Sarah Shaffi

Journalist Spotlight: Sarah Shaffi

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Sarah Shaffi is a freelance writer who was recently appointed books editor at Phoenix magazine – the lifestyle brand for freethinking modern women. Sarah speaks to us about juggling roles, targeted pitching and having books on the brain…

What’s a typical working day like for you?
There’s no typical working day! I write a monthly piece for Phoenix about books, so throughout the month I’m thinking about whether something would work for the magazine when I see it, and I’m always scribbling ideas on random scraps of paper.

You are also a freelance writer and contribute to various publications. Can you tell us a bit about your work as a freelancer and how you juggle your different roles?
I’m a list person, so my whole organisational process revolves around elaborate to-do lists. I tend to prioritise by week, and juggle things depending on how close the deadline is. My whole career has been spent in journalism, so there’s nothing like a deadline to motivate me. I also find that variety is best. When I’m juggling a number of jobs, then I like to mix and match what I do in a day, so I tend to not spend a whole day writing but break it up by doing some reading as well, or doing one piece of work in the morning and another in the afternoon.

How did you get into journalism?
I got my first job straight out of university at a local newspaper, where I was lucky enough to be sent on a four-month course to learn shorthand and get government and law training before starting work. Since then, I’ve moved around in a number of roles, eventually making the jump from local news to trade journalism, and now in to freelancing.

What do you enjoy the most about your job? What are some of the more challenging aspects?
I love the variety of being a freelancer and getting to work on so many different projects and with different people whose work I admire. The most challenging thing is that constant worry that you’ve not got enough work, and always having to be thinking of the work you’re going to pitch for as well as the work you’re currently doing.

What role does social media play in your work?
Social media is crucial for keeping me in touch with people, especially as I’m now sitting alone at a desk most of the time and not in an office surrounded by people. In the world of books, social media is always great for seeing which books are getting buzz and that I should have on my radar, and it is a place where I can shout about the books I’m really enjoying, as well as the work I’m doing.

Do you have a good relationship with PRs? Do you have any top tips for PR professionals who want to work with you?
Book publicists are notoriously lovely people, and I love talking to them and hearing pitches. My top tip to PRs is to try and familiarise themselves with my reading tastes and the places I work for, and really target what they’re pitching. I don’t want to hear about every book being published, I want to hear about the ones I’ll enjoy and the ones that the audiences I’m writing for will enjoy. Being pitched select titles makes me think you’ve done your homework, and I’m much more likely to respond.

What type of press material are you interested in receiving?
I’m interested in getting book proofs and press releases relating to forthcoming books.

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Sarah Shaffi (and the titles she writes for) are both listed on the Vuelio Database along with thousands of other leading journalists, editors, bloggers and outlets. 

Vuelio Blog Awards

Why do PRs do influencer marketing?

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The rise of bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers has made influencer marketing a hot topic, but while traditional paid media models have fallen to marketing departments, influencer marketing is very much in the hands of PR.

At Vuelio, we spend a lot of time talking to PRs and bloggers about their mutual relationships – including what does and doesn’t work. On Thursday, we published a guest post from Filament PR’s Anne-Marie Lacey and Deb Sharratt who discussed the importance of building ethical relationships and sticking to the rules.

PRs generally have a good grasp on what’s expected for influencer marketing but some still find the rules around payments and disclosure confusing. It’s not surprising, PRs have traditionally focused on earned media, and many still believe they shouldn’t have to pay for coverage.

Full-time bloggers aren’t the same as journalists though; they don’t have a guaranteed salary to fall back on if they’re not paid for content. So, PRs paying for content has arisen out of a necessity, and influencer marketing seems almost the PR department’s responsibility by default.

How can PRs take advantage of influencer marketing?
On Friday, Vuelio chaired a panel session at PRWeek’s PR360 called ‘Is the micro-influencer bubble about the burst?’ The panel unanimously agreed that influencers are not a bubble at all and are very much here to stay. There’s a great opportunity here and PRs should not be looking at influencer marketing as a burden or be approaching it like a marketeer.

Many professional bloggers still post their own personal content, and some work with brands for free (a limited number of times), because they believe in the product or service, or the company and its ethics.

This is where excellent PRs can get ahead. By building good relationships, and telling strong stories, PRs still have the opportunity to secure earned media with influencers. It may be an expert comment, piece of intelligence, a report or study, or even a clever start-up – fulfilling the need of the influencer and piquing their interest is nothing new, and clever PRs already know that.

Clever PRs also understand the power of a paid-for campaign, and the benefits of a long-term collaboration, embracing the creative storytelling influencer marketing is based upon.

Paid or otherwise, influencer marketing would be nothing without the right relationships in place, which is where the Vuelio Blog Awards come in. The Vuelio Blog Awards are a celebration of influencers and have been designed to give everyone an opportunity to forge new relationships.

By sitting on the right table, sharing a drink with the right person or boogieing into the early hours with the right influencer, the Vuelio Blog Awards give you plenty of opportunity to meet the influencers that can change your future.

We are delighted to announced that the Vuelio Blog Awards are back for their fourth year, taking place on 30 November at the Bloomsbury Big Top, in London. The sponsorship pack is available to download here, and we are also working with brands and PRs on custom packages to suit their needs and budget.

Last year’s finalists had over 18 million followers on social media, which is more than the combined daily readership of every national newspaper. Influencer marketing was made for PR, and its time you embraced it.

For more information about the Vuelio Blog Awards, contact Jake O’Neill.

beer, facebook, ft, greg clark, the sun

Five Things: Wetherspoons, The Sun’s readers, the FT’s opinions, Agenda Gap and Facebook’s GDPR

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This week we’re not mentioning Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal as it isn’t really a media, marketing or PR story (though it will be when the Arsenal brand inevitably gets scrutinised after their manager of 22 years departs), but we are covering Wetherspoons leaving social media, new readership stats proving tricky, the FT’s new opinions, the MP gender gap and Facebook’s attempt to comply with the GDPR.

1. Wetherspoons calls last orders on social media

Social mediaJD Wetherspoons has removed all its corporate accounts from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, in a shock announcement that has surprised the marketing world. In a statement, Wetherspoons said: ‘Rather than using social media, we will continue to release news stories and information about forthcoming events on our website (jdwetherspoon.com) and in our printed magazine – Wetherspoon News.’

Rumours of the real reasons behind the social departure range from it has links with the Cambridge Analytica scandal, to it’s just a publicity stunt, but as Marketing Week has pointed out, the real reason might be because it’s just not working for the brand. Marketing Week even goes as far as to suggest social media is designed for people not brands – and that ‘people connecting with brands organically on social media was BS from the beginning’. Let that sink in.

With only 44K followers on Twitter and 100K on Facebook, the channels probably weren’t very useful for Wetherspoons, definitely at least not how they were being used. While many brands re-evaluate their strategy when it is not working, Wetherspoons has decided to focus its marketing efforts elsewhere. Like, if you think they’ve made the right choice, or retweet if you think it’s wrong.

Incidentally, this is being called Wetherspoons’ greatest ever social media interaction, and in no way points to the reason the brand came off the platforms:

 

2. The Sun rises on new readership statistics

Newspaper

Two news stats were published this week. The newly formed Published Audience Measurement Company (Pamco), which has replaced the National Readership Survey (NRS), released overall readership numbers and ABC published the latest circulation stats.

