Disney

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 15 December 2017

Our weekly round-up of the biggest stories from media, PR and comms including the mother of all acquisitions, UCL’s white campus and the words, and terms, of 2017.

1. Disney to buy 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets
Disney has announced that it is to acquire 20th Century Fox and other entertainment and sports assets from the Murdoch empire. The $52.4 billion all-stock deal will include the broadcaster Sky if Fox is successful in its takeover. Disney chairman-CEO Bob Iger has extended his contract for another two years, to 2021, in order to oversee the ‘integration of assets’. It is also reported that Disney expects to realise $2 billion in cost savings from overlapping business functions.

The huge merger has raised questions over competition in the market, the future of the Murdoch empire and, perhaps most significantly, how long it will be for X-Men to feature in the Avengers movies.

2. Max Clifford
Disgraced publicist Max Clifford died this week in prison. A man who was famous for creating false stories and representing kiss-and-tell ‘celebrities’, Clifford’s career came to an abrupt end in 2014 when he was convicted of a string of abuses against women and girls. The PR industry has been keen to further distance itself from the man who has been described as someone who ‘did a disservice to the honest public relations industry but had no lasting influence on it’.

3. UCL’s white campus
In tweet blunder of the week (no, regular Five Things readers, it’s not The Donald), University College London tweeted: ‘Dreaming of a white campus?’. While they were, of course, referencing the snow in London, on Twitter offence is like wildfire; quickly out of control. It led to the UCL apology, where they admitted to choosing their words ‘very poorly’. Unfortunately, this caused more outraged from those that believe Twitter ‘snowflakes’ (yes, very funny etc) shouldn’t be so easily offended.

4. Google in 2017
The most Googled terms of 2017 have been revealed by the search engine, with Meghan Markle dominating the UK’s searching habits this year. The full list includes a mixture of news and technological events, reflecting the year that was. Google also released most searched questions, for example ‘How to buy Bitcoin’, as well as global data where the French election was dominant but Trump didn’t make the cut.

5. Youthquake
The Oxford English Dictionary has announced its word of the year, which for 2017 is ‘Youthquake’. The word refers to the rallying of young people by Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party during the 2017 General Election, and saw a 400% increase in usage from 2016. That said, if a word is used once in 2016, it only needs to be used five times in 2017 to achieve a 400% rise. Other words which made the list include ‘antifa’ (groups united by militant opposition to fascism) and ‘broflake’ (a man upset by progressive attitudes which conflict with his more conservative views). The word of the year traditionally ‘defines’ the year and has previously included ‘chav’ in 2004, ‘credit crunch’ in 2008 and ‘vape’ in 2014.

multi screen search

Most Googled terms of the year 2017

Google has released the most Googled terms of the year and Meghan Markle has topped the list in the UK.

Google’s annual analysis sums up the year in news. The full top 10 is:

  1. Meghan Markle
  2. iPhone 8
  3. Hurricane Irma
  4. Fidget spinner
  5. Manchester bombing
  6. Grenfell Tower
  7. 13 Reasons Why
  8. Tara Palmer Tomkinson
  9. Shannon Matthews
  10. (suitably ranked) iPhone X

The search engine has also revealed common questions asked in 2017, including ‘How to buy Bitcoin’ and ‘What is a hung parliament’.

The information is a treasure trove for PR pros who are either checking for their successes (FYI Wimbledon was the most searched sporting event, and Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You was the most searched song), or seeing what’s trended to help predict what’s next.

Access to boxing matches is clearly high on people’s priorities as two fights – ‘How to watch Mayweather vs McGregor?’ and ‘How to watch Joshua vs Klitschko?’ – made the top 5 most searched ‘How To…?’ questions.

Globally, the information is broader but still includes news events and people – but surprisingly Donald Trump manages neither list.

And for a UK audience, what’s perhaps most surprising in light of Brexit is our place in the world (of Google); the UK election was the third most searched election, after the French and German elections respectively.

