Press and Bloggers - Vuelio

Blogger Spotlight: Paul Hadley, Motor Verso

February 21, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight, Influencers Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Paul Hadley is the author of Motor Verso, a Top 10 UK Automotive Blog. Covering the hottest cars and latest rides, Motor Verso has built a huge following from visually stunning content. We spoke to Paul about amazing cars he’s driven and wants to own, how he works with brands and what’s next for the car blog.

What makes your blog successful?
One of the things that has made Motor Verso such a success, in my opinion, is our way of delivering the content to the user. We focus on consumable, highly visual content that is easy to digest. It’s no surprise that attention spans are short these days, so we try our best to work with that rather than against it.

How has your blog developed from when you first started?
Every day has been a school day on this blogging journey. I’m obsessed with learning and improving Motor Verso to grow both the audience and the business. Since we first started, everything has changed – from how we write content and take pictures to the overall look and feel of the website. I have learned so much over the five years of operation – and most of it the hard way.

What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?
This is the number one question you get as a motoring journalist, and certainly one of the most difficult to answer. Every year I’m impressed with the range of crazy cars I get to drive, and picking the best car is tough. Of course, it always depends on what you’re looking for. Last year the most expensive car I drove was the Rolls-Royce Ghost that I took on a tour of Wales. The fastest was the McLaren 720s which is warp-speed crazy. Still, I personally love the Tesla Model S P100D. It’s insanely practical, its 0-62mph is faster than most supercars and it’s full of the latest technology.

What’s your dream car to own?
Following on from the previous question, the Tesla Model S P100D is my current dream car. It’s not too crazy or out there – I’m not talking about owning a McLaren F1 or LaFerrari, but it is really the car that I’d want to drive every day. It’s certainly a car I think is well built, well priced and lots of fun.

What do you drive at the moment?
For the past few years, I’ve been in the process of testing cars on a weekly basis and haven’t really needed my own car. However, in 2018 I’m focusing a bit more on the business side of things, and improving the reach of the quality content we have. When not driving a test car around, I use a Range Rover Evoque for a bit of luxury. I most recently bought the Nissan Leaf. It’s actually a bit of a Motor Verso project car at the moment; we’re going to create content around the Leaf, exploring daily life with a pure electric car. As the automotive industry is looking at moving away from combustion engines, we want to make sure we’re testing relevant cars and creating relevant content.

Can you predict what year autonomous cars will become ubiquitous?
In short: no, I can’t tell you that for sure. But I can certainly tell you that it is coming. There are lots of cars about out there with certain elements of autonomous capabilities. Here are a few examples: today you can buy a Kia Picanto that has autonomous emergency braking. So if the car thinks you are about to have an accident it will perform an emergency brake for you. Cars such as the Discovery Sport have features such as automated parking that will steer the car and parallel or bay park for you, no hands needed. And then we look at the Teslas and Volvos of the world that currently have pilot assist features, which perform motorway driving to a high standard. So, the technology is definitely out there and working, but the question is more when will we be ready as a society to accept it.

What’s the biggest issue facing the automotive industry at the moment?
Emissions have certainly been a hot topic for many years. As much as I love fast cars with big engines, I do think that it’s important to look at the damage cars do to our environment, and how long things can be sustained for. The use of alternative fuels like electric and hydrogen-powered cars are real feasible options. I’m excited to witness this transition in the motoring industry as we move away from fossil fuels and onto whatever comes next.

How do you like to work with PRs?
All year round we work with different brands on editorial content. We’re not only creating the best possible content for our audience to enjoy, but also maximising the reach and exposure to the companies that we work with. We’ve done photography work, editorials, social media promotions, face-to-face interviews, workshops and product testing with a wide range of brands.

What’s the best campaign you’ve worked on and why?
We have worked on lots of good campaigns with different clients over time. One of the most memorable, purely from a selfish perspective, was creating content around the new Kia Picanto. We travelled to the coast of Tuscany, Italy, on a luxury private jet, and stayed in one of the best hotels I’ve ever seen. We got to drive their cars around the Tuscany area for two days to create some promotional content for Motor Verso – I enjoyed that.

But another noteworthy campaign that we worked on was for a car brake company called Textar. They put on a workshop at one of the facilities so I could take my car down and learn the correct process for installing their braking components. I found that this method on a one-on-one basis was very valuable, and allowed us to create some good cornerstone content on the topic. It really provided a great basis for sharing knowledge on brake refittings while promoting Textar’s brand.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator etc)?
I mostly class myself as a motoring journalist, but I admit I’m a blogger when it comes down to it. I don’t think it really matters too much. I create content across forms – whether that’s written, photographic, or on video – so it always depends on how you interpret that.

What other blogs do you read?
I used to follow a lot of what was going on in motoring online through other car blogs; however, now I’m focusing that time and energy on building my business instead. The blogs I do end up reading are mostly SEO and marketing related. It turns out it’s less BHP and LB-FT and more CTR and SEM nowadays!

Motor Verso and Paul Hadley are listed in the Vuelio Blogger Database, alongside thousands of other influencers including journalists and editors.

10 story leads for the Guardian’s new media editor

February 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, journalism, PR Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Guardian has announced the appointment of its new media editor. Jim Waterson is joining the paper from his role of political editor at BuzzFeed UK. Jim has been with BuzzFeed since 2013, when he helped start the site’s UK news coverage.

On his new role, Jim said: ‘The media business is going through a period of enormous change, the public is waking up to the impact that major internet companies are having on society, and there’s huge interest in the behind-the-scenes forces which shape the news agenda.

‘I’m looking forward to reporting on these stories during an incredibly turbulent age for the industry.’

But where should Jim start? What stories should he be covering? And where will get inspiration for new stories?

Thankfully, Twitter exists. And when Jim announced his new role, the replies came flooding in. To honour the outlet Jim’s leaving, we’ve curated the best and present 10 story leads for the Guardian’s new media editor:

1. ‘Start with the Liverpool Anderson Echo’
Not particularly media-related but a solid place to start, Jim!

2. ‘Social media has replaced film as THE tool to influence and direct masses’
This may be a good point, though IS film the tool to influence and direct masses?

3. Please do something about the @mediaguardian online pages, which often appear stale and unloved
Especially important for corporate bloggers looking for media news…

4. Can’t think of anyone better to cover GDPR implementation and how GDPR will disrupt social media
GDPR will dominate the news on 25 May, but obviously the smart move is to get out ahead of it and publish a white paper on what is changing and what actions you need to take

5. Could you begin your tenure by folllowing the Guardian style guide, in which the ‘media’ (being derived from ‘medium’) are plural?
This should be everyone’s priority. The media ARE dying (don’t worry, it’s not)

6. ‘Will you address the appalling Guardian reporting on @jordanbpeterson that @theknifemedia gave an integrity rating of below 20%?’
Retrospectively assessing other people’s work is likely to be Jim’s first job

7. ‘I hope you will be presenting Jeremy Corbyn in a better light than he has been’
He’s MEDIA editor people, MEDIA

8. ‘There were still journos over the weekend claiming the US ‘only found’ 13 Russians at troll farm so that’s proof of no collusion/didn’t influence results. Shows a dire misunderstanding of digital marketing. Lots to do to educate your profession’
Yeah Jim, educate your profession

9. Please analyse the ideological migration in BBC news coverage over the last four decades
This could quite literally be complaining about the BBC being too left or too right, who can tell nowadays

10. We the people don’t want partisan media we want a free press who will hold to account the ruling party rather than scapegoat the other parties for the ruling party. Stop trying to control everything with politics it’s ruining free speech! Social media is breaking the propoganda
Stop ruining everything with politics, Jim.

We wish Jim the best of luck in his new role; the Guardian’s media pages are must-read across the industry.

Jim’s profile will be updated in the Vuelio Media Database.

Vloggers, YouTube and Brands – who is responsible?

February 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Webinars & Videos, PR News, Blogger PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Logan Paul’s controversial video, in which he showed a suicide victim and joked about the experience, catapulted vlogging into the public’s conscience and raised questions over moderation, censorship and quality control.

YouTube changed its rules, making it harder for creators to make money off videos, and kicked Logan Paul off the platform. The response protected the brands who didn’t want to be associated with negative content, but who is managing the uploads in the first place?