Pamco describes itself as using ‘world leading methodology’, based on 35,000 face-to-face interviews for print readership and demographic data, and a digital panel of 5,000 participants for online stats. The stats are, in places, surprising and, just as Pamco points out with the failings of the NRS, it is hard to determine how accurate they truly are. The numbers reveal that The Sun has the largest overall readership across print and digital, with 33.3m monthly readers, as well as the largest reach on mobile; the Mail has the largest reach on tablet; and the Guardian has the largest reach on desktop. For print, the Metro has the greatest reach, with 10.5m readership, but with paid-for titles it’s The National, with 10m (a paper with less than 10,000 copies distributed in Scotland is apparently read by twice the population of Scotland).

The stats don’t make it clear how much digital readership each brand has, as there appears to be duplications across the different devices. Even breakdowns within devices provide inconsistencies, for example – The Sun’s total Mobile reach is 26.5m but then it breaks that number down into phone and tablet, but together that breakdown adds up to 29m. There’s also some question over total reach, with Pamco suggesting 46m people read news brands each month – but combined with other stats, that suggests over 70% of news enthusiasts read The Sun.

The other stats are easier the follow; the ABC data for March reveals The Sun has regained its title of most circulated paper, after the Metro last month knocked it off its perch. All papers lost readers in March, the biggest drop was a 21% fall for the Sunday Mirror, while the smallest was a 0.11% fall for City AM.

 

3. FT changes comments to opinions

comments to opinions

The Financial Times has published a new guide to make it easier for people to submit opinion pieces for possible publication. They take submissions that are up to 800 words, have personal (informed) perspectives and are unpublished elsewhere. As part of the new guide, the FT has also changed the name of its ‘Comment’ section to ‘Opinion’ to: ‘help readers distinguish our carefully selected and edited articles from the online “comments” below stories’.

As part of the changes, the FT has also decided to drop the introductory ‘Sir’ that traditionally started each letter to the editor, as it felt ‘old fashioned’ and should the editor one day be female it will be become inaccurate.

The FT has managed to get out ahead of an embarrassing gender story in future, something a grammar school in Guernsey tried to do this week when it scrapped ‘head boy’ and ‘head girl’ roles to establish gender neutral roles (chair and vice chair) but has ended up with two male student leaders.

 

4. Mind the Agenda Gap

Greg Clark

Talking of gender imbalance (wouldn’t it be nice to not need to? Still, it’s not like it’s 2018), The Times has revealed an embarrassing statistic for MPs on Twitter this week. The paper says that 99% of MPs follow more men than women on Twitter. While 46% of worldwide Twitter users are female, every Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet member follows more men than women. Only five MPs follow more women than men: Jo Swinson, Lib Dem deputy leader, Jess Phillips (Lab), Susan Elan Jones (Lab), Ruth George (Lab) and Tracy Brabin (Lab).

One of the biggest imbalances is in business secretary Greg Clark’s following, which is 75% male and includes no female cabinet members. Clark [pictured] recently oversaw the publication of gender pay gap information in large companies.

Jo Swinson was disappointed but not surprised, she said: ‘One of the simplest things we can all do to tackle sexism and other bias is to make a conscious choice to follow, listen to and amplify the voices of women, people of colour and others whose perspectives are under-represented in public debate’.

 

5. Facebook tries to comply with the GDPR

GDPR

Facebook has started to seek explicit consent from users in compliance with the GDPR. Though it has possibly confused the GDPR and PECR, as it should probably already have permission from users to use their information. Part of its permission seeking is for ‘facial recognition’. Some people are suggesting that while Facebook is asking for consent, it is not making opting out easy, which is against the GDPR as opting out should be as easy as opting in, rather than clicking through two additional pages until you find the right section.

There’s another GDPR question around Facebook, published by the Guardian. The paper suggests that Facebook is moving its privacy controls from its Ireland office to the US, so it won’t have to comply with the GDPR outside the EU (something it has said it would do). However, the GDPR only applies to EU citizens (wherever they are in the world) and is not a regulation of where data is held, so it is hard to see what this change will actually do in relation to the GDPR.

We’ve answered some questions about the GDPR here, which might be able to help Facebook out.

 

Did we miss something? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

Jess Gibson

Authentic luxury experiences: Jess Gibson’s The Travelista

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The Travelista was inspired by Jess Gibson’s love of travel and writing, and is now a space for her to share adventures from across the world. Recently ranked in the Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogs, The Travelista features everything from ice skating on frozen lakes in Canada to elephants in Thailand.

We spoke to Jess, who is on Twitter here and Instagram here, about the best destinations for first time travellers, places she still wants to go and working with PRs to diversify her content.

What makes your blog successful?
I think I have a good business head on my shoulders, which is vital for bloggers that want to become full time. Behind the blog posts, tweets and Instagram stories, I am constantly writing proposals, pitching ideas and negotiating projects with brands and PRs. I thrive off the business aspect of running my blog and have enjoyed turning my hobby into my job. In terms of my content, I try to find a good balance between storytelling and sharing informative posts that really help others to plan their own travels. The Travelista isn’t just about sharing my travels, it’s about giving people the inspiration and information they need to make their own travels happen.

What makes luxury travel better than other types?
To me, luxury travel isn’t about sipping champagne in five-star hotels. To me, luxury travel is about those authentic once-in-a-lifetime experiences that really connect you with the places that you visit, and the people in them. Whether it’s doing a hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti or scuba diving for Lobsters in The Caribbean, I think luxury travel is about having epic experiences that are unique to their destinations. This is the type of content I love to share.

What destination would you suggest to first time travellers?
Vietnam would be an incredible place to go for first time travellers (for the food alone!) I would recommend doing a north to south trip starting in Hanoi and ending in Ho Chi Minh City, stopping at places like Ha Long Bay and Hoi An on the way. I wrote a three-week itinerary for Vietnam and it’s still one of my top performing posts.

The Travelista

What about seasoned travellers?
For seasoned travellers, I would recommend Guatemala. I did a tour of Guatemala and absolutely fell in love with the country. From the Mayan ruins to the incredible fusion food, there is so much culture there. My favourite place was the colourful town of Antigua.

Is there anywhere on your bucket list you’ve yet to visit?
There are so many places! I am yet to step foot in South America and would love to visit the likes of Costa Rica and Argentina. I’m also dreaming of visiting Australia and I’d love to discover the Deep South of the USA. There’s just something about that part of the US that I find really intriguing.

If you could only take three items with you when travelling, what would they be?
It would have to be my camera (for photos), my favourite Clarins moisturiser, and an eye mask (great for sleeping on planes and combatting jet lag).

Jessica Gibson

What should PRs know about you?
I’m a full-time travel blogger. I’m 27 and live in Leeds, although I am regularly down in London for events and meetings. I love to work with travel brands but I also work with large consumer brands in a travel context. This year, I am planning to diversify my content to share more lifestyle topics and to blog about experiences that are closer to home in Yorkshire. I also want to create more style and interiors content. I love working with PRs so please do get in touch, even if it’s just to say hi and request a media kit!

What’s the best PR/brand campaign you’ve worked on?
This February, I partnered with Travel Alberta, who are represented by KBC PR. I worked with KBC PR to put together an epic winter road trip through the Canadian Rockies. I loved this campaign because I felt like it was a real collaborative effort between myself and the PR. I considered the clients objectives and pitched a campaign that I felt would meet the objectives and also align perfectly with my audience. The trip was completely tailor made and so although the content was sponsored, it seamlessly fit in with my blog and social channels so my audience responded really well to it. In short, it was a perfect fit.

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What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
In my head I will always be a blogger but I am happy to embrace the new term of influencer as I think it is a great umbrella term. With the growth of social media and video, I do offer much more than just my blog now and social media is equally as important these days. I would also define as a content creator as content is essentially the service that my brand and business is selling.

What other blogs do you read?
My go-to blogs include Silverspoon London for travel, Hannah Gale for lifestyle, Apartment No.4 for interiors and Fashion Mumblr for fashion.