If you want to tweet something from this article, I’d recommend 2017’s most searched meme, which for 2017 was ‘Cash Me Ousside / Howbow Dah’*.

*me neither – even after our head of political content explained it.

16 February 2018

Are you ready for London Fashion Week?

The next London Fashion Week takes place on 16-20 February 2018, which means the planning starts now. We spoke to Victoria Magrath, author of the Vuelio Blog Awards’ Best Fashion Blog 2017 Inthefrow.com, about preparation and planning for spring/summer LFW 2018.

inthefrowVictoria, who is one of the faces of Ted Baker this season, is already planning potential projects with a number of her favourite brands for LFW. It may seem early to start planning, but with the Christmas period just weeks away and New York Fashion Week starting on 8 February, there isn’t much time left.

London and Paris are both special to Victoria who feels like London sadly isn’t appreciated enough on a global stage: ‘So many international bloggers don’t come over to London, which is such a shame; there are loads of great designers here!’

For Paris Fashion Week, Victoria is looking forward to spending time with her L’Oreal Beauty squad again and believes that the earlier teams start planning fashion week projects, the better.  ‘It would be great to get super organised a few months ahead of time, as fashion week is so busy and fast paced but many fashion and beauty teams plans a lot nearer to the date which I understand.’

Collaborations are one of Victoria’s favourite aspects of her blogging career, and she is excited to work with her favourite brands on long-term campaigns in 2018. ‘The effects of real, genuine partnerships are much more rewarding.’

Victoria admits though that she is ‘never satisfied’ and always sets new goals to achieve. Even after being the top ranked fashion blog, winning at the Vuelio Blog Awards and being a face of Ted Baker for Christmas 2017 – Victoria is excited for what 2018 will hold.

Victoria and Inthefrow are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers and media contacts.

Five Things you Shouldn't have Missed

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 8 December 2017

THIS IS THE DESCRIPTION OF FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE MISSED FOR 8 DECEMBER.

 

1. 100PT SPLASH HEADING HERE

Cambridge News

Cambridge News accidentally published editorial instructions on its front cover this week, rather than an actual story. In what must be the ultimate proofing AND printing error, its headline read ‘100PT SPLASH HEADING HERE’, followed by ‘THIS IS A STRAP OVER TWO DECKS WITH A CROSS REFERENCE TO A PAGE HERE’. The paper’s editor-in-chief, David Bartlett, has apologised and said it’s unclear how it happened, but also blamed ‘a technical problem’.  It is very unusual for such a mistake to be missed in editorial proofing, final checks and checks at the printers, which makes the mistake all the more remarkable.

 

2. Time Person of the Year 2017

The Silence breakers

Time has named ‘The Silence Breakers’ as this year’s ‘Person’ of the Year. This group of people includes actress Ashely Judd, activist (and founder of the Me Too movement) Tarana Burke, and singer Taylor Swift. It heralds those that have spoken up about sexual harassment and assault, noting that this group of people has made it clear that such predatory behaviour can happen at any level of society and make victims of anyone. The light they’ve shone onto the issues has made it easier for others to come forward to talk about their own circumstances and experiences.

Twitter enjoyed the fact President Trump, who a couple of weeks back claimed he had been asked to be Time Person of the Year (in a tweet that quickly became a meme), was included by association – some of his accusers were part of The Silence Breakers.

 

3. Most tweeted tweets

most retweeted

Twitter has released the most popular tweets on the platform for 2017, measured by retweets. While Carter needing his nuggs took the top spot (and is the most retweeted tweet of all time), it is Barack Obama who has attracted the headlines for having three tweets on the list, while President Trump managed none. Ouch. Though once again, The Donald got onto the list by association – he was called a bum by LeBron James:

 

4. Top YouTubers

top youtuber 2017

Another social media ranking of 2017, Forbes announced the highest-earning YouTube stars of the year. Taking top spot is DanTDM, who last year didn’t even feature. Making a reported £12.3m this year, Dan Middleton makes gaming videos that have been watched billions of times. The full list also includes controversial star PewDiePie – who still holds the record for most subscribers – and six-year old Ryan, who opens and reviews toys. Ryan made £8.2m this year, and again: he’s six.

