Ralf Little

Ralf Little on Twitter

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

At the recent Influence Live event, CIPR President, Sarah Hall, interviewed acting star Ralf Little about his responsibilities on social media. Little was enthusiastic about everything from his high-profile Twitter spat with Jeremy Hunt to the ability to change your mind as you age.

While it was perhaps the former that brought Little to the event, it was the latter that really resonated. He explained how politicians and public figures should feel more able to admit to their mistakes and denounce their views from when they were younger in order to show growth and change. When asked if he would run for political office, Little suggested he had done and said too many controversial things in his twenties, which were too well documented.

This is a big issue for all figures across social media, from Jack Maynard – who left the I’m a Celebrity jungle last year after controversial tweets surfaced from his past – to Toby Young – who deleted his Twitter account after he was appointed to the board for the Office for Students (a role he subsequently resigned from). While Little believes people should be able to explain how they’ve changed since they were younger, he did point out that Toby Young was in his forties when he made the comments and argued that it wasn’t the same thing.

When questioned about his purposes for using Twitter, Little explained that he resisted joining for a long time and now he’s on the platform, he’s found it doesn’t make him happy and he even regrets joining on many days. For public figures in general, he thinks there’s a distinction between self-promotion and highlighting causes. He has considered, for example, doorstepping Jeremy Hunt, but feels that escalation of their argument would make it more about him and less about the issues he perceives within the NHS.

Little suggested the issues with Twitter revolve around the lack of furthering though. He argued that the platform’s brevity made opinions too easy to deliver without thought – and they were too easy to muddle with facts. And if Twitter users are faced with evidence or proof against their position, they dig their heels in more – refusing to be swayed. This is what he feels happened with Jeremy Hunt who initially engaged with Little, before going silent.

Throughout the interview, Little seemed torn between whether Twitter was a good or bad addition to society but he accepts that it’s now a part of life. In fact, after turning off his alarm, Twitter is the first thing he checks in the morning.

You can follow Ralf Little on Twitter.

 

Lorna Burford

Blogger Spotlight: Lorna Burford, Raindrops of Sapphire

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Lorna Burford is the author of Raindrops of Sapphire, one of the top fashion blogs in the UK. With her love of premium denim and iconic countryside shoots, Lorna’s taken the fashion world by storm. After ranking in the Top 20 UK Fashion Blogs, we caught up with Lorna to chat about the importance of Fashion Weeks to the industry, using social media and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
I would say it’s a mixture of fashion, personal style, health, and lifestyle. It originally started out over nine years ago as a place online to share my likes in the fashion world, but has since evolved to be an extension of my life as well.

Raindrops of SapphireWhat makes your blog successful?
Thank you for saying it’s successful, I am always appreciative of that! I would say the amount of time and commitment spent on it. I make sure I only publish the best content and create articles that I am proud of, so that goes a long way in making sure it’s visually appealing as well as full of content people want to read. There’s so much time spent behind the scenes though, so a combination of hard work and imagination I think.

How do you use other platforms, and how does that tie back in with your blog?
I mostly use Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Each of them are different though so on Facebook and Twitter I will share my blog posts and occasionally a little random photo, but on Instagram it’s like a separate entity. A mini blog in itself if you were. So, I share all different photos, a lot from my blog, but unique ones too and scenery, but the important thing is to find that balance of unique content and promotional content to your blog. They’re all connected, but separate too. IG stories is really useful with the swipe up link feature too!

How do you work with fashion weeks?
I actually no longer do. I don’t attend any shows and I rarely cover them anymore either. I find it much too stressful and hectic, especially with my health issues, so it wasn’t worth it to me as every other blogger covers fashion week so it was never really unique in a way. I do my own thing now really.

Fashion bloggerWhy are fashion weeks important for the industry?
They’re definitely important as they shape the season. Getting a huge worldwide collection of designers showing their latest pieces amidst everyone else is a huge way to see what trends are going to be big. When I watch the shows online (as I do live streams now instead), I’m taking note of the colour palettes, the cuts and angles, or different things that a few designers are all doing. Once you see a pattern emerging, you know it’s going to be big! Plus, it’s a way for everyone to get their name out there and designers to make it big. It’s pretty much the bi-annual event that fashion itself revolves around.

