Lily Pebbles

Blogger Interview: Lily Pebbles

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Lily Pebbles is the lifestyle, beauty and vlogging guru who recently won the Best Women’s Lifestyle Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards. Launched in 2010, the eponymous blog now attracts a huge regular audience and Lily has branched out her success to YouTube and Instagram.

About to launch her first book, The F Word, we caught with Lily to discuss what it’s like to be an award winner, hating the word ‘influencer’ and having amazing relationships with brands and PRs.

You’ve recently published ‘Vlogging 7 years ago’ – how do you feel about your journey from where you were to where you are now?
I found this hilarious clip of me filming on my graduation day before I’d even started my YouTube channel and I was just getting to grips with talking to a camera. At the start I was so shy, quiet and incredibly monotoned… it’s harder than you think to show your true personality on camera. I think since then, I’ve just learnt how to relax and be myself, my ‘filming voice’ is no longer different to my normal speaking voice and I have the confidence to say what I want to say clearly.

You’ve written a book, what’s The F Word about?
Yes I have! I wrote it towards the end of last year and it’s finally coming out on 8th March!

The F Word is a personal exploration of female friendship; the good, the bad and the complicated. Female friendships are so important to me and I really want to get people to talk more about the topic. Whether you have a large group of girlfriends you’ve known since you were young, or just one best friend, I think the women we surround ourselves with are so important and can affect our lives in so many ways. The book covers a range of topics from toxic friendships to long distance friendships or what to do if you don’t like her boyfriend. I share my personal stories as well as exploring others’ experiences. I’m really proud of it and can’t wait for people to read it!

Lydia CollinsDo you feel like you’ve ‘made it’?
I think the term ‘made it’ implies having an end goal that I’ve tried to reach. When I started my blog in 2010 it was a hobby, there was absolutely no intention of it ever being my job; I didn’t know that was even possible! Over time it’s gradually grown, spread onto other platforms and I’ve had some incredible opportunities along the way. But there was never an end goal to try and reach and everyone measures success in different ways. I feel successful in that I have a job that I love, but I wouldn’t say I’ve ‘made it’.

How do you stay motivated to do more, and what’s next?
I think if you love what you do, that is the best motivation. I don’t have a team, I work alone and so if I don’t do the work, no-one will.

Last year I launched a podcast with my friend Anna called ‘At Home With…‘ and it was a huge success – going straight to number one in the charts. After the book launches, we are hoping to record season two and then, who knows… I don’t like to plan too far ahead.

How do you feel after your 31 days offline? Will you do it again?
It was amazing. I was writing the book at the time and I just needed to clear my head and focus. After two weeks offline, I felt like a new person, so I would definitely do it again, even if just for a couple of weeks whilst taking a holiday. Taking breaks is important and we don’t do it enough in this industry.

What do you tell people you do for a living? Do you call yourself an influencer, blogger, vlogger or something else?
I hate the word influencer, it implies that we are speaking one way to our audience… influencing. Influence is sometimes what happens, the after effect if you like, but it’s not what we set out to do. For us, it’s a two-way thing, I love engaging with my audience and creating content we both enjoy. ‘Influencer’ is just a marketing term and I think most of us feel really uncomfortable with it. I usually say I’m a YouTuber because most people know what that means now, but I like the term ‘creator’, as it seems to cover all platforms well.

How do you like to work with brands and PR agencies?
I have some amazing relationships with PRs I’ve known for over five years and it’s always nice to be updated about new launches and campaigns. I get sent a lot of stuff, I’m very lucky, but after years of trying beauty products it’s quite easy for me to figure out quickly what works for me or what doesn’t.

I’ve also been lucky to work more officially with some of my favourite brands and this allows me to put a bit more time and effort into collaborating on a specific campaign. I’m an ex-marketing student so this is my favourite part of my job and I really enjoy working on a new, more honest way of advertising. When a brand collaboration works, it’s really a win for everyone. I only work with brands or products I genuinely like, so I turn down a lot of work, but my credibility and relationship with my audience is always top priority.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK bloggers and vloggers in Beauty, fashion, Lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

Are there any campaign you’ve particularly enjoyed working on?
Last year I went to New York with Bobbi Brown to help promote their new lipstick range. I love NY, I love Bobbi Brown, I loved the new lipsticks… it was a dreamy job!

Congratulations on winning Best Women’s Lifestyle Blog award, how do you feel about winning?
Thank you! I was so thrilled. My blog originally started as a lifestyle blog but quickly got very beauty focused. But over the past year or so I’ve really been enjoying expanding the topics I talk about and including more home, food, style etc. so winning best lifestyle was a real honour.

What’s it like to be a leading member of the UK women’s lifestyle blogging scene?
Oh my gosh, I’m not sure I’d ever refer to myself as that! But I’m flattered… thank you. I’m just doing my thing and if people enjoy it, that’s great!

What other blogs do you read?
Some of my friends have really amazing blogs and they’ve amazed me at how they’ve kept up with posting so much content over the years. Just to name a few, The Anna Edit, Caroline Hirons, A Model Recommends, What Olivia Did and Wish Wish Wish.

 

Lily Pebbles is listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Facebook people

Have you updated your Facebook strategy?

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After signalling a huge change in Facebook’s News Feed, with more focus on posts from friends and family, Mark Zuckerberg has now revealed the second stage of his changes, promising the platform will serve up news from ‘trusted’ sources.

As Zuckerberg’s latest post explains:

‘I’m sharing our second major update this year: to make sure the news you see, while less overall, is high quality. I’ve asked our product teams to make sure we prioritize news that is trustworthy, informative, and local. And we’re starting next week with trusted sources.

‘There’s too much sensationalism, misinformation and polarization in the world today. Social media enables people to spread information faster than ever before, and if we don’t specifically tackle these problems, then we end up amplifying them. That’s why it’s important that News Feed promotes high quality news that helps build a sense of common ground.’

The ‘high quality’ news and ‘trustworthy’ sources will be decided by the Facebook community. As part of its surveys, the network will now ask if users are familiar with a news source and if they trust it. Facebook is aiming to create a list of sources from people that aren’t necessarily regular readers but those that know and consider the source to be trustworthy. Users who haven’t heard of the source will be discounted.

This is Zuckerberg’s latest attempt to legitimise his network and shift the focus from the spreading of ‘fake news’ and alleged interference in the likes of the Presidential election and Brexit.

What does this mean for you?

The first set of changes are expected to reduce the amount of news in the Feed from 5% to 4%, and the second will dramatically reduce the sources news comes from. This will benefit the sources that are trusted and should make all PR pros and brands consider who they’re targeting in media outreach.

Publishers with the biggest stats and the most readers are going to be greatly affected if they’re not also trustworthy. As the list will be publicly-sourced, it may be easy to think you know what will and won’t make the cut. But just because a news site has a reputation for being untrustworthy, it doesn’t mean Facebook’s crowdsourcing will stop it from appearing. Nor is it clear if those less high-quality publishers will be removed altogether.

As such, your new Facebook strategy needs to be reactive, rather than proactive. Using quality social media monitoring, keep an eye on which of your media partners are still appearing frequently on Facebook, and find new ones that you haven’t used before.

