Media Database - Vuelio

Luxury travel spotlight: Abigail King, Inside the Travel Lab

May 22, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Abigail King has just been ranked second in the Top 10 UK Luxury Travel Blogs. Previously an intensive care doctor, Abigail is a writer, journalist and blogger. Her blog, Inside the Travel Lab, covers holiday tips, destinations and the beautiful world we live in with advice for our to make the most of it. Here, she tells us about the other side of luxury travel, how she works with PRs (and the fact she loves press releases!), and her favourite blogs to read.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I run a luxury travel blog for those who care about the people, places and cultures they visit. I hope to bring the world alive through words and pixels, and draw attention to stories that others miss.

Although, I’m pretty sure my family just think I play around on Facebook every day.

How do social channels work with your blog? Are any more important than others?
Increasingly, social channels are where the conversation takes place and the blog is the library for in-depth information and think pieces. Facebook Live is great when I’m actually on the ground, and I broadcast regularly on the Lonely Planet channel.

Instagram stories feel more like a real conversation between readers, while Twitter tends to be more for colleagues. I love Pinterest, but it’s really a bookmarking site for future travel plans rather than a social hangout. This year, I’m really expanding into video, which is going really well.

Do you feel travel blogging is segmented (luxury/standard/local/family/budget etc)?
Yes and no. Those segments are a useful starting point but luxury travel, for example, can mean very different things. For some, it’s about labels and shopping, while for others it’s about accessing the best experiences the world has to offer, whether expensive or free. We’re more in the latter camp. We’ve introduced a family travel strand to our work since I had a baby and that helps other young families or would-be families. But the main core of the blog is the same as it’s always been.

What’s the best balance between visual and written content?
Always have both. People learn (and love) in different ways.

What’s your favourite hotel in the world?
Ah, so difficult to just choose one. I love The Chedi in Muscat. I love the clear lines of its architecture, the view to the sea, the staff. But also, perhaps, the emotional connection. I stayed there as part of my honeymoon and then returned ten years later for a ‘babymoon’ when pregnant.

Which airline is the best (and why)?
Both Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic have never let me down.

How conscious are you of political upheaval and local issues when travelling?
Very. It’s a core part of what we cover. It’s important for safety but it’s also important for respect and harmony. It sounds a little dramatic, or perhaps naïve, to describe travel as a vehicle for world peace but the more people understand each other, meet each other, share food and stories with each other, the better everyone gets on.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes! In fact, the more the merrier. We don’t publish them on the blog and we can’t respond individually to each one to give feedback but it’s good to know what’s going on and helpful to store information for future work.

What’s the best PR campaign/collaboration you’ve worked on?
Again, there are so many strong ones to choose from. I’d like to highlight a recent project with Visit Florida, travelling to less well-known destinations with baby and uncovering the art, food and national parks en route. We found so many unexpected and beautiful places right in the heart of one of the most visited states in America.

From the injured dolphin who led to advances in human prosthetics and a Hollywood film to stunning beaches, chic donuts and wild, cultural parks. The trip took two weeks and we had a lot of freedom to highlight and explore.

What other blogs do you read?
Lots! All for different reasons and I tend to binge-read.

Time Travel Turtle, Uncornered Market, Geotraveler’s Niche and Atlas & Boots find unusual angles on familiar places and talk about sustainable and responsible travel.

The Travelista, Mrs O Around the World, Landlopers and Velvet Escape all cover luxury travel in very different ways.

The Travel Hack and Girl Tweets World always bring a smile to my face!

Women of Colour: two-time Emmy winner Deeyah Khan

May 22, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News PR, Media Database Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This week in our Women of Colour series, Vuelio media researcher and freelance journalist Maz Halima caught up with filmmaker, publisher, two-time Emmy winner and Ted Talk speaker Deeyah Khan. Deeyah’s latest documentary White Right: Meeting the Enemy is currently available on Netflix. Here, she tells us about her filmmaking process, tips for success when creating uniquely captivating stories for the world of film and advice for anyone who wants to follow their dream.

Hello Deeyah! For those who don’t know, what do you do in the media industry?
I am a documentary filmmaker and the founder of Fuuse, which is an independent media and arts production company. I am also the founder of sister-hood magazine.

My first documentary Banaz: A Love Story addressed the difficult topic of ‘honour’-based violence and won an Emmy. My most recent, White Right: Meeting the Enemy explored the rising far right in the United States, and it also won an Emmy.

These films and others were all produced through my media company Fuuse. The reason I started Fuuse is because I want to bring voices from the margins of the mainstream media into the heart of public discourse. I believe that only through creating more inclusive dialogue across and within cultures and communities can we hope to foster greater understanding. Only through fearlessly confronting complex, controversial topics can we hope to challenge prejudice.

One of our Fuuse projects particularly close to my heart is Sister-hood – an online magazine for women of Muslim heritage which aims to break down negative stereotypes – we’re not all suicide bombers, or victims of abuse. We all understand Islam in different ways. Some are deeply devout, others are very conservative, some are cultural Muslims, some are secular and liberal, and others aren’t particularly religious. That’s a diversity we don’t always see in mainstream media and one which is extremely important to highlight.

What struggles have you experienced in your journey to creating a successful media empire?
At first, there was a lack of confidence in me. I had clear ideas, but the executives would always want to put older white guys in charge to make sure I was doing things ‘properly’ – basically, the way they were used to doing them. I didn’t want to compromise on my vision, so I set up my own media company. I filled it with people whose skills and personalities I know really well, and who I can rely on and trust completely. This gives me the support and freedom I need to work according to my own rules. The big media platforms were initially resistant to my style of working – but they can’t argue with the results!

On an everyday basis during my filming, I work on all aspects of the production of my films with my colleague and co-producer Darin. I couldn’t do my work without his collaboration – we’re practically joined at the hip. But my point is: he’s a white guy, who’s a bit older than me. Very few production companies are owned and headed by women in this field. If I had a pound for every time people assume he’s in charge of me I’d be rich. To Darin’s credit, whenever executives address him instead of me he points to me and says, ‘She’s the boss. Talk to her.’ The confusion – and sometimes disappointment – on people’s faces is comical.

I have also been told to give my film projects to bigger production companies on several occasions, so that they can oversee and control the budgets and business aspects of the filmmaking. It’s been suggested from time to time that I ought to give my films to more experienced directors. Because I have always refused this, and as a result I have been told many times that ‘I am being difficult’. Somehow, I never hear them saying the same thing about my male counterparts. The words used to describe the guys is that they are creative and visionary – whereas I’m difficult.

I have never wanted a career in the media industry as such. I don’t want to be famous. I ended up in this field because I have an obsession with wanting to tell stories that interest me and working in a way that suits my personality and beliefs. I only work with my own team of people and I only make films about stories that I feel passionately about. It’s all personal to me. I am not a ‘gun for hire.’ I don’t take on projects that a broadcaster brings to me or make films for the sake of it. I only make my own films and I only make them through my company Fuuse with my colleagues. This was one of the reasons I started my company: to prove to myself that it is possible. I don’t need to wait for anyone’s permission to follow my own vision or do what I want to do.

That is really inspiring. Can you tell us more on how you overcame your struggles and maintained your motivation to keep pushing forward?
Setting up my own media company was key, as was hand-selecting my team. For me it’s not just about what I make films about; the creative process has to be consistently facilitated, supported and respected as well. Ultimately, being willing to lose out on opportunities brings me a sense of freedom. I would rather turn down high-paying, high-profile projects than compromise on what I want to do. I have turned down several offers because I didn’t feel passionately about the project or the people involved in it. I would rather eat every two days or get a second job and make the films I want to make than compromise my creative vision or my work process and philosophy.

It’s a constant struggle to retain one’s principles and values in the face of severe pressure from the industry itself, to follow the existing rules, structures and hierarchies. I believe positive change only happens when you stop waiting for permission and approval. Instead, it’s important to be who you are regardless of how inconvenient that may end up being. If fair, creative, liberatory structures, organisations and platforms don’t exist, then we have to build them. It’s hard, but in the long run it’s worth it. My career is proof of that.

What did you not know when you first entered the filmmaking industry?
I knew absolutely nothing when I started as a filmmaker. I didn’t go to film school. I didn’t know how to use a camera. I didn’t know how to use editing software. I didn’t have money or resources or contacts. All my practical skills come from the University of YouTube. So, that wasn’t easy, learning all this stuff as I went along. But on the other hand, I think being a complete beginner actually helped me. My ignorance allowed me to be really creative and true to my own vision and ideas. I didn’t know the rules, so I didn’t realise when I was breaking them. I didn’t pick up all of the norms and clichés of how things are supposed to be done. I was following a story, not a stereotype of how documentary films should be made. And fortunately, the stories I’ve told have been successful, which means I get to make more.