The total wealth of the top 10 is up 80% from 2016 as influencers cement themselves in marketers’ budgets. Only four of last year’s top 10 are on the list, highlighting the constant state of flux vlogging finds itself in, and the hard (and constant) works that’s needed to remain at the top.

There’s no place for UK giants Zoella or Alfie Deyes, who both post less frequently but do have a solid reputation for ‘influence’. Lifestyle in general is underrepresented in favour of gamers and ‘comedians’, suggesting the future areas that are likely to be biggest.

Though perhaps not TGFbro – the jackass-style channel which made headlines this week after one of them cemented his head inside a microwave. Watch the full excrutiating video here:

 

5. The best restaurant in London

Oobah Butler

The Shed At Dulwich – you’ve heard of it, right? London’s hottest restaurant, so exclusive that it seems almost impossible that anyone manages to eat there?

In what’s quite possibly the biggest PR stunt of the year, a Vice journalist – Oobah Butler – created a fake restaurant, fake food and encouraged his friends and family to leave fake reviews. Having previously taken freelance work writing fraudulent reviews for restaurants (for $13 a time), Oobah thought he could game the whole system and make success based on nothing. And he was right.

After months of rising through the rankings, The Shed At Dulwich eventually climbed to the top spot as number one restaurant in London – despite not existing. Throughout his time in the TripAdvisor rankings (his restaurant has now been removed), Oobah received dozens of booking requests, as well as unsolicited job applications from kitchen staff and free samples from suppliers.

Commenting on the story, TripAdvisor said:

‘Generally, the only people who create fake restaurant listings are journalists in misguided attempts to test us. As there is no incentive for anyone in the real world to create a fake restaurant it is not a problem we experience with our regular community – therefore this ‘test’ is not a real world example.’

Oobah thinks this explanation is ‘fair enough’, but serious questions should be raised about online review culture in the wake of The Shed At Dulwich.

 

Sneaky number 6. Brexit Deal

Brexit story

The UK has reached a breakthrough deal on the terms of its exit from the EU. It has been agreed that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, that EU citizens have the right to remain in the UK and that there will be a divorce bill. Theresa May and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker met in Brussels this morning to sign off a progress report that will allow discussions to move onto the second phase.

 

Nicole Williams

Blogger Spotlight: Nicole Williams, Nicole’s Journey

Nicole Williams writes the blog Nicole’s Journey. Recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Mental Health Blogs, Nicole’s Journey covers mental health issues and wellbeing. We spoke to Nicole about how much writing helped her, the lack of mental health services in the UK and working with PRs who are interested in her blog.

How would you describe your blog?
I would describe my blog as how I see the world around me, through health, wellbeing, mindfulness, gratitude, the good days and the not so good days, each post documenting something I have learnt, something I am learning or something I wish I could have read when I needed it. My blog is my thoughts turned into words, sharing moments of my life, text and photographs I hope not only to make a difference to myself but to somebody else who might be where I am or once was.

Why did you start your blog?
When I was first diagnosed with anorexia, my sister suggested blogging as a way to document my journey and all I was going through, more so for myself than anybody else. I started with writing the positive days, trying desperately to see the light in what felt like only dark. Sure, this positivity helped but at the time there were more bad days than good, so I began to share these too.

I never could have imagined how writing would help me. When going through such a horrible time of my life, writing allowed me to let the thoughts I had out. From this, my friends and family began to understand more and could support me better. I also began to meet people; others who were going, or had been, through their own mental illnesses. This support was invaluable.

