Archive for: PR

Hayley Hall, the artist formerly known as London Beauty Queen, has been once again ranked as one of the top beauty bloggers in the UK. A leading member of the beauty blogging world for many years now, Hayley has twice won Best Beauty Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards. Having relaunched her blog, including its now eponymous title, to reflect the change in her content, Hayley is going from strength to strength and remains a key figure in the industry.

We spoke to Hayley about being unique, the next big trends in beauty and working with PRs on long-term objectives.

What makes your blog unique? 
My tone of voice and the topics I cover; I try to be a ‘friend’ to my readers and talk to them just as I would in real life, giving them recommendations but also discussing the same topics that you probably would with your mates over a glass of wine. I’m not afraid of tackling taboo subjects and I like to be able to celebrate women that don’t fit into a societal size ‘normal’ too – people are very much sick of seeing carbon copies, so I hope to be able to offer a refreshing outlook and approach.

How has your blog changed from when you first started to now?
It’s changed completely. When I started it was all about what was new and what I was trying, whereas now it’s a wholehearted overview of everything in my life – the products I’m loving, what I’m wearing, where I’m going and what I’m thinking. Not only is my content a lot sleeker, but there’s a lot more of ‘me’.

What is the biggest trend in the beauty world right now?
Personalisation – consumers want products to address their specific and changing needs, rather than being told they have to fit into three or four boxes.

What will the next big thing in beauty be?
New skincare textures; we’ve been seeing a move away from creams for a long time, but I think we’ll start seeing more water-like textures and lightweight products that deliver big.

How do you split content between text/video/audio?
It’s 99% text and imagery. I’m not huge on video, although I do have a podcast which is fun to manage.

What’s your favourite beauty brand?
It changes all the time – I wouldn’t be a good blogger if I had one I was biased towards!

How important are PR trips to your blog?
They’re great, but not essential, and they have to be relevant. It’s often fab to be able to fully immerse yourself in a brand or launch and get to really know it to ensure a long-term relationship, but they don’t guarantee anything. They should always be well executed and the objective long-term.

Do bloggers need their own association like other industries have?
I think it would be incredibly helpful, but a nightmare to manage. As it increases I do think some kind of regulatory body would be great, or some place to get all the advice and support you need.

What should PRs know about you?
That I need to feel important, ha! I need to know that you value my time and energy and that you’re interested in nurturing a long-term relationship, not out to just land as much coverage as you can. It’s transparent and, in a lot of cases, disrespectful of the skill we offer as content creators.

What are the best campaigns you’ve been part of?
The ones that have offered me freedom to execute the objectives how I see fit, and the ones that offer more than just a single piece of content; brands I’ve loved working with have included Boots, Simply Be, Palmers, Philips and Aveeno.

What other blogs do you read?
Tons, but I’m always on the look out for new talent to follow. The interesting thing about blogging is that it’s never the end – it’s only just the beginning.

Hayley Hall and her blog, Hayley Hall, are both listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Elliott Rae is the founder of MusicFootballFatherhood, which recently joined the Top 10 Daddy Blogs ranking for the first time. With a diverse team of authors covering their own experiences of fatherhood, MusicFootballFatherhood has grown rapidly since it was started in 2016.

We caught up with Elliott to find out how the team finds time to write content, issues facing fathers in the UK, the appeal of a blogging association and how the blog works with PRs.

What makes your blog unique?
We are unique as we are a collaborative platform of different bloggers. We have a team of 14 diverse bloggers who write openly and honestly about their fatherhood journey while also providing a nice mix of football and music content.

​What’s the best thing about being a dad?
Oh, there are so many great things about being a dad! Seeing my daughter learn new things is always a highlight. The unconditional love is special and she most definitely keeps us entertained with the funny things she does!

​How are daddy and mummy blogs different?
Hmm, good question. I’m not sure if they are too different at all, except the obvious gender difference. I think both mummy and daddy bloggers are parents trying to figure out this parenthood thing and seeking comfort and fun in sharing their journey with others.

​How would you describe the daddy blogging community?
It’s great actually! All the dad bloggers are very supportive of each other, we celebrate each other’s successes and share around opportunities. It’s really nice to be part of a supportive network which is very much in contrast to the dog eat dog world we live in!

When do you create most of your content?
Our content is created by our team of contributors as well as myself. For me personally, I usually create content when I’ve got some time to myself (which is usually while I’m travelling on the tube!) and when I’m really compelled to share an experience or reflection. I’m also getting more into documenting stuff on Instagram stories, which I’m finding to be a really fun and spontaneous platform.

​What are the biggest issues facing dads in the UK today?
I think work life balance is a big one. Most dads want to have thriving careers while being involved parents. It’s hard to get the balance but there are ways to make it happen. Through our website and podcast we try to provide some inspiration and practical tips for people to reflect on. I think mental health is probably the other major issue at the moment.