Take time to build new relationships where necessary, and broaden your PR community. That way, your stories will remain where they belong – on people’s News Feeds.

Dublin Hotel

Dublin hotel bans bloggers

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In the latest ‘most people don’t understand blogging’ news, The White Moose Café in Dublin, which has a reported reputation for controversy on social media, has banned all bloggers after an online spat with a vlogger.

Elle Darby, a beauty and fitness influencer with 89K YouTube subscribers and 80K Instagram followers, asked The White Moose Café for a free stay in return for some publicity across her channels. The hotel’s owner, Paul Stenson, responded – not via email – but on Facebook. Including her original email, he replied saying:

‘Thank you for your email looking for free accommodation in return for exposure. It takes a lot of balls to send an email like that, if not much self-respect and dignity.

‘If I let you stay here in return for a feature in your video, who is going to pay the staff who look after you? Who is going to pay the housekeepers who clean your room? The waiters who serve you breakfast? The receptionist who checks you in? Who is going to pay for the light and heat you use during your stay? The laundering of your bed sheets? The water rates? Maybe I should tell my staff they will be featured in your video in lieu of receiving payment for work carried out while you’re in residence?’

He went on to describe his own social following (as Darby had in her request), and saying though he had tens or hundreds of thousands of followers, he would never ‘in a million years ask anyone for anything for free’.

He continued to attack the blogging profession, saying:

‘The above stats do not make me any better than anyone else or afford me the right to not pay for something everyone else has to pay for.

‘In future, I’d advise you to offer to pay your way like everyone else, and if the hotel in question believes your coverage will help them, maybe they’ll give you a complimentary upgrade to a suite. This would show more self-respect on your part and, let’s face it, it would be less embarrassing for you.’

In his post, he had seemingly tried to disguise Darby’s details but did a poor job. People quickly found her and the trolling began. Some people believed she was a freeloader and she started receiving a lot of abuse, while others have supported her, as she is following a common practice for her chosen profession.

Darby published a vlog, explaining how she was embarrassed that she had been ‘exposed’:

The support she received, and in turn the abuse Stenson received for his approach, led the hotelier to post another message on Facebook, banning all bloggers:

‘The sense of entitlement is just too strong in the blogging community and the nastiness, hissy fits and general hate displayed after one of your members was not granted her request for a freebie is giving your whole industry a bad name. I never thought we would be inundated with negative reviews for the simple reason that somebody was required to pay for goods received or services rendered.’

The controversy was compounded when Stenson created another post, ‘apologising’ to the blogging community for not mobilising their numbers with such controversy before. He calls the debacle good publicity and thanks the bloggers for all their ‘hard work’ and asks them to ‘continue to spread the word’ about the hotel.

This whole situation has arisen because a business, which knows how to drive publicity, called out a blogger, who was just doing her job. It worked because a large portion of the population doesn’t understand blogging as a profession or community; they don’t understand that these people are professional influencers and are amazing resources for publicity and promotion.

Darby is likely to be contacted by PR pros and brands on a regular basis, offering her exactly this sort of deal. In fact, many bloggers value their influence over freebies and require payment on top of the work they do. As genuine influence can make or break a business, it seems mad that anyone thinks a professional blogger is just freeloading.

Stenson was well within his rights to refuse the offer, of course, but it’s the manner in which he has refused – so publicly, that has caused the problem.

Both sides have benefitted to some extent, deserving or otherwise, with Stenson getting his publicity and Darby increasing her social following. But, hopefully, the blogging community will be the biggest benefactor, as more people are exposed to the amazing blogging industry, understanding how bloggers operate and seeing blogging as a valid career path.

 

Want to know more about bloggers in the UK? Find out more here.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 19 January 2017

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This week’s Five Things includes YouTube’s new payment rules, Tesco’s Clubcard criticism, the Fake News Award, a Dublin hotel that’s banned bloggers and Big Narstie presenting the weather.

1. YouTube payment rules

YouTubeThe Logan Paul scandal that originally hit at the beginning of January, and led to an unprecedented YouTube apology, has now made it into a third week of Five Things. Last week, the platform promised ‘more steps’ to ensure videos like Logan’s never appeared again. That has been revealed as a manual review system, where YouTube staff will review all clips before they are added to a premium service that pairs the top creators with leading brands (a service Logan Paul was removed from last week).

This follows a previous announcement that YouTube would have over 10,000 workers reviewing clips on the platform anyway, by the end of 2018. With manual review in place, YouTube will be taking on more responsible for offensive videos and controversial content.

The platform is also making it harder for creators to make money off their videos, with no videos including adverts unless the creator has at least 1,000 subscribers and more than 4,000 hours of their content has been viewed in the past 12 months. This is likely to hit niche creators and those that consider YouTube a supplementary income, but generally shouldn’t hit the bulk of the platform too hard. If someone is making enough money from YouTube that they consider it a viable income, they probably already meet YouTube’s new requirements.

 

2. Tesco Clubcard changes and the backlash

chrisdorney / Shutterstock.comThis week, Tesco changed its Clubcard rewards offer overnight. Instead of some deals being worth four times the value of the Clubcard points and some being worth two, everything became three times the value of the points. The backlash was immediate, with customers who were saving up points claiming they had been robbed of the additional value. This led to another change, as Tesco then decided to delay the new system until 10 June.

It is unclear what motivated the initial immediate change, but what became very obvious was how customers feel about their Clubcard points. As the points are promoting ‘loyalty’ in visiting the store – something that has hit the supermarket industry hard in recent years – making the unannounced change was always going to be a big risk. Now it’s been delayed, expect hundreds of deals to be cashed in at all associated businesses before June.

 

3. Fake News Awards

FakiesDonald Trump announced his Fake News Awards for 2017 on the GOP’s blog. The 11 winners were dominated by CNN and the New York Times, who managed six between them. While the announcement has provoked mirth and bemusement from many, a political leader attacking his nation’s free press should be concerning for us all. That it’s expected of Donald Trump makes it no less alarming.

 

4. Dublin hotel bans bloggers

Dublin Hotel
Beauty and fitness influencer Elle Darby asked a hotel in Dublin for a free stay in return for some coverage on her YouTube and Instagram channels. Unfortunately, the hotel was The White Moose Café in Dublin, and owner Paul Stenson already has a reputation for his controversial attitudes to some groups of people, including vegans and breastfeeders. He published her request on Facebook with a big ‘no’ and things quickly blew up.

The issue has raised questions over how much influence is understood in the wider community and the validity of blogging as both a career and an industry.

 

5. Big Narstie presents the weather
Grime star Big Narstie fulfilled a ‘big dream’ by presenting the weather on Good Morning Britain this week. Starting with ‘Aight, boom. The streets of England’, and taking in pets, ‘a bag of snow’ and Lemsip, you know it’s worth a watch:

 

Have WE missed something? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

agency competition

Influence at Creative Shootout

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We are delighted to be supporting this year’s Creative Shootout and providing finalists with an ‘Influencer Hotline’ during their creative process.