Overtime, my journey with blogging continued, sharing the ups and downs of my mental health and engaging with others too. After a little break in writing, I returned with Nicole’s Journey, being able to look at this part of my life, how much I have learnt and in ways I never could have imagined, fills me with gratitude.

What’s the biggest issue facing mental health in the UK today?
I honestly do not know where to begin, I am no expert but I guess the lack of mental health services. People who need support for their mental health cannot always afford to wait. Speaking from personal experience, having a mental illness on the bad days is made one hundred times worse when you are turned away from what should be care and support. It took me every inch of strength I had to ask for help, yet I was put on a five-month waiting list, and, in comparison to others, I was lucky. I cannot express how difficult this wait was for both myself and my family. Nobody should ever have to experience this, yet people do, every single day.

How do you think mental health awareness has changed in recent years?
There has been an increase of mental health awareness through everyday conversations, generating better understanding and knowledge. When I was a child, mental health was never spoken about and when it started to be it was only ever in a negative light. Of course, there is a long way to go but I think people having an initial awareness is such a positive change and one that can save somebody’s life.

What advice would you give someone who was struggling with their mental health?
Of course, this depends on the person and what they are experiencing, mental health is very individual and it is difficult to summarize one answer. I guess I would say to talk about it, to seek help and support, and to never give up hope.

How do you engage with your readers and community?
I adore engaging with my readers, from comments to private messages, I find the most engagement I have is done through Instagram messaging.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I enjoy engaging with PRs who are interested in my blog, who have taken the time to look a little and who share similar beliefs to me, and those who are respectful and considerate of my personal experiences. I like to have a clear idea of what it is they are hoping to achieve from working with me and what kind of things they would be interested in creating.

What one thing should brands or PRs know about you?
I will never share anything that I think could harm a person’s mental health. That sounds obvious, right? But you would be surprised how many times people expect me to share unhealthy factors of my mental health experiences.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a whole range of blogs, of the top of my head and recent browsing history: Time To Change’s Personal Stories, We’re All Mad Here, Girl, Interrupted, Bumble and Be, Mental Health Stories, Rich Biscuit, No Space For Milk – this list could go on!

 

Nicole Williams and Nicole’s Journey are both listed with detailed biographies on the Vuelio Influencer Database – the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 1 December 2017

These week’s Five Things includes the biggest night of the blogging year, Trump’s tweets and Hopkins leaving the MailOnline. 

1. The Vuelio Blog Awards

Sarah Hall, Stephen Waddington, Sarah Stimson, PR
Sure, they were last Friday but they were so epic that they deserve top spot mention in this week’s Five Things. We awarded 14 bloggers with 15 awards – including Best UK Blog 2017 to Craig Landale from Menswear Style. The event is being hailed as a huge success, with guests amazed by the fire dancers, wowed by the aerial silk gymnasts and thrilled to meet their influencer friends and heroes. Check out the official photo gallery from the night, courtesy of our friends at Splento.

 

2. Trump’s tweets

Willrow Hood
Arguably deserving its own regular spot in Five Things, Donald Trump’s tweets were in the news again this week. After Trump retweeted three anti-Muslim videos posted by the deputy leader of far-right party Britain First, Theresa May publicly criticised him (along with other leading MPs and figures in the UK). This led to the sometimes-sensitive President to tweet the following:

The media had a field day, suggesting the ‘special relationship’ is now in danger of being lost at a time when the UK is about the leave the EU and needs all the external friends it can get. There are also mixed reports, following Trump’s actions this week, as to whether his State Visit will still go ahead.

 

3. Katie Hopkins leaves the MailOnline

Daily Mail
Katie Hopkins left her role of columnist at the MailOnline this week. According to a statement from the MailOnline, the right-wing commentator’s contract had not been renewed by ‘mutual consent’. The columnist is a professional controversist, famous for provoking outrage and causing offence – sometimes over accuracy and facts. After the announcement that her contract had not been renewed, she tweeted an apology the MailOnline  published to Jacqueline Teale, who was wrongly targeted by Hopkins in a column. The MailOnline paid ‘substantial damages and legal costs’ to Teale as part of the apology.

