Your Own Marketing Goes Quiet

26/10/2026

It's been a while since I last wrote here. A year, in fact. And the longer you leave something, the bigger the return can feel. Between assignments, school routines and everything in between, writing for my own website kept slipping down the list.

Can Towns Like Portlaoise Survive Without Chain Brands?

02/10/2025

Chain brands have become anchors of the modern high street, offering convenience, consistency, and in many cases, jobs. But it does beg the question: Can towns like Portlaoise thrive without them?

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Own Business

27/08/2025

I'm fairly new to running my own business and, oh boy, is 'overwhelmed' an understatement. There have been late nights, moments of self-doubt, anxiety, defeat and plenty of figuring things out as I go! As well as being stretched like like a pizza dough with daily demands! But it's also been exciting and empowering.

When Did You Last Google Your Own Business?

07/08/2025

If you've never typed your own business name into Google, or haven't done it in years, you're not alone. Most small business owners are so focused on keeping things running day to day that their digital presence ends up cobbled together over time: a Facebook page here, an Instagram bio there, maybe a website that's overdue a refresh.

Gates of Portlaoise: A Photographic Look at Our Town’s Quiet Entrances

27/07/2025

Portlaoise is full of surprises, lots of them hiding in plain sight. And it's the little things that really catch your eye: a weathered gate, some peeling paint, or the twisty curls of ironwork. This series is a quiet celebration of those everyday gateways: places where public and private meet, where past and present linger.I hope you'll join me...

Reclaiming the Date: Why I Chose 7th July to Launch My Website

07/07/2025

For years, the 7th of July carried weight and was anchored to a chapter that once tried to confine me. But I don't live in those pages anymore. I've moved forward with intention, refusing to be held down, boxed in, or defined by roles or expectations that held no truth. This date now marks something entirely mine that's built on...

The Numbers Are Lying: Why I’m Not Playing the Social Media Game

30/06/2025

We live in a world where influence is measured in numbers: followers, likes, views, reach. We're told to "build a personal brand", "grow an audience", "get visible!" But here's the thing no one tells you... most small business owners aren't influencers. And they don't need to be!

The Gentle Sell: 15 Low-Cost Ways to Market Without Even Trying

30/06/2025

Marketing doesn't have to be flashy ads, viral videos, or exhausting content schedules. For small business owners, especially in close-knit communities like Portlaoise, the best kind of marketing can be the kind that doesn't feel like marketing at all.

Why is Social Media Not Social Anymore?

22/06/2025

Lately, I've been thinking about how different the internet feels. Not just louder or faster, but lonelier. And I don't say this as a critic on the outside looking in, I say this as someone who recently re-entered the space, trying to show up as a freelancer, a parent, a person with ideas and something to share.

CONTENTIOUSLY ELLE

Not quite hot takes, just honest ones. Thoughts on marketing, community, and showing up online (and in life) with a little more care.

When Your Own Marketing Goes Quiet

It's been a while since I last wrote here. A year, in fact. And the longer you leave something, the bigger the return can feel. Between assignments, school routines and everything in between, writing for my own website kept slipping down the list.

Can Towns Like Portlaoise Survive Without Chain Brands?

Chain brands have become anchors of the modern high street, offering convenience, consistency, and in many cases, jobs. But it does beg the question: Can towns like Portlaoise thrive without them?

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Own Business

When Did You Last Google Your Own Business?

Gates of Portlaoise: A Photographic Look at Our Town’s Quiet Entrances

Reclaiming the Date: Why I Chose 7th July to Launch My Website

The Numbers Are Lying: Why I’m Not Playing the Social Media Game

We live in a world where influence is measured in numbers: followers, likes, views, reach. We're told to "build a personal brand", "grow an audience", "get visible!" But here's the thing no one tells you... most small business owners aren't influencers. And they don't need to be!

The Gentle Sell: 15 Low-Cost Ways to Market Without Even Trying

Marketing doesn't have to be flashy ads, viral videos, or exhausting content schedules. For small business owners, especially in close-knit communities like Portlaoise, the best kind of marketing can be the kind that doesn't feel like marketing at all.

Why is Social Media Not Social Anymore?

CONTENTIOUSLY ELLE

Not quite hot takes, just honest ones. Thoughts on marketing, community, and showing up online (and in life) with a little more care.

It's been a while since I last wrote here. A year, in fact. And the longer you leave something, the bigger the return can feel. Between assignments, school routines and everything in between, writing for my own website kept slipping down the list.

Chain brands have become anchors of the modern high street, offering convenience, consistency, and in many cases, jobs. But it does beg the question: Can towns like Portlaoise thrive without them?

We live in a world where influence is measured in numbers: followers, likes, views, reach. We're told to "build a personal brand", "grow an audience", "get visible!" But here's the thing no one tells you... most small business owners aren't influencers. And they don't need to be!

Marketing doesn't have to be flashy ads, viral videos, or exhausting content schedules. For small business owners, especially in close-knit communities like Portlaoise, the best kind of marketing can be the kind that doesn't feel like marketing at all.

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