What should we expect to see for SS18?
I’m actually hoping that it might be different for denim. As I work in the denim area, all I’m seeing lately is crazy, un-wearable jeans as designers run out of ideas and just think of pushing the boundaries instead. Some of the things I have seen this year have seriously left me questioning the industry. I would like to see more skinny and stretchy fits and embroidery to come back – normal and wearable denim. I’m pretty sure SS18 is going to be full of pastels and florals though in terms of clothing.

What brands are you particular excited to see this season?
My usually loves are Valentino, Burberry, Gucci, Chanel and Topshop Unique. However, I was left really disappointed by last year’s Burberry show. Christopher Bailey did his last season and there wasn’t one piece I liked from the collection, which shocked me as I usually love everything. It’s hit or miss for me as I can be excited by a brand but then once they get a new designer or decide to take a different approach, it can make or break the season.

How can brands/PRs best work with you around fashion week?
It does get a bit much when your inbox is constantly swimming with press releases on shows and general cold mail like that, so I would suggest making things a little more unique. Make the emails personal, hold interesting and exclusive events perhaps, or work on campaigns where you model some of the latest collections. Anything a little different might shake things up a bit.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on previously?
There’s been quite a few and I only select campaigns I love and am happy to be part of, but I would say the ones that have stood out to me are not fashion related, but for a cause instead. I’ve been part of Wear It Wild for WWF where I did a video, but also mental health and illness campaigns too to raise awareness. I think those have the most impact and influence.

Want to work with bloggers? Try the Vuelio Influencer Database and get access to 11,000 UK bloggers and vloggers in fashion, beauty, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

What do you call yourself (blogger/creator/Influencer)?
I call myself a blogger. It’s what I started out as and what I do on a daily basis, so that’s what I always tell someone when they ask. If you become an influencer from that, that’s great, but I’m more comfortable with the term ‘blogger’.

What other blogs do you read?
I read quite a few! I enjoy the fashion blogs that get me thinking and who have a similar style to mine. Cupcakes & Cashmere, Brooklyn Blonde, Fashion Jackson, I Am Chouquette, Fashioned Chic, Mariannan, That New Dress, Not Jess Fashion… There’s a lot that I enjoy!

 

Lorna Burford and Raindrops of Sapphire are just two blogs listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Glam and Glitter

Blogger Spotlight: Tamara Kalinic, Glam and Glitter

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Glam and Glitter is the Top 20 Fashion Blog from Tamara Kalinic. Glam and Glitter has grown into an online diary of Tamara’s lifestyle treasure trove, including the latest fashion finds, top travel destinations and the best beauty products! We spoke to Tamara about the insider’s perspective at Fashion Week, new designers and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
It’s a mixture of Fashion, Beauty and Travel. A diary of all of my purchases, best finds, styling tips and favourite lipsticks, from all around the world.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the fact that I started it out of pure love. There were never monetary calculations involved in the first years of my blogging. I really love what I do and would still do it even if it was unpaid.

Glam and GlitterHow do you use other platforms, and how does that tie back in with your blog?
I have a very clear vision of what each platform is for. Since I come from a different background and I did my masters degree on a topic of branding and strategy thinking, I try to apply the acquired knowledge to my current job. I use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Blog and YouTube for different things, and that is also something I often show to brands. It is very important not to get too comfortable and use these platforms for what you want to use them. You have to give your audience what they want to see.

How do you work with fashion weeks?
For more than four years now I have been attending New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks biannually. This means that I spend 8 weeks out of 52 just looking at new collections, talking to designers, meeting the fashion house CEOs and even learning about brands’ histories. Its truly an incredible way of learning the core about fashion. Imagine throwing yourself as a young pharmacist into this whole world of real fashionistas, could there be a better way to learn? From my experience, I don’t think so.

Why are fashion weeks important for the industry?
Fashion Weeks are what makes it all roll. New collections, new trends, buyers, press – everything in one place. Young designers are making their first big sales, and big fashion houses are preparing a real show for their loyal fan base in the industry. It’s an extremely important financial part of the industry, as well as for visibility and PR.

What should we expect to see for AW18?
I am thinking cowboy boots, tailored suits but oversized, more shearling and the colour teal. That is just me judging from the Men’s collections that I have seen so far.