The Travelista are both listed, with profiles, on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Toby & Roo

The Best Parent Blog in the UK: Harriet Shearsmith’s Toby & Roo

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What does it take to be the best parenting blog in the UK? Harriet Shearsmith knows; she has the Vuelio Blog Award to prove it. With an honest perspective on parenting, family life and life in general, Toby & Roo has grown a huge following of parents and non-parents alike. We caught up with her to find out about 90-hour weeks(!), the difference between mummy and daddy bloggers, planning content with the kids and working creatively with PRs and brands.

What makes your blog successful?
I think because I treat my blog very much like a business and I work as hard as I possibly can at it, sometimes 90 hrs a week to try and market myself and create the best content I can. I threw everything at this because I needed it to work. I was stuck in a dead-end job and I couldn’t see any out without losing precious time with my kids. It had to be successful.

I also think that, with the best will in the world, if you don’t have content that is authentically ‘you’ then you aren’t going to be truly successful. I hope that my personality shines through in everything that I do and that people can see that when they follow me.

Why did you start your blog?
I remember reading a blog called Babyccino Kids and I adored it, adored what these inspiring women stood for and what they were sharing. I noted that a lot of their blog was about sharing their tips and Internet finds and I thought ‘ohh I know how to do that too. Why don’t I share my tips, my finds and what I’ve discovered about parenting?’ It evolved from there really.

How are mummy blogs different from dad blogs?
Oh, they are! My husband had just set up an Instagram account called TobyandRooDad and later on in the year we have plans for a blog for him. The community, the way that these awesome dads come together to create a supportive community for each other, is epic. I’ve always been a big believer in trying to make my own brand for ‘parents’ and not just mums but the truth is that there is a real niche in blogging for dads – men still do not communicate their feelings well verbally and it’s a huge societal flaw that we ALL need to challenge so to see these men doing that is really awesome.

What’s it like to be part of the mummy blogging community?
There are some absolutely brilliant women in this community that really inspire me and encourage me to question the way I’ve looked at political issues, women’s issues and so much more. The parenting blogging community, be it on Instagram or via blogs etc, can be a really supportive place and a place where we can lift one another up and learn from one another.

How do you plan content with the kids?
Ha, with Peppa Pig, bribery and prayers. Honestly? I try to involve the kids as much as possible. There is very little that doesn’t involve my children so that makes it a touch easier. As for writing and working, I do that while they are at school and after they are in bed. Weekends we go out and film, we take photos and, although they are aware that is what we’re doing, they don’t see it as anything different to normal because all parents are taking pictures of their families; I just happen to edit and use those photos for work once they have trotted off to play or to bed!

How do you feel about your kids growing up and reading the blog? (Are there any posts you DON’T want them reading?)
No, I would let them read everything – the sex, the tears, the anger and the love. I want my children to grow up realising that as people we have a vast array of emotions and this is our lives that I’m documenting – not just theirs but mine and their dads too.

What’s your favourite collaboration with a brand or PR?
I have had so many that I have truly loved. I worked with Birds Eye last year and I think that will always have a special place in my heart because it was my first bigger campaign and as a whole (I was a part but not exclusive) it has also won awards and been accredited as ‘campaign of the month’ for March 2018 with Campaign Live.

I’ve also really enjoyed working with Tesco and Iceland who have had some fab creatives!

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What should PRs know when contacting you?
You know what, I love a PR that chats to me. I love getting to know the people behind the screen – that’s one of the things I really enjoy about the creative industry, it’s SO friendly. People meet each other and greet with a hug, we go for coffee, we chat and we bounce creative content off each other. I really love getting a new brief through that has someone else’s creative outline and they are asking me to fill in the blanks. Just chat to me – I’m actually pretty friendly and not scary at all!

What do you call yourself (blogger/content creator/influencer)?
Oh geez, the debates I’ve seen on this. In contracts I’m referred to as an influencer or talent (talent always gives me a giggle). I’m not sure ‘blogger’ covers it as I do just as much, if not more, on Instagram than my blog and content creator would probably be my favourite but for some reason I never really use it…

What other blogs do you read?
I’ve stopped reading a lot of blogs lately, I used to be much better but I’ve stepped back a bit now. I really enjoy Nomipalony.com for her feminist posts but I predominantly loiter around Instagram reading people’s mini blogs on there!

Harriet and Toby & Roo are both listed, with profiles, on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Nerve agent

Ofcom launches seven RT investigations

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Ofcom has launched seven investigations into programmes on RT, relating to content broadcast in the wake of the Salisbury poisoning. The regulator is deciding if the programmes, broadcast between 17 March and 16 April, have breached the Broadcasting Code.

RT is operated by TV Novosti, which holds three UK broadcasting licences, two for RT and one for RT Europe. RT has an average UK audience of 3,400 viewers at any given point and an average weekly reach of 1% of adults.

Before the Salisbury poisoning on 12 March, TV Novosti’s compliance record had not been ‘materially out of line with other broadcasters’, and there are only 15 recorded breaches of the Broadcast Code since 2012, which is comparable to other broadcasters of a similar size.

However, its broadcasts since the Salisbury poisoning, which the UK Government has blamed on Russia but Russia strongly denies, has led to the investigations. RT is run by the Russian Federation, and therefore ‘toes the party line’, something which Ofcom is particularly considerate of when assessing breaches of impartiality and accuracy.

The regulator is now determining whether TV Novosti (and therefore RT) is fit and proper to hold their licences. If not, Ofcom has the power to revoke the licence, stopping the channel broadcasting again until the offending behaviours are remedied.

Other state funded broadcasters that operate in the UK include Al Jazeera, which is funded by Qatar, PBS, which is funded by USA and the BBC, which is funded by licence fee and the British Government. Ofcom points out that many foreign state broadcasters may broadcast material that is not in line with British values but this is not a consideration when it is investigating whether a channel is fit and proper to hold a broadcast licence.

Ofcom hasn’t detailed which comments or content has caused the investigation but has said: ‘On the material we have, it is not possible or appropriate for us to seek to reach an independent determination on the events in Salisbury. In this particular case, in our view, the most appropriate way to consider whether TV Novosti is likely to act in a fit and proper way is to consider its broadcasting conduct and on this, we are concerned about a number of potential breaches of the Broadcasting Code.’

RT has yet to comment on the announcement.

HelsBels

Honesty and running: Helen Tamblyn’s HelsBels

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Helen Tamblyn is the top running blogger behind HelsBels. Recently ranked in the top 10 UK running blogs, Helen covers marathon training, health and fitness (with a side of cake and beer). Helen told us about her honesty policy, the blogs she loves to read and working with brands in the way she wants.

What makes your blog successful?
Define successful! I don’t have as big a reach as many running bloggers, but I think I have an audience who have stuck with me over the years and it’s been nice to see my Facebook page grow over the last year or so. I think it’s because I will talk about anything related to running and fitness and I try to be honest with what I say. It has got me into trouble with brands once or twice when I have given negative reviews, but I try to make a point of being honest and saying what I want to say, as opposed to what other people might want me to say. It seems to be working out well!

How do you plan your blog content around your runs?
I don’t. I know most bloggers tend to have a content schedule they stick to, but I tend to write when I feel like it. If I have several evergreen post ideas in mind, then I’ll try to spread them out to create an even flow of content, but generally I write as ideas pop into my head, or if I’ve had a run I want to write about, or if I’ve just completed a race.