What should media professionals be doing to encourage the inclusion of people of colour in the industry?
Although there has been a fair level of recruitment of people from ethnic minorities, it’s still very difficult to climb the ladder to more influential roles. There needs to be an effort to identify and develop talent in minority populations – and ways for underprivileged people in general to get a leg-up in the industry. The media industry is often as middle class as it is white, and a lot of people of colour also come from working class backgrounds so they are disadvantaged in both ways. Either way, whether it’s through class or race or both, as an industry, we’re missing out on talent.

What advice would you give to women of colour wanting to get into media?
First, you have to prepare for rejection. It’s important not to let it define you, or to give up, but to allow rejection to teach you to find another way. If you have a vision then chase that, rather than money or fame or status: that’s what will sustain you. That’s all I started with, after all – a vision, a huge amount of willpower and an even larger amount of work. It is possible – and it is just as possible for you as it was for me.

Don’t forget, the industry needs you. The world is waiting for the art that only you can create. Personally, I’m excited to see what that will be. The industry might not realise it needs you yet, but you don’t need their permission. If they aren’t making space then just pull up a chair, sit down, and share your vision. It’s not just for you: this is for every woman of colour, and for every other person who has had to struggle to get in the room.

Real cultural change in the creative industries needs more than one or two women of colour here and there. We need to help each other out as much as possible. When you’re in the room, you can leave the door open and invite other marginalised people in to join you.

Deeyah Khan can be found on Twitter @Deeyah_Khan. You can find out more about her documentaries by heading to the Fuuse website, and visit Sister-hood magazine here.

Green blogger spotlight: Jeremy Williams, The Earthbound Report

May 21, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Jeremy Williams is the author of leading green blog The Earthbound Report. Previously called Make Wealth History, Jeremy covers a huge range of environmental issues around the belief everyone should consume less to create more space for all. We spoke to Jeremy about climate change and the work of Extinction Rebellion, how people can be more environmentally aware and how Jeremy wants to collaborate with PRs and brands.

How do you describe what you do?
At its simplest, I try to find solutions to big problems and describe them in straightforward language. The blog ranges across social, environmental and economic issues, and tries to draw connections between them all. I try to strike a balance between being realistic about the challenges we face and being hopeful about our ability to change.

How important is social media to your blog – are any channels more important than others?
Most new readers find the blog through search engines, but social media runs a close second. Posts are often shared on Facebook, and on the occasional times a post has really taken off, it’s been because of Facebook shares.

Climate change is in the news a lot, do you think it’s getting the attention it needs?
Climate change is enjoying a moment in the spotlight, thanks to protests and school strikes. That’s long overdue, and the challenge now is to translate that popular attention into political decision making. Lots of people are agreeing that it’s important, but examples of action are a little harder to find just yet.

What do you think Extinction Rebellion and Greta Thunberg have done for the conversation?
Both are examples of truth telling – they’ve confronted people with the reality of the situation and provided a wakeup call. They’ve also changed the terms of the debate and injected a new urgency. I’ve been able to get involved a bit with Extinction Rebellion, and in over a decade of climate campaigning, it’s feels like the most significant thing I’ve had a part in.

Who is ultimately responsible to make change?
It’s tempting to say the Government needs to act, but we live in a democracy – the Government will take its cues from the people, so it’s up to us to say what we want and prove we’re serious. Same goes for business. They’re taking their lead from consumers, so we need to vote with our wallets and show what kind of business will thrive in the 21st century and which ones will get left behind. Everyone will be involved in making change happen, but responsibility starts with us.

What are the most important steps people can take at an individual level to be more green?
From a climate change perspective, the three things that will make the biggest difference are to have one less child than you were considering, stop flying and eat less meat. Those can all be big decisions, but we shouldn’t be daunted by them. It’s okay to take one step in the right direction and see how it goes. Minus the first of those, of course – babies are very much an all or nothing commitment!

What advice would you give PRs and comms?
Treat bloggers as real human beings, rather than abstract link placement opportunities. That starts with the simple courtesy of addressing me by name. Emails that begin ‘dear admin’ or ‘dear editor’ tend to get deleted unread. It’ll take two seconds to find out who I am from the blog homepage. If you haven’t done two seconds of research into who I am, what are the chances of your offer being relevant to me? Any serious comms person knows this of course, but I still get emails like that every day.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
I think my favourite collaboration was a series on eating insects. A number of brands and businesses helped with that, sending information and samples, including some foods that weren’t on the market yet. I’m not sure my family think of it so fondly, but I had fun with it.

Do you accept press releases?
I get story ideas from press releases fairly regularly, so in that sense yes. They tend to be an inspiration rather than a source of material, and I almost never use their actual content beyond the initial idea.

What other blogs do you read?
There are dozens that I’ll look in on from time to time. Some that I read more regularly would be Carbon Brief, Unearthed, Inhabitat, Grist and Inside Track, which is also in the top ten.

8 PR tips for generating leads through Facebook

May 20, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Club Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Generating leads through Facebook is a sure-fire way to increase sales and show off your social media skills to your managers.

In this Monday PR Club guest post, digital marketing agency Hallam looks at eight ways you can boost your lead generation expertise through Facebook.

1. Optimise your business page
This may seem like an obvious one, but many businesses fail to complete this step properly or to the right standard.

It is vital that your Facebook business page has all the relevant contact details filled out. This is because users who land on your page have often found it themselves and are in search for more information. By providing your business’s contact number, opening hours and address, you can generate leads. You can also use your Facebook page to showcase a website link and implement a Call To Action, such as ‘Shop Now’.

2. Organic engagement
Make sure you optimise your organic posts for maximum engagement as this will not just give the Facebook algorithm positive information about your content, but will allow you to organically grow a loyal fanbase.

It also means that users who interact with your content are much more likely to be shown your future posts by Facebook. Building this user trust will allow for strong leads to be generated and may even turn consumers into endorsers! Responding to positive comments and reviews should come naturally to any social media marketer. It’s important to make sure you put the time in liking and commenting back to those who engage with you.

However, if you come across a negative review, don’t worry – we have top tips on how to respond to negative comments.

3. Links to your website
Putting a link in every post for Facebook may seem like a great way to generate leads, but Facebook’s algorithm won’t like this very much, as you’re trying to divert traffic away from the Facebook platform. Ideally, you should be looking to create engaging content that will make the user to want to learn more about your products and services.

Links are not a bad thing, you shouldn’t stop using them altogether. However, it is important to find the right balance – we’d recommend one link in the text of every third post.

4. Lead generation adverts
Boosting is great, but it is important to ensure you are getting the most value from your budget when trying to generate leads.

If you’re not, then now might be the time for you to take the plunge into Facebook Ads Manager. This allows you to create sponsored posts with the primary aim of generating leads, which will open a whole range of new users to your business.

While it is important to create great content and even better visuals for this type of post, targeting is key! Be sure to spend time on creating an audience that fully works for your business to gain the most reward.

If you are unsure on how Facebook Ad Manager works, make sure you take a look at ‘Get Started with Advertising’ through Facebook Blueprint to help increase your knowledge of this great lead generation option.

Once you are happy with your targeting, aim to increase your relevance score to make absolutely sure that your ads are relevant to those who are seeing it.

5. Split testing
Don’t be afraid to spend some of your initial budget on testing, as this will enable you to understand how the Facebook marketplace works and how your audience interacts with your lead generation techniques. Although this may seem like you are not getting much ROI at first, everything you learn will ensure that the remainder of your budget is being maximised!

6. Zapier
Did you know a new lead is at its hottest within the first five minutes? If you are collecting leads through Facebook Adverts, you’ll know that to access the leads you have to go onto Facebook to view them or download them as a CSV file. Utilising a tool that sends leads straight to your email address is a quick win to make sure you stay ahead of your competition, and will allow you to act upon the lead in real time. One great tool for this is Zapier, and with a free 14-day trial – it is certainly worth giving it a go.

7. Facebook Pixel & Google Analytics
Ensuring that Facebook Pixel is set up allows you to link your Facebook ads with Google Analytics. This means you are able to see which adverts have generated leads on your website and, in turn, will allow you to make the correct decision on which adverts to carry on with and which ones you might want to pause or amend.

You can learn more about Facebook’s attribution system here.