The Creative Shootout is an annual competition that presents a charity brief to the finalists, who then have four hours create a ten-minute pitch. The ‘Live’ Final is just that, with the audience voting on each pitch to decide the top three, including a winner whose pitch will be supported by £250,000 media prize fund from 1XL, and £30,000 worth of agency fees from this year’s Charity FareShare.

Vuelio is known for its influencer relations, from the world-famous blog rankings to the Vuelio Awards – ‘the Oscars of the blogging world’. And we also publish a range of surveys and reports with unique insight into all types of influencers and their relationships with PR and brands. The Vuelio Influencer Database lists thousands of both new and traditional influencers from newspaper editors and politicians to the hottest Instagram stars.

Our in-house research team spend hundreds of hours identifying these influencers, understanding how they work and discussing what topics they like to cover. We create profiles and write biographies so our clients know the best ways to engage with each influencer on an individual level. Good influencer outreach is about identifying the people that can reach your audience and getting to know them, inside out.

We’ll be using our in-house expertise for the Creative Shootout with our dedicated ‘Influencer Hotline’. Our unique intelligence service will be just a phone call away for all the finalists when planning their pitches.

Whether it’s identifying the influencers that can unlock campaign success or revealing which social platforms are best for engagement, our team will be on hand for all the finalists’ influencer needs.

And if the finalists need to know anything about media outreach, monitoring or analysis – well we can help with that too. In fact, Vuelio prides itself on its diverse offering and is always happy to help people looking to engage their audience, whether it’s the public, media or government. Our integrated software can help you build and maintain relationships with, quite literally, anyone.

rolled up newspapers

The Times overtakes the Telegraph

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According to the latest monthly ABC figures, The Times has now overtaken The Daily Telegraph in circulation, with the former up 1.3% month-on-month and the latter down 14.2%.

As reported by Press Gazette, The Times sold 446,204 copies in December last year, while the Telegraph managed only 393,310.

The main reason for this change is bulk sales – papers delivered to businesses, hotels and organisations that make them available for free. The Times achieved over 93,000 bulk sales whereas the Telegraph has ceased the practice. If the two publications’ circulations were compared on copies purchased directly, then The Times would still lag behind the Telegraph by some 40,000 copies.

Nick Hugh, chief executive of The Telegraph said: ‘Building on our position as the UK’s bestselling quality newspaper, we are embarking on a new long-term strategy to help secure a long and lasting future for original, trusted journalism.

‘Our focus is on evolving the traditional publishing model to one that’s fit for the 21st century. Central to this is building stronger and deeper relationships with our readers by encouraging at least 10m of them to register with us. In doing so we can deliver a more personalised and seamless multimedia experience across both print and the range of devices used by our readers.’

The Telegraph’s current online strategy involves a semi-permeable paywall, with some content available for free but more requiring paid-subscription, labelled ‘premium’.

This was actually covered in this week’s Private Eye, which correctly predicted the Telegraph falling behind The Times’ circulation but suggested ’email registrations’ were ‘worse than useless’ as a viable business model.

That hasn’t stopped The Times though, where growing digital subscribers is also on the agenda. Chris Duncan, managing director of Times Newspapers, said: ‘The Times is justifiably proud to reach this milestone. We are equally proud of our double-digit growth in digital subscriptions and more than 2.5m registered users.

‘This is testament to our continued investment in agenda-setting journalism and our relentless focus on keeping readers well-informed during turbulent times.’

The general figures for year-on-year circulations have seen a decline across every major newspaper apart from the London Evening Standard, which has increased 2.29% and the Times, which has increased 0.01%.

The Guardian, which this week switched to tabloid format to save money, was down 5.88% from December 2016 to December 2017.

Every major newspaper and their journalists are listed in the Vuelio Media Database. 

Keep it SimpElle

Blogger Spotlight: Elle Linton, Keep it SimpElle

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Elle Linton is the author behind Keep it SimpElle, the top 10 Fitness and Exercise blog. A health and fitness professional, Elle teaches fitness as well as writing about it and has worked with a number of brands in the fitness sector. We spoke to her about fitness at the beginning of the year, owning her blog and working with PR. 

How would you describe your blog?
I like to think of my blog as an online CV so everyone can get to know a little about me but also as a place to connect and create a community of people interested and passionate about health, fitness and food. It’s a space for me to share things and have real conversations about topics that are maybe a little more in-depth than social media platforms can handle.

How important is the beginning of the year for you and your content?
I think January is renowned for being all about fitness and eating well after the indulgences of the celebratory season. Personally, I’ve tried not to add to all the ‘noise’ out there but this is a time to utilise where I can connect with new people and grow my community by inspiring others.

How did you get into fitness?
I was always into sport when growing up, however during adolescence I struggled with anemia and motivation. I only got back into sport and fitness when I combined my love for science with P.E (because it was more theory than practical) and chose to study Exercise Science at university. I’d say I was pretty inactive during my years studying but the little activity I did do had huge physiological and physical benefits for me, mostly helping me to cope with stress and very uncomfortable menstrual cycles. When I started working after my degree I met my friend Lex, who inspired me to learn more about eating well, got me started on my running journey and encouraged me to teach fitness classes!

Keep it SimpElle

What advice would you give someone that wants to start getting fit and healthy?
I’d tell them to make it their goal to try as many different activities as they need to until they find one that they really enjoy. The options feel almost limitless…

Reach out to friends and family to support you or encourage someone else to get started with you for moral support and accountability. Set yourself some goals and don’t forget to ensure your progress; there are lots of free apps out, wearable tech or just simple body measurement using a tape measure. When it comes to food, make small changes like eating out less, cutting down on alcohol, switch up your snacks for healthier versions or just add more colour to your plate in the form of vegetables!

What would you say to someone who says they’ve given up the gym (already!)?
I’d ask them to re-evaluate why they started in the first place; what were their goals? Did they seem unachievable? What has stopped them and how can they remove any barriers? Fitness really isn’t something someone else can do for you or make you do… you have to do it for yourself and be really clear on your why.

What’s your favourite exercise?
Right now I’m loving barbell work especially in classes. Learning the back lifts is also empowering and gives you a little more confidence to walk into the weights room in any gym and know what you’re doing. I particularly love exercises that target my lower body like front squats and deadlifts.

Is there any fitness challenge you’ve planned to conquer?
I’m hoping to complete the Tough Mudder series this year. I had my first taste last year completing the half and I enjoyed it so much more than I ever expected. I’m also keen to get back on my bike for another challenge after cycling from London to Paris in 2017 with some of my blogging buddies. I love a little spontaneity too so who knows what other opportunities might find themselves on my radar for 2018!

What’s the best way for PRs to work with you at the beginning of the year?
It’s a really busy time for those in health and fitness so I love it when I get contacted with a clear brief for projects that are mutually beneficial to both the brand and myself. I know it’s hard to come up with great ideas too but original themes, something a little outside the box of what we’re all expecting, makes it interesting for content creators and then our audience.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in Fitness, fashion, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What PR campaigns have you enjoyed working on?
It’s hard to pick but a few definitely spring to mind… There was the Suunto campaign when they launched their new Spartan Trainer watch, which is perfect for obstacle races and outdoor fun, in addition to everything a regular gps watch has to offer. I got to test it out at Tough Mudder and also for the first ever Barbados Cycling Festival, which was also another favourite of mine. I was born in Barbados and was at home at the time of the event so I organised a bike for myself and took part in the sportive. It was amazing to be involved in such an event and to be doing something that’s new to me in Barbados (usually just sun, sea and sand!). Then there was the RideLondon – Surrey 46 sportive in the summer, which was my first time taking part in the event and a good introduction to the 100-mile event that I hope to take part in one day.

