Blogger Spotlight: Emily Benton, Beleza by Ems

An interview with Emily Benton, author of the beauty and lifestyle blog, Beleza by Ems. Emily spoke to us about working with marketers, the five PR best practices for better blogger outreach and the importance of networking.

Why should people read your blog? What makes it different? I like to think it’s different in that it offers a little bit of everything. I feature lifestyle posts and recipes, alongside honest product reviews, beauty advice and fashion posts.

How do you measure the success of your website? I don’t really get caught up on followers and page views like I used to when I first started my blog. Although they are important, I value feedback more than anything, as it allows me to engage with my readers and that often gives me good ideas for new content.

What’s your favourite blog and why? I have so many! At the moment, probably Liv Purvis’ blog ‘What Olivia Did.’ Her photography is fantastic and I’ve made a few of her lovely cake recipes!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog? Go for it. Starting a blog is one of the best things I’ve ever done and I’ve never looked back. Write about what you love and this way it will be your passion that will give your blog its individuality and make your content stand out.

How do you work with marketers and PRs? I collaborate with marketers and PRs in that I am often approached with new product releases that my readers might be interested in. Having a good relationships with PR companies is another rewarding aspect of blogging.

Who do you work with in brand marketing? PRs? SEOs? At present I am mainly working with PR companies, however would welcome any other opportunities.

Can you list five best practices for blogger outreach? 

1. Reach out to bloggers who you think would be enthusiastic to work with your brand.

2. Show an interest in the blogger and their blog. Be personal, bloggers get so many emails (trust me – I know!) and we’re more likely to respond to an email from a brand that knows a bit about us.

3. Return to bloggers you’ve reached out to in the past and build up a relationship. That way, they’re more likely to put time into representing your brand.

4. Don’t be overwhelming in your first email. Be informative and ask if the blogger would like to be involved – don’t send all the information all at once – a four page email about the brand won’t get read.

5. Host blogger events. I think these are invaluable for educating, networking and also for showing that a brand values blogger relationships.

What has been your blogging highlight? The opportunities my blog has given me to write elsewhere are a huge highlight, but when I think about blogging, I think about the huge network of companies and friends that I have established. For me, that’s one of my biggest achievements with ‘Beleza’ by Ems.

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months? There will be more lifestyle orientated posts from me in the near future. I’ve turned into a real foodie recently, so I’ve been playing with some new recipes that I’ll be sharing soon.