8. Influencer marketing
If you haven’t tried working with an influencer yet, it is certainly worth giving it ago. Not only does it allow for a truly integrated digital campaign, it enhances your marketing efforts to be targeted at a group of users who are highly engaged. These users are more likely to turn into customers as they respect the influencers they follow. With 70% of teens trusting influencers more than traditional celebrities, it’s definitely a marketing method that should be considered to gain customers.

Struggling to find the right influencers to work with? Find out how the Vuelio Influencer Database can connect you with genuine influencers for the categories and sectors you work in.

Family gardening blog spotlight: Catherine Hughes, Growing Family

May 17, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Press and Bloggers, Media Database, PR Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Growing Family was recently ranked in the top 10 UK gardening blogs. Written by Catherine Hughes, the blog makes the most of family life both indoors and out. We caught up with Catherine to find out how social channels work with her blog, the best ways to get into gardening and working on campaigns close to her heart.

How do you describe what you do?
Growing Family is my home and garden blog where I share ideas, inspiration and tips for making the most of busy family life. I also provide freelance writing services and social media promotion.

How important is social media to your blog – are any channels more important than others?
Social media is so important for helping to spread the word about my blog posts, it’s also a great source of inspiration for me and a place to catch up with fellow bloggers. I love the visual nature of Instagram, but I would say Twitter is my biggest channel in terms of engagement.

How does the Chelsea flower show affect your blog, if at all?
Chelsea is always a great barometer for gardening trends, and it never fails to inspire me – both in terms of what to write about, and ways to make my own garden look better. The show also provides some lovely opportunities to collaborate with gardening brands.

What’s your favourite plant?
Now that’s a hard one to answer, I have so many! If I had to choose just one, it would probably be clematis; they’re easy to grow, you can create so much impact in a single growing season, and there’s a huge variety of colours and sizes to choose from.

What advice would you give people who only have a small garden?
Don’t try to fit everything you like into the space, it just won’t work. With small gardens you have to be quite firm about the look you’re going for, and really focus on the plants you love. Simplicity can work really well, whether that’s in the layout, the planting scheme or the colours you choose to introduce.

What’s the best way to get into gardening?
Just get out there and grow something! Having a go yourself really is the best way to learn. You don’t need to be an expert, and there are loads of great blogs and books to help you when you need advice. I’d also say start by growing something you either love to look at or love to eat – you’ll enjoy looking after it so much more.

What’s your favourite garden in the world?
I’m a sucker for a walled garden, and the garden at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire would probably be top of my list. In addition to the fruit and veg elements of the garden, there’s also a 400ft herbaceous border, a rose garden, and a beautiful old glasshouse. The whole place has its own unique atmosphere, with whispers of the past everywhere you wander. It’s just magical.

What’s your favourite PR/brand collaboration you’ve worked on?
I loved collaborating with Baby Bio on a photographic diary of a growing season at my allotment. It really allowed me to appreciate all that I achieved with my plants and gave me the opportunity to take some lovely close-up photography. I also really enjoyed working with RSPB to help promote their Wild Challenge campaign, encouraging families to help wildlife and connect with nature – two garden-related topics that are very close to my heart.

Do you accept press releases?
I’m always interested in press releases related to my blog’s content as they keep me up-to-date, but I don’t tend to publish them on my blog. I prefer to collaborate with brands on a more personal basis, and I think my readers prefer that too.

What other blogs do you read?
Lots of gardening blogs, obviously! The Middle-Sized Garden always has articles that inspire me, Sharpen Your Spades is brilliant for all things grow your own and Gardens, Weeds & Words is beautifully written with stunning photography. I also love Thrifty Home for great family budgeting tips and Love Chic Living for fantastic interiors inspiration.

Spotlight with the No. 1 gardening blog: Alison Levey, The Blackberry Garden

May 15, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

The Blackberry Garden has once again been named the number one blog in the top 10 UK Gardening Blogs. Written by Alison Levey, The Blackberry Garden follows Alison’s journey turning a lawn into a beautiful garden. We spoke to Alison about her favourite plants, the draw of the Chelsea Flower Show and how she works with press releases.

How do you describe what you do?
In terms of my blog I am a freelance blogger and writer. I love sharing my garden and gardening adventures.

How important is social media to your blog – are any channels more important than others?
Social Media is very important to my blog. Twitter is a key audience and I also have a dedicated Facebook page.

How does the Chelsea Flower Show affect your blog, if at all?
It massively affects my blog as I love going to the show. It is the highlight of the gardening year for me. I usually write at least two blog posts on it.

What’s your favourite plant?
Ooh now there is a hard question, but I think it has to be the simple corn poppy.

What advice would you give people who only have a small garden?
Think big and enjoy the space you have.

What’s the best way to get into gardening?
One plant at a time. Just do something small and easy and then see where it leads you.

What’s your favourite garden in the world?
That is really hard as it does depend a lot on what mood I am in. Often my favourite is the last one I visited but I am a huge fan of Great Dixter so that has to probably be top of the list… today…

What’s your favourite PR/brand collaboration you’ve worked on?
I genuinely do not have a favourite, but there are some events that are huge fun such as the Garden Press Event.

Do you accept press releases?
I do but I only use them when they work with what I am doing.

What other blogs do you read?
The Cynical Gardener, Gardens, Weeds and Words and Bramble Garden spring to mind but there are many I dip in to.

Women of Colour: an interview with Stephanie Yeboah

May 15, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News, Blogger Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

In this series, Vuelio media researcher and freelance journalist Maz Halima speaks to some of her favourite women of colour in the media industry about their experiences. This week, Maz chats with blogger extraordinaire and e-guide author, Stephanie Yeboah, about her journey so far.

Hey Stephanie! Let’s start with what do you do in the media industry?
I am a plus size style blogger, freelance writer, fat acceptance advocate and public speaker!

What difficulties have you faced as a woman of colour in the media industry?
It’s very difficult to gain the visibility you deserve as a woman of colour within the media, as you are only either used as a token in a bid to promote ‘diversity’, or you are ignored altogether. The media still subscribe to the westernised standard of beauty – white, and for the most part, slim. Anyone outside of this is automatically ‘othered’. We see this on TV, in movies, advertising, modelling and even within the influencer community.

How have you managed to overcome these difficulties?
I think the difficulties will always be there until the powers that be decide to champion inclusivity instead of being performative with the buzzword for the sake of headlines. That being said, I’ve continued putting out content that I’m proud of and consistently write about the state of the media and the changes that need to be made in order for women of colour to achieve the same amount of visibility as non-WOC.

I work hard to create high-quality images that I feel are on par with the mainstream campaign images of today. I speak at panels about issues of diversity and body positivity in order to open up the conversation regarding the marginalisation of WOC.

Despite the difficulties, what do you love most about the media industry?
My favourite thing is creating visual content. I absolutely LOVE being in front of a camera and producing captivating photos. I have always wanted to be within the fashion industry and I was an extremely meek and shy child, so I feel like I have come full circle in not only being able to live out my dream, but by showing younger women that through these images, they too can wear whatever they want, produce amazing visuals and make a mark on the industry too.

What is your dream brand to work with?
My dream brand would be ASOS Curve, because the brand launched as I had just started my self-love journey and they were the first brand I’d come across that featured plus-sized clothes that weren’t old looking and ‘mumsy’. I absolutely LOVE their pieces as they reflect my style and brand – I reckon about 90% of my wardrobe is ASOS.

I’d also love to collaborate with or feature in Vogue; it would be a win for fat, black girls everywhere!

What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first entered the industry?
That industry folk can be fickle and to not take everything to heart. There will be times when I would be approached to do a show, then at the last minute they’d pick someone else. I would always be personally offended, but I’ve learned that it is the way the industry goes: ideas can come and go, things can be dropped at the last minute and you’ve just got to roll with the punches and acknowledge that a lot of the time, it’s nothing to do with who you are as a person – unless it definitely and blatantly is a racist/fatphobic/stereotypical sacking, and in that case I feel you have all the permission to cancel them!

What would you like to see media folk doing (editors, PR companies, etc) to encourage the inclusion of people of colour in the industry?
We need the powers that be to HIRE MORE PEOPLE OF COLOUR. We need diversity behind the scenes, so we can get diversity on screen. You can’t champion inclusivity of a campaign if 100% of the staff behind it is white. That leads to issues such as cultural appropriation and racially insensitive campaigns. It’s so important that people of colour have a chance at holding the reins too; our opinion on what we want to see broadcast is also important.