What do you call yourself? [eg. Blogger/influencer/content creator]
First and foremost I call myself a Fitness Professional. Then I’d say Blogger as that was the platform that got me started and allowed me to be creative. It’s also the only platform that is mine – I think we sometimes forget that platforms like Instagram are not owned by us and could be taken away without notice! So everything I do, I see as supplementary to my blog.

What other blogs do you read?
I’m always reading a huge variety of blogs but a few of my current faves include Hues of Delahaye for travel and photography inspiration, A Pretty Place to Play for running inspo and mental health topics, That’s My Mum for fitness and girl boss inspiration and The Girl Outdoors to inspire some outdoor adventures!

 

Elle and Keep it SimpElle are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other amazing bloggers, journalists and editors. 

The Ambient – a new publication for smart homes

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Paul Lamkin and James Stables have launched The Ambient, a new site dedicated to smart homes. A sister publication to Wareable, which covers wearable tech and the ‘connected self’, The Ambient will focus on smart home news and product reviews.

With lighting, speakers, thermostats and security now all part of the smart home, Lamkin and Stables believe now is the perfect time for a dedicated publication. And as 154 million European and American homes are expected to be smart by 2021, there’s a huge untapped market for smart home news.

We caught up with Paul Lamkin to talk about the launch and how The Ambient will work with PR and brands.

James Stables and Paul LamkinJames Stables and Paul Lamkin

Why have you decided to launch The Ambient now?
When we launched Wareable, we noticed that wearable tech wasn’t a clear focus for any of the other mainstream tech sites, so we decided to try and fill that gap and become the voice of authority for an emerging consumer-tech genre. It’s the same idea behind The Ambient – no one is giving the smart home the justice it deserves; it should be much more than just a note on the site.

How long will it take for smart homes to become the norm? 
I think they are already becoming the norm. The rise of smart speakers and assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Siri through Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant have proven themselves to be the missing link to truly smart homes.

What’s The Ambient’s relationship with Wareable?
For now, we’re keeping it pretty flexible. James (Stables), Sophie (Charara) and I are pretty much ‘full-time’ on The Ambient (while keeping an eye on Wareable), and the Wareable team will also be contributing to The Ambient (Michael Sawh and Connor Allison in the UK and Hugh Langley and Husain Sumra in the US). In a few months’ time, we’ll take stock and structure the teams a bit more formally.

What’s the editorial structure of The Ambient?
Sophie, as associate editor, is essentially running the show editorially, with James and I going back to being ‘writers’ for the first time in a few years.

What’s the expected audience of The Ambient?
We’re certainly looking at tech enthusiasts and early adopters but also users focused on outcomes and driven by design. Yes, they’re passionate about their home but no-one gets excited about a thermostat or a light bulb. This readership will be passionate about their home more so than the tech.

Our readers want to enjoy a smarter home and an easier life without compromises. They want to benefit from better and more enjoyable experiences in the home and impress their friends, without having to ruin the aesthetics of their home. Tech now goes hand-in-hand with great design.

Do you have any targets for traffic?
We grew Wareable from zero to a site that had a record month of almost five million unique users, so we certainly have a standard we want to achieve.

What content/pitches are you looking for from PRs/brands? 
We’re here to test and review the best gear on the market, explain how to get your smart home up and running and show you how to get the most from it. Therefore, we need to know, and be able to test, all the new devices hitting the market.

What’s the best way for PRs and brands to work with you?
Pitches over email work best and face-to-face briefings are also great. Also, take us out for beers. We like beers.

 

The Ambient and its editorial team are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other publications, journalists and influencers. 

The Guardian

Reaction: The Guardian’s new look and tabloid size

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The Guardian has been redesigned and its print edition is now tabloid format. As ever with change, the new look, masthead, colour scheme, font and size has divided the public, with some believing the it really works, while others think the Guardian has stepped back in time.

The redesign is part of an ongoing cost-cutting exercise at the paper, in an attempt to reduce significant losses; The Guardian plans to break even in 2018/19. As reported in Press Gazette, the new-look also spells the end of regular columns from Paul Mason, Deborah Orr and Giles Fraser.

The Guardian has, itself, curated reactions from the media industry, including The Daily Telegraph’s masthead now including ‘Britain’s biggest & best quality paper’, and The Sun’s ‘£1.50 less than tabloid Guardian’.

Over on Twitter, a big concern is that the redesign has made the paper too similar to other publications; whether that’s The Times’ Twitter profile pic:

Or the Evening Standard’s print edition:

And if this tweet is believed, the paper might be moving into a new line of doing ‘favours’:

 

Some have expressed concern of the practicalities of the size change now it’s smaller; including this letter from a ‘reader’:

And this cartoon:

 

For some, the lack of being able to customise the print experience is just too much:

 

The publisher has been praised for consistency across all mediums:

Though not all design choices are universally liked:

What do you think of The Guardian’s new look? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

No matter what it looks like, The Guardian is still listed in the Vuelio Media Database, along with all of its journalists and editors.

Great Monday

5 ways to combat Blue Monday

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Today is apparently the most depressing day of the year. Don’t let this Monday’s bad PR get you down, take a few minutes to work through our tip list and defeat Blue Monday.

Created by Sky Travel in a 2005, Blue Monday is the result of a pseudo equation that draws on factors such as weather (DON’T LOOK OUTSIDE), debt level, time since Christmas, time since failing New Year’s resolutions, motivational levels and the need to take action.

It’s obviously not true (unless you work in public comms in Hawaii and then it might), but to really stick it to Blue Monday, here are five things you can do now, to ensure an excellent day:

1. Contact PR pros you don’t work with
Plan a meet up, even if it’s just a quick coffee, with someone you normally ‘don’t have time’ to see. Spreading creativity, talking about the industry and sharing success stories is a great way to feel refreshed and invigorated.

 

2. Learn something new
Are you great at pitching but struggle with analysis? Maybe you love the high pressure world of fire-fighting issues but think writing press releases is mundane? Pick something you know you could improve and learn more about it. Whether you talk to a colleague who has more experience or book a full training course to become expert, finish the day smarter than you started.

 

3. Agency? Research new clients
You do this anyway, but why not take 10 minutes as a team to quickly find potential clients. When the 10 minutes are up, pitch them to each other and decide if any of them deserve more work. The short time limit will boost your energy and sharpen your focus for other projects.

 

4. In house? Create a new campaign
As a team, spend 10 minutes creating new ideas for campaigns – and no idea is a bad idea. At the end of the 10 minutes, agree on the best and whether it needs more work. It’s a great way to bond with your team and get the creative juices flowing.

 

5. Build one new relationship
You have your media contacts, you know which journalists and bloggers are most receptive to your brand and message – but there are always more. The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of potential media partners for you; search, find someone new, check their contact preferences and strike up a conversation. Maybe you can pitch them a new campaign or maybe they can cover an existing project, either way it’s time to grow your network.