On Wednesday 7 March, Vuelio will be joined by top vlogger and freelance journalist Lucy Wood, who will guide us through the confusing world of brand collaborations on the video-sharing network and what best practice really is.

Sign up to the webinar here

As a journalist, writing for publications such as the Metro, Lucy is regulated. The press industry has standards bodies (IPSO and to a lesser extent IMPRESS), which manage complaints over accuracy and privacy. If Logan Paul had been working for a newspaper site – his video would never have been published.

But as a vlogger, Lucy is not restricted by such rules. Vloggers generally manage their own content – they may sometimes have agents and managers, but to a large extent their videos are created, edited and uploaded without passing through an external source. If someone made a controversial video at a newspaper, it would have to pass through editors and legal teams, who would advise on whether it’s sensible to publish the content – vloggers have no such luxury.

Since the controversy, Logan Paul’s videos are now being checked by his legal team – he thinks he is being censored but this is a man who seems to have learnt nothing.

So, what is the answer? Thankfully, we don’t have to work it out here, because we’ll work it out on 7 March with Lucy. And even if you can’t join us live, sign up for our webinar ‘Vloggers, YouTube and Brands – who is responsible?’ and we’ll send you the recording.

PR lessons from Center Parcs and Richard Littlejohn

February 19, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR Club PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Last week, Tom Daley and his husband Dustin Lance Black announced that they’re expecting their first child. Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn then wrote a piece headlined ‘Please don’t pretend two dads is the new normal’, which led to Center Parcs withdrawing their advertising from the Daily Mail altogether.

Littlejohn’s article was at best controversial and at worse homophobic and bigoted. But it’s not surprising, Littlejohn has written dozens of offensive articles and the views he expresses in this article are not out of character – so why the furore?

Stop Funding Hate, the campaign group that informs brands that their adverts are appearing next to offensive content, has gained huge traction in the 18 months it’s been running. It encourages readers to screenshot or photograph articles that are offensive next to advertisers on the same page and tweet them at the company. Among the group’s ‘victories’ are Lego and the Body Shop, both of which ended their relationship with the Daily Mail after public pressure.

For many brands, the issue is their advertising slots are not handpicked – in a digital world, your advert can go out through a third-party network and appear in places you might not have expected or desired. The brands can limit which outlets they appear on, but with the Mail’s huge online audience and massive output makes it an advertiser’s dream.

But when it goes wrong, what should you, as a PR, do?

Center Parcs was asked the following on Twitter:

Hey @CenterParcsUK does this mean same-sex parents shouldn’t bring their families to your holiday parks?? Pretty confusing message advertising with @DailyMailUK – please address. @StopFundingHate pic.twitter.com/GCu6lfHOvd

— Cal Stannard (@calwst) February 16, 2018

And it responded: ‘We take where we advertise very seriously and have a number of steps to prevent our advertising from appearing alongside inappropriate content.

‘We felt this placement was completely unacceptable and therefore ceased advertising with the Daily Mail with immediate effect.’

This caused division online with some believing they have made the right move by showing their values, and some believing they’re against free speech and should be boycotted themselves. The right action depends on your business and what you want to achieve, but these arguments are worth considering.

Brand Values
It’s building a brand 101 – what do you, as an organisation, believe in and stand for? This can be important to reach the right audience and grow as a company. Center Parcs’ corporate website explains the company’s concept is about ‘bringing families together and back to nature’.

It’s reasonable to believe that Littlejohn’s article, which suggested some families weren’t ‘normal’, goes against these values. And it is easy to argue that in doing nothing, Center Parcs could be seen as endorsing or supporting the content. Your values are your choice – and the decisions you make should align with them. If people don’t like it, they may not be the customers you want.

Getting political
It’s up to you if the brand makes political decisions or actions. Imagine telling Lush it shouldn’t be political – the brand is known for its support of animal welfare (among dozens of other issues) and its customers expect it to make decisions that align with that position. If a brand’s audience doesn’t like it taking a stance, perhaps the company has misjudged their customer base or their customer base has misjudged them.

Censoring free speech
No one is required to advertise in a publication and it’s not a publication’s right to be funded no matter what it publishes. Pulling your adverts is not censoring free speech, it’s making a decision that aligns with your company values and ultimately that decision is going to have an effect on you.

What do you think of the Littlejohn/Center Parcs issue? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 16 February 2018

February 16, 2018/0 Comments/in Five Things, PR Pulse, PR, Marketing, PR News PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This week’s five things, includes misconceptions about influencer marketing, Unilever’s digital ads threat, the consolidation of Ogilvy PR, Max Mosley and Google’s adblocker.

The public doesn’t understand influencer marketing

A survey has found that 71% of people don’t think there are rules for brand collaborations with influencers, and 61% believe influencers don’t have to disclose they’re being paid to talk about a product. The survey, on behalf of Prizeology, also found that 44% of respondents thought influencer marketing was damaging to society.

The problem is a lack of understanding around an industry that is regulated by the ASA and has to comply with the same advertising rules as anyone else receiving money for exposure. This isn’t helped by the spate of recent negative stories, from Elle Darby’s hotel request (not really her fault) to Logan Paul’s suicide video (definitely his fault).

Influencer marketing and brand collaborations will be part of the discussion in Vuelio’s next webinar with top vlogger Lucy Wood. Sign up for Vloggers, YouTube and Brands – who is responsible?

Unilever threatens to withdraw digital ads

The world’s second biggest marketing spender, Unilever, has threatened to remove digital ads from platforms that fail to deal with negative content. Chief marketing and communications officer, Keith Weed, told a US conference: ‘It is in the digital media industry’s interest to listen and act on this. Before viewers stop viewing, advertisers stop advertising and publishers stop publishing.’

While he didn’t name platforms, Google and Facebook take the lion’s share of digital ad spend and face the most criticism for failing to deal with user content.

Weed’s speech was one year on from a similar speech given to the same conference by Marc Pritchard, of P&G. P&G went on to cut its digital ad spending by $100m and saw no negative effects on the business. Whether Unilever’s call will be heeded is unknown, but businesses are much better placed to force change where governments are currently struggling.

Goodbye Ogilvy PR – hello Ogilvy

Ogilvy PR and other ‘sub brands’ of Ogilvy are likely to disappear in the UK as the company follows the agency’s global approach of consolidating into a single, branded, integrated operating company. In an interview with PRWeek, newly appointed CEO Michael Frohlich [Pictured] made it clear the ‘One Ogilvy’ integrated operating system was a priority.

He said: ‘Ogilvy will be known as Ogilvy; that means the Ogilvy PR, Ogilvy One and the Ogilvy advertising logos will be replaced by one single Ogilvy brand. That’s coming in the next couple of months, we hope.’

Max Mosley and the newspaper industry

Max Mosley’s lawyers are attempting to use data protection laws to stop the press from talking about his past or accusing him of controlling government-back regulator IMPRESS. The papers, especially The Times and Daily Mail, have run negative stories this week and are concerned about being censored.

If the challenge was successful, papers would have to remove historical stories from their sites and not run future stories if they contained personal information. Mosley has defended his lawyers’ actions in an article for Press Gazette. Check out the full story on the blog here.

Google turns on adblocker

Google has started automatically blocking intrusive adverts within Chrome. The update released on Thursday, means that the browser 56% of internet users are on, will block full-page prestitial ads, flashing animated ads and auto-playing video ads with sound. The websites that will be targeted by the blocker are to be decided by the Coalition for Better Ads, a group made of members including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, P&G, Unilever, News Corp and Reuters.

Not only will the blocker select websites that repeatedly show the offending advert formats, but it will also target sites that have an advert density of over 30%. Sites that fall foul of Chrome’s new conditions will first be informed, so they have 30 days to change, before Chrome blocks the ads.

Snapchat petition passes 1 million signatures

February 16, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, social media marketing, PR PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

People don’t like change, and nowhere is that truer than on social media. Whenever a platform makes a change, no matter how insignificant, there is a backlash. But for Snapchat, that backlash has come with a petition that’s achieved over one million signatures.

Released on 29 November last year, Snapchat’s ‘new and improved’ format was intended to be organised around the user’s relationships. In a blog post and video, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel explained how the changes would make the platform more personal to the user.