What’s the best place to run in the UK?
I moved out of London last year and I absolutely love it as a place to run. There are so many different routes you can take and one of my favourite routes was running along the river from Putney down to Richmond. Impossible to get lost, peaceful by the water and lots of friendly runners and cyclists. It’s also great fun running through the city, taking in the landmarks before turning into one of the parks for a change of pace. It’s never boring running in London!

What advice would you give to new runners?
Believe that you can do it and you will. Running is definitely as much mental as physical for me and going in with the mindset that you CAN do it is really important. Of course, we all have bad runs and bad races, but I also believe that if you can learn from the experience, then was it really all bad?

How important is the right equipment/outfits for successful runs?
Very! Make sure you get a gait analysis to find the best pair of shoes for you – it could well prevent injuries later on. And if you’re female, make sure you have a good sports bra. For me, this is the most important piece of kit and it’s not something that you should try to ‘make do’ with. Get fitted properly, jump around, shop around, just make sure you get the right bra. There is something out there for everyone.

What’s the best race you’ve competed in?
The Spitfire Scramble in 2017. It’s the only 24 race in London and I’ve taken part in it three times now. I did it in 2015 and 2016 with a team of bloggers from the UK Fitness Bloggers network I established, and then in 2017, I did it as a doubles pair with my friend Corey from The Hinz Adventures. This was really her shining moment as I’d come down with pneumonia when in Malta a few weeks before and I wasn’t allowed to run, but my doctor said I could walk a lap. Corey ran nearly 50 miles and I jogged/walked 12 which saw us take second place in the ladies pairs. The atmosphere at this event is second to none, the route in Hornchurch Country Park is beautiful and it’s very special seeing the sun rise at the top of the hill in the morning, if you are out on a lap. I was also so proud to support Corey!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I am honest and although I am constructive, if I don’t like a product or experience, I will say so. I will always try to be balanced and offer the right to respond, but I will not edit a review or be dishonest through fear of upsetting a brand relationship.

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What’s the best campaign you’ve collaborated on?
I’ve recently just worked on a great campaign with Red Letter Days where they sent me on a bungee jump! It’s not something that I would ever have done otherwise and when they got in touch, I had to say yes because I knew I would regret it if not. It was exhilarating, terrifying and liberating all at once and it has given me a story to tell – for that reason, I have to say that was the best campaign I’ve collaborated on.

Away from working with brands, I partnered up with a friend of mine Stephen from How Many Miles last year on a campaign we called #EndGreatRunHerbalife after Herbalife were announced as the nutritional partners of the Great Run Series. Between us, we wrote a series of posts, set up a petition and rallied runners on social media, which ultimately led to the partnership being pulled. That felt like influencing, although it feels a bit like I’ve been on the naughty step since where working with brands is concerned. But I don’t regret it – it felt like the right thing to do.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator etc)?
Blogger. I enjoy social media and I offer management and content creation on a freelance basis, but I would class myself as a blogger. I don’t have a set social media strategy for my blog and I don’t beat myself up scheduling content.

What other blogs do you read?
Too many to mention, but I particularly make a point of keeping up with A Healthier Moo, How Many Miles, The PHD Runner, Jog on Mum, Paddle Pedal Pace, The Fat Girls’ Guide To Running, Learning Patience, keep it simpElle, JogBlog, and although he doesn’t blog much on his website anymore, Gavin Wren is a beautiful and articulate writer.

Empire State of Mind

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Representing some of the biggest names in luxury and real estate, Relevance International is on a meteoric rise and we’re delighted that Suzanne Rosnowski is joining us for our webinar: Empire State of Mind – Going Global with Relevance International.

Suzanne will be discussing how PR is different in New York and London, and why her clients increasingly want one agency to cover the entire planet. We’ll also explore the ethical boundary between paid and earned media, and how different markets use influencers in different ways.

Watch the webinar to learn:

  • What it takes to communicate on a global scale
  • Whether it’s ever worth paying for PR
  • How to expand an agency to new countries and time zones

empire state of mind

Emma Neachell

Don’t compare yourself to other runners: Emma Neachell, The PHD Runner

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Emma Neachell writes The PHD Runner, which was recently ranked in the top 10 UK running blogs. Emma is a hydrologist by trade but uses the blog to share her running adventures (and misadventures!). We caught up with Emma to talk about the joy of running, how simple it is to start and what’s she’s looking for from PR collaborations.

What makes your blog successful?
I personally don’t think my blog is very successful. However, people who read my blog on a regular basis have said they appreciate my honesty and my willingness to share my unflattering running photos.

How do you plan your blog content around your runs?
When I’m training for a target event, for example the Cambridge Half, this is relatively easy as I’ll produce weekly training updates. I also really enjoy writing race reviews as every race is unique. As a runner, I find race reviews really useful, so I try to include as much information as possible. I’m unfortunately injured at the moment so, although I can’t run, I’ll be able to write about how I deal with being injured.

What’s the best place to run in the UK?
Sutton Park in Sutton Coldfield. It’s one of the largest urban parks in the UK and has some amazing trails.

What advice would you give to new runners?
Running is quite hard to start with but it does get easier. Don’t compare yourself to other runners and most importantly, have fun!

How important is the right equipment/outfits for successful runs?
One of the reasons I love running is the fact you don’t have to invest in a lot of running kit when you start out. All you need to start with is a pair of running shoes, some decent socks and a sports bra. If you find you enjoy running, invest in more equipment and running kit. The expensive GPS watch can wait. In my opinion, comfortable, correctly-fitting kit can make or break a run. I’ve actually had to cut training runs short due to kit related issues.

What’s the best race you’ve competed in?
I feel that I should say one of the three London Marathons I’ve completed, but I won’t. The best race I’ve competed in was the Cathedral to Castle 10 mile run. The course was quite challenging but I loved every second of the run. I’ve already entered next year’s event!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
That I exist and love writing! I haven’t had many blogging opportunities this year.

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What’s the best campaign you’ve collaborated on?
This is actually quite a tricky question to answer! I was thrilled to be asked to join the Decathlon Bloggers Community and can’t wait to get involved in some exciting campaigns later this year. I think it’s a case of watch this space.

What do you call yourself?
I don’t think I’m an influencer. I’ll always call myself a running blogger.

What other blogs do you read?
I don’t have as much time as I’d like to read blogs but my favourites include: AnnaTheApple, HelsBels, A Healthier Moo, Maria Runs and Deutscher Wanderwolf.

 

The PHD Runner is listed on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Five Things: Zuck, Apu, Puma, National Lottery and Mike Bushell

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This week’s Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes Mark Zuckerberg’s time on Capitol Hill, The Simpsons’ offensive stereotype, Puma’s apology, National Lottery on the move and Mike Bushell’s fall.

1. Zuckerberg’s hearing

Mark Zuckerberg

We’re struggling to remember a Five Things that didn’t feature Facebook. This week, Mark Zuckerberg went to Congress to sit through two hearings. He was questioned for hours, with the focus split between data privacy concerns and Russian interference in the US election.

Zuckerberg apologised, which drew criticism from those that pointed out he has been apologising since he created Facemash. He was questioned by what are effectively old people, whose grasp of social media was also criticised. A couple of senators landed some stinging accusations but generally very few revelations came out of the hearings, beyond the meme-worthiness of Mark Zuckerberg. One piece of good news for the company – Facebook’s share price recovered slightly from its dip after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Looks like Zuck is on their side.

Some of the most popular Zuckerberg-as-a-meme tweets:

2. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

The SimpsonsThe Simpsons has inexplicably doubled down on an offensive stereotype, upsetting fans with its tone-deaf approach to modern times. Long-time character Apu was previously featured in a documentary by Hari Kondabolu called ‘The Problem With Apu’. That documentary explores the ways in which Apu is an offensive portrayal, including the fact he is voiced by a white actor doing a bad impression of what the Guardian describes as, ‘Peter Sellers doing an Indian accent’.