How are you going to combat Blue Monday? Got any tips? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

Ayo Adepoju

Blogger Spotlight: Ayo Adepoju, We Plug GOOD Music

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We Plug GOOD Music (WPGM) features the latest and best emerging music from around the world. Written by a team of contributors under the direction of editor-in-chief Ayo Adepoju, We Plug GOOD Music recently made the Top 10 UK Music Blogs. We caught up with Ayo to talk about the best artists in the world right now, working with PRs and brand collaborations.

How would you describe your blog?
We believe in the power of good music. An innovation borne out of passion for new and emerging music, and efforts to revolutionise the way new music is discovered and consumed, WPGM provides a relevant platform to promote and raise awareness for the best new music and artists.

What makes your blog successful?
Our diverse contributors and writers and the wide range of new and exciting music we showcase and highlight.

Who was the best artist of 2017?
Hard to pick one, so here are five: Lorde, Kendrick Lamar, St. Vincent, Vince Staples and SZA. Honourable mentions to JAY-Z and J Hus.

Is there a breakthrough music act we should be looking out for in 2018?
Yxng Bane, Team Salut, IAMDDB and Yaeji.

What are the last three songs you listened to? (Be honest!)

  • Sona – Feeling You
  • Jack Da Union – Lock Down
  • Travis Greene – Made A Way

What’s your preferred method of listening to music (streaming, downloads, vinyl, cassette)?
Streaming.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in Music, Film, Arts & more.

Get in touch

Name a musical performance in history you wish you could have seen
Jay-Z at Glastonbury.

How do you like to work with PRs?
We prefer to be contacted via email.

Do you have any examples of favourite brand campaigns/collaborations you’ve worked on?
Some of our fav brand collaborations have been with Lipton Ice Tea, McDonalds, Pepsi Max and adidas.

What other blogs do you read?
Trench Magazine, The FADER, Conversations About Her.

 

Ayo Adepoju and We Plug GOOD Music are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other amazing bloggers, journalists and editors. 

A and R Factory, Stefan Toren

Blogger Spotlight: Stefan Toren, A&R Factory

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A&R Factory launched in 2012 and is one of the most prominent blogs in the A&R scene. Promoting new and emerging talent, A&R Factory was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Music Blogs. We spoke to Stefan Toren, A&R Manager at the blog, who told us about Yebba, his favourite methods of consuming music and working with brands. 

How would you describe your blog?
A&R Factory is representing new and emerging unsigned music from across the world. Our readership includes independent and major labels, publishers, management companies, radio stations, PR and sync companies from across the world who use our website as a resource to discover and sign acts.

What makes your blog successful?
Staying independent and true to new and unsigned music.

In your opinion, who is the best artist of 2017?
As always, Ed Sheeran never disappoints!

Is there a breakthrough music act we should be looking out for in 2018?
Yebba

What are the last three songs you listened to? (Be honest!)

  1. Lou Bega – Mambo No. 5 (don’t judge)
  2. The Beatles – I Am The Walrus
  3. Wolf Alice – Moaning Lisa Smile

What’s your preferred method of listening to music?
Streaming / Download / Vinyl

Name a musical performance in history you wish you could have seen?
Queen (Live Aid 1985).

How do you like to work with PRs?
Connect with us via email, no spam. Let’s work together on breaking new artists.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in Music, Film, Arts & more.

Get in touch

Do you have any examples of favourite brand campaigns/collaborations you’ve worked on?
Last year, we were honoured to work with Zippo lighters promoting the limited edition download festival lighter.

What do you prefer to call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creators etc)?
Tough call, I would say an Influential Blogger!

What other blogs do you read?
Music Business Worldwide, Ditto Music Blog, Hypebot.

 

Stefan and A&R Factory are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Swoon Worthy

Blogger Interview: Kimberly Duran, Swoon Worthy

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Kimberly Duran is the author of Swoon Worthy, which won the Best DIY & Interior Design Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards 2017. A self-confessed maximalist, Kimberly loves colour and print and big bold designs. Swoon Worthy impressed judges with its visual style and professional approach to blogging.

We caught up with the best interior design blogger in the country to discuss moving house, winning awards and why PR pros and brands should never resort to ‘cut and paste’ jobs.

Why did you start your blog?
I have always been an avid reader of blogs, ever since the late 90s when they were still called weblogs (showing my age there!). Fast forward ten years or so and I started following a lot of home interiors blogs – the first one I remember discovering was called Young House Love, which is a very well-known blog in the US. It was a young couple who had done up their own house in a beautiful but attainable way. I was inspired by them, so when we moved into our home in 2010, I decided I wanted to try my hand at blogging as well.

I started by simply cataloguing the changes we were making on the house and I thought a few people would be interested and I would be able to meet likeminded individuals. But, to my surprise, my audience started to grow and soon from what was simply a hobby, it developed into a full-time career.

After seven years of blogging about my home, we have just sold it and will be moving into another so I’m excited to share the process of decorating a totally new project with my readers.

Swoon WorthyCongratulations! Is it exciting to start on a ‘blank canvas’?
Massively exciting! My other half, Wayne, is an avid DIYer, so I think we make a very good team. He says I’ve got the vision and he’s got the ability! I tend to do all the decorating: I come up with the design concepts and the sourcing but I also do all the painting, the wallpapering, putting up shelves and mirrors, and he does my ‘hardcore DIY’, as I like to call it – the heavy lifting: plastering, tiling, electrics and all that good stuff.

How do you feel about leaving your current house?
I don’t think it’s sunk in yet to be honest! I’m sure when we start to pack up it will hit me harder. This house has been our passion project, so leaving it behind knowing that I started my blog here and it is the reason Swoon Worthy became popular… it holds a lot of emotional ties! I think I’m more excited than sad, but ask again when the house is all packed up and I’ll probably be crying in a ball in the corner thinking, ‘What have we done?!’

And the new home will become the new focus for the blog?
The house is always the centrepiece of the blog. When I started, it was rare to see UK interiors bloggers who talked about their own homes. I saw a lot of bloggers that were more focused on what was happening in the design world, different shows they were attending or trends in design (I talk about that as well but just on a more personal level). I like to think Swoon Worthy was probably one of the first in this country that allowed readers into the blogger’s home and made it a personal thing where people felt like they were along for the ride.

I think it was one of the things that made my blog stand out at the time – readers know the house, they know us – they even know our pets! Being able to really know the person behind the blog is a big part of my ethos.

How do you feel about having so much of you online?
I don’t share everything, there is a part of our lives that is private and I’m protective of that in certain ways. Though I’ve never shied away from being open with people. On posts where I feel like maybe I’m sharing too much, I’ve had a positive response and amazing comments; my audience always surprises and humbles me in that respect. My readers are warm, lovely and understanding – I’m very lucky in that I seem to have attracted a wonderful bunch!

Kimberly DuranWhat about the interior blogging community, what’s that like?
It’s amazing how supportive the community is. Maybe it’s because it’s a more niche subject, but I don’t see a lot of the pettiness, back stabbing or fierce competition I’ve seen in some other blogging circles.