Snapchat was attempting to get out ahead of a problem that every social network to some extent faces – content from the people users want to follow being overwhelmed by content from external sources, such as publishers and advertisers. Facebook has recently announced changes to its News Feed to tackle this exact issue.

For Snapchat though, the changes have not been welcome. In a short petition on change.org, Australian Nic Rumsey explains the update has made ‘many features more difficult’.

The petition goes on to say: ‘There is a general level of annoyance among users and many have decided to use a VPN app, or are using other risky apps or steps, to go back to the old Snapchat as that’s how annoying this new update has become.

‘Many ‘new features’ are useless or defeats the original purposes Snapchat has had for the past years.

‘This petition aims to help convince Snap Inc. to change the app back to the basics, before the new 2018 update.’

While any petition with a million signatures is a big deal, that number is dwarfed by Snapchat’s daily users of nearly 200 million people. But it’s not just the petition Snapchat has to deal with, celebrities have also complained.

As the BBC reports, Chrissy Teigen (model and social media star), tweeted [take that Snapchat!] that she didn’t like her followers not being ‘friends’ and said ‘How many people have to hate an update for it to be reconsidered?’. Kylie Jenner has also complained on Twitter – and if Kylie Jenner isn’t happy with your social network, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Platforms are infamous for ignoring their users who complain about changes and it’s easy to see why (is anyone still complaining about the star icon changing to a heart on Twitter?).

Snapchat’s official response was: ‘We hope the community will enjoy it once they settle in’.

Considering platforms are built on their user base, it is surprising how little power those users seem to have. But then, a petition isn’t power. If those that have signed really wanted to force change, they’d leave the platform altogether. And we all know how likely that is.

Max Mosley Vs Newspapers

February 16, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, journalism, Media Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Max Mosley is reportedly attempting to use data protection laws to stop the press from talking about his past and accusing him of personally funding the Government-backed press regulator IMPRESS (a charity his family trust supports funds it). The Times reports his lawyers are demanding that papers stop processing data related to their client and block or erase data the legal team believes to be inaccurate.

Data protection laws, which are soon to be updated with GDPR, don’t apply in the same way to journalists, who generally have broad exemptions. If the case was successful, papers would have to remove existing online stories about Mosley and not write further stories about his well-reported past. The case would also likely be challenged again after GDPR comes into force on 25 May.

CONFUSED BY GDPR? FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW HERE

Mosley has responded to the story, writing in the Press Gazette about his lack of control over IMPRESS and how he has won, in court, the right to privacy. He writes: ‘It seems to me that I should do everything I can to ensure that reporting on the subject of press regulation is accurate and lawful, given that the newspapers’ self-interest prevents any balanced debate.

‘It is simply untrue to assert, as it [The Times] does in its first leader column, that I am seeking to prevent the public from knowing how Impress is funded. The reverse is true: I am seeking to ensure that they report this accurately.

‘Quite clearly we desperately need Impress or, indeed, any other independent Leveson-compliant regulator and the legal mechanisms to facilitate it.

‘No amount of lies and misconduct by sections of the press can conceal that.’

This is a complicated area as IMPRESS is considered largely unpopular and inadequate, while IPSO (the press regulator of choice for the press) is still run by the publishers and is considered unpopular and inadequate.

The press, to some extent, are almost certainly keen to paint Max Mosley – strong advocate of IMPRESS – in a negative light as they are hugely resistant to Government-backed regulation.

The Government is currently running a consultation into whether it should enact Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which states that any publisher not signed up to a Government-recognised regulator will be liable to pay legal costs of both sides of a complaint, no matter the outcome of the case. IMPRESS is the only recognised regulator and few titles are signed up to it.

While Government-backed regulation for the press is probably not good for free speech, attacking Mosley seems like a counter-productive approach to making this point. Now is the time for the press industry to make clear, sound arguments about why the Government shouldn’t be involved in regulation without resorting to the tactics that everyone wants to see an end of.

Bloggers and Brands Beware

February 14, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, social media marketing, PR, Blogger Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Usually we’re discussing the issue of fake followers, but this week another issue has come to light – fake influencers.

The Blogger Agent, an agency that connects brands and influencers, published a tweet warning about fake influencers:

This is becoming a major issue in the influencer world. Please RT. pic.twitter.com/Nn8K0CiPh8

— The Blogger Agent (@TheBloggerAgent) February 11, 2018

The issue is not a new one, Em Sheldon of Emtalks has previously written a post about this back in 2015. For the fraudsters, the appeal is simple – pretend to be a top influencer, write to brands and ask for samples, freebies and, in some cases, money. Not only is impersonating someone illegal, but misleading a company or brand for gain is fraud and also illegal.

So, what can be done?

Bloggers
For the most part, for the fraud to ‘work’, the scammers use their own email address and physical address for the items to be sent to. Everything else – website and social handles – will belong to the target blogger.

If you display your email address on your blog, then it should be easy for brands to spot fraudulent requests. But this requires a lot of additional work on the part of the brand – and if they’re set up to receive requests, the chances are their blogger outreach is based on incoming communications rather than external research.

Therefore, keep up to date on the leading blogger database, so brands know you’re the real deal – update your details here and a Vuelio researcher will be in touch to verify.

Also think about making your practices clear on your blog – including your email and how you work with people. If you get ANY notifications about working with brands you don’t think you’ve instigated (and they think you did), take it seriously and ask to see the request the brand received.

Blog about it, so other brands can be made aware that you’ve fallen victim to a fraudster, and also report it to Action Fraud.

Brands
Due diligence and extra research steps should help stamp this out. If you accept requests from bloggers, you should double check every single one. Check their website, align details and make sure the person is who they say they are.

Obviously, an easy way to do this is to use the Vuelio Influencer Database – our human research team verifies every listing and does all the complicated research for you – so you can contact (and quickly check incoming contacts from) bloggers, without concern.

If you do get requests that seem fraudulent, tell the genuine influencer. They’ll want to know if someone is pretending to be them, and you can work together to report it.

Bloggers should be seen as collaborating partners and that partnership should be based on a strong relationship. Influencers prefer long term collaborations – it gives them a better sense of your brand and aims, and allows creativity to flourish. As such, sending free samples to bloggers may seem like a quick win in the short term, but it is those that work together on building something truly excellent that will benefit in the long term.

If your brand wants to improve influencer outreach, and reach the right people in the right way, talk to one of our experts here.

5 Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed

February 12, 2018/0 Comments/in Five Things, PR Pulse, journalism, PR, PR News, PR Club Press and Bloggers, PR Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Trinity Mirror buying the Express, Theresa May’s press review, Facebook’s age issue, Poundland’s banned ads and John Humphreys – are you up-to-date with everything that’s happened from the world of PR, media and communications? Here’s five things you shouldn’t have missed.

1. Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express publisher

Trinity Mirror has paid £126.7m for Northern & Shell’s publishing assets, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK! And New!. That means the owner of the (left-wing) Daily Mirror now owns the (right-wing) Daily Express.

It hopes to make £20m savings on the deal – the biggest cost-cutting coming from overlapping editorial skills; for example, having just one journalist at a sporting event. This pooling of talent won’t extend to politics though, as each paper Trinity Mirror owns will keep its current stance.

Trinity Mirror now also boasts 234m global unique readers online – a huge asset the company will now be looking to capitalise on.

2. Theresa May launches sustainability of the press review

The Prime Minister has announced a review into the sustainability of the press. A panel of experts will be looking at the health of the newspaper industry, how it is being affected by a decline in print circulations, funding models for printing, and how the industry is being impacted by Google and Facebook. The review will also investigate ‘clickbait’ and attempt to ‘tackle’ and ‘undermine’ it.

May said the closure of titles was a ‘danger to our democracy’. Her speech announcing the review focused on local titles, but the investigation will take in every level of the press industry to determine if the Government needs to implement measures or if the industry can sort itself out.

3. Out with young, in with the old

Facebook has a youth problem. The platform isn’t cool anymore (anymore?), and a new survey from eMarketer has found that teens and young adults are leaving the platform in favour of Instagram (which Facebook owns) and increasingly Snapchat (which it doesn’t). The survey predicts 700,000 fewer 12-24 year olds will use Facebook in 2018.