What advice would you give to the young women of colour who want a career in the media industry?
Don’t give up on your dreams. Cheesy, but true. We need every single woman of colour to carry on creating, carry on writing and carry on speaking their minds, because I reckon a change is coming.

Within the next couple of years I believe the landscape of the media will be a lot different, and it’s thanks to platforms like Twitter and Instagram that give women like us an opportunity to create our own narratives and show off our work. Keep fighting the good fight!

Stephanie recently released the e-guide ‘SPUNK: How To Love Yourself in a World That Tells You Not To’. The e-guide is available to purchase on her website, www.nerdabouttown.com. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @nerdabouttown and on Instagram @nerdabouttown.

Stephanie is listed alongside thousands of other bloggers, freelancers and journalist on the Vuelio Media Database.

‘95% of comms from PRs is crap’ – is Amol Rajan right?

May 13, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News, PR Club Media Database, PR, Comms, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Amol Rajan, media editor at the BBC, gave a speech at the PR360 and Media360 gala dinner last week, in which he made the claim that 95% of comms from PRs is crap. He said this comms is: ‘insulting, infuriating, irrelevant or a waste of time, or some combination of all of those’. Is he right?

Before we go further, it’s worth pointing out that Rajan doesn’t believe it’s all doom and gloom – he explained that the remaining 5% ‘makes all that crap worth it’, but this is a silver lining at best.

The short answer to whether Rajan is right is obviously no, PR comms is so much more than media outreach, which is surely the bulk of what Rajan is talking about. And we do hear this at Vuelio, whether it’s from journalists and editors like Rajan or freelancers, bloggers and social influencers, there’s a sense that some PRs are sending irrelevant, see-what-sticks comms in the hopes for success-by-numbers.

Losing control
But this isn’t the bulk of PR work, nor is it a majority of PRs. As Rajan continued, he said, in relation to public narratives: ‘All of us in this room have to a very significant degree have lost control, and taking it back is impossible. A lot of people think of this as democracy in action. But when it comes to controlling the reputation of a brand or an individual, or crisis management, I think a better description is anarchy.’

This suggest Rajan does have a more comprehensive understanding of PR, and that bad press releases is not where his issue really lies. Is this more problematic for PR? Perhaps not. The suggestion that everyone is losing control of public narratives highlights this not as a PR problem but as the entire media industry’s problem.

The rise of social media has to some extent given power to the people, but more so to the social media companies – the data aggregators who curate our experience online.

So, while direct access to individuals, businesses and leaders is surely a good thing for a democratic society, algorithms are creating oft-maligned echo chambers, and where once both PRs and journalist had control over their own, and others’, stories, that power has slowly slipped away.

What’s the solution?
Rajan offered two pieces of direction, if not full advice: ‘It means recognising the yawning demographic divide whereby reaching young and old increasingly happens on completely different platforms and channels, both of which require time and expertise to master.

‘It means realising, frankly, that your contacts book is not only constantly out of date, but is becoming more out of date by the minute.’

Let’s take these one at a time – no one in PR should be targeting their audience, via influencers or others, through one channel. Rajan breaks it down into young and old, but the truth is there’s a variety of reasons and demographic details that defines how someone consumes media, where they consume media and how they consume your narrative.

It’s not just about social media, either. It’s understanding the difference between all channels and mediums you and your audience use – that may be one of the myriad social platforms, print media (newspapers, local news or magazines), digital media or face-to-face at events or political surgeries. What’s important is you continue to understand, track and react to the way your target audience behaves.

As Rajan points out, it’s all of our jobs to stay on top of the tech and developments in the media, so we continue to reach our audience – our stakeholders – in the right places and understand how best to create messages for different platforms.

And then there’s Rajan’s final point – your contacts book is becoming out of date by the minute. We’re not sure we agree with that. Obviously, Rajan doesn’t use a media database that is continually updated by an in-house research team, which also allows you to record relationship status and search for new contacts based on the topics they’re covering today, right now.

Amol Rajan does not have the Vuelio Media Database, but he is listed on it. Whether it’s journalists, editors, broadcasters, bloggers, vloggers or social influencers – make sure your contacts book is always up to date; get a free demo of the Vuelio Media Database today.

Automotive blog spotlight: Paul Hadley, Motor Verso

May 10, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Paul Hadley is the founder and editor of Motor Verso, a top 10 automotive blog. Joined by a team of writers, Paul tests the latest cars and products, helping consumers get a real impression of the cars to make the right purchasing decision. We caught up with Paul to find out about his blog’s audience, the effect of electric vehicles (EVs) on the industry and what advice Paul has for automotive PRs.

What content creation are you planning for the blog in 2019?
Every year we try to grow our audience size by focusing on content creation and delivering informative and current features to our readers. An example of this is we spent days researching the cheapest cars available to buy in the UK then created a high-value article that summarises all you need to know in one place. There will be more of this as the year goes on.

On another note, we are constantly striving to create high-quality car features. We have organised a trip around the Scottish Highlands to show off one of the latest SUVs and this will be a great opportunity to take some scenic pictures of the car.

How important is your audience to your content creation?
The audience is the most important part of our content creation. We focus our website traffic on organic search, so we typically start with a topic and then research the keywords that people are searching for. This tells us what readers want to know, so we can create the most informative content to please them. A good example of this approach is that we wanted to offer some guidance regarding the cost of car tax in the UK as this is a confusing area. We used tools such as Ahrefs to do the keyword research, then filled out the content to answer all the questions in one article. Our aim is to assist our audience as much as possible.

Which social media channels work best for automotive (and why)?
For many years, using Facebook has led to hits on our website. However, it is a pay to play option for businesses. Our organic reach on Facebook is down overall and most posts need some kind of budget behind them for greater influence. However, we are not complaining as Facebook ads is a great way to target attention on our content creation and has worked well for us in the past.

What’s your all-time favourite car?
As you can imagine, we get asked this all the time. You could ask me three times in one day and get three different answers. But one that often comes up is the Tesla Model S P100D. I just love its straight-down-the-line supercar-killing performance and all the gadgets. Failing that, I would be happy with a large SUV like the Volvo XC60 T8, which I think is a good balance between raw power and usability.

What car do you currently drive?
For the past year between testing other cars, I have been driving a generation one Nissan Leaf to learn about electric cars and their infrastructure and create content around this. That has just been sold and I have replaced it with a Volkswagen Golf GTI. It should be a good compromise between fun and practicality. Throughout the year we will be creating content around this VW icon.

Which marque should we be keeping an eye on in 2019?
The Tesla Model 3 should be an intriguing proposition. A UK release date has not been confirmed as of yet, but it may be later this year. This vehicle could be the most interesting car to hit the roads here in a long time.

How will/are EVs changing the landscape of the automotive industry?
I have some experience in this area after owning an EV for one year and testing many other models and using the charging infrastructure.

The problems with the charging infrastructure will need to be sorted out as demand increases. Even in 2019, living with an EV takes planning and consideration if your model has a shorter range than 200 miles per charge. Charge points can be out of order, combustion engine vehicles park in the bays and there can be long queues at the charge points. It isn’t as simple as it first appears.

But we will see more EVs being released and being purchased and they are credible replacements for the combustion engine in a lot of cases, but this transition will take time.

What about driverless cars?
Today we see a lot of assistive systems in the cars we test, such as motorway focused cruise control technology. However, these systems are meant to be used when you are fully alert and have your hands on the wheel.

Though they are not fully autonomous, they give you a flavour of driving in the near future. These systems will work well in some environments but not too well in others, I think. Again, it will take time for this to develop and be rolled out at scale on the roads.

What are the best PR campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
For me, one of the most enjoyable campaigns was working with Volkswagen to raise awareness about their hot hatches during the launch of the up! GTI. We got to spend the day on Ascari race circuit in Spain with the up!, Polo and Golf GTi. It was a great demonstration of just how capable these cars are and led to some great content created about the GTI range.

What advice would you give PRs in the automotive industry?
This is an interesting question. I think often with automotive PRs, I see lots of money being spent that could be used more wisely. I would encourage them to learn about effectively auditing an online outlet for readership and value before making decisions about working with a publication. I think if brands were more aware of a website’s readership, then they would get a greater return on their investments all year around and improve audience reach and sales.

What other blogs do you read?
I don’t follow too many other motoring blogs, to be honest. My particular favourite is Drifted.com which I check out regularly and I also enjoy anything about a Charger or Challenger. The rest of the blogs I read are marketing-focused and deal with building audiences, business and technology.