The Simpsons hit back this week in an episode, with the least morally repugnant character Lisa saying: ‘Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?’

Fans are upset Lisa voices the words and that The Simpsons are effectively telling people to get over it. There are many things that could be done, with people making suggestions on Twitter, including this remarkable example from Warner Brothers.

 

3. What are Puma smoking?

Puma

Puma has apologised this week after a campaign misstep. The fashion brand organised an event based around drug dealing culture – with invites on ‘burner phones’ being sent out in puma shoe boxes full of fake money. Once the phone was turned on a message appeared that read: ‘Yo G what u sayin today? Pass tru the House of Hustle’. As reported by WWD, the event location was designed to resemble a ‘trap house’ (a place to buy, sell and produce drugs) with graffiti on the walls, dirty mattresses on the floor, and blacked-out windows.

The campaign faced heavy criticism, especially in light of the recent violent crime surge in the capital. Puma released a statement, which said: ‘We want to make clear that Puma in no way endorses or intends to glamorize drug culture. We never intended associations with drug usage, drug culture or drug dealing in any way and we regret any misunderstandings in this respect. We apologise for any upset or offense caused in the usage of this language.’

 

4. National Lottery moves to ITV

The National Lottery has moved to ITV, after more than 23 years with the BBC. The results will be aired as a 90-second segment fronted by Stephen Mulhern during the advert break of Britain’s Got Talent on Saturday. The results have been confined to BBC iPlayer since 2017.

Camelot, which operates the Lottery, has said a range of well-known ITV personalities would join Mulhern in future editions. The actual draw won’t be aired live but will be available on the National Lottery’s YouTube channel.

Mulhern said: ‘I feel privileged to be bringing those lucky numbers to the nation but also being able to show players how the money they’ve helped raise has made a difference to communities across the UK’.

 

5. In at the deep end

BBC reporter Mike Bushell had a nasty surprise while interviewing Commonwealth athletes this week – which is hilarious:

 

The LDN Diaries

From London to St Lucia: The LDN Diaries with Paula Holmes

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Paula Holmes is the author of The LDN Diaries, which recently ranked in the Top 10 UK London Lifestyle Blogs. Covering everything awesome about London, Paula writes the blog with her partner Danny and gives her audience top tips for things to do and places to eat. We spoke to Paula about the best places in London, having a successful blog and working with PRs and brands.

What makes your blog successful?
Over the six years of The LDN Diaries, I haven’t been afraid to take risks with my content, however, I also know what works well and what my readers want to see. I would also credit my high standards of the content I produce and being proud of ensuring my audience would want to see, read and engage with it.

I am always looking for ways to constantly improve, whether it’s photography or a new series on the blog. It’s good to have a mix of consistent posts but something fresh too to keep people coming back and I am confident that is what makes it successful.

I’ve also developed great PR and brand relationships over the years, which has enabled me to work with some amazing brands and keep growing.

Paula Holmes What’s the long-term aim of your blogging?
To continue doing what I love! I don’t think a day goes past where I don’t think of the blog. I’m constantly planning content, social media and collaborations. To be honest, each day of blogging changes, one minute I could be at home typing up my next article, the next I’m in Saint Lucia. I’d love to continue to have amazing opportunities with brands that I love.

Long term I would like to develop out my brand and create my own product that people really love.

Where is the best place in London?
Hard to choose, but I do love Sky Garden and I recommend everyone visiting London to go. I just love the view over London and it’s free to enter.

Where is the best place to eat in London?
There are so many great places to eat in London, but my personal favourite is Hakkasan because the food and service is always outstanding.

What’s the best attraction?
As a tourist I would recommend Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye, but I do love the Natural History Museum. It is so grand and there is so much to see, I could easily spend a whole day here. I also have done a helicopter tour over London, which was amazing.

If not London, where would you like to live?
New York! I just love the vibe of the city, it’s very like London but more fast paced. In complete contrast I also loved LA, it was very chilled and I could definitely see myself enjoying the sunshine every day.

How do you work with PRs and brands?
I enjoy building good relationships with PRs and brands directly, it’s great to be able to share more of your personality with someone so they get a better understanding of what brands or products would fit better. I enjoy working on campaigns and I love when I can put my own input and spin on the collaboration, to make it work better for both parties and create something great for our audiences.

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What campaigns have you worked on that you loved?
I loved working with Sandals at the end of last year. They flew myself and Danny to Saint Lucia to create content for social media and their microsite. We had an amazing time and the campaign was very well organised and put together.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator/writer etc)?
All of the above! I started out as a blogger but as the industry has grown, I would definitely see myself as a content creator and an influencer.

What other blogs do you read?
I love getting travel inspiration from blogs, some favourites are The Londoner, The Travelista and Clutch & Carry.

 

Paula and The LDN Diaries are both listed on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

A Luxury Travel Blog

The number one in Luxury Travel: Paul Johnson, A Luxury Travel Blog

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Dr Paul Johnson is the man behind the hugely popular A Luxury Travel Blog – which recently retained its top position in the Top 10 UK Luxury Travel Blogs. With a huge pool of travel writers providing quality content, A Luxury Travel Blog has become a valuable resource for all things luxe. After being named number one in the ranking, we spoke to Paul about the joy of South Africa, what PRs need to know about full-time bloggers and the word ‘influencer’.

What makes your blog successful?
It was the very first blog of its kind and has amassed over 500 expert contributors since its inception. In the early days of travel blogging, focusing on the luxury side of travel was not something that others were doing so I’m sure I benefited from being an early adopter. That aside, our success comes down to the quality of the content and our strong online marketing focus.

A luxury travel blog What makes luxury travel better than other types?
I wouldn’t say any form of travel is better than another. It comes down to personal preference. But what sets true luxury travel apart from other forms of travel, I believe, is the staff and quality of service associated with your travel experience.

What destination would you suggest to first time travellers?
South Africa. It has such a great mix to offer, whether it is a city break in Cape Town, exploring the garden route, or taking a once-in-a-lifetime safari.

What about seasoned travellers?
For seasoned travellers, I would suggest destinations that are different to anywhere you’ve been before. By exploring new places and going outside of our comfort zones, we discover so much more about the world, different cultures and even ourselves.

Is there anywhere on your bucket list you’ve yet to visit?
I have yet to make it to Iceland and New Zealand – two places I would love to visit soon.

If you could only take three items with you when travelling, what would they be?
My wife and our two sons!

What should PRs know about you?
PRs should know that A Luxury Travel Blog is my full-time job and that I don’t work for free.

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What’s the best PR/brand campaign you’ve worked on?
I worked on a fantastic campaign with Land Rover, where we spent 10 days driving right across Nepal and into India. It was part of a wider expedition and an official test of the capabilities of a new hybrid Range Rover that was about to go into production.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
If people I meet ask what I do, I usually just tell them I’m a travel blogger. If they quiz me further, I might tell them that I specialise in luxury travel, but I usually ‘play down’ the size of its following and level of influence. I prefer to be modest about the site’s success and, despite winning the award of ‘Best Travel Influencer’ from WIRED magazine, I don’t tend to describe myself as an influencer – I think past clients should be the judge of whether you are influential or not, rather than it being a term that’s self-proclaimed by the blogger. Plus, I think it’s an over-used term – I come across lots of people who call themselves ‘influencers’ who are really just starting out.