On the plus side, 500,000 new over-55s are expected to join Facebook this year, making it the second-biggest demographic on the network (behind 16-34 year olds). While this group is lucrative for some advertisers (who are chasing the grey pound), eMarketer believes they’re on the platform to keep up with their children and grandchildren. If the kids go, parents might follow.

This is the latest of Facebook’s problems, which have recently included the News Feed and Fake News.

4. ASA bans Poundland’s Elf on the Shelf ads

Poundland’s risqué Christmas social media ads, that featured the popular children’s character Elf on the Shelf in a variety of poses (some sexual, some demeaning to women), have been banned from appearing again by the Advertising Standards Authority. Poundland argued the adverts were based on humour and double entendres, were made so as not to be understood by children and suggested Twitter and Facebook’s minimum age of 13 for users stopped children accessing them.

The ASA ruled the ads could still be seen by children, they were not on age-gated pages and in at least two instances were demeaning to women. For Poundland’s part, the ban may have been worth it, as the very low-budget campaign yielded great financial results. Poundland has also launched a campaign to reverse the decision so their naughty Elf ads can appear again next year.

5. John Humphreys flustered by Jo Swinson
John Humphreys was caught out last week when interviewing Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats. In an interview about sexual harassment and conduct in parliament, Swinson blindsided Humphreys by asking if he had apologised to Carrie Gracie (after audio emerged of he and John Sopel making light of the gender pay gap). Humphreys, said he had, but was clearly annoyed by the question and said it was irrelevant to the discussion. Watch the exchange below:

Liberal Democrat @joswinson turns the tables on @BBCr4today presenter John Humphrys with a question about Carrie Gracie and equal pay. pic.twitter.com/jVE4gXD06R

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) February 8, 2018

Trinity Mirror buys Daily Express, Daily Star and OK!

February 9, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, journalism, Media Media Database, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Trinity Mirror has agreed a deal worth £126.7m for the publishing assets of Northern & Shell. The purchase includes the titles the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, OK!, New! And Star.

The sale brings Richard Desmond’s 18-years in charge of the titles to an end, and follows the sale of his other assets including Channel 5 in 2015 and the adult television network Portland in 2016. He still owns the Health Lottery and is rumoured to be contemplating a bid for a licence to run the National Lottery.

Desmond paid £125m for the Express titles in 2000, and the lack of price rise reflects the struggles the print industry faces. Simon Fox, chief executive of Trinity Mirror, defies this viewpoint though and told the Today programme: ‘It’s a very wise investment. We’ve had plenty of time to think about this carefully.’

Northern & Shell did report a £34m profit last year, but as Press Gazette points out, traditional media is a dying business model, as the group has only sold for five times profit, whereas Twitter – which made losses of £2bn since launch – has a market capitalisation of over £20bn.

Fox also suggested cost-cutting measures, which may include a number of job losses: ‘For example, [instead of] sending two reporters to a football game, we can send one.’ The savings are expected to be around £20m a year (which does make the deal look like a very wise investment).

And for those concerned about the editorial output of the titles, the cost-cutting, single-reporter-at-an-event measures won’t stretch to politics. Fox explained that allegiances of the papers wouldn’t change: ‘The Daily Express is not going to become left-wing and the Mirror is not going to become right-wing.’

Nationally, Trinity Mirror is now responsible for a daily circulation of over 1.3m across three titles (though this still falls short of The Sun’s circulation). It also has hundreds of other regional and local titles, including the Manchester Evening News and Birmingham Post, and is the UK’s biggest regional newspaper group.

Online, the group will now boast 234m global uniques, which is massive. But turning those numbers into profit (and a reliable part of the business model) is something every publisher is still struggling with, and there is no agreement on what will work. Now the merger has been agreed, expect months of turmoil and changes across the UK’s media industry.

Blogger Spotlight: Lizzie Owen, Mummy in Manolos

February 9, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This is the second part of our interview with Lizzie Owen, who is both a freelance PR and blogger. You can read her PR Spotlight here. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective.

In this Blogger Spotlight, Lizzie talks to us about being a Progger (we’re making it a thing), working with PR as a blogger and the joy of Frozen.

Why did you start your blog?
While I was working with Portrait Communications, they were handling John Lewis toys and Steiff Teddies. I was contacting parent bloggers for reviews, and found it a totally different type of approach than for press. For a start, they didn’t work the same hours, so response was normally a day later, as they have jobs to go to, lived outside of London and had their own terms and conditions. It was a completely new world.

I met an awesome blogger during this time (2010) called Sian To, who was running a blogging conference called Cybermummy, which she invited me to. I accepted and fell into the world of blogging and set up Mummy in Manolos as a way of understanding it all, almost like some sort of experiment. Then I became one of the bloggers I was approaching, while networking and becoming friends with some of the UK’s top influencers from the other side of the fence. This led to helping Sian with Cybher, collaborating with Molly Makes and my client Home Barn, organising blogger workshops and becoming familiar within this world because I was a blogger too! So I was the PR AND the Blogger….Progger !?!

I loved it, but because my PR business was becoming so busy, my blogging took a bit of a backseat, and I didn’t keep up with it. I wish I had now, as I see so many of my friends doing so well, like the lovely Kate Watson-Smyth and Will Taylor!

How do you work with PRs as a blogger?
Because I’m a PR, I like to approach the brands personally. I know never expect to be given anything in return, especially at this stage, as I’ve only just really got back on it again. I’m not that keen to re-write a brand’s SEO key words though, as it really doesn’t suit my style of writing, and it looks like a sponsored post as it’s not in my voice (I’d hate to ruin my blog by allowing brands to use it just as an SEO platform). Hence why I make that move and approach brands who create products and events I am personally passionate about. I like a PR to approach me with something that fits my brand, because they’ve noticed my Instagram posts, (@mummyinmanolos you lovely lot), or have checked old posts and are familiar with my style. And clearly, I’m quite empathetic when I’m approached, as I do what they do. In fact, they inspire me, and I gain invaluable insight when I am approached. I’m always fascinated by the new and exciting ways to engage bloggers with fun and interactive events.

What’s your favourite thing to blog about?
Originally, this all started out as something to do while I was on Mat Leave, and I absolutely adore Vivienne Westwood and Manolo Blahnik, so you’d think it would be all about fashion and shoes. But actually, I’ve found that as I’ve matured, so many things have become much more of a passion, and I’m hugely into holistic healing, but with a twist. Whatever I talk about has to have cool branding and a beautiful aesthetic with genuine soul to it. I go on a bit about yoga, holistic healing, interiors, fitness, art, food, festivals – so life and style!

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a blogger, it had to be the private screening of the film Frozen when it first launched in the UK. Disney had organised for the producers of Frozen to fly over from LA for the BAFTAs, Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck who had just won an award, then attended the Soho Hotel cinema screening, with a Q&A session at the end. My little girls just curled into complete shyness when it came to that part, bless them. In fact, so did I! But, it was such an honour considering little ones are still singing ‘Let it go’ to this day! I’ll never forget my smallest Poppy giving Chris Buck a picture of Elsa she’d drawn for him as a thank you.

What other blogs do you read?
So many have come and gone, but my absolute favourites are: Mad About The House; Dear Designer; Arianna’s Daily; Bright Bazaar; The Brand Stylist; Design Sheppherd; Coco’s Tea Party; and Poppy Loves. There are so many incredible blogs out there, it’s fantastic so many are now giving it a go. I love the community!

Lizzie Owen and Mummy in Manolos are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.

PR Spotlight: Lizzie Owen

February 8, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News, Blogger, PR Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Lizzie Owen is a freelance PR and blogger, responsible for Mummy in Manolos. Lizzie started blogging out of a necessity to understand how bloggers work and their needs from a PR perspective. She now has seven years’ experience blogging, and can confidently approach bloggers on behalf of clients and understands influencer outreach form a unique perspective.

In the first of our two part interview, Lizzie talks to us about her PR career, how starting a blog has made her better at influencer outreach and the tips she’d give other PR professionals.

