Blogger Spotlight: Louise Baltruschat Hollis of Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

Give us an example of a successful brand collaboration. What did you learn from it? I think brand collaborations work best when working in a long term campaign. For example taking out banner advertising and working on editorial content, which then keeps a brand in the readers mind and gives background to a visual advertisement.

In the past I have collaborated with some fantastic suppliers in which we arranged editorial photo shoots. It provides amazing inspiration for my readers whilst showcasing new trends and the creative talents of everyone involved. It’s a lot of fun.

How do you use social media to promote/share content? What are the challenges? I share all the Whimsical Wonderland Weddings content across my social platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram. Great imagery and visuals I feel are making the most impact online at the moment.

Facebook has been a real challenge since changing their post reach, but I try to share engaging, exciting and regular updates to counteract that. I have also experimented with investing in Facebook advertising.

What advice would you give to a someone who wants to start a blog? Go for it. It’s a lot of fun, you will meet so many brilliant people and it’s such a great creative outlet. First and foremost find a topic you are super passionate about and that will come across in your writing. Then connect with your industry via social networks. Don’t expect to make an income from blogging and if you do it will be a bonus.

How do you work with PRs? When I am contacted directly with relevant brands that would work well with Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. I only work with my sponsors in term of promotions via the blog as I focus on real wedding reports and editorial shoot features primarily. I always reply to PRs who address me with my correct name and a personal message.

Do you feel bloggers need to be compensated for the work they do? Absolutely. The blog is my full time job aside from looking after my 2 little boys. I have and do put in a lot of hours which wouldn’t be possible if there was no income. My community of readers and social following has been built from consistency and a lot of behind the scenes work over the past 5 and a half years. That being said I ran Whimsical Wonderland Weddings for no or very little income for a long period of time. I also had my little boy a year ago now where I had no maternity leave and kept the blog going single handedly. I really do put my all into my blog.

What do you feel about sponsorship disclosure? I always disclose to my readers when a post is sponsored. I like to be honest and transparent, which I feel is essential in building trust. Sponsored features are always marked as such and I have done so from the start of the blog.

List three best practices PRs need to follow for better blogger outreach? Contact each blogger directly with a personal message. Ensure the product/service you are promoting fits in with the feel and aesthetic of the blog. Connect on social media to get to know a blogger personally.

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months? As we approach Christmas, it means it’s proposal season. January is one of the busiest times for the blog and I am super excited about all the new couples that will be reading and embarking on their planning adventure on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. I can’t wait to see all the new styles and themes couple’s choose for 2016.