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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Paul Devine

Blogger Spotlight: Paul Devine, The People’s Movies

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Paul Devine is the author of The People’s Movies. Covering  movies, TV and wrestling, The People’s Movies was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Film Blogs. We spoke to Paul about working with PR professionals, his Oscars predictions and his favourite blogs.

What makes your blog successful?
People visiting my blog, sharing links, recognition on posters, trailers, etc.

How many films do you see in an average week?
It varies. I watch at least one movie a day and every two weeks I have an FDA press day so add another three to five movies.

What’s your favourite film of all time?
Ooh tricky one! I love movies about unsung heroes and Schindler’s List; I love Gilda, which got me into Film Noir; and anything with Rita Heyworth.

Least favourite film of all time?
Justice League. I am a Batman fan and apart from Burton’s Batman and Nolan’s Dark Knight movies, no one has matched the quality.

Film that’s yet to be released that you’re most excited about seeing?
Shape Of Water, Annihilation, New Mutants, A Quiet Place, Hold In The Dark.

What will win the Best Picture Oscar 2018?
I have a hunch Call Me By Your Name might get it; I’ve not heard a negative thing about it. Ladybird might be an outsider.

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?
90% of the time I get on well with them, some better than others. But what does frustrate me is we get ignored by some PRs for certain films, some think we’re only good enough to post trailers and don’t offer a chance to review. Some are big on their geography lottery as we’re not based in London, despite having writers who review for us in London. What is also frustrating is I also work and my jobs shifts vary so sometimes I can’t post on the site. I sometimes get up to a dozen emails asking where the post is, despite warning the PRs of my shift pattern. Also, we’re ignored for 99% of home releases so sometimes we’ve got to chase up PRs to request reviews. Those who work with us at every level are great.

Can you tell us about your favourite brand collaboration or screening experience?
I love working on the likes of Arrow Video/Academy/Films, Eureka.

What do you call yourself? Are you a blogger, influencer, content creator?
Blogger/critic.

What other blogs do you read?
Culturefix, Cinehouse, Nerdly, Live for Films, Screen Rant, Collider. I also try to read most, if not all, UK-based blogs especially the smaller blogs like ourselves.

The People’s Movies and Paul Devine are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, the leading blogger database available to the PR and communications industries.

Santa TV

The media news

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In the week that time forgot, the media headlines may be few and far between but there are still gems in this festive period. From Christmas viewing figures to Prince Harry’s Today programme, here are the biggest media stories of the week.

Christmas viewing figures
While the Queen’s Speech was enjoyed by 7.8 million viewers on Christmas day, these numbers were shared by BBC One (5.9m) and ITV (1.9m). For the biggest viewing figures for any one programme, the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special ran away with 6.8 million viewers, or 32.6% of the television-watching public. The top 10 was, as ever, dominated by the BBC but overall the viewers were down on 2016. Last year the average for the whole top 10 was 5.97m but this year it managed only 5.58m.

This decline could be attributed to the rise of on demand streaming services, but this cannot be backed up with data as no stats or figures come from those giants. To help beat the slump, broadcasters have this year released boxsets of fan-favourite shows – as reported in the Guardian.

Prince Harry takes over Today
The man whose engagement and wedding is currently making daily headlines, Prince Harry this morning guest edited Radio 4’s Today programme.  Including interviews with his father Prince Charles and former US President Barack Obama, Prince Harry’s edition focused on the armed forces, mental health, youth crime and climate change.

Showing his lighter side, which has given Prince Harry an ‘accessible’ angle over the years, he delivered quickfire questions to Obama including: ‘Harry or William?’ (‘William at the moment’), ‘The Good Wife or Suits?’ [the latter being the programme his fiancé Meghan Markle stars in] (‘Suits, obviously’), and ‘Queen or The Queen?’ (‘The Queen’).

Amazon introducing advertising products
The Drum reports that, in an effort to take on Facebook and Google, Amazon will launch new advertising beyond Amazon sites and products. The tech giant is also working with Kargo to pair advertising on television and mobile screens. This is in an effort to tackle the 63.1% US digital ad investment in Google and Facebook.

Too early to call the death of magazines
The Guardian has reported on the slump in advertising revenue in the UK magazine market with an 11% year-on-year fall marking the biggest fall since 2009. It also notes that one million fewer consumers purchased print magazines or gave up their subscriptions. All that said, Group M, which buys $75bn of advertising space on behalf of clients around the world, believes the UK consumer magazine market has been seriously undervalued.

Adam Smith, directed at Group M said: ‘It is too early to call the death of magazines. The decline in ad investment is disproportionate to the loss of magazine circulation. This is regrettable and probably not based on the evidence. The single biggest factor [in magazine ad decline] is probably the growth of Facebook. Google and Facebook both continue to grow strongly, and Facebook has been remarkable and is affecting every medium.’