​Do bloggers need their own association or industry institute (and why)?
It would be nice to have an association or institute, somewhere to go for legal advice, community and training. As a blogger, you can feel a bit lost sometimes so it would be nice to know there’s somewhere you can go for community and help with issues, like the recent GDPR where no one was quite sure what to do! This is a great idea, maybe Vuelio could lead the way!

​What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
We are the coolest and most exciting platform for dads in the country! We have a unique and engaged audience so if you are looking to reach a diverse range of dads, come and see us.

​What are your favourite collaborations you’ve worked on?
We recently worked with Arsenal and their Junior Gunners which was a highlight and great fun. Other favourites would include the Emirates cable car experience and Memory Makers. These were all collaborations where we really enjoyed the experience and it was a pleasure to work with the respective PR teams.

​What other blogs do you read?
Between family, the blog, work and all the other things I do, I don’t have much time to read other blogs! I will usually click on a link on Twitter if an article looks interesting but I wish I had more time to follow other platforms!

Elliott, his team and the blog are all listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

John Adams is a leading daddy blogger who writes the award-winning Dad Blog UK. Winner of the Best Dad Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards 2016, John has consistently been ranked in the Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. With Father’s Day just around the corner, we caught up with John to talk all things daddy blogging, from spending time with the kids and finding time to post, to working with brands and being part of the incredible dad blog community.

What makes your blog unique?
What makes my blog unique is that I am a man living the equality dream. It’s my wife who works full time and provides materially for the family whereas it’s me who is in the playground twice a day doing school drop off and collection.

My blog has transitioned. A lot of dad bloggers are very focused on the earliest years of childhood but I’m now focused on the school years.

I remain the stay-at-home parent, but with both kids at school I dedicate more time to blogging. This is quite a common pattern for mum bloggers but not so with dads who are usually the ones working full time.

What’s the best thing about being a dad?
There are so many it’s hard to pick one. There is nothing quite like putting your phone away and simply spending time kicking a ball around a park or reading to your child. Spending one-on-one time with your kids is simply priceless.

Alas, we’re in the midst of a house move. This has totally dominated the past five months of my life. I’ve not spent the quality time I would have liked with the kids. I’m looking forward to correcting that balance over the summer holidays when we’re all moved in.

How are daddy and mummy blogs different?
This is a very good question. I think the big difference is that most dad bloggers are holding down full-time jobs so for the majority, it is a hobby with the occasional perk. For many mums, blogging is their main source of income or a way to promote some other business interest.

Needless to say, mums also excel at sharing their birth stories. I’m not too sure what us dads can do to rival mums at this game.

How would you describe the daddy blogging community?
The dad blogging community is generally very supportive. As you might expect it’s very diverse, taking in stay-at-home dads, working dads, same sex couples and so on.

There’s no question the dad blogging community is much larger than it once was and I see there is more competition than ever before. There’s also been a trend towards dads who put the majority of their content on Instagram.

The campaigns guys are working on and brands they’re working with are much bigger than they once were. It’s a further sign the dad blogging world has matured.

When do you create most of your content?
Things have changed for me over recent months. I became my kids’ main carer seven years ago, so my wife could focus on her career.

My youngest daughter, Izzy, is now at school so I can dedicate more time to blogging and producing content. Whereas I used to write mostly before the kids got up between 5am and 7am, these days I produce most of my content during school hours.

I still do 5am starts once or twice a week but it doesn’t happen every day. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in the day and days in the week!

What are the biggest issues facing dads in the UK today?
I think a lack of paternity pay is one of the biggest men’s rights issues of this era. Many men, as they’re the main earners in their families, simply cannot afford to take paternity leave and yet it’s one of the most crucial times in forming a healthy and lasting relationship with your child.

There’s also the ongoing issue with shared parental leave (SPL). We introduced a very weak form of SPL in the UK and it’s bitten us on the behind because, surprise surprise, men think they’ll harm their careers if they ask employers for time off to be with a newborn child. If you want detail, see this blog post I wrote a few months ago.

Dads also face many of the issues mums do. Discrimination at work, what to do about screen time, how to monitor tech your kids are using and so on. It’s not easy being a parent!

Do bloggers need their own association or industry institute (and why)?
Oh my word, yes, yes and yes again. Blogging is no longer ‘new media’. It is an established form of media and a significant amount of marketing spend makes its way to the blogging community.

This cuts both ways. We should have a trade association to ensure we are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous agencies and businesses. Likewise, if we had an association and had to abide by a code of conduct, it would give the PR world some reassurance they were dealing with credible, responsible bloggers.

