Journalist Spotlight: Paul Bond, Auto Trader

Motoring journalist Paul Bond was recently appointed senior road tester at Auto Trader.  Vuelio caught up with Paul to discuss why there is no such thing as a typical day at work, how Auto Trader are embracing the digital era, the “key strengths” of good PRs and being labelled a “less handsome” Jason Statham.

How are you settling into your new role at Auto Trader? Can you describe a typical day at work? The easiest way to answer that is to say there are no typical days. I split my time between launch events across the country and abroad, and our two offices. So on any given day I could be driving on European roads, having a meeting in King’s Cross, shooting a video or set of photographs on a new model, or writing up our expert reviews and first drives. I thrive on t

hat kind of diversity though, and the variety of the work is part of what attracted me to Auto Trader. I get on really well with my editor, Jon Quirk, and the rest of my team, who all made me feel really welcome when I joined. That makes it a lot easier to settle in fast.

What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job and what are some of the more challenging ones? Honestly, I think the sheer variety is one of the most enjoyable parts of my role. The perfect day is when you have a brand new model to test, on challenging, quiet roads and in good weather. Getting to try new models and feedback to manufacturers before these cars go on sale is also a real privilege. If there is a downside, I think people may not realise how full-on automotive journalism can be. If you’re not careful you can end up working seriously long hours, evenings and weekends, so it’s important to keep your work and social life separate, and make sure you can find the room to fit in healthy amounts of both.

What plans are in place for direction of Auto Trader in the coming year? Auto Trader is looking to be at the forefront of the shift front print to digital publishing. That’s why the company took the difficult decision to close the print magazine back in 2013 (while it was still at 40k sales per month). The outcome has given the team the opportunity to embrace its digital future, concentrating purely on creating the best possible consumer experience for our 11.5m unique online users. Without a print legacy, we have been able to identify new roles – such as my own – and create an editorial structure that is better set up for a modern publishing environment and, of course, the modern car buyer.  That means being much more aware of how people use sites like ours, with mobile, tablet and other devices all just as important as conventional web browsers. Going forward, we have a development team working to create better ways for us to present and surface our content online, as well as plans to grow our YouTube channel, and increase the use of social media to engage with owners even more than we do currently.

What are the advantages of social media for journalists? Are there any challenges? I think the fact that social media is so instant is what really draws people in – going on Twitter is a bit like putting your finger on the pulse of the automotive industry, you can watch an entire motorshow unfold as each new car is revealed and spread digitally through images, live vines and other live content. The speed at which news spreads now is amazing. I think the only drawback is that with less time for reflection, it is easy to make snap judgements, both about cars, and also when writing stories. Sometimes the focus on speed is to the detriment of accuracy, which can never be a good thing. I am also careful to separate my Twitter personality from my own personality, as you always have to be aware of the brand you represent.

How do you work with PRs? Do you have a good relationship with PRs? I work with the PRs for each manufacturer on a regular basis. They are usually our first point of contact for information and there is a healthy symbiotic relationship between the press teams and magazines. We need them to get access to their latest models and key events, and they rely on us to communicate and help publicise their products, while still being a trustworthy source of advice for everyday consumers. I think most PRs understand that relationship, and I think I have a good working relationship with a large number of brands because of this. I think clear communication and availability is a key strength when it comes to PRs – there is nothing worse than having an urgent request repeatedly ignored or evaded.