Children’s annuals in decline
The BBC has reported that the sales of Christmas annuals have declined since 2009 with a 58% drop in revenue and a 45% drop in number of copies sold. In real terms, this means that in 2016 2.3m books made £7.8m in revenue where as in 2008 the figures were 4.6m annuals bringing in £18.7m. Annuals are still seen as a good choice for Christmas presents but are thought to be suffering due to the rise in digital media and smartphones.

 

How can Vuelio help you with your media outreach? Find out here. 

Crafts blog

Blogger Spotlight: Kate Williams, Crafts on Sea

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Kate Williams writes Crafts on Sea, which was recently ranked as one of the Top 10 UK Craft Blogs. Covering achievable crafts for kids and adults, Crafts on Sea demonstrates makes and shares fun family activities. We spoke to Kate about trends in crafts, not being paid in craft supplies and working on excellent campaigns.

How would you describe your blog?
Achievable crafts for kids and adults. There’s stuff to keep the kids busy but also things for the grown ups too – I’ve got a lot of colouring pages! I like to hope there’s something that would interest or inspire everyone on there; my own kids love things like Star Wars, Marvel and Paw Patrol so that inspires the kind of making that we do as well as season interests like Christmas or Halloween.

Why did you start your blog?
Well my husband was starting a blog and I didn’t want to be left out! He ended up not doing one but over the years mine has grown. I’ve always written but I don’t have the patience to sit and write 10,000 words! A blog post is the right kind of length for me.

What’s your favourite craft?
Well it’s a really simple one but I love these paper plate emojis. They’re just a proper stress-free craft that kids of all ages can do. More importantly, though, I know my kids loved this one as they both took their versions into school and nursery the next day for Show and Tell – that’s when you really know something has gone well!

What do you think the place of physical crafts is in a ‘digital’ world?
I think more people will look on Pinterest for kids crafts than will buy a book telling them how to make things – absolutely. I know I’ll look on YouTube to find out how to crochet because I need to see how it’s actually done and as a parent I can’t always get out to a class. Physical books and classes still have a role (I’ve written a book of crafts too) but the internet is a huge part of people’s lives now.

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

Get in touch

How much do trends in crafts affect your blog?
Well it’s December and I’m thinking about my Valentine’s Day crafts so quite a lot! I try to plan quite far in advance for season crafts and there’s also been big trends that crafts are affected by. Colouring has been really big, rock painting was a trend that’s still ongoing and even DIY fidget spinners were really popular this year. I try to listen to what my kids and their friends are talking about and plan around that too.

What will the 2018 trend be?
I think nature crafts are becoming more of a thing, especially as ‘forest schooling’ becomes more influential. Who knows for the rest of it though, some trends just seem to come out of nowhere – who would have thought that bottle flipping would be a big thing?!

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like them to be honest, tell me what they want to achieve and then I can see if it’s something I can help with. I’ve worked on a really great campaign recently for Marks & Spencer (through iCrossing) that was just so well thought out and had such a detailed brief. It was great as I knew exactly what they wanted so I could make sure I had it all planned properly. The campaign has done really well in terms of pageviews for me too, so it’s been a total pleasure to work on all round. I do want to be able to properly promote the clients I work with!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
Not just myself but most bloggers are incredibly professional and come from a professional background, I laugh with my friends about how my job is making stuff out of paper plates (much more fun than my old office job) but my background is in marketing, research and fundraising. In order to pay the mortgage each month you need to know everything about the latest changes in social media algorithm, what hosting companies are the best and be able to code; it’s not just a job about making pretty stuff. Failing that, I would love people to stop asking to pay me in craft materials – at risk of sounding rude, I have more paints and paper than the average craft store!

What’s your favourite craft company?
My friend Gude runs The Paperdashery and she has the most amazing washi tapes as well as a fantastic subscription box service.

What other blogs do you read?
For kids crafts Red Ted Art, Arty Crafty Kids, Rainy Day Mum and Play and Learn Every Day are brilliant. Lulastic and The Hippyshake is my grown up read for activism and lifestyle stuff.

 

Kate Williams and her blog Crafts on Sea are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

PR master

7 tips to become a PR Jedi Master

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Sick of hearing that public relations is the ‘dark side’? Chances are you’re already a PR Jedi but we’re here to guide you to the next level so you can become a Master of the light side. 

*And don’t worry, no ‘The Last Jedi’ spoilers.*

A Jedi is selfless, doesn’t show emotion and stays in control for the good of others. A Jedi never uses their lightsaber to attack.

