Nathan Coles

Percussion 101

Post-production, landing pages, and launch campaign

A weekly video series teaching concert percussion fundamentals, hosted by a Black Swamp artist and built for band directors and students.

• Edited every episode and added on-screen graphics.
• Cut each lesson into short-form clips for social.
• Built the web landing pages and ran the launch campaign.

Percussion Education Hub

SEO strategy, writing, and web

I led the company's SEO effort from the first audit to a full plan, growing a quiet blog into its strongest source of evergreen traffic.

• Expanded educational and buying-guide content alongside product and showcase pages.
• Grew annual post views from about 1,100 to 26,500 in three years.
• Relaunched the blog as the Percussion Education Hub in June 2025, lifting first-year post views another 39%.

30th anniversary campaign

Year-long multimedia campaign

Three decades of company history told through three limited-edition instruments, artist collaborations, and a dedicated web experience.

• Made deep-dive videos for each anniversary product.
• Produced, filmed, and edited interviews and podcasts.
• Built landing pages and a merch store, and ran newsletters, e-blasts, and press releases.

Snare drumTambourineDrum dampener

Solo & Ensemble Showcase 2026

Ran the entire competition myself

The 17th year of a national online competition for high school ensembles and college soloists, planned and run start to finish without a team.

• Managed 78 participants across 5 categories and kept 7 guest judges on schedule.
• Built the entry and payment systems and wrote the judge handbook.
• Edited performance clips and the winner highlights. 71% of surveyed performers rated the event 10 out of 10.

Sustainability initiative

Product launches and shop-wide change

Two eco-friendly products and a waste program for a woodshop that used to send all of its sawdust to the landfill.

• Helped design and launch drum dampeners made from shell-making offcuts and a vegan soy tambourine wax.
• Created the photo, video, and campaign content for both launches.
• Set up composting and recycling, including a sawdust partnership with a local farm that diverted 400+ pounds from the landfill.

"Do The Math" climate benefit

Independent project: producer and performer

A first-of-its-kind show bringing the local math rock scene together with grassroots climate organizers.

• Booked the venue and bands, commissioned the poster, and ran the digital campaign.
• Fronted the upfront costs myself and performed a set.
• Sold out the venue, paid every band and staff member in full, and donated all net proceeds to the Grand Rapids Climate Coalition and the West Michigan Environmental Action Council.