What other blogs do you read?
In all honesty, I rarely read other blogs – I’m too busy running and managing my own!  It’s a full-time job and so much more…

A Luxury Travel Blog is listed on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Globalmouse Travels

Family wanderlust with Nichola West’s Globalmouse Travels

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Nichola West is a top family travel blogger and journalist, who writes for a range of national press titles alongside her blog, Globalmouse Travels. We spoke to Nichola about the importance of social media, planning trips with the kids and ongoing relationships with leading PRs.

What makes your blog unique?
We always say we love to get off the beaten track and not be tourists. That’s not to say we don’t do some of the obvious stuff too but we’ll visit a witch’s weigh house in the Netherlands, a chocolate museum in Havana or go on a night time search for Colugo in Langkawi, Malaysia. We’re always trying to find fun, different things to do.

What’s the best place you’ve ever been too?
Oh gosh that’s so difficult, I absolutely loved the Cook Islands and I’m desperate to get back there, so maybe there. As a family our trip to Oman was something special though, it had everything from beaches, to interesting food and wonderful wildlife and just the friendliest people so it’s up there with the best trips.

Which destination haven’t you visited that you want to?
There are so many – Indonesia, Japan, Costa Rica, Argentina, Texas and more of Russia. I could go on but I’ll stop myself there.

How do you plan your content with the kids (do they help?)?
I love that my kids are getting strong ideas of where they want to visit, my six-year-old’s current dream is to get to New York. We try and build a good mix in all our trips with museums and art galleries together with water parks and playgrounds. We do sit down before going on trips to read a bit about the country, look at photos and get excited about it together. I love that wanderlust seems to already be in their blood.

Globalmouse Travels

What’s the best day out as a family?
The best day out is one that has something for all of us to enjoy – a large dose of fun, learning without realising it, watching my children’s eyes turn wide with delight and everyone dropping in to bed exhausted at the end of a jam-packed day.

How do you use video content?
We love making videos, both for brands and destinations and I also love watching them back and remembering all the happy times we’ve had. We embed them in to our blog posts and also share them on social media.

We’ve discovered that for many bloggers, social media has become the new comments section. How important is social media to your blog?
Social media is integral to my blog. I adore photography and so Instagram is a platform I particularly love and I post daily when I’m on a trip. It’s a great way to keep in touch with my readers and acts almost like a second blog; a preview of everything we’re up to. It really is a great place for a conversation too.

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What are the best PR/brand collaborations you’ve worked on?
I adore working with Crystal Ski as they have some amazing destinations that fit in to our love of somewhere a bit different and they’re always great at reciprocal sharing. I also love working with Universal Studios in Florida (our happy place) and also P&O Cruises. I really like building up relationships with brands and PRs that go further than a work exchange that ends there. Recently, we worked with Four Seasons Fairways in the Algarve which was wonderful, they helped us get the best out of the region with some quirky festivals they thought we’d be interested in (we loved them) and some restaurants and experiences we would never have found.

What do you call yourself (Blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I write for the national press too, for The Telegraph, Wanderlust and The Guardian amongst others, so usually I say I’m a travel writer.

What other blogs do you read?
I love Tigerlillyquinn, Mums do Travel and Five Adventurers amongst many others.

GDPR for Comms

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GDPR is the most important change in data protection in 20 years. It affects everyone who deals with personal data, and getting it wrong is not an option.

Vuelio is delighted to partner with Rowenna Fielding, GDPR specialist at Protecture, to discuss:

  • What GDPR means for the comms industry
  • Why you need to know the difference between ‘legitimate interest’ and ‘consent’
  • How to comply and still communicate successfully

rowenna fielding gdpr

Suze Renner

Travelling with the Luxury Columnist

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Suze Renner is one half of the Luxury Columnist, a top 10 luxury travel blog that also features Suze’s husband Paul. Created to document the couple’s experience of luxury travel, the blog has grown a huge following online and provides regular reviews of destinations, restaurants and hotels. Suze gave us some travel tips, suggested some amazing places to visit and told us how she likes to work with PRs and brands (including country tourism boards!).

What makes your blog successful?
When someone says they’ve found our tips helpful and tried somewhere new thanks to our recommendations, we feel successful. We’re continually learning from others and we try to integrate that on the blog. Insider knowledge is priceless and we get great suggestions from our readers and followers. We’re also members of the Travel Bloggers Influencer Network, with a collective reach of over 6.5 million followers.

the luxury columnistWhat makes luxury travel better than other types?
I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily better but for me, luxury travel is synonymous with quality and being unique. That could mean a behind the scenes tour of an attraction or a stay in a stylish boutique hotel serving produce from their herb garden. Attention to detail and personalisation are key factors.

What destination would you suggest to first time travellers?
For a city break, Amsterdam is a good choice. It’s fairly compact so you’re unlikely to get lost, you can walk almost everywhere and most locals speak English. In terms of countries, Switzerland stands out for its amazing scenery, safety and language skills of the Swiss people.

What about seasoned travellers?
Tanzania is an incredible country for the charm of its people and its amazing wildlife. It is suitable for first time travellers as long as they’re fairly organised. You need to choose carefully what you pack as many of the safari camps are reached by small planes where luggage is limited. However, once you arrive, you’ll be rewarded with completely unspoiled landscapes.

Is there anywhere on your bucket list you’ve yet to visit?
So many places! Costa Rica for eco-luxury, Galapagos for the wildlife and Australia to see friends who have moved there.

If you could only take three items with you when travelling, what would they be?
My camera, my mobile phone and sunglasses.

What should PRs know about you?
I do quite a bit of background research on the places that we visit. We find that people want to read about the destination as well as the hotels that we stay in. I often travel with my husband who’s a dab hand at vlogs and drone photography, so it’s great when PRs incorporate him into the mix!

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What’s the best PR/brand campaign you’ve worked on?
We’ve got a soft spot for Florida as we have an ongoing relationship with the PR and the region. They really tailor each visit to our readers’ interests and build in time to edit photos. We also did a campaign for a Swiss hotel and restaurant group who told us that several people had mentioned us when booking, so that was nice to hear.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
Content creator for sure, as influence is all relative and blogger doesn’t cover the videography aspect of our work.

What other blogs do you read?
Some of my favourite UK-based blogs are London Kitchen Diaries for delicious recipes and London tips, Fitness on Toast for healthy inspiration and Miss Gunner for style suggestions.

 

The Luxury Columnist and its writers are both listings on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other influencers including journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Ana Silva O'Reilly

I just call it travel: Mrs. O Around the World

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Ana Silva O’Reilly is the author of top Luxury Travel Blog, Mrs. O Around the World. With a belief that luxury is attainable in some unexpected places, Ana has a loyal readership that check in for tips and travel advice for the most beautiful destinations in the world. We spoke to Mrs. O about where new travellers should visit, the accessibility of the Orient Express and how she likes to work with PRs.

What makes your blog successful?
A very interesting question – namely after I had a challenging year on a personal level. The blog is part of my life; I set a percentage 5 or 6 years ago, and that stayed true until now – the blog is 30-40% of my time and of the income it generates.

I have worked very hard for the last 17 years to be where I am in my professional career (as a marketing consultant) and I am not prepared to give it up. I love my blog but I love it more because I know my life doesn’t depend on it to be what it is. I am incredibly respectful of those who are able to make this a full-time profession, because I am not. It would make me make some questionable choices (I say no to about 90% of invites and paid campaigns because I don’t think I will add any value to them) and, more importantly, will mean nothing to my readers, who I really really value.

And my readers know I work three days a week, have a whole household to run and have some sort of presence on social media, which more often than not, reflects real life, and not everything is dreamy and pink and perfect.

I haven’t written once a week for the past six months and no one has complained. The world hasn’t ended. And it is OK not to be online every day and find something to say. They all understand that. And so do brands.