The dark side is about emotion over control, reacting with your heart rather than your head and attacking for your own needs. Which may sound like some industries, but not the PR industry.

It’s difficult to see in what way a PR pro isn’t already a Jedi; they manage reputations on behalf of others, always attempting to stay calm in order to maintain control in any situation. Their output is not determined by emotional responses but carefully considered to remain professional. And if the pen is mightier than the lightsaber, a PR uses theirs in defence of the business or brand they represent – and never to attack others.

Congratulations young Padawan – you’ve already attained Jedi status. But now it’s time to go one step further; become a Master with these simple tips:

1. Be patient
It takes time and hard work to become a Master, no one gets there overnight. It may feel like you’re brimming with incredible ideas that senior staff – the Masters – don’t understand the significance of. Be patient, they have the full picture and the final say; keep working hard and understand your current place in the order, and you’ll get there.

2. Control your emotion
A PR pro knows they need to remain clearheaded to be an effective communicator, and while ‘there’s no such thing as bad publicity’ may work for some, it’s better not to get into petty squabbles with irate customers or cheeky competitors. Keep your cool to emerge victorious.

3. Gather all the facts
If an emotional reaction is instinctive and immediate, the opposite is considered and in possession of all the facts. Sometimes, not taking action seems like a mistake but caution is a PR’s ally when the story is generally told by others (your influencers).

4. Learn how to defend yourself
Jedi do not attack others but they definitely defend themselves. Firefighting is a bigger or smaller part of a PR pro’s job depending on the nature of the business being represented, but the need to defence can arise for any PR at any time. If something unexpected happens you need to know how to manage it, using all your Jedi powers.

5. Complete the story
A dark lord acts and moves on, not stopping to consider the outcome of their actions (or whether the rebel alliance are now forming a counter attack). A Jedi Master takes time to assess what’s been before and tells that story to the Jedi Council so they can plan what’s next. Use Vuelio Monitoring, Reporting and Canvas to make sure you can see the full picture of your work and easily deliver it to your own Jedi Council (the board).

6. Do or do not. There is no try.
Don’t spend forever planning and thinking about something. Maybe you’ve got the perfect campaign pitch, you’re desperate to start using video or you want to build relationships with the biggest bloggers in the business. A PR Master follows through on their plans, and doesn’t let the fear of failure take over. After all, as our friend Yoda says: ‘Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.’

7. Use the force
Obviously.

 

Good luck young Padawan.

16 February 2018

Are you ready for London Fashion Week?

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The next London Fashion Week takes place on 16-20 February 2018, which means the planning starts now. We spoke to Victoria Magrath, author of the Vuelio Blog Awards’ Best Fashion Blog 2017 Inthefrow.com, about preparation and planning for spring/summer LFW 2018.

inthefrowVictoria, who is one of the faces of Ted Baker this season, is already planning potential projects with a number of her favourite brands for LFW. It may seem early to start planning, but with the Christmas period just weeks away and New York Fashion Week starting on 8 February, there isn’t much time left.

London and Paris are both special to Victoria who feels like London sadly isn’t appreciated enough on a global stage: ‘So many international bloggers don’t come over to London, which is such a shame; there are loads of great designers here!’

For Paris Fashion Week, Victoria is looking forward to spending time with her L’Oreal Beauty squad again and believes that the earlier teams start planning fashion week projects, the better.  ‘It would be great to get super organised a few months ahead of time, as fashion week is so busy and fast paced but many fashion and beauty teams plans a lot nearer to the date which I understand.’

Collaborations are one of Victoria’s favourite aspects of her blogging career, and she is excited to work with her favourite brands on long-term campaigns in 2018. ‘The effects of real, genuine partnerships are much more rewarding.’

Victoria admits though that she is ‘never satisfied’ and always sets new goals to achieve. Even after being the top ranked fashion blog, winning at the Vuelio Blog Awards and being a face of Ted Baker for Christmas 2017 – Victoria is excited for what 2018 will hold.

Victoria and Inthefrow are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers and media contacts.

Relax Ya Self to Health

Blogger Spotlight: Helen Gilbert, Relax Ya Self to Health

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Written by freelance health journalist, Helen Gilbert, Relax Ya Self To Health was launched in May and recently appeared in the Top 10 UK Mental Health Blogs. It was inspired after Helen’s health took an unexpected turn for the worse, which left doctors baffled. The blog is charting Helen’s journey to get to the bottom of her health issues as well as her quest to relax and calm her mind and body. We spoke to Helen about inspiring health stories from celebrities, her advice for new bloggers and the hidden side of influence.