Football Blog Spotlight: Paul Tomkins, The Tomkins Times

May 9, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

The Tomkins Times was recently included as a new entry in the Top 10 UK Football Blogs. Created by Paul Tomkins, The Tomkins Times has a team of editors covering Liverpool FC in a grown-up, intelligent way. We spoke to Paul about Liverpool’s season, the importance of his community and paywall and the changing face of football fandom.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
The Tomkins Times was originally set up in 2009 to be a platform for my football writing, which is almost entirely Liverpool FC-focused, with roughly half of the content paywalled to enable me to make a living from it – having had to give up my career as a designer years earlier due to being diagnosed with M.E.. So, it was just a small entity, hence the name.

In time the site has become a vehicle for other writers too, although we remain fairly niche. I pay no attention whatsoever to the number of hits the site gets, I just monitor the quality of work, and if we have enough subscribers to pay all the wages.

How important are the different social channels when they feed into your blog?
I used to spend a lot of time on Twitter and built up a fairly big following, but I’ve barely used it for three years. It’s too negative and stressful. I occasionally log in and post, and use it to promote my work, but more than a few minutes makes me anxious. I have my own Facebook and Instagram accounts, and a Facebook page for The Tomkins Times, and post stuff to that, too. But it’s hard to run a site and various social media accounts, and with my health problems, it’s hard to rely on too many other people.

The aim of the business is not to grow and make more money – it’s to stay viable. This is our 10th year and it remains a viable business, even if it’s usually a case of making a small profit, after paying all my bills and paying all the contributors.

Which team is going to win the Premier League on Sunday?
I obviously want to say Liverpool, but it’s in Manchester City’s hands. I’ll be at Anfield on Sunday, cheering the Reds on, but now Liverpool are also in the Champions League final, the league is not the only thing on the line.

Who’s your player of the season?
My player of the year is Virgil van Dijk, who is quite simply the best all-round defender I’ve ever seen. You sense he could play as a striker or a goalkeeper and still be this good.

How is football fandom changing the way we consume football content?
As a middle-aged writer with an older than typical audience – mostly men aged 30-70 – it’s perhaps hard for me to say. I started writing for various Liverpool FC blogs 20 years ago and now I’m one of the older guys. I was at the vanguard and an early pioneer of paywalls after someone suggested I try it, but I can’t keep up with all the developments. As is the way, the next wave will always come along and find a new way to do things.

There’s less patience in football in general and perhaps in society. And more football content seems to be about transfer speculation – living in the future, in terms of what some new signing will bring, rather than just enjoying the here and now and living in the moment. I love a bit of transfer speculation too, but it can become all some fans seem to care about; the actual football is secondary. So, we try to do some analysis of potential transfer targets using professional scouting tools, rather than just peddling speculation for hits.

What’s your view on esports and the likes of teams having their own esports players/teams?
I’m probably in the wrong age demographic to answer this! I play the PS4 with my teenage son, and I love Overwatch, but beyond that I don’t really pay too much attention. I have enough difficulty finding the time and energy to follow everything about the ‘proper’ Liverpool team without any esports teams they have, but I did hear that they won the first ePremier League. Which is good, I guess!

As much as I love playing Overwatch, I still think of sport as being in the physical word, rather than online, but due to my poor health, and age, a bit of online team-based gaming can sometimes give me the feeling of when I used to play football! So, I can see how it all works, but it’s not something I’d watch if I wasn’t playing.

How important is the community to your blog? Do you accept press releases?
The community has become everything. All comments are behind the paywall, even if articles are free, so a community was built up with a lack of trolls. The site became much bigger than initially intended, but equally, I don’t want it to become much bigger than it is now, as it would become harder to manage, and more impersonal. We only run original content, and don’t publish press releases, sponsored content or anything like that. We don’t really do ‘news’ articles either, just analysis and opinion.

As you have a paywall, do you work with PRs?
If I find something I like – such as the film Free Solo – which I can work into my writing, I’ll do so, but nothing is ever sponsored. So sometimes I’ll give ’shoutouts’ to things I like, but never for anything in return. The same applies to other football blogs – if I find something I like, I’ll reference it with a link to their site. The one exception is one of our regular freelance writers recently having the chance to meet an ex-Liverpool player for an interview, and it was ‘in association with’ a betting company he also does some writing for. I’d never choose to go down this route, but as it was offered to me as original content that would be written by one of our regulars, and would be of interest to our readers, I thought it was okay.

I’ve unfollowed a lot of people on social media for promoting stuff without admitting that they are being paid for promoting stuff. I don’t mind if they make it clear, and don’t do it too often, but I’m only really interested in following people who are open about such things – once they lose their integrity in my eyes they’ve lost me as a fan/follower/reader.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of other football blogs and websites, but too many to mention. I listen to quite a few podcasts, often because I do so much writing I like to rest my eyes, and listen to something with a sleep mask on! A lot of football podcasts, but also true crime, and anything on psychology or writing/creativity.

How Vuelio helped Cats Protection save time and money

May 7, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Charity, PR News Media Database, Media Monitoring, News Distribution, PR, Canvas, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity with a nationwide network of over 250 volunteer-run branches, 36 centres and over 100 charity shops that together helps around 200,000 cats and kittens each year.

We spoke to Kate Angel, Media Assistant at Cats Protection, who talked us through the charity’s need for a new solution and explained how Vuelio had saved them time and money.

Cats Protection’s Media Team promotes the charity throughout the UK and provides PR support for volunteers and other departments. The team sends out a daily Media Update to the network that summarises news stories from print, online and broadcast outlets that have featured Cats Protection or are relevant to the charity in some other way.

The charity uses Vuelio Media Monitoring to source the stories using a list of keywords that is continually reviewed. It also uses Vuelio to send out press releases, for media contact management, evaluation on a monthly basis, and for specific communications campaigns.

The Challenge
Prior to working with Vuelio, Cats Protection used a different supplier that was ‘more expensive and less innovative’. The charity found that it was rarely using the supplier to send out press releases as the method was clunky.

The Solution
Cats Protection got quotes from three suppliers prior to its contract with its previous supplier ending. It was given a demo of Vuelio and shown what it could do – the team was looking for a one-stop-shop, which Vuelio was able to offer. The price was a big factor as well as Canvas, which allows Cats Protection to display its coverage in a modern, visually attractive and user-friendly way. The team is also now able to track the success of press releases and campaigns more effectively.

Benefits and Results
The team now use Vuelio to send out all its press releases and find it helpful to see the tracking of how many have been opened. The contacts and influencer functions are more detailed than the charity’s previous supplier.

The hourly coverage alerts mean the team is able to see coverage when it appears, and the reporting process is much improved with Canvas.

Looking for a one-stop comms software solution to save you time and money? Find out more about Vuelio.

Number 1 Green Blog Spotlight: Wendy Graham, Moral Fibres

May 7, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Wendy Graham is the creator of Moral Fibres, which was recently ranked number one in the top 10 green blogs. Designed to help anyone easily, affordably and stylishly live a greener life, Wendy is on a mission to bust myths about sustainable living.

In this spotlight, Wendy told us about the changing perceptions of environmentally conscious people, the power of people, the best ways to collaborate with PRs and her five tips for individuals to live greener lives.

How do you describe what you do?
I write at Moral Fibres – a blog that seeks to inspire people to live a little greener, by suggesting habits and actions to adopt. This includes tips such as reducing plastic, shopping ethically and cleaning your home in greener ways. It’s all wrapped up in the tagline ‘sustainable living that’s hip, not hippie’ because when I first started the blog in 2013, I had been working professionally in the environmental sector for nearly 10 years and there was still very much a widespread belief that caring for the environment was for ‘lentil weaving tree huggers’, and I wanted to challenge this preconception. Things have changed massively since then – environmentalism is seen as less of a niche interest thanks to people like David Attenborough and the actions of amazing activists like Greta Thunberg – so maybe one day I should look at changing my tagline!

How important is social media to your blog – are any channels more important than others?
Social media has always been hugely important to the blog – being able to continue to conversation off the blog and build community with likeminded individuals has always been a key goal of mine to help spread the word about green living and climate change, because one person alone can’t bring about change on the scale we need to help reduce the impact of climate change. It needs lots of people talking and doing things, and social media can help you feel part of that wider movement. There are lots of great hashtags to follow to feel connected to the wider environmental efforts, no matter where your specific green interests lie.

In the last six and half years, different platforms have brought more traffic to the blog. In the early days, Twitter brought the most traffic, then Facebook took over and right now Instagram is the biggest social driver. Different platforms have different strengths and you have to adapt your approach to each platform to get the most out of them.

