TAKE 5 with Scarlett Dixon

Why did you decide to start blogging?

Back in 2011, I was applying for journalism courses and recognised the importance of having an online portfolio and showcase of your work so I decided to register ‘scarlettlondon.com’. To be completely honest, I didn’t even know what I was creating was a ‘blog’, but it gave me a fun outlet to practice my writing – with the thrill of having someone potentially read it! Slowly, it developed into a platform where I’d talk about the things I was passionate such as travel, food, fashion, beauty or health.

Why lifestyle and its various subcategories?

I think there used to be a focus on having a ‘niche’ and sticking to one specific category in order to appeal to a specific audience. I can see the benefits of this but personally, I find it rather limiting – especially when there’s so much of the world to see, experience and write about. Lifestyle means that you can talk about anything that interests you – and it’s a well-rounded insight into someone’s life. We’re all voyeuristic and we love being nosey, so I think having lots of different categories means that we can really delve into the lives of the person we’re reading about!

Who or what inspires you?

So many things inspire me – from fellow bloggers to journalists who defy convention and speak their mind, to designers with an amazing insight into the fashion world – and even website technicians, who are paving the way for the kinds of blogs and sites we’ll be seeing in the future. I think it’s important to take inspiration from everywhere, especially in an industry where things change so much. You have to keep current in order to stay within the community. I personally love a mix of aspirational and relatable blogs, and hope mine teeters somewhere in the middle of the two.

What is your pitch to PRs? How would you prefer to be contacted by them?

A little email to introduce the brand and what sort of collaborations they’d be interested in is usually the best way to approach a new relationship. I really enjoy working with PRs, agencies and brands on collaborative pieces but I tend to work in tandem with them, rather than exclusively to promote something. I find the more natural the content, the better engagement. I also run large scale brand and blogger networking events in Central London (with 200+ attendees), so I often like it if brands are open to extending their blogger outreach – and want to be a part of my next exhibition!

Where would you like to see your blog in one year from now?

I think there’s quite a bit of focus on becoming a ‘brand’ in the blogosphere, which I totally get as your readers have to know what to expect from you – however I just hope to continue building my blog into a place for both inspiration and an un-sugar coated view of the world. Blogs have that raw, unedited feel that magazines don’t. We may be turning more editorial in style, but we’re still just normal people who love sharing, writing, documenting and photographing. I want my blog to stay true to this but develop into a more well-known platform!

Follow Scarlett on Twitter @Scarlett_London