What brands are you particular excited to see this season?
I always love seeing new designers. That is something that inspires me the most. On the other hand, Milan Fashion Week is where I see most of my favourite designers, so after Milan my brain feels a little bit overwhelmed!

Want to work with bloggers? Try the Vuelio Influencer Database and get access to 11,000 UK bloggers and vloggers in fashion, beauty, lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

How can brands/PRs best work with you around fashion week?
This depends on so many factors, but it always helps knowing what their KPI is, that helps me come up with a way I could bring the desired results. I like my jobs to be natural, we are very picky when it comes to brands we work with, and money is not our priority.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on previously?
My team and I are proud to only accept campaigns with brands we truly love, and with brands we previously worked 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. There is so much I love about my job that it would be hard to name just a few.

What do you call yourself (blogger/creator/Influencer)?
I always go for blogger, because when I starter over seven years ago, that was the only term in circulation.

What other blogs do you read?
I read international blogs and really love supporting my friends from around the globe. Besides the non-fashion ones, such as Career Girl Daily, I love going through feeds of Queen of Jet Lags, Lovely Pepa, Park and Cube, VivaLuxury and The Fashion Fraction. I love their creative input.

Tamara Kalinic and Glam and Glitter are just two blogs listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other leading bloggers, journalists and editors. 

Paid for followers

Celebrities accused of buying followers

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Celebrities, including Paul Hollywood, Baroness Lane-Fox and James Cracknell, have been accused of buying fake followers after an investigation by The New York Times.

The paper investigated a company called Devumi and discovered that more than 200,000 high-profile figures had purchased fake followers. Its report is particularly damning of Devumi’s practices, which seems, in some instances, to be ‘stealing identities’ of existing social media users to create the fake accounts.

This is illegal, and a New York prosecutor is now investigating the firm. Eric Schneiderman, the state’s attorney general, tweeted twice, first: ‘Impersonation and deception are illegal under New York law’, and then: ‘The growing prevalence of bots means that real voices are too often drowned out in our public conversation. Those who can pay the most for followers can buy their way to apparent influence.’

Buying followers to boost your social presence is, at best, unethical and at worst, fraud. Buying followers itself may not be criminal, and selling them seems to be a grey area, but legal issues arise around the purpose of having fake followers. If you buy followers and then, in any way, stand to gain financially – this could be a serious offence.

Gains could be in the form of paid-for posts, brand collaborations, getting jobs or being called upon as an expert. If your following is not genuine, and you know it, then you might be committing fraud.

Devumi is reported to have offered at least 3.5m automated accounts, which could be bought in packages of 1,000 for $17 (£12). The celebrities that have been called out are generally responding with ignorance, including Baroness Lane-Fox who blamed a ‘rogue employee’ for purchasing the followers. One of her acquisitions, for 25,000 followers, was made at about the time she joined Twitter as a board member in May 2016.

Paul Hollywood, who seems to have the biggest profile of any of the accused, also had the strongest reaction. The master baker deleted his Twitter account entirely (The Guardian’s suggestion that @Hollywoodbaker is his new account seems incorrect).

His spokesperson said: ‘Paul deleted his personal account last week when he was alerted to the fake followers. Like lots of high-profile people he followed advice at the time to build up his social media presence without realising what it involved’.

Paid-for follower is a huge industry-wide problem that until now has received little attention in the press. Social media influencers and digital stars have been accused of purchasing and fraudulently growing their following for some time, but little has been done to tackle the issue. Now traditional celebrities are being dragged into the argument, there might be some action from the platforms to curb this practice.

If you’re looking for genuine influence, check out the Vuelio Influencer Database, where individuals are verified and profiled so you know you’re working with the best.

26 January

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 26 January 2018

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

This week, Five Things includes the Creative Shootout, the Trust Barometer, Leeds United, Grumpy Cat, and the Guardian’s paying subscribers in the US.

 

1. The Creative Shootout

agency competition

The Creative Shootout is a unique awards ceremony, where finalists have just four hours to prepare a creative PR pitch. They then have just 10 minutes to present that pitch in front of an audience of hundreds. Raw London were the winners in 2018, read all about the process and their award-winning campaign here.