Climate change is in the news a lot, do you think it’s getting the attention it needs?
It’s certainly been on the news more recently, but it’s definitely not given the attention it needs, considering we don’t have long to make the changes we need to make to help limit the impact of climate change. It’s where bloggers, like the other bloggers in the Top 10 Green Blogs, and social media comes into play – keeping that conversation going when it’s missing from the media.

What do you think Extinction and Greta Thunberg have done for the conversation?
Their impact has been massive. With Parliament declaring a climate emergency, and more and more people joining the climate conversation, it’s proof that activism works, and of the impact that using our collective voices has.

Who is ultimately responsible to make change?
Ultimately, it’s everyone’s responsibility to make change. The Government, corporations and manufacturers undoubtedly have a huge role to play in driving change, but as individuals we need to make change too, by consuming less and consuming better. These individual changes will help drive change at the business level – businesses adapt to changing consumer demand, for example, packaging products in compostable materials rather than plastic.

What are the most important steps people can take at an individual level to be more green?
If you want to bring about big changes fast then there are five easy things you can do:

Switching who you bank with to an ethical bank that doesn’t use your money to invest in fossil fuels is a great place to start.
If you own your home, then insulating it to current standards using the grants and funding available is an incredible way to save a load of energy (and fossil fuels) in heating your home, and conveniently a whole lot of money. We’ve insulated our house – we got free loft and cavity wall insulation through the green grants available and reduced cost underfloor insulation – and the difference has been incredible. If you rent your home, try talking to your landlord to see if they will apply on your behalf.
Switching your electricity to a 100% renewable tariff is a great step that doesn’t necessarily cost more. Shop around on uswitch.com to find a good renewable deal.
If you eat meat, try to cut back on your lamb and beef consumption, and see if you can have at least one meat-free day a week. If you’re vegetarian, try to cut back on your dairy consumption. This is the best vegan milk I’ve found.
For being such a small island the UK has some truly amazing spots to holiday in that you don’t need to fly to get to; from beaches to mountains, forests to cities, there really is something for everyone.

What advice would you give PRs and comms?
Do your research before contacting bloggers. Take a look at recent content on their site to see what they blog about and how they tend to work with brands before contacting them. I’m often contacted by PRs and comms about matters unrelated to green living, but if they had spent a minute on the blog they would realise it wouldn’t be something I would cover.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
I really enjoyed working with Little’s Coffee recently. They have switched to using 100% recyclable and plastic-free packaging materials across their entire range of instant coffees and packaging materials and it was a pleasure to work with such a forward-thinking company to help spread the word and deliver exactly the kind of content Moral Fibres readers enjoy and find useful.

Do you accept press releases?
No, Moral Fibres is a one-woman show that I work on part-time. I don’t have the capacity to post news articles on a daily basis, but if your press release has been published elsewhere then do send me that link and if it’s relevant then I might include it in my weekly environmental news roundup that I publish every Sunday.

What other blogs do you read?
Aside from the other blogs in the Green Blogs Top 10 (there are some great ones in there, and it’s a pleasure to be in their company!) I enjoy Reading My Tea Leaves and Peppermint Magazine.

Green blog spotlight: Brenda Cuby, The Green Familia

May 2, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Brenda Cuby is the blogger behind The Green Familia, which was recently ranked in the top 10 Green Blogs. Helping families shop green and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, The Green Familia is packed with tips for anyone who wants to be more environmentally conscious.

We caught up with Brenda to find out how everyone can make changes to make a difference, climate change starting to get the attention it needs and how she works with PR.

How do you describe what you do?
I am a light green blogger, who blogs about easy ways to make eco/ethical changes to your life. We highlight products that you can use that will help our readers to become greener and do their bit. If we all make small changes then the world makes big changes.

How important is social media to your blog – are any channels more important than others?
Social media is very important it drives traffic to our blog and allows new people to find out what we do and the different ways they can make a difference. I find Twitter used to be a big platform for us, but Facebook has become more popular. I know we need to do more with Instagram and YouTube and eventually we will move into these platforms.

Climate change is in the news a lot, do you think it’s getting the attention it needs?
I think that finally attention is gathering traction, but I think there is still more that can be done. I notice more friends are thinking about the planet now than they used to which is great.

What do you think Extinction and Greta Thunberg have done for the conversation?
I think they have been brilliant for the conversation. Greta has caught the attention because of her age and her passion for the cause and because she is very articulate. I love seeing how engaged this generation are with the conversation and that gives me hope.

Who is ultimately responsible to make change?
We are all responsible for change, if we stop using plastic bags, they have to stop manufacturing them. If we stop eating junk and start looking at what we are consuming and how we consume it then we take the responsibility.

What are the most important steps people can take at an individual level to be more green?
Recycling on all levels will help. Make ethical choices, learn and educate ourselves into how we can make changes. Try to reduce our carbon footprint.

What advice would you give PRs and comms?
Keep engaging in the conversation.

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
Frugi, E-on, Wikaniko and Electric Transport.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes.

What other blogs do you read?
Little Green Blog and Moral Fibres in the green sector.

How charity comms teams can stay data compliant

May 1, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, GDPR, PR, Charity Media Database, Stakeholder Engagement, PR Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published data protection tips for charities. Charities rely on data – from their donors, beneficiaries, clients, partners, media contacts, influencers, staff and trustees – in order to achieve their goals and ultimately support those in need. Charity comms teams often have to juggle data from all of these otherwise disparate groups, making data compliance a key part of the modern comms role.

The ICO has presented charities with five data compliance tips:

Set compliance goals
Host training sessions
Prepare for the unexpected
Keep on top of data housekeeping
Be transparent about people’s data

It suggests that ‘data protection compliance should be one of the main priorities of an organisation’, and as we’re almost one year on from the implementation of the GDPR, most charities should now have a good understanding of their data management processes and how they are compliant.

As a reminder, the General Data Protection Regulation requires every organisation that processes data to have a legal basis for doing so, which should also be made clear to everyone whose data you’re processing.

There’s also a requirement for staff to know why and how you’re processing data, which is why the ICO includes advice to ‘Host training sessions’. This is good advice for both new and existing team members. While it may seem like we all swallowed the GDPR dictionary last year – at Vuelio we produced a large number of resources for PR and comms professionals (you can see them all here) – how many new team members have you taken on since 25 May 2018? And how much do you remember from the advice at the time?

Refreshers and training for communications teams are great, but if you don’t have the right tools in place then it’s all talk and no substance, and compliance can prove complicated. Vuelio helps you stay fully GDPR compliant, with tools to automatically send your privacy policies out, record consent and record an audit trial so if anyone ever requests their data, you can prove how and when you’ve collected and used it.

This means when the unexpected happens, not only are you more prepared – as the ICO recommends – but you’re also equipped to quickly and easily produce evidence of your data compliance, keeping your stakeholders happy.

If you’d like to find out more about how Vuelio can help you manage your GDPR requirements and data protection compliance, fill out our dedicated form here and one of our compliance experts will be in touch.

Mental health is key to the best PR workplaces

May 1, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Looking to escape an office with drippy taps in the kitchen, no teabags or… something even worse? PRWeek has released the Best Places to Work Awards 2019, which represent all sectors of the industry, from the largest agencies to in-house comms. In PRWeek’s overview of the winners, there’s no mention of in-office teabag situations (if that’s what’s important to you), but there is something much more vital – a culture of mental health support and employee wellbeing.

‘It’s a cliché, but in our industry, people really are our most important asset,’ believes Nicky Young, group MD at Mid-Size Agency and Culture winner MullenLowe Salt. ‘Employees and prospective candidates rightly and increasingly demand a workplace that nurtures their wellbeing rather than destroying it. Our working lives have the potential to be hugely fulfilling and enjoyable. As employers we need to strive to create working environments that make this possible.’

MullenLowe Salt’s approach includes mental health ‘champions’ among its 40-strong team (with more being trained) as well as ‘Head Talks’ to help employees work through any issues they may be facing. The agency’s B-Corp status also highlights its commitment to its workers, something that’s integral to its success.

‘We were a founding B Corporation in the UK and that philosophy (that business can and should be a force for good) combines with our own purpose – to drive positive change through communications – to inform the way we prioritise and manage our culture.’

If you’ve ever checked out Glassdoor for the goss on which companies are good (or very bad) to work for, cultures of support and even protection is what gains staff loyalty, or as Glassdoor has put it: ‘The three top drivers of long-term employee satisfaction are company culture, career opportunities and trust in senior leadership.’