Can you tell us about your career as a PR?
Pure chance. After leaving Fashion College (Ravensbourne) during a recession in 1992 and working for a wax jacket company near our farm in Staffordshire called John Partridge. They didn’t have a design job, but there was a new role as the CEO’s PA, which quickly became an ‘everything’ sort of role, and it turned out I quite enjoyed organising country pursuit events (Aston Martin Historic Racing being my favourite), fashion shoots in the Cotswolds and Devon, and organising trade shows all over Europe.

I then turned my hand to writing. My mentor Nigel Calladine was brutal at making me learn the secrets to a successful release. To this day, I still use his technique. After the company relocated me to their Dover Street showroom, I soon started to relive my London life and drifted from there to PR agencies, Events Companies, dot.coms (when they first appeared in 1996) and onto an advertising agency. All of this was great fun, but meant ultimately, I was missing the role as an in-house PR.

Then in 2004 I joined Laura Ashley, and climbed the ladder to Head of PR during a successful run with the business. One marriage and two babies later, in 2008 we moved from Battersea to Marlow in the Buckinghamshire countryside, and found the commute challenging, so set up my own PR thing here in Marlow, working for brands such as: Home Barn; ACHICA.com; Indian Ocean Outdoor Furniture; Lisa Stickley; London Fashion Week; V V Rouleaux; Smink Things; Danetti.com; and Portrait Communications.

After a year of taking time out to assess what I really love doing, I’ve set up my own PR thing again, including Sales and Social Media into the mix, as I do feel they all relate so closely to each other for brands trying to launch themselves.

What have you learnt about blogging that’s made you better as a PR?
Mainly approach and trust. Everyone prefers a tailored experience rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach, especially with an exclusive. As a blogger, I’m not keen on PRs of brands assuming I can attend their event within two days of it actually happening. To me, that looks like I’ve been put on a secondary list because their prioritised invitees have not accepted. I also know about this from the other side of the fence, and I like to warn my clients that they may have to pay for posts for appropriate reach, and to never expect bloggers with amazing reach to cover their brand in return for product, or worse still, exposure! If you want your brand to fall flat on its face, and be totally ripped to pieces by secret blogger groups, mention the word ‘exposure’. That’ll get them right up there with the last-minute invite brigade!

It’s taken years to work out what each blogger loves, what they write about, their voice, their humour, which Social Media platforms they like to chat on the most, supporting them where possible and offering appropriate releases. There are some bloggers out there who haven’t heard from me for a while as a PR, because I’ve felt my clients may not interest them due to their style.

It’s all about the research, taking a genuine interest in their blog and loving what they do and interacting with them as a fellow blogger. I’m so thrilled when a PR approaches me after finding out what I do, becoming familiar with my posts, and offering me something that fits my style. I realise this is hugely time consuming, but once the tribe is created, the more trust is given. Also, as with the press, I pick up the phone and talk to them. I avoid the 3pm to 6pm slot, as that’s normally pick-up/work/supper/clubs/homework time for me too, and I never expect an immediate response, although, one of my clients is an absolute minx and throws things at me very last minute, and I know exactly who to go to for those types of emergencies – my nearest and dearest usually help me out there!

What do PRs get wrong?
Not warning their clients what to expect from bloggers, and how much more powerful their reach is than traditional hard media. Throwing out a large blogging fishing net and seeing what will be dragged back in. Some find it an insult to receive a release given to thousands of others who may not be suitable to a certain brand. Inboxes are filled with this kind of approach, and it’s really quite damaging to an agency’s reputation when this happens, especially if it’s a young PR intern, thrown into the lion’s den after just graduating, because the more seasoned PRs who prefer not to do the direct blogger relations feel it’s not their duty. It’s a hard way to learn a career lesson.

What collaborations have you enjoyed working on?
As a PR, I loved it when I forced Home Barn to make ENORMOUS efforts to pull together a creative space for Mollie Makes Magazine at Cybher’s conference way back in 2012. It was a huge success, as they’d created a beautiful space, full of their vintage pieces with rustic tables and benches, perfect for Instagrammers and bloggers resting between sessions and networking, while crocheting or learning how to, by the then editor Lara Watson. It was awesome! Sarah and Sally who founded Home Barn back in 2010, also gave away fab little goodie bags containing a release and tiny vintage glass bottles. Needless to say, they were hugely appreciated! It was such a meeting of likeminded souls who loved to blog, appreciated all things vintage and loved a spot of makery while chatting away with fellow bloggers!

What are the biggest differences between traditional media outreach and working with digital influencers?
I definitely think it’s very much the same approach, ensuring a carefully selected and appropriate blogs for the brand, but with a far more creative angle to ensure the right influencers are kept engaged. There is far more creative license with a blogger than a member of printed press. They’re mostly not employed by an editor who ultimately controls the content. You know that the final edit will be with the person you first contacted, and if it’s great content with beautiful imagery, that will be online forever, not just for that one magazine or print run up to 6 months down the line.

Plus, serious bloggers make sure they interact with their readers to ensure they return. Personal touches like that ensure loyalty, so feedback from an article is also the added benefit of what people think of your product or service. You get so much more from a blog post than printed media, and it can be taken so much further. The more creative the approach, the more engagement there’s going to be. Sadly, press now have smaller teams, and often find it challenging to return calls or emails due to time and staff restrictions and deadlines, rarely finding the time to leave their desks for events.

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

Blogger Spotlight: Naomi Lewis, The Naomi Narrative

February 7, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Merryn Williams

Naomi Lewis writes The Naomi Narrative, which was recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Relationship and Dating Blogs. Naomi started her blog after an unbelievably crappy date, and now shares experiences of dates as well advice around sex and relationships. We spoke to Naomi about the best date she’s ever been on, making a good impression and working with brands on campaigns.

What makes your blog successful?
I’m not sure I could pinpoint one certain thing but definitely shameless self-promotion to get my work out there has had an effect. Also, I would’ve though the honesty behind my writing. I don’t just fluff things up for the sake of it, I get right into the nitty gritty and I think people really appreciate the tough love approach.

What’s the best date you’ve ever been on?
It’s nothing grand, I went for a meal and a dance. Sounds pretty plain, right? It was, but great dates are all about the company you keep. We weren’t even meant to be seeing each other this night and I got a text saying, ‘I’ve booked your favourite place at 6 for dinner, I’ll meet you there’. Great start – love the romantic spontaneity, and it just got better. We kept having to send the waitress away because we were gabbing that much we hadn’t had time to even consider what to order, we had a great meal and then went on to have a drink, a dance and a laugh for the rest of the night.

What made this such a great date when it sounds so normal? It was thoughtful, and it was so easy. Just a simple meal and a drink was one of the best dates ever – no grandeur, no forward planning, no massive expense – just good company and great chemistry.

What top tips would you give to people to make a great impression on a first date?
Always answers questions with questions to keep the conversation flowing, there is nothing worse than an awkward silence but if you make an effort to keep things ticking over, then you’ll never have to worry about that! Also, remember the old saying ‘you never get a second chance at a first impression’ because it’s totally true – don’t be afraid to get dolled up to the nines or suited and booted, and keep smiling – it’s infectious.

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I mean, sure, it’s a good excuse to spoil your partner but IMO, it’s become a bit of a Hallmark season now. I think and people can go a little overboard which is, of course, fine as everyone’s different. In my opinion, the little things throughout the year adding together mean more than a grand gesture on Valentine’s Day would – but like I said, that’s just me.

How much is your content about you and your experiences, and how much is it about others?
It’s a real mixture of both. I’ve written a lot about my own dates, the single life and my emotions and now that I’m in a long-term relationship, I write about the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship – the good, the bad and the ugly! I also find it useful to write up things I’ve learned that are happening in the dating scene too. For instance, new apps and their pros/cons, new dating trends that are surfacing, and a bit of the psychology behind dating and relationships too. It’s all SO interesting and the great thing about it is that EVERY SINGLE PERSON can relate to it all.

What’s your favourite thing to write about?
I’m a bit six-of-one-half-a-dozen-of-the-other when it comes to my favourite writing style. I do like to get deep with some posts and really explore why we do what we do and what happens when, etc, and go into a bunch of detail, of course with a positive spin on it all. Like this one.

However, I have just as much fun writing blogs that are a little more risqué but putting in a little humour too to take the ‘awky’ edge off. Like this one.