 

2. Edelman’s Trust Barometer

results

The annual report outlining public trust in the establishment saw a dramatic increase in trust for traditional media and a continuing decline in trust of social media. This compounds problems for social media, and Facebook in particular, with Mark Zuckerberg announcing several recent changes to the platform. Read all about the results here.

 

3. Leeds United

New badge

Every football fan loves a new crest, right? Leeds United found out this week how much that isn’t true, with their new logo (which took ‘6 months of research’, and saw ‘10,000 people consulted’) slated online after its launch. Compared to Pro Evolution and mocked by other football clubs, the new badge is now being reconsidered. Check out PR Week’s round up of ire.

 

4. Grumpy Cat

grumpy cat

Grumpy Cat, the household pet that looks permanently unimpressed, has successfully sued a US coffee company for ‘exceeding an agreement over the cat’s image’. The two parties had agreed usage of Grumpy Cat for a range of drinks (Grumppuccino) but the coffee company sold associated products too. Even though it’s one of the highest earning felines in the world, Grumpy Cat remains grumpy.

 

5. Guardian reaches 300,000 US subscribers

Guardian US

The Guardian, while still free online, has adopted a Wikipedia-style request for donations and financial support. Called ‘subscribers’, over 300,000 have now contributed to the Guardian in the US. Of those, 230,000 were one-time contributors, and 73,000 are recurring. Globally, the paper has 800,000 supporters, with over half a million making recurring monthly payments (as subscribers, members or recurring contributors).

results

Social least trusted source for news

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

The 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer has revealed that trust in the UK’s establishment – NGOs, Business, Government and Media – has largely stagnated year on year. While overall trust in the media hasn’t budged, there are huge changes to be found when looking individually at traditional and ‘new’ media.

Trust in traditional media has seen a dramatic rise from 2017, and is now at its highest point since 2012. Conversely, social media has continued its yearly decline to retain the ‘least trusted’ position.

Edelman Trust Barometer

It is social media companies’ inaction on key issues that has driven the decline in trust, with 70% agreeing that, ‘social media companies don’t do enough to stop illegal or unethical behaviour on their platforms’.

The report has followed weeks of announcements from Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, who is aiming to change the platform back into a ‘friends and families’ sharing space and away from a hotbed of ‘fake news’ and misinformation.

The lack of trust in social media as a news source (perhaps driven by the 42% who say they only skim headlines on platforms without reading stories, or the 64% who can’t tell good journalism from rumours or falsehoods) is only the beginning of the technology’s problems.

While 56% of Edelman’s respondents believe social media helps them to stay in touch with loved ones, only 38% think social media is a force for good and, more concerningly for the big platforms, 57% believe social media companies take advantage of people’s loneliness.

The report goes on, and is at every stage damning for social media – most don’t think social media companies are regulated enough, most don’t think they’re transparent enough and most think the companies will secretly sell their personal data.

It may be easy to think that people are now seeking their news out in traditional formats, but worryingly the truth seems to be that the public is abandoning the news altogether. While 33% of are consuming less news, 19% are avoiding it altogether, citing the fact it’s ‘too depressing’ as the main reason.

Social media’s established role in increasing depression (see here, here and here) in users, and therefore society, can only be negatively contributing to people’s views that the news is too depressing.

As people switch off from the news, and the world around them, they become less informed and the establishments that should be held to account have more power and control to do as they please. The election and presidency of Donald Trump is one such example, the recent Presidents Club scandal is another*. This is highlighted in the Barometer, which has found the lowest level of ‘informed publics’ among the British Population.

Defined as being aged 25-64, university-educated, with a household income in the top quartile for their age in their country, reading or watching business/news media several times a week and following public policy, informed publics are now at just 6% of the population.

It is unclear how this age of apathy will end, but if you’re still reading, maybe there’s hope for us yet.

 

*Yes, the Presidents Club has now closed down thanks to the FT’s investigative reporting, but it has been running since 1985 with similar behaviours alleged each year. And though the meeting place has gone, have the behaviours? Who is holding these men to account?

Island love heart

The power of influence

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

We talk a lot about the importance of reaching the right audience in the right way, often through ‘influencers’. But what happens when you manage to get your product or service in the hands of an influencer?

New research from Whistl has identified top trends in 2017 and the impact of influence throughout the year. Television programmes and celebrities dominate the power of influence, which has struck in some surprising ways.