‘We’ve worked hard to put processes in place to schedule support for the team,’ says UKTV’s director of comms, consumer and social, Justine Bower, of its win in this year’s In-House Communications Department category. ‘We are particularly proud of the work being done at UKTV to ensure a consistently open and understanding approach to mental health […] The whole team is delighted and proud to have such a prestigious award as testament to our culture. It’s never taken for granted.’

Taking employee satisfaction – and their resulting effectiveness – for granted is something agencies cannot do if valuable staff are to be retained and growth is to be achieved. UKTV has trained mental health first-aiders as part of the team, partnered with CALM and supports Mental Health Awareness Week and Time to Talk day – and it’s all paying off. For Justine, it has to: ‘Communications and social is ‘always on’ – we are hard-wired for news and it can be difficult to switch off […] We try to be honest and supportive, if someone is too busy they put their hand up and ask for help.’

If you think this sounds too warm and fuzzy, or you came up in harder times when enforced pub visits and borderline-lethal working hours were the norm in PR, consider the statistics from CIPR’s State of the Profession report around mental health – nearly a quarter of those surveyed had taken time off work due to stress, anxiety, or depression.

And even if the human aspect doesn’t concern you, it’s just really bad for business.

‘Our industry does attract high potentials who are proven to be more prone to give too much of themselves, often to their own detriment,’ says Nicky. ‘There may be additional pressures that come from wanting to serve and delight, to please clients quickly and from being only as good as the quality of your last piece of work. We know that when culture feels the strain, so does the business.’

For Nicky, she uses her own experiences to make MullenLowe Salt special: ‘One of my first roles in the country was at an unsupportive workplace and it made me realise what I didn’t want from a workplace; that I wanted to enjoy going into work every day.’

And a welcoming environment is one Justine also advocates at UKTV: ‘I’m a big believer in team as family – you support each other and create an atmosphere of trust.’

More successful than access to caffeine and long working hours? Those warm and fuzzies – especially if you want to be a winner in building worthwhile and happy teams that work.

Running blogger spotlight: Emma Neachell, The PhD Runner

April 30, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Emma Neachell is The PhD Runner and was recently ranked in the top 10 UK running blogs. A self-confessed injury-prone runner, Emma finds the balance between recovery and competition. We caught up with Emma to find out how she describes her blogging to the uninitiated, the best places to run, her favourite shoes and her love of testing and reviewing products.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I’ll be completely honest; I don’t think my family and friends understand blogging and social media. On the very rare occasion I get asked about this blog, I describe it as an online running diary with bonus product reviews. As for my full-time ‘proper’ job, I’m a hydrologist and find that people don’t tend to understand what I do on a day-to-day basis.

How does social media feed into your blog – are any channels more important?
I share all my new blog posts on Twitter and occasionally in a couple of Facebook groups. Twitter is definitely my preferred social media channel and I’m trying to get to grips with Instagram. Otherwise, I don’t think I’m very savvy when it comes to social media. I could definitely do more to promote my blog.

How important is the right clothing/gear for running?
Vital! In my tips for completing the Couch to 5k, I recommend people buy a decent pair of running shoes. You can get by without technical running clothing to start with but a decent pair of running shoes is essential. Female runners should also consider purchasing a sports bra. You don’t really need technical gear to start with. Just wear clothes that are loose fitting and comfortable in a breathable material such as cotton. If you do want to invest in technical running gear, then shop around for bargains. Running doesn’t have to be an expensive sport.

What’s your favourite pair of trainers?
Definitely Brooks Adrenaline GTS trainers.

Where’s the best place to run in the world?
I may be a little biased but Sutton Park in the north of Birmingham.

How many races do you compete in a year?
It varies depending on how many injuries I pick up during the course of the year. Last year, I completed 21 races, this year I’m yet to make it to the start line of any races.

What advice would you give PRs?
Please give me time to complete my product reviews. Some PRs have slightly unrealistic expectations and expect bloggers to be able to produce meaningful reviews after a week. I like to test products thoroughly before writing a review. Also, I know that PRs are busy people, but please remember to acknowledge emails.

Do you accept press releases?
If they are relevant to my blog and I’ll think my readers will find the content useful, yes I do.

What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on with a brand or PR?
Now this is a really tricky question! I’ve worked with some awesome brands recently, but I would have to say Supacore Compression. PRs if you read this please get in touch; I love testing and reviewing products!

What are your favourite blogs?
I read a lot of running blogs but these (not in any particular order) are my favourites: AnnatheApple, Maria Runs, A Healthier Moo, HelsBels and Lazy Girl Running.

Running blogger spotlight: the5krunner

April 26, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Running blog, the5krunner, has again ranked in the top 10 running blogs. Anonymously written, the5krunner covers running tech and the best routes, as well triathlon training and competing. We caught up with the5krunner to find out about blogging in secret, the right gear for running and the best kinds of press release.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I am somewhat secretive about my blog. Even to friends. So, I suppose I should have a good answer to that question.

I would say that I probably angle my repose about what I do between the blog’s three main pillars: journalistic research and analysis of emerging sports tech; product reviews and opinions; and a good dose of lifestyle blogging about a wannabe age group triathlete’s trials and tribulations.

How does social media feed into your blog – are any channels more important?
It has taken me a long time to better understand my readership and it is THEIR use of social media channels that I invest in rather than ones that I think I ought to or that some expert or other has told me that I ought to. Eg. I wasted a lot of time with Instagram last year.

The blog itself is by far the most important channel although a notable number of readers use Facebook. I use Twitter as email proxy for one-to-one communications rather than as a means of capturing traffic. YouTube would work for my type of reader but I don’t have the skills or time to take that further right now… if anyone who is reading this does then give me a call.

How important is the right clothing/gear for running?
I would give the classic ‘it depends’ response. Most of the time it does not really matter in the UK but if there are specific weather or performance requirements then clothing is very important. Ranging from: keeping arms warm in the winter; to stopping chaffing on long runs; to allowing cooling on hot days; all the way to simply providing a means of carrying a gel, smartphone and key.

What’s your favourite pair of trainers?
I have the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v4 right now. I bought three pairs (no freebies). I don’t especially want to like them but I rarely seem to get injured when wearing them so that is a massive bonus for me. No injury = favourite.

Where’s the best place to run in the world?
The London Borough of Richmond-on-Thames is pretty cool in a very safe-cum-pretty-cum-boring kind of way. Maybe I should get out more? but I love the Royal Parks here and the Rivers, nearby canals and more besides.

How many races do you compete in a year?
Excluding parkruns, it would probably be about six races with two of them being ‘A’ races. I train properly for them as best I can yet always set myself goals that are unachievable! If you are of a competitive nature then the beauty of triathlons is that there is a good level of ‘proper’ competition in age-group events. My goal is to win a medal at a national triathlon championship at some distance or other. That will be difficult but possible for me this year or next.

What advice would you give PRs?
The advice would be to understand the motivations of the blogger they are contacting. Some of us do it for fun, some for freebies and some for money. If your pitch to me is that you want 500 words and original photographs syndicated over all my channels in exchange for a free pair of running socks, then perhaps you might want to reflect on how much you are paid and how much of my free time you are requesting.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes. I probably look at all I receive. I probably act on 5% of them. That would be the 5% that are either of interest to me or to my readership.

What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on with a brand or PR?
I can think of generous brands/PRs, stingy ones and I can think of prestigious ones. The BEST collaborations are those where the PR can respond quickly and intelligently to requests to clarify facts.

What are your favourite blogs?
I have a web dashboard thingy that brings up new content as the blogs that I follow produce it. It’s very much informational/transactional for me. I don’t really enjoy them. Only a very small number that I follow tend to inject an element of personality into what they do but not enough for me to call them my favourite. My favourite channel would be the GCN channel for cyclists on YouTube.

Spotlight with the No. 1 Running blog: The Runner Beans

April 24, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR News, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Christina Pirilla

Charlie Watson writes The Runner Beans, which was recently ranked as the number one running blog in the UK, a title it’s held for years. Charlie has been blogging her passion for running since 2011 and now runs around the world – this year she’s running three marathons!

We caught up with Charlie to find out how important running gear is, the rise of Instagram and how she works with PRs.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
It’s a tricky one – I think it depends who I am talking to (and their age!). I tell a lot of people that I ‘have a blog and Instagram’ whereas to the older generation I often say I’m a ‘freelance writer’.