How do you like to work with PRs and brands?
I guess it all depends on the brand/campaign. I really like to put my own spin on things and the brand/campaign has to be inexplicably linked to dating/relationships because my content always has to stay true to my own brand. The brands I’ve worked with so far have been great because there’s always been give and take and being able to communicate exactly what you want to achieve from either end ensures that everyone gets what they want out of the campaign – which is the dream right?

Are there any stand out campaigns that you have been involved with?
I’ve worked with all sorts of brands, from lingerie and sex toys, to greetings cards, health and wellbeing, and apps. There has been a whole plethora of different campaigns I’ve been lucky to be a part of but I would say the biggest things to come out of my blog are my columns.

Due to the success of my blog, I’ve landed myself a column in #DATING – the only dating magazine on the market and I have a weekly column talking all things dating, sex and relationships in real life magazine Loveit!

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I’d definitely call myself a blogger because I’m all about the writing. Of course, I appreciate other blogs with beautiful photos but for me, blogging’s all about the words.

What other blogs do you read?
I must admit, I love reading other dating and relationships blogs, it’s always good to see difference in perspective and opinion on subjects you’re interested in! For instance, All Sweetness and Life, Never Settle (Eve Greenow), etc.

Naomi is listed with her blog on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.

Blogger Spotlight: Eve Greenow, Never Settle

February 7, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Merryn Williams

Eve Greenow writes Never Settle, the Top 10 Dating Relationship Blog. Started in 2015 after she got out of a toxic relationship, Eve uses her blog to encourage people to be happy – after all, you only live one life. We spoke to Eve about making a great first impression on a date, Valentine’s Day and working with brands.

What makes your blog successful?
As with most bloggers, so much time and commitment goes into keeping up my blog, ensuring quality and relevant content. Never Settle pushes the latest trends to the forefront of discussion, tackling controversial and taboo subjects head on in a completely non-judgemental manner. With my content, I look to provide a range of outcomes and a way of achieving them, based on a mixture of personal experience and extensive psychological and sociological research.

My blog wasn’t created to complain, gloat or judge anyone, it’s there as a tool for anyone who wants to make themselves happier, better informed and ultimately more confident in their love lives. I hope that my posts are relatable, useful and encourage personal empowerment – that’s why it’s successful, because it genuinely helps people who have gone through similar situations.

What’s the best date you’ve ever been on?
The best date must have been geocaching around Aberystwyth when I was at University. It was different, and related to our conversations we’d had previously. It’s basically treasure hunting using coordinates – sounds super nerdy but it’s so fun searching for ‘hidden treasure’. It meant we could just chat while walking along in the sun; doing something fun during the day. No awkward meals (I always end up becoming a messy nervous eater!) – just getting to know each other.

What top tips would you give to people to make a great impression on a first date?
Remember it’s just two people meeting, avoid putting too much pressure on yourself or the situation. Listen attentively, avoid asking too many interrogatory questions (it’s not an interview!), smile, be yourself and enjoy it!

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I am a true romantic, and I religiously write Valentine’s Day content every year, both for the single and the coupled-up. Personally, I think we should celebrate our relationships every day, regardless of whether they are romantic or not. Friendships should be celebrated for their love too. But I’m definitely not one for a cuddly toy bear holding a heart!

How much is your content about you and your experiences, and how much is it about others?
I write a lot about experiences or topics I’m personally passionate about, or if I see a relationship on TV or a friend has a problem, usually it sparks me to write a post. I usually base my content on psychological and sociological research, with a smidgen of personal experience. Some posts in my lifestyle section are directly about me, and usually if they are I refer to myself in the first person. Many people think ALL of my posts are about me, but they’re actually not. I have friends and family who ring me up after I post about cheating or breakups, when actually it’s nothing to do with me!

I enjoy answering people in my new agony aunt section ‘Ask Eve’, where anyone can anonymously send in their relationship, dating or lifestyle questions.

What’s your favourite topic to write about?
As sad as it sounds, I love writing about love. So, if any new psychological research is published to do with relationships, I enjoy exploring how it relates to other research, or my previous posts. Having people write in for ‘Ask Eve‘, is really exciting, I love writing answers to the, it makes me really feel like I’m helping people more directly.

I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite thing to write about, but I also really appreciate my personal posts on mental health and lifestyle, I find it a really cathartic process, especially if it helps other people. Finally, writing break-up posts is super interesting to me, I want to bring as much comfort and help to those looking for it, so I try and craft my break-up posts to be as inspiring and motivating as possible – while ensuring that we allow ourselves to grieve properly rather than cover up our emotions.

How do you like to work with PRs and brands?
I like to ensure when I work with PR agencies and brands, that it’s mutually beneficial. I don’t generally accept work with brands that aren’t relevant to my content (as it messes with the consistency of the site), but it’s about ensuring that we work as a partnership, and both of us are happy with the content. Whether it be working on a giveaway or sponsored post, or reviews, I always love working together with brands and PR agencies to push conversions, ROI and give my readers something new and fresh to discover.

Are there any stand out campaigns that you have been involved with?
I really enjoyed working with LELO, the luxury Swedish pleasure brand, on their release of the SONA Cruise. Instead of simply reviewing or pushing people to buy, I explored the taboo subject of female masturbation – how female pleasure is really important, and the inner workings of the female anatomy.

I naturally introduced the product into the post, as the perfect product to explore and use to achieve mind-blowing orgasms. It had great engagement and a high CTR: women are intrigued but afraid to admit it out loud, so introducing a new product this way worked really well. I am an ongoing LELO affiliate, and love working with their products in general, whether it be in a gift guide or bringing my readers new, exciting products I know they’ll love.

What do you call yourself (blogger/influencer/content creator)?
I call myself a blogger, as I consider myself as a writer overall. Although I love creating content for my social feeds and blog, the written content is what drives me and Never Settle.

What other blogs do you read?
I love reading other blogs, it’s one of my favourite past times, and I really enjoy discovering new ones too! Some of my favourites are Hannah (The Giraffe’s Life), Scarlett London, Naomi Narrative and Giulia Smith.

Eve Greenow and Never Settle are both listed with her blog on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.

London Beauty Queen rebrands to become Hayley Hall UK

February 6, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Hayley Hall has rebranded her award-winning beauty blog – London Beauty Queen, which has been a key part of the beauty blogging industry since its launch 2010. Now called Hayley Hall UK, the blog covers more than beauty with fashion, lifestyle and thought-pieces also featuring prominently.

We caught up with Hayley to find out about the rebrand and what it means for the blog.

Why have you rebranded?
It’s something I’d been thinking a lot about in the last year or so, having been using the LBQ alias for nearly a decade. Although the name had become rather iconic, I felt I was becoming more and more distanced from it – especially as I started as a 27-year-old single Londoner and am now a 35-year-old married woman living in the Shires! I felt like it no longer reflected who I was or what I wanted to write about, so I spent a year transitioning away from only beauty and introducing more topics – including fashion, lifestyle, travel, wedding and home.

Back in 2010 we all picked random names that stuck in heads but didn’t exactly have longevity, so it was an inevitability to drop LBQ at some point; when I married last year, it seemed like a natural progression to adopt my new name as my online identity too.

What can we expect from Hayley Hall?
More of the same – I’ve spent 12 months transitioning and measuring the popularity of different types of content, so the name change is more of a branding issue than anything else.

What’s the rebranding process like in terms of website management?
Easier than you may expect, but you do have to prepare and be organised! The hardest thing was finding social handles that I could use, so I spent a long time setting up test accounts and claiming different names so they would be as consistent as possible. The URL switch was relatively easy and londonbeautyqueen.com will continue to redirect to hayleyhall.uk, but it’s all the niggly bits that take the time; it was a full day of admin and updating to get it all in order.

Are you measuring the brand change in any way/are you hoping for any particular outcomes?
One of the main reasons for the name change was the fact many brands and PRs couldn’t see past my URL; they made the assumption that I was only interested in beauty or was much younger than I am. I’m hoping rebranding helps me to build connections outside of the beauty world and continue to connect with brands I’m passionate about.

How does this affect how you’re working with brands/PRs?
Only positively – I’m open to covering different topics and collaborating with different sectors.