Finding a group of likeminded people is so important when you’re blogging because it can be a very lonely journey. Most of us who do it full time are sitting behind computer screens all day and it can feel isolating. Throughout my day I’m chatting and talking to people in my community non-stop, and I also get to see a lot of them at events and press trips. I’ve made good friends through blogging.

What does winning the Best DIY & Interiors Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards mean to you?
It’s an amazing accolade, especially as the judges are celebrated people in their own industries. To be a finalist is an honour but to win is mind blowing. And I love the Vuelio Blog Awards – getting dressed up and coming together for a day where bloggers are celebrated is fantastic!

I don’t think the average person on the street understands how much work a blogger does and how many things you need to be very good at to be a successful blogger. So, having an industry that comes together and celebrates that, is absolutely amazing.

You have a great social presence, what platforms work best for you?
One of my biggest traffic drivers is, and probably always will be, Pinterest. It is so visually driven and you have a direct link from the image to your blog, so it’s a great traffic driver for a visual subject. I also LOVE Instagram – I can’t help myself. I know it’s not the best for traffic, but it’s good for driving awareness of my brand – although the algorithms are currently doing my head in! I’ve sort of lost my love for Facebook to be honest and Twitter is always good for networking but I don’t spend a lot of time on it.

My focus has and always will be blog, so that’s where I want people to land and all my social platforms are really only there to support the blog.

How do your social platforms work with collaborations?
Nowadays a lot of brands are focused on Instagram, so I’m seeing more collaborations where they want Instagram posts. Almost every collaboration will include social shares in some shape or form, maybe on one particular platform or sometimes across the board. I don’t have a massive Instagram following compared to others, but since I hit the 10K point last year, the interest from brands has increased and I have seen more requests for collaborations on Instagram posts.

What’s your preferred way to collaborate with PRs and brands?
I like to have an ongoing relationship with brands and continuous collaborations. My ideal scenario is having a brand that’s a great fit for my blog so that if they have something in particular or new they’d like to promote, they’ll think of me because they know my audience will respond well to it.

I particularly enjoy styling specific items – showing my audience how something might work in a lifestyle setting. I think my readers enjoy seeing things in my home and in my ‘eclectic boho glam’ style rather than just using promotional images from the brand, and I like doing those kinds of posts because they are just more personal and more creatively challenging.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in Interiors, DIY, Lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What should brands know about you?
I have quite a recognisable style and what frustrates me is when a brand or PR will tell me they’ve ‘been reading the blog and it’s amazing’, and then, say, offer me a Scandi-style cushion. If they had looked at my blog for 10 minutes they’d know that Scandi is about as far away from my style as possible! It’s obvious to me that in those circumstances the brands or PRs haven’t registered or taken notice of my aesthetic at all. Any collaboration has to reflect the Swoon Worthy look and feel because I know that my readers will know immediately if I’m showing off something I would never buy for my own home. I don’t do any collaborations that aren’t the right fit for me.

Beyond that, I do understand that outreach specialists don’t have time to go through 750 blogs and know everything intimately! But just knowing perhaps that I’m American or knowing I’m in Manchester, not London, or they are aware I have pets but no kids – these are all little touches that tell me they’ve done their research.

I can always tell a ‘cut and paste’ jobs, so get to know me!

 

Get to know Kimberly; both she and Swoon Worthy are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

BBC

BBC’s China Editor steps down due to pay inequality

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Carrie Gracie has stepped down from her role as China editor at the BBC after accusing the public broadcaster of ‘breaking equality law’ and ‘resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure’.

In an open letter to the ‘BBC Audience’, published on her blog, Gracie says:

‘In thirty years at the BBC, I have never sought to make myself the story and never publicly criticised the organisation I love. I am not asking for more money. I believe I am very well paid already – especially as someone working for a publicly funded organisation. I simply want the BBC to abide by the law and value men and women equally.

‘On pay, the BBC is not living up to its stated values of trust, honesty and accountability. Salary disclosures the BBC was forced to make six months ago revealed not only unacceptably high pay for top presenters and managers but also an indefensible pay gap between men and women doing equal work. These revelations damaged the trust of BBC staff. For the first time, women saw hard evidence of what they’d long suspected, that they are not being valued equally.

‘Many have since sought pay equality through internal negotiation but managers still deny there is a problem. This bunker mentality is likely to end in a disastrous legal defeat for the BBC and an exodus of female talent at every level.’

Gracie goes on to describe how she took her dream role on the understanding that she was to be paid equally with her male peers. When the BBC released details of top-earning ‘stars’, Gracie discovered the two male international editors – US editor John Sopel and Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen – earned at least 50% more.

After learning of the pay disparity, Gracie asked her bosses to make all the international editors’ pay equal. She was, instead, offered a pay rise that, ‘remained far short of equality’. Gracie therefore quit her role and will be returning to her former post in the newsroom where she ‘expects to be paid equally’.

The story has made waves online, not least because Gracie was a presenter on the Today programme this morning. Due to BBC rules on impartiality, she was unable to discuss the story herself so it was covered in the news bulletins and, as PRWeek calls it, ‘a slightly ill-tempered interview between Humphrys and Mariella Frostrup’.

There has been support from all sections of the press, as well as MPs from multiple parties. On Twitter, the hashtag #IstandwithCarrie trended this morning, and was dominated by BBC staff:

A BBC spokeswoman said: ‘A significant number of organisations have now published their gender pay figures showing that we are performing considerably better than many and are well below the national average.

‘Alongside that, we have already conducted a independent judge led audit of pay for rank and file staff which showed “no systemic discrimination against women”.

‘A separate report for on air staff will be published in the not too distant future.’

As the BBC’s own story points out, director general Tony Hall has pledged to close the gender pay gap by 2020, saying the BBC should be ‘a n exemplar of what can be achieved when it comes to pay, fairness, gender and representation’.

Peter Preston Guardian editor

Peter Preston dies aged 79

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Peter Preston, former editor of the Guardian and a journalism giant, has died at the age of 79. Preston joined the Guardian in 1963 and went on to become editor for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995. His later career saw him write a column for the Guardian and Observer.

In the Guardian’s obituary, Preston is credited with transforming the paper into a ‘genuine national force’ with an ‘international reputation’. He helped the title fight back against the launch of the Independent and a ‘brutal price war’. He also came up with the concept of a secondary daily features supplement by launching G2.

Preston was considered an old-school newspaper man and one of the finest journalists of his generation who had a genuine passion for the industry he worked in. His final column, published on New Year’s Eve, discusses how the press should hold itself to its own values of ‘transparency and rigour’.

Preston’s son, Ben, is executive editor at The Times and has written a moving account of his dad’s ‘good death’. He said: ‘Dad died a good death, one that amplified the qualities we so admired while he lived. Resilience, bravery, wisdom — he was loved and loving until the end. The fulcrum of our family.’

Alan Rusbridger, who was Preston’s deputy before succeeding him in 1995, paid tribute to his former boss: ‘Peter embodied all the best virtues of the paper he edited with such distinction for so long. He combined great integrity, a stubborn toughness and a decent humanity with real strategic vision. The paper owes him an immense debt.