How does social media feed into your blog – are any channels more important?
Yes, my Instagram is so helpful for driving traffic (through the swipe up feature) to my blog. I would say that recently brands are more keen on doing collaborations on Instagram and Instagram stories, with the other social and blog as supplementary channels.

How important is the right clothing/gear for running?
There is NOTHING worse than running 20+ miles in shorts that ride up/fall down, a sports bra that chafes and shoes that give you blisters. I’ve tried and tested enough shorts that I’ve found the right pairs for me (I love lululemon Track and Train and Oiselle pocket joggers), and I won’t wear anything other than Triumph Triaction sports bras.

What’s your favourite pair of trainers?
I just bought myself another pair of the Nike Vaporfly 4% for my marathon in November – there’s something so light and bouncy about them that make you feel like you’re flying.

Where’s the best place to run in the world?
For me it’s anywhere near water – I love the Thames towpath in west London from Putney to Richmond, but equally love running on the coast when abroad, or in Central Park in New York.

How many races do you compete in a year?
I’ve honestly never counted – but I do know that this year I’ll run three marathons!

What advice would you give PRs?
Don’t send blanket emails – engage with the blogger and target them with the right product for them. Understand how they work and it will create a more symbiotic relationship for everyone.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes – but again, when they have been targeted and personalised.

What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on with a brand or PR?
I’ve worked on some incredible partnerships over the years, but most recently I am loving the partnerships that involve travel for races – like a recent partnership with Visit Savannah and the Savannah Women’s Half Marathon for the weekend, and the LA Marathon back in March.

What are your favourite blogs?
My favourite blogs are honest recaps, sharing fashion, fitness, recipes and real life – anything with beautiful photography but a sense of realness. I like A Foodie Stays Fit, Cat Meffan, Hello Fashion, Pumps and Iron, Fit Foodie Finds, Run to the Finish and so many others!

Luxury lifestyle blog spotlight: Laura Scott, SheHearts

April 17, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Laura Scott is the blogger behind SheHearts, the luxury lifestyle publication. Covering a huge range of subjects, from travel to beauty, Laura draws on her own experiences and SheHearts benefits from Laura’s expertise as a social media consultant. We spoke to Laura about living a luxury lifestyle, when she realised she had ‘made it’ and her advice for others.

How would you introduce SheHearts?
SheHearts is a luxury lifestyle publication run by myself and blog partner covering travel, fine dining, fashion, beauty and events, emphasising personalised experiences. Creating unique and in-depth features are incredibly important to our readership.

Creative thought goes into our content curation and editorial, it’s important that readers feel at home on SheHearts by providing personalised content people can relate too. SheHearts started off as a blog with the main foundation being ‘all things that I love’ and that is at the heart of the brand.

How did you go about setting up the luxury blog?
Being in social media consultancy, photography and PR, after organising a specialist event in London for a luxury client, a fellow blogger suggested I started my own blog and of course it had been at the back of my mind due to my love of photography, editorial and social media. I started off as I meant to go on, if I’m going to create anything, the heart has to be authentic, personalised and photography-driven. Telling a story through the use of image is a powerful tool, where passion shines there’s truth, and for me that happened to be in unique and luxury experiences in any aspect of life. SheHearts was born.

When did you start getting invites to events?
Being in social media consultancy for many years, I created events so I had a knowledge of how things worked. It was through my own events I met other industry connections and in turn got invited to their events. I’m incredibly thankful to have met many inspiring individuals through SheHearts and my profession.

How much of your content is paid-for collaborations?
It’s truly dependant on the project and nature of the collaboration.

When did you know you’d made it?
When it comes to any aspect of business what is important in terms of success isn’t just about income, but authenticity – set out to be yourself and to inspire others. Personally, for me having the opportunity to work on a one-on-one basis with couture luxury fashion designers, management in the luxury hotel and food industry and creating unique and in-depth visual features makes me feel accomplished.

Some highlights: A personalised tour around The Ritz London and having a menu created for us by executive chef, John Williams MBE was an honour. Interviewing and collaborating with international designer Omar Mansoor has been wonderful and supporting Top Model where Omar showcases his work. Top Model also supports the charity Children with Cancer so it’s wonderful supporting a fantastic cause.

How do you balance blogging and personal life – do you find you always have to be on?
When it comes to lifestyle I treat each experience as such, life is all about balance and taking time to embrace special moments.

What’s your favourite luxury?
Cherished moments and unique experiences with brands, for example when warmth shines through in terms of hospitality during travel/hotel review collaborations in turn creates fond memories for me to promote to my readership. Personalisation goes a long way and hospitality is important. Dining experiences with welcoming touches adds appeal, and brands who enjoy creating personalised experiences are just wonderful.

What advice do you have for luxury brands who want to work with bloggers like you?
Reach out and talk, communication is key and great collaborations are always a result of purpose-driven conversation. Adapting is also important and being flexible to create something truly unique is important. Just be friendly as I absolutely love talking to people and getting to know the heart of their company or brand. Creating on-going relationships is personally important, I love reviewing conceptual change and developing relationships with companies who truly love building trusted friendships in a digital space.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting their blog?
Create a blog for the sheer purpose of creating something you love personally, talk about what you truly enjoy and you will relate to others. Be yourself and don’t compare, enjoy your creativity. Your blog is your online space online to express through digital expression.

Foodie blogger spotlight: Dannii Martin, Hungry Healthy Happy

April 11, 2019/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Holly Hodges

Hungry Healthy Happy was created in 2011 by Dannii Martin as a place to share delicious and healthy recipes as she embarked on her weight loss journey. Recently ranked as the number one food blog (once again), Hungry Healthy Happy is also a top recipe book alongside an expanding library of books by Dannii.

We caught up with Dannii to find out about the growth of food blogging, the joy of avocado and how she likes to work with brands.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I create recipes that show healthy food doesn’t have to boring and how to sneak in extra veg, then share those recipes on the internet. I also write books.

How does social media feed into your blog – are any channels more important?
Social media makes me feel connected to our audience. It’s a great way to communicate with them, hear what they like and want to see more of, and get feedback. We use it as a way to show the behind-the-scenes of the blog too. Instagram stories are our favourite, as there is a great community there.

What’s your favourite ingredient and why?
Avocado! I have a bit of a reputation for being avocado obsessed. But in terms of an ingredient to make recipes with, then maybe Greek yoghurt. It’s such a great healthier substitute in creamy sauces.

Can you tell the difference between a food fad and a genuine culture shift?
Yes, and I think there has been a massive culture shift recently. Everyone has left ‘clean eating’ behind and there is much more interest and focus on a healthy balanced diet without cutting anything out and we love that.

What’s the best course in a meal?
The main course. It’s the main for a reason.

Food & Drink was revealed as a supersector in the UK Bloggers Survey – how do you feel it fits in to the broader blogosphere?
The food and drink blogger category is huge now and pretty over saturated. Anyone that can cook and write can set up a food blog and that’s definitely not a bad thing. But very few people stand out. You have to be offering something other people aren’t.

The survey revealed that bloggers post less frequently, is that your experience?
Yes, because SO much more work goes in to a blog post now. SEO is (or should be) the main focus of a blogger now and gone are the days of being able to write and publish a blog post in 30 minutes. It takes a day or two to create one post now – to create professional quality photos, edit, write and then all the keyword research that goes alongside it. We try to post twice a week and then really dedicate time to each post – it’s only fair to the brands we work with to.

Do you accept PR press releases?
Yes, however it would be helpful if they also said what they were looking for. Like, do they want to collaborate or are they just looking for free advertising?

How do you choose which PRs and brands to work with?
The brand has to be a good fit for our audience – that is the most important thing for us. Our readers trust us and trust that the products we promote are only things we really believe in and would use ourselves. We have some great relationships with PRs that we have worked with many times over the past few years, which is great because they know how we work and we know what they are looking for.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
I don’t think it would be fair to single out one brand, but the best collaborations for us is when there is a clear brief from the beginning. So, there is not going backwards and forwards with drafts and re-dos for weeks because the brief has changed. We appreciate that sometimes things do change but making it as clear as can be from the start helps.

Also, it helps to know if brands want licensing from the beginning, rather than that being sprung on us after the post has gone live and we have to change the fee.

Ultimately, the best collaborations are ones that are a little bit different too. That allows us to have some creative freedom to do something we know will be popular with our readers.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of American blogs, because blogging over there is way ahead of the UK in terms of brand collaborations and professionalism. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing UK blogs, but there are a lot of inspiring US blogs like Pinch of Yum and Half Baked Harvest.

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