Blogger Spotlight: Karen Burns-Booth, Lavender and Lovage

South African-born Karen Burns-Booth is used to living from the earth, after growing up in rural England and embracing home-grown and seasonal organic food. After living in many different countries, Karen splits her time between England and the South of France and is currently writing a cookbook on traditional British food and customs. In this spotlight Karen, who recently featured on our top ten food ranking, chats to us about why people should read her blog, how she measures the success of her blog, and how she likes to work with PRs.

Why should people read your blog? What makes it different? I write all my own editorial and do extensive research into the topics I am covering; my blog is visually exciting with all the photos taken by myself, and I am a wordsmith, so words are just as important too. I create original and bespoke recipes, as well as showcasing historical recipes and global travel, with the emphasis on food and travel.

How do you measure the success of your website? By the amount of reader engagement I receive on the blog and through social media, as well as through the awards I win, and my ranking on several influencer sites.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog? Write original copy, be yourself, don’t copy but take inspiration from what is around you.

How do you work with marketers and PRs? I develop bespoke recipes using their brands, travel and write about my travels. I also do IG takeovers and host Twitter parties too.

How do you use social media to promote and share content? What are the challenges? I always share strong images to promote my writing, travels and recipes. I am big on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, with daily posts and images. The challenge is to keep my audience interested in the topics I am sharing.

What can PRs do in working better with you? Be honest, be fair with payments and communicate regularly to build a relationship!

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months? Watch out for new content using videos and video clips, as well as a new series of “classic recipes from around the world”.