Do you think this marks a wider trend in bloggers moving from single topics to broader lifestyle subjects?
Yes absolutely. Many of us started with a singular interest, but after doing the same thing for such a long time, it’s vital to diversify to maintain your passion. I became a bit lethargic with beauty launches, having seen the same thing five times already, so I needed to introduce new areas to keep my creativity flowing. Readers are also increasingly interested in the person behind the blog, rather than just what they’re reviewing; I get some of my best engagement on fashion posts and thought pieces, although beauty will always remain a huge focus for me.

Do you consider yourself a lifestyle brand?
Not really. I’m a writer and creative, even though what I’ve created is a brand in the simplest terms.

What do you call yourself (blogger, content creator, influencer)?
All of the above, depending upon who I’m talking to! I work with a lot of brands on a consultancy basis (utilising my decades worth of experience in digital marketing, social media and branding) so I’m not just one thing – even day to day I totally change!

Hayley Hall and her blog, Hayley Hall, are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database.

Making sense of the Carillion Collapse

February 6, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Government, PR News, Communications Stakeholder Engagement, Political Services, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

The Carillion Collapse sent shockwaves throughout the nation’s infrastructure and establishment. The liquidation of a company with such a diverse portfolio of responsibilities, contracts and employees, was always going to lead to a major national crisis.

Now the dust is beginning to settle (though there’s clearly still some way to go), and Carillion’s stakeholders are fighting to be heard. From the Government, which is both regulator and customer, to the unions representing frontline workers – Carillion’s roots run deep.

Vuelio specialises in managing stakeholder relations, whether that’s building relationships with key influencers or tracking incoming phone calls from members of the public. Using our stakeholder tools and the in-house intelligence of our Political Services Team, we’ve been tackling the Carillion fallout since it collapsed.

We’ve read the reports, monitored the mentions and unravelled the endless relationship ties to create one clear picture of Carillion’s Stakeholders. Our white paper ‘Collapse of Carillion’ brings everything together and answers the big questions:

How has the Opposition been capitalising on the firm’s demise?
What are the conflicts surrounding financial services companies?
How have Carillion’s competitors reacted?
In what way is the media covering this?
What’s being done to stop this happening again?

The white paper also includes an exclusive diagram of Carillion’s stakeholders and research into the political social media reaction – so you can see which politicians and Lords have been saying what.

No matter if you’re directly or indirectly affected by Carillion, download our whitepaper and see how the biggest story of 2018 has unfolded.

5 top tips from the Influencers

February 5, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, PR Club PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Vuelio recently hosted a Meet the Influencers session at the CIPR’s Influence Live event. Jo Middleton, Slummy Single Mummy, and Jane Cunningham, British Beauty Blogger, sat with PR and comms experts to discuss building relationships and outreach best practice.

At Vuelio, we spend a lot of time talking to bloggers, vloggers and Instagram stars, and we hear the same suggestions, grievances and tips over and over. Jo and Jane also covered these points, so we thought it was high time for a refresher.

The top five tips from influencers:

1. Professional bloggers are running a business
Jane, a journalist by trade, pointed out that journalists and bloggers are not the same. Journalists are generally salaried, being paid by an outlet or publisher no matter how much time they spend writing about any given topic. As such, PRs have rarely, if ever, had to pay journalists directly for coverage – and often a free trip can seem like their ‘treat’ (even though it’s their job to cover such things).

For professional bloggers, if they don’t get paid, they don’t pay bills. Some bloggers still accept freebies in return for coverage, but they’re often hobbyists who don’t depend on their blogging income to live. It may feel like a culture shift, but the outcomes can be different too – which leads nicely on to…

2. You can expect to get more from bloggers
If you don’t pay journalists, you generally can’t demand too much of their time for reports or metrics on the success of your content. Bloggers, on the other hand, should be seen as collaborators – they’re working with you on your project or campaign and you can agree metrics and results up front. Jo loves being part of the campaign, and advocated Iceland’s style of requesting analytics and making her work hard, as she prefers knowing how her part in the campaign is contributing and being used by the brand, rather than being just one post in a huge machine. Which is point three:

3. Collaborations should be more than one post
Again, this isn’t traditional media outreach. While journalists could be called ‘influencers’, their role is fundamentally different and the word ‘influencer’ (though disliked by many bloggers) has only risen to prominence with the digital age. So, if you’re looking for publication of a press release, go traditional, but if you’re looking to positively influence an audience (niche or otherwise) and want to see positive results over a sustained period of time – use influencers.

4. Build relationships
This IS the same across traditional and new media outreach. And for some reason, it comes up again and again and again. Don’t start emails ‘Hi dear’, or ‘Hi NAME OF BLOG’ – Jo isn’t called Slummy Single Mummy and Jane isn’t British Beauty Blogger. If you’re struggling to find the right names and merge your emails professionally, you’re obviously not using Vuelio. We list detailed profiles, with names, PR preferences and bios so you can get to know the influencers before you send that first email. And when you’re ready to contact influencers, spend time building relationships – as with traditional outreach, good relationships lead to better results all round.

5. It’s not all about social
This varies brand to brand, company to company, but social isn’t the be all and end all. You may be working on behalf of a client who wants to be ‘big’ on Instagram. That’s fine. You may be working in-house and think a few well-placed tweets are where it’s at – also fine. Only you know what works for you, but remember that social posts are fleeting, audiences are fickle and ‘longevity’ is a word that no one uses in a hashtag.

Yes, you may want social-only collaborations with influencers (and Jo described a dramatic increase in brands who just want Instagram posts), but if you want true influence, and you want your product/service/brand/concept to reach a loyal audience of engaged readers, then remember the blog. Bloggers spend a long time cultivating their blogs, which are their publications, and it would be foolish to overlook them.

Struggling with Influencer Outreach? Don’t know where to begin with bloggers? Check out the Vuelio Influencer Database – it’s been built for you.

Blogger Spotlight: Halima Khatun, HalimaBobs

February 5, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Blogger, Blogger Spotlight Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Merryn Williams

Halima Khatun is author of HalimaBobs, the beauty and lifestyle blog, which is all about positivity, not perfection. A former broadcast journalist, Halima is now the owner of PR agency HK Communications. We spoke to Halima about blogging as a PR pro, being real, working in partnership with PRs and blogging since the birth of her child.

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog for three reasons: firstly, to satisfy my creative juices and write some light-hearted, frivolous content that was far removed from my day job of a PR consultant. Secondly, I didn’t see a blog out there that offered unfiltered, detailed, beauty-based content; a lot of blogs are quite aspirational and advertorial. Finally, I wanted to read something that was aimed at the everyday beauty novice that doesn’t have hours to create the perfect no-makeup-makeup look!

What makes your blog successful?
I write as I speak, so my content is often a dry, witty stream of consciousness! I believe that in a world of filter, real un-airbrushed content is a refreshing novelty!

Is there a difference in how PRs approach you as a blogger compared to how you were approached as a broadcast journalist?
Most PRs are fantastic. But there has been the odd PR who would treat me differently than they would a journalist. Occasionally, I have been on the receiving end of a PR fail, from the failure to follow through on a collaboration, to trying to overtly control editorial content. But thankfully, the bad PRs experiences are greatly outweighed by the good, with most practitioners really valuing the brand recognition bloggers can bring.

As a blogger, how do you like to work with PRs?
I see my work with PRs as more of a partnership, as bloggers and PRs can’t function without one another. So, whether it’s collaborating on a giveaway, a product/service review or a sponsored post, I always work closely with the PR I’m dealing with to ensure we’re both happy. I also aim to offer a critique of most of the products I’m sent for review, not just the good stuff. Lastly, I’ll always keep the PR in question in the loop with the progress of my articles and send a link once live, rather than expect them to look out for their client mention themselves.

Have you noticed a change in what you write about since having a baby?
Absolutely! As my blog is a small window into my life, inevitably I include articles about my biggest life event! So, as well as blogging about baby and mum-to-be products, I’ve written more in-depth articles about life as a working mum, dealing with mother’s guilt etc. These topics have really struck a chord and have also featured on the Huffington Post, where I also blog.