 

4. Buzzfeed cuts

Buzzfeed
Buzzfeed has announced cuts to its global workforce including editorial and business roles at Buzzfeed UK. Jonah Peretti, CEO, outlined the aims of the company and why the cuts were necessary in a memo to all staff. The site is struggling to improve profits, reflecting the fact that all digital publishers are currently facing an uphill struggle against the powerhouses of Google and Facebook, both of which still take the majority of digital ad spend.

 

5. Royal Wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to wed in Spring 2018.

 

Something we’ve missed? let us know on Twitter @Vuelio

Mike Douglas

Blogger Spotlight: Mike Douglas, Mike’s Open Journal

Mike Douglas writes the Top 10 Mental Health Blog Mike’s Open Journal. The blog focuses on mental health, while covering a range of lifestyle topics such as health, fitness, relationships, sex and local events. We spoke to Mike about the stigma around mental health issues, the importance of sharing and working collaboratively with PRs.

Why did you start your blog?
I started to write about my experiences, thoughts and feelings because I needed an outlet. I was in a particularly bad place with my mental health. I could not see a way out of the darkness or how I could continue. Writing, and subsequently blogging, provided me with an opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings, which is something I have always struggled with. As a dyslexic male that may not be a surprise.

Over time I became more confident in talking and sharing my struggles. Sharing for the first time on Facebook was a massive step for me. Since then, I have continued to write about my mental health including how it has and does affect other aspects of my life.

What’s the biggest issue facing mental health in the UK today?
Stigma. Mental health illnesses are bad enough. But for many of us, we are highly affected by something that can be prevented. Stigma will continue to exist until there is better understanding of mental health, mental health illnesses, the support that is available and the language we use in our communities.

How do you think mental health awareness has changed in recent years?
Awareness has improved thanks to national campaigns from people like Mind, Rethink Mental Illness and Heads Together. This has been implemented by use of ‘well known’ spokespeople and Champions (such as Time to Change Champions).

What advice would you give someone who was struggling with their mental health?
Talk to someone. You don’t have to say everything, you don’t have to tell everyone, just find one or two people you are able to talk to.

It could be a friend, family member, a co-worker, a fellow student, or it could be support online available through places like Mind or Samaritans.

Samaritans are not just for emergencies!

How do you engage with your readers and community?
I have created links within my local community to increase my awareness of local events and opportunities. Make Facebook’s local events page your friend.

I love talking to other people about their experience with mental health, just sitting down and talking about our day, habits and our health is a beautiful thing to be able to do. I am fortunate enough to have had over 20 guests on my podcast to talk about their experiences and thoughts regarding mental health.

This can help to make more people aware of my blog and my guest.

Additionally, I have enjoyed attending a range of meet ups and event, meeting new bloggers (and even friends!). This is a great way to really engage with the ‘community’ and actually meet people you talk to online.

How do you like to work with PRs?
Having an open dialogue is great. Sometimes there will be paid opportunities, sometimes they’re not paid. I think that’s fine. By being aware of what opportunities there are you can make informed choices on what you would like to be involved in and what fits with your blog/readers.

If you want tips for working with PR check out Rhiannon Olivia, she has some great content for bloggers new to PR and collaborations.

What one thing should brands or PRs know about you?
I write honestly about my experience/thoughts, because of this there will likely be mention of mental health (specifically mine) within a post.

I enjoy finding out about new products, services and/or experiences. I like sharing.

What other blogs do you read?
I read other mental health blogs, usually because of my interest or relationship with the blogger. My favourite at the moment is Sophie Edwards. There are also a couple of cool people like Rhiannon Olivia, who write about blogging and provide tips and insight that are really helpful.