An incredible example is the water bottles on Love Island. The ITV reality dating programme caused an increase in online searches for ‘Love Island water bottles’ of 300,000. Not bad considering the programme’s viewing figures were between two and three million.

Melanie Darvall, director of marketing and communications at Whistl, said: ‘We were surprised to see just how influential shows such as Love Island can be – to increase the searches for water bottles by 300,000 in the space of a month is quite staggering.

‘It’s important for retailers to be aware of these events and what is attracting the interest of the UK public, so they can prepare for any sudden demand.’

Other TV programmes who influenced their audience in unexpected ways include the Bake Off, which increased the sales of baking tools and products by 50%, and Peaky Blinders, which is being credited with an 83% increase in sales of flat caps.

On the celebrity front, royalty rules (as it always has). Meghan Markle’s white coat, which she wore when she her announced engagement to a man named ‘Harry’, sold out instantly – and then crashed the retailer’s website.

Liam Gallagher also created a sell-out. Searches for the orange parka he wore at the One Love Manchester concert increased by 666% and the item sold out nationally a few hours after the concert finished.

Sometimes the effect of influence is less direct – Whistl has attributed a 45% rise in searches for holidays to Puerto Rico to the popularity of the song Despacito. And, social media hasn’t been left out of the expansive research, an Instagram post in which Rihanna wore thigh high boots caused a jump in online searches – a 600% increase.

These stats should encourage everyone whose working with influence to consider their strategy, and capitalise on the power of influence when they can. This doesn’t just mean creating the initial interest (by getting a product or service to be used by an influencer) but also reacting quickly to trends and ensuring you’re geared towards what people want, right now.

Richard Ellie, the director of paid media at digital agency IDHL Group, explained: ‘Marketers must be extremely savvy and reactive, allowing them to harness the plethora of opportunities that open up in places you could not predict – and with extremely limited planning time to allow them to do so.

‘Any marketer worth their salt is well aware that failure to react can result in your brand falling under the category of ‘doom, gloom and failed sales’, something that is especially prevalent when it comes to areas of retail such as fashion, where the must-have item of today is no longer in vogue in a weeks’ time.’

 

If you want to find out more about reaching influencers that can help you, check out our database. 

Dublin Hotel

Dublin hotel bans bloggers

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

He continued to attack the blogging profession, saying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

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

1. YouTube payment rules

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

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

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

 

2. Tesco Clubcard changes and the backlash

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

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

 

3. Fake News Awards

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

 

4. Dublin hotel bans bloggers

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

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

 

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

 

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

agency competition

Influence at Creative Shootout

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fakies

Fake News Awards: and the winner is…

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Donald Trump has been promising the ‘Fake News Awards’ for a couple of weeks, and after it was postponed once, excitement reached fever pitch last night as the anticipated time finally arrived.

Rather anticlimactically, the Fake News Awards were not revealed at a black tie gala dinner but in a blog post on the GOP’s official website (yes, really). Tweeted by Donald Trump, ‘The Highly-Anticipated 2017 Fake News Awards’ named 11 ‘winners’.

Despite their campaigning, there weren’t prizes for either Stephen Colbert (who campaigned with a billboard in Times Square) or Trevor Noah (who ran a full page ad in the New York Times).

Unsurprisingly, CNN were the big winners from the night, bagging four #Fakies. The New York Times managed two, while Newsweek, The Washington Post, Time and ABC took one each. The final award was aimed at the mainstream media for reporting ‘Russia Collusion’.

When Trump announced the award winners, the GOP site crashed, showing the huge level of interest there is in another strange moment in a presidency of strange moments.

When the site was back up and running, readers were not only greeted with the 11 award winners, but also 10 ‘results’ Trump has achieved, from ‘recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel’ to ‘African Americans and Hispanics are enjoying the lowest unemployment rate in recorded history’.

What’s most concerning about the Fake News Awards, is not that they’re clearly a promotional tool for Trump’s ‘good’ work, but that they’re being widely mocked. The world has now reached a level of apathy for ethics that the President of the most powerful nation in the world can openly attack the media, and by extension the freedom of the press, and it be considered a joke.

The Fakies should concern everyone.

Trump has spent a long time undermining the validity of the press, and for the most part, the press has played along. The more this happens, the more Trump will be able to act or behave however he likes without being held accountable.

