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Hire a freelance website vendor

Need extra help with your CMS website?

 

UW Institutional Marketing has evaluated a group of independent freelance website content strategists who are now fully trained inside the University of Wyoming's CMS along with our brand standards and resources. Departments may now hire these vendors to assist with larger scale web projects including full page/site rebuilds, content updates and accessibility reviews. If your team lacks the time or technical expertise, this is a great opportunity to work with a trained, experienced website marketing professional to support your project. 

 

 

What is a Trained CMS Vendor?


A trained CMS vendor is an independent freelancer who has been onboarded by Institutional Marketing in the use of UW’s Content Management System (Modern Campus) and brand standards. These individuals are well-versed in UW’s approved templates, accessibility guidelines and the university’s decentralized website editing model. Since they have already been trained and set up in our system, they can now be hired directly by campus departments without any additional complex system onboarding from you.

Please Note: It is the sole financial responsibility of the department hiring a contractor to compensate their selected vendor and you must comply with all UW procurement policies.

All trained CMS Vendors listed on this page meet the following qualifications:

  • Are registered suppliers who can do business with the University of Wyoming.
  • Are fully trained inside the UW CMS.
  • Are fully trained on the UW new website templates.
  • Have been provided with access to all brand resources, including the Canto photo database.
  • Have UW credentials, allowing them to access the CMS (site access approval is the responsibility of the department.)

What has Institutional Marketing done to help you?

  • Reviewed vendor portfolio and selected freelancers with the right background. 
  • Provided in-depth CMS and brand training to selected vendors.
  • Onboarded vendors into the CMS and brand resources with proper UW credentials.
  • Covered the cost of vendor training and initial system setup.
  • Provided access to all CMS resources including tutorials and WebHelp ticketing to support collaboration.
  • Designated support contacts for complex CMS issues.
  • Promoting vendor availability across campus.

 

 

 

These vendors are independent contractors trained to work within our CMS and brand standards and are hired directly by departments. They are not UW employees, but are approved to support your work under UW's brand and website guidelines.

These vendors will be working as a site editor for your department or site and can do:

  • Full site and page rebuilds
  • Search Engine Optimization and website content creation
  • Content strategy and improvement
  • Consolidation of multiple sites (required notification to IM to support page moves/directory redirects)
  • Complex migration review assistance or page rebuilds to support the website design upgrade
  • Accessibility review and remediation

 

Payment for any services is the sole financial responsibility of the hiring department, in line with UW's standard procurement policies.

Institutional Marketing is not responsible for management or financial compensation of any hired vendor contracted by other departments.

The cost depends on the individual freelance vendor and type of work. Based on information provided by the vendors, you can expect to pay between $55/hour - $120/hour which is an industry standard average for website management and strategy.

Your department is responsible for managing the contract, following all procurement policies and working directly with your hired vendor. It is your responsibility to define project goals, outcomes, assign a point of contact, provide feedback, etc.

Institutional Marketing will not provide any project management or involvement beyond complex troubleshooting issues within the CMS that the vendor may encounter.

 

No. Trained CMS Vendors are not permitted to modify templates or add custom code. They must follow all website and branding guidelines set forth by University of Wyoming.

 

No. Vendors have the same level of standards CMS user access as all our site editors so they cannot delete folders or move pages. If you and/or your vendor require assistance in a site reorganization/consolidation that requires these services, you must notify Akriti Subedi as soon as possible.

 

After reviewing the vendor profiles, you may select the freelancer who best fits your project needs and contact them directly. Once you've discussed the scope of work and confirmed their availability, your department is responsible for managing the hiring process, including contracts and compliance with UW procurement policies. After the agreement is finalized, the vendor may begin work on your project.

 

No. Since these vendors are independent contractors, they will be working directly with your department. Institutional Marketing will not be involved in the contracting process or execution of any website project work.

However, all vendors are required to notify Akriti Subedi of any new work with departments in order to ensure Institutional Marketing is available for complex troubleshooting or administrator-only functions required inside the CMS.

 

 

 

 

How Hiring a Trained CMS Vendor Works

 

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Step 1

Browse Vendor Profiles

Explore our curated list of trained CMS freelancers who are familiar with the university's content management system, branding guidelines and accessibility standards.

 

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Step 2

Reach out and Discuss your Project

Once you've found a promising vendor for your project, contact them directly to discuss your web needs, goals, expected outcomes and budget.

 

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Step 3

Work with Vendor on Contract

After forming your scope of work, you are responsible for initiating and managing all aspects of vendor hiring process including following all UW procurement policies.

 

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Step 4

Get Started!

Once the work agreement is in place and you have requested/approved site access for your vendor, they can begin work. It will be your responsibility to maintain communication throughout the project.