How did you get from your first PR role to your current position?
With some smart choices and a sprinkle of luck! My career grew very organically as I started as a broadcast journalist with ITV and the BBC, and then joined the dark side – PR(!). From there, I made the transition from agency to in-house. I’ve worked with some of the UK’s largest corporates, and after a decade in the industry, I decided to set up my own consultancy, HK Communications. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and in 2015, I felt I had the right amount of experience to make it happen.

Having worked as a journalist, do you believe you have a different take on PR and communications to other agencies?
Definitely. I believe in the old school PR of finding a great story and telling it. So, having a nose for a story really helps. Plus being a former journalist adds real credibility and a reassurance for clients. After all, it’s easier to write and pitch a story knowing what would interest the journalist, given that I used to be one. Also, I offer PR training as well as consulting, so a big part of this is helping small business owners think like a journalist. Again, having been one myself helps, as I’ve walked the walk.

As a PR professional, do you work with bloggers? If so, are there differences in how you work with bloggers compared with traditional media journalists?
As my consultancy offers more B2B PR, I haven’t had much scope to work with bloggers, but I would certainly be open to it if the opportunity arose!

What changes are you looking to make to your PR strategy in 2018?
Well I’m expanding my team, having brought on associates in the run up to my maternity leave. I’m also focusing more on my PR training arm which is ideal for micro-businesses that don’t have the budget for a PR agency. 2018 is looking to be very exciting indeed!

Do you have a career mantra or a piece of advice that you follow?
Not a mantra per se, but I always advise networking and nurturing contacts. I’m always of the view that every connection you make can add value in some way. You might generate a business lead, learn something new or simply meet a great person. In fact, this interview came about after networking at the Vuelio Blog Awards!

Halima Khatun and HalimaBobs are both listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 2 February 2018

February 2, 2018/0 Comments/in Five Things, PR Pulse, social media marketing, journalism, PR, PR News PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Happy Groundhog Day! This week’s five things includes BBC pay, Matt Hancockers, Facebook’s users, grid girls and a video of the ‘most British resignation ever’.

1. BBC Pay

Gender inequality in BBC pay remains under the spotlight, dominating the media world. After Carrie Gracie publicly resigned from her China editor role at the beginning of January, and a number of male presenters agreed to pay cuts, the BBC gender pay story continues into its third week under a number of headlines.

The official review by PwC found there was no gender bias at the BBC regarding pay decisions, though the report said the BBC’s approach to setting pay in general ‘has been far from perfect’. PwC also found a 6.8% gender pay gap among on-air staff. The BBC responded saying there would be substantial pay cuts for some men and pay rises for some men and women. Unfortunately this has only made matters worse as more men (98) will receive these pay rises than women (90).

On Wednesday, Carrie Gracie hit the news again when questioned by MPs on the digital, culture, media and sport select committee. In a two-hour session, Gracie accused the BBC of effectively lying as she was told she would be paid the same as her male colleagues. Gracie specifically called out DG Tony Hall for resisting the publication of on-air presenters’ pay; James Harding, former director of news, who previously said the BBC didn’t have an equal pay problem; and Fran Unsworth, the new director of news, who apparently told another BBC journalist that Gracie worked part time – which wasn’t true.

With issues unresolved, this probably isn’t the last time BBC pay will feature in five things.

2. Are you on Matt Hancock?

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Matt Hancock, has launched his own app this week – called Matt Hancock. The social media-type platform allows people to get updates from Matt Hancock as well as make friends with other users and post messages (a bit like Twitter). The app’s launch gave a lot of journalists something to do yesterday morning, as they all took joy in Matt Hancocking for a few hours, seemingly dominating the system and potentially drowning out Matt Hancock’s constituents who want to use Matt Hancock to Matt Hancock at Matt Hancock (turns out that gets old real fast).

Vuelio Political Updates are also on Matt Hancock if you want to be friends, but, unfortunately, we don’t have ‘full functionality’ because we’re not verified – as that needs you to submit your name and address to prove you live in Matt Hancock’s constituency of West Suffolk. Either way, we’re currently working out our Matt Hancock strategy, as should you be.

While the general consensus is that people on Matt Hancock are generally nicer than people on Twitter, and the whole atmosphere is currently quite pleasant, it’s not been plain sailing for the new app. The ICO is currently investigating Matt Hancock after concerns were raised about its privacy settings and its ability to access photographs after being told it couldn’t (possibly a Matt Hancock-up).

3. Facebook users spending less time online

Though Mark Zuckerberg suggested that his upcoming string of News Feed tweaks would decrease time spent on the platform, it turns out users were ahead of the game and had spent 5% less time on the platform in the last three months of 2017 anyway. That equates to around 50 million hours a day. Despite the decline, Facebook’s financial results were better than expected – increasing 47% last year to $40bn (£28.2bn), and profits rose 56% to nearly $16bn.

Facebook’s audience also increased, its monthly active users up 14% to 2.13bn in the three months to December.

These stats are not as bad as they could have been. Zuckerberg is trying to fix the platform, and specifically the News Feed, to ensure the long-term survival of the company, which in the coming months may cause reductions in dwell time, third-party content and user growth (not least because we’re all on Matt Hancock now).

4. Grid Girls

Formula 1 has announced that ‘grid girls’ will no longer be used by Formula 1, following a similar recent announcement from the Professional Darts Corporation. Sean Bratches, managing director of commercial operations, said: ‘While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 grands prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms’.

The announcement has been met with mixed reviews, some have questioned the decision – including The Sun, current and former grid girls and Stacey Solomon. Bernie Ecclestone unsurprisingly disagrees with the change, claiming the girls were dressed ‘smartly’, and completely missing the point by saying ‘we might as well say we don’t want people to go to a fashion show’. Niki Lauda bizarrely suggested the decision was ‘against women’.

As Susie Wolff points out, this decision is a step in the right direction. The issue was never whether the grid girls felt offended – no one was forcing them to do it – but with the representation of women in the sport. Dominated by men, F1’s only regular representation of women has been grid girls. Now women aren’t represented at all, which is a new issue owners Liberty Media will have to tackle.

5. Lord Bates and the most amazing resignation ever

Lord Bates, the international development minister, offered his resignation this week after arriving late to the Lords for questions. Though it was rejected, his resignation was an incredibly watchable moment and ‘perhaps the most British political resignation speech ever made’:

presenting perhaps the most British political resignation speech ever made pic.twitter.com/VWLDc16u35

— Matthew Champion (@matthewchampion) January 31, 2018

Happy Groundhog Day!

Meet the Influencers

February 1, 2018/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, PR News, Media, Blogger Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Vuelio recently hosted the Meet the Influencers session at the CIPR’s Influence Live event, where we were joined by two top bloggers to discuss working with PRs and they revealed the secrets of influence.

After Ralf Little’s keynote, the Influence Live group broke up into three groups. Vuelio was joined by Jo Middleton – award winning blogger and number one in the parenting rank with Slummy Single Mummy – and Jane Cunningham – author of British Beauty Blogger, the number one beauty blog. Both bloggers have years of experience working on content creation and brand collaboration.

Taking a table of delegates each, the influencers spent time fielding questions and talking about their work. The intimate environment allowed delegates to chat with each blogger, asking how they like to work with PRs, their approach to charities and the differences between journalists and bloggers.

Jane, who explained that she started blogging because it allowed her to talk about products in a way that magazine journalism wouldn’t allow, advocated having good relationships with influencers, and understanding that as it’s their livelihood, professional bloggers should get paid. She also discussed the importance of disclosure, and explained how all paid-for posts on her site were with established brands that she believed in – and clearly labelled with #ad.

Jo (who resisted the urge to only show pictures of her kittens), highlighted the increasing importance of social for brands, particularly Instagram. Brands are approaching her that now want campaigns specifically focused on Instagram posts or Stories – the latter particularly useful for brands since the addition of the swipe-up functionality for external links. She also advocated brands pushing bloggers for metrics, as Iceland did with her, and enjoys working hard to meet targets and goals.

The delegates were a real mix of agency, in-house and freelance, with each group bringing their own ideas and perspectives to the conversation. Both influencers gave the PR pros plenty to think about, with some even suggesting campaign ideas by the end of the session.

If you’d like to improve your influencer outreach and work with Jo, Jane or any one of the thousands of influencers we know, check out our Influencer Database.

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