What makes luxury travel better than other types?
I don’t necessarily call it luxury travel – I just call it travel. We can all go to the same places and then, depending on budget, we can get there in a different way and stay in a different place. Everyone is doing the best that they can, according to their budget.

I think travelling is very aspirational and I always like to put prices on things (which not many bloggers do). It is important to know what things cost and in some cases, there can be some very interesting surprises. An example I always use is the Venice Simplon Orient Express train – the traditional London-Venice trip costs under £2,000, which is less than a business class flight between London and New York. I get that flight probably five times a year (and pay for it a lot more sometimes) – yet we all think that the ‘Orient Express is a once in a lifetime thing’. I cannot tell you how many readers have been and send me photos.

Mrs O Around the World

What destination would you suggest to first time travellers?
Where from? The world is getting so much smaller and people who read the blog are from everywhere. I am a great fan of London – and that is a city that needs quite a few days to explore and you will never ever see more than a quarter of it. I recently wrote a guide to W1 alone, which covers a lot of ‘touristic spots’ and has been really successful.

And if you are going to the USA, explore California. We go every year (for the last 12) and can’t get enough of it.

What about seasoned travellers?
If you have done all the main cities, you may want to try Lisbon, Portugal – my hometown and a city that has been getting a lot of press lately. I personally think it is lovely and has a lot to offer to luxury travellers. Also, I think the Middle East has a lot to offer. We have been going two to three times a year recently (and not setting foot in Dubai except for the airport, as it is a place that I really do not get. I think I am the only person in world in that position, and I have accepted it).

Is there anywhere on your bucket list you’ve yet to visit?
I ticked Vancouver off my list last year, but I wasn’t there long enough, so I have to go back. Oman is absolutely on the list – we love Abu Dhabi and think we will love Oman even more.

If you could only take three items with you when travelling, what would they be?
My phone, my contact lens solution and a cashmere scarf, which I seem to need all the time.

What should PRs know about you?
I have been travelling ‘this way’ my whole life and press trips or sponsored projects are only 50% of my trips – I go where I want to go and will very happily pay for it. I work with very select brands and destinations (more and more recently) who really see value in what I do and understand what I charge for (which many others do for free, and that is absolutely fine by me). And I only travel with my husband or a very close friend and I like to put in the time co-organising my itinerary (which is never too heavy). This makes me a dream to work with for some PRs who really get me (and a handful work with me over and over again) and ‘difficult’ to others. Like anything in life!

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What’s the best PR/brand campaign you’ve worked on?
I really like working with Sovereign. We are on year four now and they are a delight to work with – we are both on the same side and work very well together. The head of the PR team has moved on recently, and despite that, they still want to work with me.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I am a blogger because I have a blog

What other blogs do you read?
I have what I call my leading ladies of luxury travel, from Luxury Travel Mom with whom I co-host #LuxTravelChat each week to Luxe Travel Family. But I also read what the boys write too: I read One Mile at a Time and God Save the Points.

Ana Silva O’Reilly and her blog Mrs. O Around the World are both listings on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other influencers including journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

Radio 1

Radio 1 switches to a four-day week

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BBC Radio 1 has announced a major overhaul of its schedule, with weekend programming now starting on Friday.

The new Friday line-up starts with Radio 1’s Weekend Breakfast at 6.30am on Friday morning, hosted by Dev and Alice Levine; followed by Radio 1’s Greatest Hits with Maya Jama; then Mollie King (of The Saturdays) and Matt Edmondson filling the early afternoon slot 1-4pm; finishing with Scott Mills, who will ‘fulfil a lifelong dream’ by presenting The Official Chart 4-7pm.

The existing Saturday and Sunday schedule is unchanged.

Ben Cooper, controller, BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network, said: ‘The weekend will start here at Radio 1 on a Friday morning, giving our young audience that feel good factor a day early. It’s our job at Radio 1 to reinvent the way young people listen to the radio, to disrupt traditional thinking and to look for new ways in which to grow audiences.’

The knock-on effect is that weekday presenters, including Nick Grimshaw, Clara Amfo and Greg James, will now only present on four days. As the BBC reports, this is the first time Radio 1 has scheduled a four-day week despite Chris Evans famously making a request to have Fridays off when he presented the weekday breakfast show.

This new schedule cements Mollie King’s position as a permeant presenter, after her recent stint as a guest presenter with Matt Edmondson. She said: ‘The only person more excited than me is my mum, who is delighted I finally have a proper job. I’ve had so much fun working with Matt over the past few weeks, and I’m so glad I’m no longer just “Mollie from The Saturdays” but “Mollie from the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays”.’

It is unclear what effect these changes will have on any of the presenters’ salaries, though presumably the weekday presenters will take a hit and the weekend presenters will get a rise.

The new schedule comes into effect in June.

All shows are kept up to date in the Vuelio Media Database – along with presenters, staff and contacts. 

Paul Dacre

Dacre’s MURDERERS headline due to personal relationship

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Following the murder of Stephen Lawrence, the Daily Mail ran a story under the headline ‘MURDERERS – the Mail accuses these men of killing. If we are wrong, let them sue us’, with pictures of five people the paper accused of the crime.

The front page is famous for driving the campaign to bring Stephen Lawrence’s murderers to justice. In an interview for a BBC documentary, marking the 25th anniversary of the murder, Paul Dacre, editor and editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, has revealed he would not have backed the family’s campaign without his own personal connection to the Lawrence family.

Stephen Lawrence

As reported by the i, Stephen’s father Neville Lawrence was recommended to Dacre as a ‘very good plasterer’ when the editor needed ‘lots of working doing’ at his home. Dacre said: ‘He did a lot of plastering work. He was clearly a very decent, hard-working man. Would the Mail have done it without that knowledge? Probably not.’

This unusual revelation highlights how important relationships are to the running of the national press. Dacre carries on to explain that he decided to run the front page after meeting Paul Condon, then Met Police commissioner: ‘Paul said he would bet his life these men were the killers but they couldn’t get the evidence. These guys were taking the piss out of British justice.’

He apparently sketched out the ‘MURDERERS’ headline just 45 minutes before the paper went to press, and then forced the ‘cataclysmic’ front page through ‘nervous libel lawyers’.

This is a rare interview from Dacre who usually prefers to shine the spotlight rather than be in it. But it is also a revealing insight in to the power of personal relationships in the British media, and, in light of Condon’s assurances to Dacre, the power a conversation has over the news agenda.

The BBC One documentary Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation begins on Tuesday, 17 April at 9pm and continues on 18 and 19 April.

Inside the Travel Lab with Abigail King

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Abigail King is the blogger behind Inside the Travel Lab, which is among the top luxury travel blogs in the UK. Abi was a doctor before she started travelling the world and now writes about the culture, history and food of amazing destinations for an audience that cares about the people and places they visit.

Abi told us about the best destinations for both new and seasoned travellers, the importance of her iPhone and her favourite way to work with PRs and brands.

Abi KingWhat makes your blog successful?
Now there’s the million dollar question… Who knows, really!?

I think it’s because I write for an underserved audience and show the world from a different perspective; it’s luxury travel but for people who want to understand a place. Readers are professionals who are passionate about travel, reading, watching and consuming content but they’re not always the chattiest kind. Many of them work in fields that explicitly forbid them from commenting online and so many travel blogs ignore them.

What’s better, luxury travel or travel on a shoestring?
It’s not the price tag that matters but the quality of the experience. So, often that does mean luxury travel is better but of course, as the cliché goes, the best things in life are free.

What destination would you suggest to first time travellers?
America. You’ve half travelled through it already on screen and you don’t need to worry about water or healthcare.