‘To the end he worked tirelessly for the protection of reporters and editors around the world and towards the education of journalists in Eastern Europe and Africa. He will be sorely missed.’

Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of the Guardian and Observer, said: ‘Since I became editor-in-chief of the Guardian and the Observer in 2015, Peter has been a kind and unobtrusively supportive friend, providing advice and insights and the kind of ballast that could only come from someone who’d been there and done it.

‘His last email to me was to praise the Guardian’s membership figures and ended with the comment “hope you’re in good heart”. He will be missed by everyone at the Guardian.’

Michael White, former political editor of the Guardian and who worked with Preston, said: ‘At first glance Peter Preston was an improbable Fleet Street editor. He wasn’t charismatic and never raised his voice, he was taciturn and soft-spoken, often elliptical, both in conversation and his writing. He chewed the ends of biros.

‘But beneath the outward diffidence lay a powerful determination and nimble intelligence which he deployed constantly to refresh the Guardian through two tough decades. Quick and clever, with a warm, mischievous sense of humour, Peter loved print and never lost faith in the future of newspapers.’

The Guardian is requesting memories of Peter Preston, which can be submitted here.

Daniel Green

Blogger Spotlight: Daniel Green, CineVue

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CineVue is an independent film blog founded by Daniel Green. Recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Film Blogs, CineVue is maintained by editor-at-large Ben Nicholson and a team of writers. We caught up with Daniel to talk about world and arthouse cinema, the team’s favourite film of 2017 and working collaboratively with PR professionals.

How would you describe your blog? 
We are a team of passionate, UK-based cinéastes dedicated to bringing our readers the best possible quality of film criticism, from reviews of the latest theatrical and DVD/Blu-ray releases to special features and international film festival coverage.

What makes your blog successful? 
I think it would be our devotion to world cinema and arthouse filmmaking over the latest offering from the Disney/DC/Marvel stables. Our festival coverage is very comprehensive.

How many films do you see in an average week? 
Typically, 5-10 new releases a week – more if we also have writers covering festivals abroad.

What’s your favourite film of all time? 
A very tricky question, although our favourite film of the last 12 months – as voted by our writers – was Sean Baker’s The Florida Project.

Least favourite film of all time? 
Anything that purely exists as Oscar bait – Forrest Gump, perhaps? Or The Blind Side. Both awful.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in film, TV, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

Film that’s yet to be released that you’re most excited about seeing? 
We have just done a rundown of our 20 most anticipated films of 2018. New films from Pablo Larrain (The True American) and Nuri Bilge Ceylan (The Wild Pear Tree) will always entice.

What will win the Best Picture Oscar 2018? 
The pessimist in me says Dunkirk but you never know. A bold(er) choice by the Academy would be for Get Out or the excellent Mudbound.

How do you like to work with PRs? 
We maintain good working relationships with all the necessary PRs in order to maintain wide coverage of new releases. Just don’t badger them!

Can you tell us about your favourite brand collaboration or screening experience? 
Anything from The Badlands Collective; they put on a double bill of David Fincher’s The Game and Jonathan Glazer’s Birth (both on 35mm) that was unbelievably good.

What do you call yourselves? Bloggers/influencers/content creators?
We’re writers, nice and simple.

What other blogs do you read? 
I would highly recommend the likes of Sight & Sound and Film Comment – both originated and continue in print form. But for a pure film blog my tip would be Notebook, courtesy of the folk behind the platform MUBI.

CineVue and its writers are listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, the leading blogger database available to the PR and communications industries.

Phil Edwards

Blogger Spotlight: Phil Edwards, Live for Films

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An interview with Phil Edwards, founder and editor-in-chief of Live for Films. Covering movie news, reviews and entertainment, the Top 10 UK Film Blog also covers TV shows, comics and pop culture. We spoke to Phil about the disappointment of Krull, Secret Cinema’s The Empire Strikes Back and working with PR.

What makes your blog successful?
I try to cover a wide range of films, TV shows and the like, from the mainstream to indies. Posting as often as I can to ensure there is always something new and fresh for the reader to enjoy. Chatting to readers on the various social media channels also helps and makes it all the more personal.

How many films do you see in an average week?
Not as many as I should, but it averages out to about five a week.

What’s your favourite film of all time?
John Carpenter’s The Thing. It just does what it does so well and every time I watch it there is something new to spot. Such a great sense of atmosphere and paranoia.

Least favourite film of all time?
Krull! I only saw it when I was a lot older so probably would have enjoyed it more through childlike eyes. It is a shame as I do like a good fantasy movie.

Film that’s yet to be released that you’re most excited about seeing?
Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is very high on my list as it sounds like it will be a beautiful adult fairy tale, but I think Avengers: Infinity War is up there as all the past Marvel Studios have been building to this point. Being a huge comic book fan means I am very excited for that.

What will win the Best Picture Oscar 2018?
That’s a tough one as 2017 has seen some amazing films. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri could well take it, but Get Out, Call Me By Your Name and The Shape of Water have a good chance. Steven Spielberg’s The Post could be the late release winner as that deals with the press versus the government, which fits in with current events.

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in film, TV, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

How do you like to work with PRs?
Email works best for me. Has everything all in one place and just makes it easier to get the information I need. Of course a great subject line for the initial email from the PR is always helpful to catch the eye.

Can you tell us about your favourite brand collaboration or screening experience?
Covering Secret Cinema presents The Empire Strikes Back was an incredible experience. Wez Merchant of Strike Media sorted it all out and I was lucky enough to take my daughter. We are both big Star Wars fans and it was like being in A New Hope as we wandered the desert of Tatooine with Luke Skywalker and asked Han Solo if he could get it off planet. My daughter even managed to smuggle the Death Star plans to Princess Leia!

What do you call yourself? Are you a blogger, influencer or content creator?
Film journalist and/or blogger.

What other blogs do you read?
Super Punch, GeekTyrant, Shut Up and Sit Down and many more.

Phil Edwards and Live for Films are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, the leading blogger database available to the PR and communications industries.

7 PR New Year’s Resolutions

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Morning too dark? Feeling bloated? Groggy head? Welcome to 2018! Today is the first day back in the office for a lot of the country so now is the perfect time to make your professional New Year’s resolutions. And because it’s your first day back, we’ve done all the hard work for you.

7 New Year’s Resolutions for the public relations professional:

1. Make new friends…
2018 is a brand new year and you’ve got the chance to make new friends and find new ways of reaching your audience. If you’re stuck in a cycle of the same old influencers for your outreach, now is the time to reach newbies – there’s always more relevant influencers than you think. And if you’re struggling to find those people, you obviously aren’t using the Vuelio Influencer Database.

2. …and stay in touch with old friends
Making new friends doesn’t mean you have to forgot your old friends. Good relationships need nurturing, give your influencers a little bit of TLC in 2018 – wish those journalists, broadcasters and bloggers ‘Happy New Year’ and make it clear you’re available when they need you.

3. Adopt a healthy balanced diet
Instagram is great! It’s a great way to reach millennials and spread brand awareness. But is it great for links and tangible ROI? That’s fine, it’s what we use Twitter for! But is your entire target market on Twitter? That’s why we use magazines, most of your audience read them – but your client asked you to do something new and innovative… so an experiential event is in order!