There was once a time when a front page could topple a government, but in the age of Trump, that power has gone. Everyone, from the media to the public, are now just helpless bystanders to the Trump show – and who knows what will be next.

Keep it SimpElle

Blogger Spotlight: Elle Linton, Keep it SimpElle

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

Keep it SimpElle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get in touch

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

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

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

 

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

The Ambient – a new publication for smart homes

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

James Stables and Paul LamkinJames Stables and Paul Lamkin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Great Monday

5 ways to combat Blue Monday

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

12 January

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 12 January 2018

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

This week’s Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed from the world of media, PR and comms includes YouTube’s response to Logan Paul, Facebook’s news feed changing, Steve Bannon, the Daily Mail and Virgin Trains argument, and Carrie Gracie’s BBC pay row. 

 

1. YouTube and Logan Paul

YouTube has apologised for taking so long to officially respond to the Logan Paul controversy of last week. The video-sharing platform posted an explanation on Twitter, claiming it was upset with the video Logan Paul had posted. It finished the thread with:

 

The ‘further consequences’ were later revealed, when YouTube announced it had cut some business ties with the viral star. This includes removing Logan Paul from its Google Preferred programme, the platform that allows brands to sell ads to the top 5% of content creators – which is likely to severely damage Logan Paul’s sizeable income. They’ve also put original projects with Logan Paul, including a proposed film, on hold.

Further details about the steps YouTube is taking to ensure ‘videos like this’ never circulate again are yet to materialise, but the YouTube community will be keeping a close eye on any policy or algorithm changes.

 

2. Facebook to change news feed

Facebook news feed changes

Mark Zuckerberg has announced the news feed algorithm is to change, with more focus on friends and family posts and less on those from businesses, brands and media. This is after feedback that the latter group is ‘crowding out the personal moments that leads us to connect more with each other’.

In Zuckerberg’s lengthy post on the decision, he says: ‘We feel a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being. So we’ve studied this trend carefully by looking at the academic research and doing our own research with leading experts at universities. The research shows that when we use social media to connect with people we care about, it can be good for our well-being.’

The move from ‘focusing on helping you find relevant content’, to ‘helping you have more meaningful social interactions’ is very much going back to Facebook’s roots. The social platform was, for many years, primarily focused on posts from people you knew rather than promoting itself as one of the biggest content delivery platforms in the world. This change is likely to hit thousands of publishers very hard, as for many sites, Facebook is the biggest single source of traffic. The announcement has led to a drop in Facebook’s share price when markets opened. If the plan is properly followed through, expect corporate backlash, businesses closing down and huge changes to the media landscape.

 

3. Sloppy Steve

Perhaps it’s a rite of passage for all of Trump’s ‘enemies’ – once they get a nickname, they know they’ve really riled him. Trump’s former White House Chief Strategist, “Sloppy” Steve Bannon, was this week fired from his role at the helm of Breitbart News. It is the latest part of his tumultuous relationship with Trump and his supporters, from genius insider to detractor and traitor. After his comments about Donald Trump Jnr’s ‘treasonous’ meeting with Russian contacts appeared in Michael Wolff’s explosive book, Bannon’s departure from Breitbart seemed inevitable. Trump was quick to distance himself from his former ally, before laying into him:

 

 

4. Daily Mail attacks Virgin

Daily mail row

It was revealed this week that Virgin Trains has stopped selling the Daily Mail due to its incompatibility with the Virgin Trains brand. The company stopped carrying the paper back in November, but at the time it told the Daily Mail it was ‘saving space’ by selling only three papers: the Mirror, FT and Times.

Drew McMillan, head of colleague communication and engagement at Virgin, sent internal staff a memo that said: ‘Thousands of people choose to read the Daily Mail every day. But they will no longer be reading it courtesy of VT. There’s been considerable concern raised by colleagues about the Mail’s editorial position on issues such as immigration, LGBT rights and unemployment.

‘We’ve decided that this paper is not compatible with the VT brand and our beliefs.’

The Daily Mail struck back; a spokesman said: ‘It is disgraceful that, at a time of massive customer dissatisfaction over ever-increasing rail fares, and after the taxpayer was forced to bail out Virgin’s East Coast mainline franchise, a decision strongly criticised by the Mail, that Virgin Trains should now announce that for political reasons it is censoring the choice of newspapers it offers to passengers.