We don’t have an authoritative voice to offer advice on issues like the GDPR or what we should do regarding disclosure of paid-for content and that kind of thing. We also have no one representing bloggers at a government or policy level. Considering how much money is invested in the creative industries, that’s a ridiculous situation.

I wrote about this for the Vuelio blog a little while ago, as did my blogging chum Tim of Slouching Towards Thatcham. It’s a discussion us bloggers need to have.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I have experience of working in PR so I can think like a PR rep and have a good idea of what agencies and their clients are trying to achieve. I am also a very experienced blogger and I think I can get away with saying that I have a high media profile. I regularly make print and broadcast media appearances commenting on parenting and lifestyle issues.

I am also flexible and thoroughly enjoy what I do. Don’t be shy, get in touch with me!

What are your favourite collaborations?
I worked on a superb campaign last year with Goodyear Tyres. A group of us went out to Luxembourg and were let loose on a test track to try out its Vector All Seasons tyre.

I also enjoyed working with Graco, which produces car seats, travel cots and the like. I tested a lot of products and we still use one of the Graco car seats I reviewed at the time. The campaign also involved working with agony aunt Suzi Hayman, who is just lovely.

Another great campaign was one I worked on for a small electric car rental company called EVR Go Electric. I tried out five different electric cars in five days. It was a very busy week but I learned a lot about electric vehicles.

What other blogs do you read?
Diary of the Dad written by Tom Briggs is one I come back to very frequently. Jo Middleton’s Slummy Single Mummy is a perennial.

I’m doing more and more on Instagram so thoroughly enjoying what @tobyandroo and @london_dad do.

Can I get away with putting a podcast on this list? I’m a huge fan of a US podcast called This American Life. I love its in-depth reports about life on the other side of the Atlantic.

John Adams and his award-winning blog are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Grey Fox is the ‘mature search for style’, written by David Evans. The blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Men’s Fashion Blogs and has been a stalwart of the male fashion blogging scene for years. With fashion and menswear content for all men, Grey Fox has built a loyal following and provides a unique perspective in the blogosphere.

We spoke to David about the origins of men’s style, how shoes can make or break an outfit and the amazing campaigns he’s collaborated on.

What makes your blog unique?
I’m a men’s style blogger aged 63. The blog started as my search for style as an older man. There are few enough men’s style blogs and even fewer that cater for the man over forty (in fact I only know a very small handful). However, while my main readership is over 40 on the blog, on Instagram it’s aged between 25 and 35! I describe a fairly classic menswear style and, at the moment, that appeals to all ages.

Will Men’s Fashion ever catch up with Women’s Fashion?
I suspect that men’s fashion has already overtaken women’s in terms of amounts being spent. Some studies show that men spend monthly more than women and it’s certainly the case that the men’s clothing market is growing twice as fast as women’s. Interest in menswear is huge; I see this on my blog and social media.

Who is your favourite ever designer?
I don’t really have one as I like to find inspiration from many directions. Having said that, I love what New & Lingwood and Oliver Spencer are doing and there are many small menswear businesses here in the UK that deserve our attention, such as SEH Kelly, Marwood, Lamler and others.

What up-and-coming designers will be tomorrow’s stars?
Again, I can’t really say. The world of men’s style is different from the more volcanic fashion world where names come and (usually) go, and are quickly forgotten. My interest is in the durability of classic styles inspired by Savile Row and Jermyn Street but which includes many newer and younger brands.

What’s the best fashion show for men?
Oliver Spencer always do a great show at London Fashion Week Men’s, but looking more widely at the world of menswear, Pitti Uomo in Florence is, for me at the moment, the greatest display of men’s fashions and style. While it is largely Italian, there are some 100 plus British brands there this June and it’s a great place to see the best-dressed men in the world. I’d love to see something similar in London where there is so much creativity and, arguably, the whole concept of men’s style originated.

Shoes or watch?
Shoes can make or break a look. Poor ones can ruin the best outfit, while good shoes can lift a mundane look. I do like a good watch though – a vintage example adds a real touch of style.

Beards: in or out?
Men should wear what they like – it’s a question of style, not fashion.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I represent a demographic that is growing fast. Over fifties are wanting to spend time and money on style, holidays and consumer goods. They are responsible for nearly half of consumer spending and brands ignore them at their peril.

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve worked on?
Driving a Maserati in Northern Ireland recently for Maserati UK. Designing a summer collection with Alexandra Wood. Driving a Range Rover Velar in Norway. Having hats made by Taylor Red Millinery – there are so many which have been great fun.

What other blogs do you read?
It probably sounds terrible, but I don’t. Time is precious and I prefer to follow on Instagram where I follow all the main menswear Instagrammers. One blog I do like to follow is That’s Not My Age in which Alyson Walsh talks about style for older women.