What about seasoned travellers?
Ooh, now that’s a different one because by then people have really honed the kind of things they like to do. So, in part, I would challenge seasoned travellers to try something new.

Madagascar remains relatively unexplored yet its wildlife and landscape are exceptional and the history is fascinating, especially around World War Two. The beaches are beautiful, too, which always helps…

Is there anywhere on your bucket list you’ve yet to visit?
Plenty of places because the list keeps growing the more I travel!

I long to see polar bears in Churchill, hike across Iceland, taste the flavours of Bali and peer into a volcano on Hawaii.

There are the salt lakes of Djibouti and the rock churches in Ethiopia. The swirling rock in Arizona and the quiet water of Kerala.

Then the old cities I love like London, Paris and New York keep adding highlights to their itineraries and former trouble spots like Belfast reinvent themselves!

I’d better stop. I could go on and on…

Abigail King

If you could only take three items with you when travelling, what would they be?
iPhone, iPhone, iPhone.

Or iPhone, charger, spare battery. Maybe a scarf.

So many travel details live on my phone, together with entertainment for long journeys, top editing software from Adobe, music, translation apps, currency conversion tools. It contains about half of what my luggage used to be.

What should PRs know about you?
Inside the Travel lab reaches an affluent, educated audience who love to travel and do so frequently. It’s been described as one of the best travel blogs in the world by Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveller, and celebrates its 10th year in business next year.

As for me, I used to work as a doctor so I’m used to tight deadlines and getting things done – accurately. I love to work by email instead of phone so that I can work more flexibly around travel and my young daughter.

Oh, and my media kit and case studies live here.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What’s the best PR/brand campaign you’ve worked on?
Happily, over the last seven years, I’ve worked on so many good ones that it’s difficult to choose. However, the stand out one remains a project with Eurail where they acted as ‘artistic sponsors’ and invited me to create a trip to inspire other travellers.

I travelled from Istanbul to Berlin, zig-zagging back and forth across the former Iron Curtain, trying to understand the past and exploring and enjoying the present in each of the modern cities.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I’m old enough to still be saying ‘writer’ but as I now professionally create photos, videos and broadcast for Lonely Planet, a broader term is definitely needed. All of the above?

What other blogs do you read?
Again, too many!

I like Girl Tweets World, As The Bird Flies, Eat Like A Girl, Geotraveler’s Niche, Atlas and Boots, Y Travel Blog, Landlopers, Adventurous Kate, The Travel Hack, A Lady in London… and many more!

They certainly don’t all fit my niche but I find something interesting or inspiring in each one.

 

Abigail King and Inside the Travel Lab are both listings on the Vuelio Database, along with thousands of other influencers including journalists, bloggers, MPs and SpAds.  

PR blogger collaborations

5 top tips for successful collaborations

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Vuelio talks to bloggers, vloggers and ‘influencers’ a lot (which means we know most of them don’t use the word ‘influencer’). We publish spotlights and, as part of these, we get amazing insight into the blogger/PR relationship – what works, what doesn’t and what it takes to be successful.

Every blogger is different, but there are fundamental ‘rules’ that crop up again and again that can help every PR and brand with their influencer outreach and campaign building.

Here are 5 tips, from some of our top blogger friends, on what makes the best campaigns.

1. Find something bloggers are passionate about

The best bloggers will only work with brands and companies they genuinely believe in. No matter how much you pay, few will go against their fundamental beliefs. But if you’re the right fit, then it can lead to stunning collaborations.

For Tamara Kalinic, who heads up the top fashion blog Glam and Glitter, sometimes loving a brand means she doesn’t require payment:

‘My team and I are proud to only accept campaigns with brands we truly love; previously, we’ve worked with brands for free, because it was a natural fit. Some of the projects I enjoyed the most are ones with Cartier, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Louis Vuitton.’

Mike Huxley, Bemused Backpacker, believes the best campaigns he’s worked on are those that tap into his own passions:

‘One of my all-time favourites was the RIGHT tourism campaign with the charity Care For The Wild International. I absolutely loved that because it was a cause that was so close to my heart, and ethical wildlife tourism is something that I still campaign for today.’

 

2. Make their dreams come true

Everyone likes to be treated well, and special campaigns can really stand out and improve your coverage.

This is true for the Best Women’s Lifestyle blogger Lily Pebbles:

‘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!’

And for Angie Silver, who writes the number one London Lifestyle blog Silverspoon of London:

‘Last year I worked with the Mayakoba resort in Mexico. They flew me out to stay at the Rosewood Mayakoba, a spectacular luxury hotel, in order to create content for them. It was honestly a dream come true!’

For top mummy blogger Clare Minall, who writes Mudpie Fridays, luxury treats that produce family memories are the foundation of the best campaigns:

‘We were gifted a Land Rover Discovery for a weekend adventuring in Cheddar Gorge. The reason it’s my favourite is that I will never forget my husband’s sense of satisfaction driving said car and Monkey’s pure excitement about being able to see over the hedges. It was the moment my husband finally ‘got it’.

‘The special memories created by time together as a family are what I hold dearest and the collaborations that mean the most.’

 

3. Challenge them

A press release and guidelines for posting can stifle creativity and make your campaign instantly forgettable. The reason you’re working with bloggers is because they have independently grown a loyal audience, who they know inside out! Take advantage of this – let the bloggers contribute to the campaign plan and find something to challenge them.

For Fiona Maclean, founder of London-Unattached, this approach is vital:

‘I really enjoy being given a challenge and creating something to use a specific ingredient or to pair with a specific wine.’

And for Becky Moore, owner of Global Grasshopper, challenges produce content that’s good for brands and bloggers:

‘We were challenged by Vauxhall to see how much fun we can have in 48 hours in their newly launched mini SUV. So, accompanied by Gary (the team videographer) I took a road trip to the surfer’s paradise: Newquay in Cornwall. We were really lucky with the weather and the scenery was so beautiful and, combined with Gary’s drone footage and creative talents, the video instantly took off on Facebook and YouTube – going viral.’

 

4. Think long-term

When you work with a blogger, you’re tapping into an established brand’s reach and influence. If you do a one off, that’s going to have less impact than working with someone again and again over a period of time, effectively turning them into a brand ambassador.

Angie Silver, who writes the number one London Lifestyle blog, Silverspoon of London, wants you to think long term:

‘I prefer to work on a long-term basis and develop a good working relationship and trust, rather than one-off campaigns or reviews.’

Kimberly Duran, who writes the Best Interior Design Blog Swoon Worthy, also wants the relationship to last:

‘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.’

 

5. Pay your way

There is still a lot of confusion around bloggers getting paid for collaborations. Firstly, they’re not journalists – they’re not on a salary getting paid whether they cover your campaign or not. Secondly, some are professional – which means they need to be paid – and some are hobbyists, which means they might be happy to cover an experience or product for the joy of it.

Remember, it’s not up to you to decide if a blogger decides to charge and you shouldn’t expect professionals to work for free. Often to work with the best bloggers, you will have to pay – but the rewards can be huge!

Craig Landale, responsible for the Best UK Blog – Menswear Style, makes his position on payment clear at the beginning of a relationship:

‘Some brands come through and they know exactly what they want, and they’re up-front about budget – making it clear if they’re willing to pay or not. I always ask about budget to make sure we both know how to work together.’

And Kate Williams, of top arts and crafts blog Crafts on Sea, wishes people would stop offering freebies:

‘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. 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!’

 

The Vuelio Database lists thousands of bloggers, and other influencers from the worlds of media and politics including journalists, editors, MPs and their SpAds. Each listing includes a detailed profile, with pitch tips and PR preferences, to help you make the right relationships in the right ways.