Don’t use one channel to reach your audience, take advantage of all the routes that now exist in a healthy, balanced way.

4. Lose the flab
You’re a professional storyteller, not a salesperson. You don’t need to communicate your product or service by describing it as the most amazing, incredible idea since sliced bread! Be innovative and use your creativity – that’s why you went into PR in the first place.

5. Be more organised
Not sure who is talking to which stakeholder? How’s that line of enquiry going? Did someone get back to that member of the public? No one likes to be caught out and a little organisation can go a long way. Vuelio Stakeholder Management can track what’s happening with all stakeholder interactions in your organisation so you know what’s been said, when.

6. Stop being boring
Another PowerPoint? Is that really the best way to tell your company, colleagues and the board how awesome you are? Investors don’t want to sit through endless slides of static clippings, and let’s be honest – neither do you! 2018 is the year that visually attractive, interactive displays are used to share content and media coverage – check out this Canvas from the Vuelio Blog Awards to see what we mean, then find out how to make your own Canvas here.

7. Don’t be lazy
It can’t be said enough in these Resolutions. You’re here because you’re creative – so be creative! The year of 2017 is over, leave the concepts and ideas that made it great behind you, and focus on 2018. It may take some time to find the next big thing, but the UK PR industry is incredible – so that next idea could come from anyone, including you.

Karen Woodham

Blogger Spotlight: Karen Woodham, Blazing Minds

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An interview with Karen Woodham, the author of award-winning Blazing Minds. A film blog covering film reviews and news, as well as other entertainment stories, Blazing Minds is ranked in the Top 10 UK Film Blogs. We spoke to Karen about what makes her blog successful, the joy of IMAX and working with PR.

How would you describe your blog?
Blazing Minds is a blog that brings together the love of movies and other entertainment, with reviews of movies, music, tech and events, plus other interesting entertainment-based articles.

What makes your blog successful?
I think that it comes down to the readers knowing that the reviews are honest, they are written with a passion for the art and are never swayed by outside sources, so people know exactly what they are getting when stopping by. Also, having a good reach on social media has helped with the site’s popularity.

How many films do you see in an average week?
Now this varies, but I try to squeeze in as many as I can, usually one a day and sometimes two a day. With so many great films coming out on Blu-ray etc. it’s great to be able to view them in the comfort of my own home, but also, with the amazing new movies that hit the cinemas, it’s great to check them out in formats that you just can’t experience at home such as in IMAX.

What’s your favourite film of all time?
The original Blade Runner has always been a film that I keep coming back to and most of the time I watch the many cuts of the movie to spice it up a bit. It’s also the film that got me into reading a lot of Philip K. Dick’s stories.

Least favourite film of all time?
This would have to be The Devil Inside, a film that I found so boring that it actually sent me to sleep in the cinema!

Want to work with influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in film, TV, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

Film that’s yet to be released that you’re most excited about seeing?
I’m a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I can’t wait for Avengers: Infinity War, which hits UK cinemas on the 27 April.

What will win the Best Picture Oscar 2018?
There has been some amazing movies this year, so it’s going to be a tough one to predict the winner, but I would love to see Dunkirk win Best Picture. It’s a stunning movie that had me on the edge of my seat when I saw it in IMAX, which was a stunning way to experience the film.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to get to know the PRs that I’m working with and develop a good working relationship that benefits not only them and their clients, but also benefits me and the blog. I also like to bring great content from PR sources to Blazing Minds without detracting from the quality that is produced.

Can you tell us about your favourite brand collaboration or screening experience?
I remember the midnight screening of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story the most, it was a late night/early night spent with Cineworld at their Broughton IMAX, they put on a great evening with Stormtroopers and Cosplayers meeting and greeting guests before the showing of the movie in 3D IMAX, a wonderful experience and a brand that are so much fun to work with.

What do you call yourself? Are you a blogger, influencer, content creator?
I would have to say Blogger, maybe some time back the word may have been taboo to many, but over the years there have been some amazing bloggers that have produced content that is read more than some of the tabloids. Blogging is more than just sitting behind a keyboard; we travel to and from events, work some amazing people and enjoy what we do, so I’m proud to be called a blogger.

What other blogs do you read?
I tend to read blogs that I have similar interests to such as Back to the Movies, Let’s Go To The Movies, The Movie Nerd Strikes Back and many more.

 

Karen Woodham and Blazing Minds are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, the leading blogger database available to the PR and communications industries.

Lele Pons

What’s real engagement on Instagram?

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Instagram has released its stats of the year 2017, with top hashtags, celebrities and most-Instagrammed cities. But beyond the lists of usual suspects, what can this Instagram data tell us about influence on the visual platform?

Influence on Instagram has been in the news throughout 2017, with reports of buying followers sullying the integrity of ‘genuine influence’. But even with social accounts that boast millions of ‘real’ followers – does having more mean having more influence?

One element of influence is engagement – how much the individual interacts with and provokes response from their followers, and, in turn, how much that creates a community. A ‘like’ on an Instagram post could be a passive action – your post would appear in your follower’s feed and they double tap to like – not much effort on their part.

Or perhaps the like isn’t even from your follower – maybe you’ve played a good hashtag game, causing your post to appear in a new ‘discover’ timeline. A like that way could mean even less if it’s someone who won’t see your post again or engage with your account. Though this can get even trickier – if they become a follower then it obviously means more.

One method of measuring real engagement is through Instagram Stories. The collections of posts and videos put together by users are typically less polished, using emojis and text with a more ‘personal’ insight into their lives. Stories have to be actively watched, so they don’t just appear if you login to Instagram, they have to be consumed – much like people choose a TV channel to watch.*

Instagram Stories, for those that don’t use them, do not have traditional visible data to the outside world. A user can see how many, and more specifically who, has watched a story but that’s how far this data usually travels.

Now Instagram has revealed the most-viewed Instagram Stories of 2017, from verified accounts with over five million followers:

  1. Lele Pons @lelepons (74)
  2. Neymar Jr. @neymarjr (11)
  3. Olga Buzova @buzova86 (-)
  4. Kim Kardashian @kimkardashian (6)
  5. Amanda Cerny @amandacerny (99)
  6. Chiara Ferragni @chiaraferragni (-)
  7. Maluma @maluma (46)
  8. Anitta @anitta (57)
  9. Ariana Grande @arianagrande (4)
  10. Kourtney Kardashian @kourtneykardash (22)

The numbers in brackets are the users’ place in the top 100 Instagram accounts by followers, with third place Olga Buzova and sixth place Chiara Ferragni both failing to make the top 100 by a margin of some seven million followers.

While some followers may not watch Stories, it is surprising that Kim Kardashian, with five times the number of followers as Lele Pons and 10 times the followers of Buzaova, is still beaten by both in this list.

Though the number of Stories put out by these users varies wildly, this new method of reaching fans is a clear indication that macro influencers aren’t necessarily driving the most engagement or reaching the right people – which should be a consideration for all brands and businesses looking to work with Instagram stars in 2018.

Want to reach real influencers and grammers? Check out the Vuelio Influencer Database.