 

 

 

Meet the Freelancers

Stephanie Lownds

megan kitzmiller

 

Portfolio:

Greenlight - SEO Content Writing

UWYO Degree Pages - SEO Content Writing & Page Building
Requires a campus or VPN connection to view

Full Portfolio

 

Bio

Hi there! I'm a freelance copywriter, SEO strategist and digital marketer with over seven years of experience helping clients improve their search rankings and create content that truly connects with their audiences. Most recently, I’ve worked with UW’s institutional marketing team to craft over 100 SEO-optimized degree landing pages and build them in UW's CMS. My work spans from strategic web copy and search-friendly blogs to engaging emails, marketing materials and social media posts.

Skills: Web Content Writing, Marketing Strategy, SEO, Modern Campus (Omni) CMS

 

Phone: (678) 239-2299

Email: megan@megankitzmiller.com

 

Stephanie Lownds

sydney Humphrey

 

Portfolio:

SEO Content Writing Examples
UW Online & Continuing Education Homepage
Harry C. Vaghan Planetarium Page

UW Degree Page Building Examples
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.)
Civil Engineering (Ph.D.)

All links require a campus or VPN connection to view

 

Bio

After seven years as a middle school English teacher, I transitioned to full-time writing to follow my passion for storytelling and content creation. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a variety of small businesses, creating content on topics ranging from taco trucks to tiny home manufacturers—and everything in between. As a proud graduate of the University of Wyoming, I have been thrilled to recently collaborate on several projects with UW. I combine creativity, educational experience and professional expertise to deliver engaging, high-quality content for every project.

Skills: CMS integration (Omni, Squarespace, WordPress), SEO writing and optimization, Copywriting, Keyword research and integration

 

Phone: (406) 697-7074

Email: sydreneefanch@gmail.com

 

Stephanie Lownds

stephanie lownds

 

Portfolio:

Snowy Range Scapes

Tom Redditt Foodservice Solutions

 

Bio

I spent six years in marketing at the University of Wyoming, where I learned how to blend strategy with creativity to bring big ideas to life. Now as the Vice President at Mondo, I focus on client relationships, design and development, helping brands stay ahead with work that works. My goal is to work as a true partner, not just someone you hire!

Skills: Webflow, Wordpress, Modern Campus(Omni) CMS, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, Strapi, Ghost

 

Phone: (720) 239-2299

Email: stephanie@trymondo.com

Michaela Rich

Michaela Rich

 

Portfolio:

Fuel & Iron

Appricot Consulting

 

Bio

As a website and product designer with six years of experience, I specialize in creating thoughtful, user-friendly digital experiences. With a background in mental health and a passion for human-centered design, I’ve worked with both startups and large organizations to build solutions that are intuitive, accessible and impactful.

Skills: Squarespace, Wix, Wordpress, Framer

 

Phone: (720) 295-4478 

Email: free.mrich@gmail.com

 

 

Sarah Russell

Sarah Russell

 

Portfolio:

American Meat Science Association

Dakota BioWorx

 

Bio

I’m a creative director with over 15 years of experience in marketing and design, specializing in custom website development and CMS management. With a background in brand strategy, I bring a strong focus on clear communication and user-centered digital experiences. My work blends creative vision with technical expertise to deliver accessible, intuitive and effective web solutions.

Skills: Wordpress, Squarepress, Webflow, Hubspot, Craft CMS

 

Phone: (605) 413-3810

Email: sarah.russell@aloide.com

Caryn Sobieskie VanDelinder

Caryn Sobieskie VanDelinder

 

Portfolio:

University at Buffalo - Nutrition Science

University at Buffalo - Research & Faculty 

 

Bio

I am a web content expert with over 10 years of experience helping higher education teams build clear, accessible and well-structured websites. I support academic and administrative units in planning content that aligns with user needs and institutional strategy. My expertise includes content architecture, accessibility, governance, SEO and collaborative content workflows. My practical, team-focused approach helps editors create pages that are easy to manage, consistent and effective. 

Skills: Adobe CQ5 CMS, Wordpress, Drupal 10

 

Phone: (716) 238-0205

Email: carynsobieski@gmail.com

 

Jessica Perry

Jessica ann perry

 

Portfolio:

Space Grant

Albany County Public Library


Bio

With 25 years of experience as a designer and developer, I have created branding, printed pieces and digital work for clients ranging from local nonprofits to national brands like Shell Oil, Whitepages, Quickbooks and BMW. I combine creative vision with technical expertise—drawing on my BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Wyoming—to deliver thoughtful and effective design solutions. Based in Laramie, I serve local businesses, the University of Wyoming as well as clients across the country.

Skills: Modern Campus(Omni) CMS, Graphic Design, Web Design & Development, Email Design & Development, Branding


Phone: (307) 766-3991

Email: jessica.perry@uwyo.edu

 

 

Resources

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Are you looking for Migration review support?

The Financial Affairs Support Team (FAST) is offering free post-migration website support for the first 75 CMS sites using Option 1 templates. Trained student editors will provide up to five hours of assistance per site to fix formatting issues, correct design glitches and polish migrated pages. Please note that this support does not include new content creation or page rebuilds. They will not rewrite or update your page with new content including photos, word etc.

 

Sign up with FAST