‘It is equally rich that Virgin chose to launch this attack on free speech in the Aslef trade union journal. For the record Virgin used to sell only 70 Daily Mails a day.’

They then made the issue about Brexit, as the spokesman continued with: ‘They informed us last November that to save space, they were restricting sales to just three newspapers: the Mirror, FT and Times. They gave no other reason, but it may be no coincidence that all those titles, like Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson, are pro-Remain.’

Critics of Virgin’s move suggest the company is censoring ‘free press’ whereas supporters believe the company is well within its rights to choose which publications it sells to its customers.

 

5. Carrie Gracie and the BBC pay row

BBC

Carrie Gracie stepped down from her role as China editor at the BBC this week, after accusing the public broadcaster of ‘breaking equality law’ and ‘resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure’. She highlights an ongoing struggle to be paid equally to the other international editors, particularly John Sopel, US editor, and Jeremy Bowen, Middle East editor. Her struggles proved fruitless so she’s quit her post and will return to the UK newsroom.

Gracie made the announcement hours before she was due to host the Today programme, which she has done all week. In a plot worthy of W1A, Gracie was unable to talk about her own news story, due to impartiality rules, and so couldn’t cover the biggest story of the day. Other journalists who had expressed support for Gracie were also banned from discussing the issue on air.

In a further twist, it has now been revealed that John Humphreys and John Sopel were recorded discussing the story off air, and Humphreys made several derogatory remarks including: ‘I could save you the trouble as I could volunteer that I’ve handed over already more than you f***ing earn but I’m still left with more than anybody else and that seems to me to be entirely just – something like that would do it?’

This might not be the last time we see Mr Humphreys in Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed.

Judicial Office

Lords vote for second stage of Leveson

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The House of Lords last night defeated the Government after Baroness Hollins tabled an amendment to the Data Protection Bill pushing for the second stage of the Leveson inquiry.

The second part of the Leveson inquiry was originally intended to address: ‘The extent of unlawful or improper conduct within News International, other media organisations or other organisations. It will also consider the extent to which any relevant police force investigated allegations relating to News International, and whether the police received corrupt payments or were otherwise complicit in misconduct.’

As the amendments arose as part of the new data protection bill – part of GDPR in the EU – it is now intended that the second phase should particularly focus on data breaches made by the press.

This is in contrast to the first part, which looked at the culture, practices and ethics of the press.

The second stage was dropped from the Conservative manifesto in the election last year, as the party claimed the first stage had been sufficiently comprehensive. As reported in the BBC, the Conservatives also believed the criminal investigations that might arise from stage two had already occurred as a result of stage one.

Crossbench peer Baroness Hollins wasn’t satisfied with this and claimed victims of crime were ‘promised’ a second phase of inquiry and it should be honoured as a matter of ‘good faith’. The vote backed her amendment by 238 to 209.

The Government’s new culture secretary, Matt Hancock said the Lords had voted to ‘restrict press freedoms’. In a tweet, he goes on to say, ‘This vote will undermine high quality journalism, fail to resolve challenges the media face and is a hammer blow to local press. We support a free press and will seek to overturn these amendments in the Commons’.

The Lords also voted in favour for another measure – one which would force newspapers not signed up to the regulator to pay both sides’ legal costs in any court cases of data protection breaches, no matter the outcome of the case. This measure could arguably hit local newspapers hard, if any cases were to be brought against them.

The amendments will now make their way back to Parliament, where they are likely to be overturned by the Government. Previous proposed press reforms have struggled in the Commons – and the press’s relationship with the Government was a big part of the first stage of the Leveson inquiry – whereas the unelected Lords typically take a harder line.

Ayo Adepoju

Blogger Spotlight: Ayo Adepoju, We Plug GOOD Music

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get in touch

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

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

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

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

 

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

A and R Factory, Stefan Toren

Blogger Spotlight: Stefan Toren, A&R Factory

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get in touch

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

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

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

 

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

Swoon Worthy

Blogger Interview: Kimberly Duran, Swoon Worthy

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get in touch

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

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

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

 

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

Peter Preston Guardian editor

Peter Preston dies aged 79

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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