Why did you decide to start blogging? 
To try and find an answer to my baffling health problems. I have always been fit and healthy but in December 2015 my health took an unexpected turn for the worse when I ended up in A&E with suspected anaphylaxsis. I’d never suffered with allergies before and assumed the episode was a one off. But then the reactions started happening every day. Each one would affect my airway. Either my tongue would swell enormously or my throat would close up. Doctors didn’t know why. To top it all off, I developed severe foot drop. It was a frightening time and both mentally and physically tough.

Helen GilbertHow did you find your niche?
This summer I decided to launch my blog, with the goal of helping myself and others who are also experiencing difficult times. I wrote a first-person article for the Daily Mail on histamine intolerance, something I discovered I had through lots of research, and my blog was mentioned in the piece. So many people contacted me afterwards and thanked me for writing the article and ‘giving them hope’.

As I wanted to make the blog fun, I set myself a challenge of learning how to relax. I’ve been a freelance health journalist for 18 years; I’m always rushing around and find it hard to switch off and unwind. Alongside, ‘How to’ articles, expert tips, reviews of wellbeing destinations, the blog also features interviews with well-known celebrities who share their inspiring health stories and talk about how they’ve overcome adversity. The aim is for the blog to be informative and helpful as well as entertaining.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start a blog?
Just do it. Write out your goals, and get your ideas down. It’s easy to procrastinate and feel overwhelmed but once you start putting pen to paper, it’ll flow. I came up with the name for my blog last Christmas while sitting around the dinner table. I’m a huge fan of Barbados and my friends out there always used to say to me ‘Relax Ya Self’. It made perfect sense.

Your blog features celebrity interviews, who has been your favourite interviewee and why?
You cannot ask me that! I couldn’t possibly single one out. Each one has been kind enough to share their story with me and for that I’m very grateful. Their stories are so interesting and will hopefully help and inspire other people going through difficult times. So far, I’ve featured Jonny Wilkinson, Katie Piper, Gail Porter and James Duigan. I’m always on the lookout for celebrities with strong health stories.

What would be your dream company to work with?
That’s a tough one but Virgin Atlantic would be up there. I’m in awe of Richard Branson and everything he’s achieved.

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What kinds of campaigns and projects do you prefer to work on?
I’m looking to work on health and travel projects, and campaigns that really make a difference. Stress and anxiety affects so many of us; it’s an old cliché but your health really is your wealth. I’d always looked after mine with healthy eating and exercise but I’d been super stressed for a long time when everything fell apart in 2015, plus I never relaxed or stopped. I rarely gave my body a chance to repair or heal and never paid attention to the thoughts racing around my mind. I’m interested in featuring holistic health, digital detox, stress busting and mental health campaigns, wellbeing destinations and wellness breaks (both in the UK and abroad), first person reviews, celebrity interviews, and selected competitions.

Do you have a favourite place that you go to relax and regroup?
Yes, Barbados! It’s the inspiration for my blog. It’s the one place I can go and switch off entirely. My friends joke that I even move at the pace of a snail when I’m over there instead of my usual 100 miles per hour!

How do you think that PRs can improve their blogger outreach or influencer marketing? Have you noticed any major differences in this compared to how PRs reach out to freelance journalists?
As a freelance journalist I get between 300 and 500 emails a day but in terms of the blog I only hear from a handful of PRs a week so it’s entirely different! Maybe it’s because it’s so new. I think there’s definitely been a shift towards micro-influencers. If you identify a blogger who’d be a perfect fit for your brand, I wouldn’t necessarily be deterred by a lower DA or because they do not have a certain number of followers. Look at the comments on their blog posts or social media to identify how people are engaging with them.

I ran a competition recently which attracted almost 150 comments on one post – readers were opening up their hearts about the stressful times they were experiencing. Also, not everything is visible. I had numerous private messages after posting about my histamine intolerance – one man even sent me pictures of his wife experiencing an allergic reaction. Another thing to consider is whether the blogger is respected in their field: are they reliable, professional, accurate, and authentic? Don’t always be swayed by huge stats.

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months?
That’s an interesting one but I think the brilliant media-wide focus around raising mental health awareness will continue apace. I’ve got a feeling we’ll also see more journalists setting up blogs in light of the changing media landscape. Maybe they’ll be called ‘j-oggers’!

Aside from health, wellness and travel, what other topics take your interest?
I’m a huge tennis fan and worked at Wimbledon for almost 20 years in various roles. As a student, I worked as a court attendant, covering the grass courts when it rained before working for www.wimbledon.com as a journalist, covering matches and interviewing players. It’s a fabulous event. I’ve missed playing regularly – exercise and heat seem to trigger reactions but I returned to the court on Saturday for the first time in ages. It was freezing cold and my tongue didn’t swell. Yay!

Helen Gilbert and Relax Ya Self to Health are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.