I enjoy writing (self-promo, haha) and reading about fitness, wrestling, sex and relationships too. Currently I am loving Hannah & Fitness, the occasional post from Emma Luxton and the lovely photos posted by Jordan.

Mike Douglas and his blog are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Buzzfeed

Buzzfeed announces staff cuts

In a memo to staff, Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti has announced cuts to staff as part of a reorganisation of the business. Around 100 jobs will go at the firm, including losses from the UK office.

Peretti’s memo highlighted changes in the UK: ‘we are realigning the organisation to focus on content for global audiences and our core U.K. News beats – investigations, politics, media, and social justice – and intend to make reductions across Buzz, Commercial, News, and Admin as a result.’

It is not yet known how many jobs will be cut from the UK workforce, though around 6% of the global staffing pool will go.

A further announcement revealed President Greg Coleman is returning to his former role as senior advisor after three years. He will not be directly replaced but the company is looking for a chief operating officer to ‘help lead in the many areas and opportunities we have for growth’.

Peretti also said the company continues to grow revenue, though Guido Fawkes has previously revealed the UK business lost £3.5m in 2016 and claims it is that, coupled with average salaries allegedly at £60,000, which is starting to take its toll on the business.

Buzzfeed’s planned public offering for 2018 was put on hold and, as the Wall Street Journal reported, it will miss its target revenue growth this year by 15-20%. Buzzfeed’s cuts follow ESPN’s announcement that 150 jobs would be cut as the business struggles.

While Buzzfeed is seen as a digital master in publishing circles, and its investigative journalism and listicles are making their mark on the UK’s media landscape, it is clear the perfect model for a large-scale digital outlet is yet to be found.

Buzzfeed is investing millions in video in the US, in an attempt to attract traditional TV advertisers, though with YouTube and the likes of Netflix and Amazon also presenting ‘new’ competition, this market is already crowded.

In a world where Google and Facebook continue to attract the lion’s share of digital ad spend, publishers will continue to feel the pinch and Buzzfeed is unlikely to be the last that is forced to make cuts.

 

The Vuelio Media Database will be updated to ensure the current staffing roster at Buzzfeed is accurate. 

Vuelio Blog Awards Photo Gallery is live

The photos from the Vuelio Blog Awards 2017 are now available online in our dedicated gallery.

Check out all the pics from the red carpet, dinner and Awards

The Vuelio Blog Awards 2017 recognised 14 of the best bloggers in the UK across a range of categories from best newcomer (Best Before End Date) to Parenting (Toby & Roo). Check out the full list of winners here.

The photos were taken by our incredible friends at Splento and match the feedback from this year’s event, which has been through the roof. One of the highlights for many was the ‘exceptional’ entertainment:

Vuelio Blog Awards

Vuelio Blog Awards - The Event 138

Congratulations to our overall winner from the night, Craig Landale of Menswear Style, who picked up the award for Best Men’s Lifestyle Blog as well as the Best UK Blog. All while being the sharpest dress guy in the room!

Crag Landale

 

If there are any pictures you think are missing or would like a raw version of, please contact Jake O’Neill.

Vuelio

The Best 14 Bloggers in the UK

The winners of the 2017 Vuelio Blog Awards were revealed at the Bloomsbury Big Top on Friday, 24 November.

Hundreds came together in the fabulous Bloomsbury Big Top to enjoy top entertainment, fire dancers, aerial silk artists, fine dining, the hilarious Ellie Taylor, and the company of the best bloggers in the UK right now! In their third year, the Vuelio Blog Awards continued to show why the UK blogging industry is the world’s best.

With Twitter trends made by guests using over 3GB of data a minute; hundreds of posts; thousands of likes, retweets and hearts; and millions of impressions – the Vuelio Blog Awards proved themselves, once again, as the must attend event of the year.

Congratulations to all of winners from the night:

Best Arts & Entertainment – sponsored by Splento
That Grape Juice

Best PR, Media and Communications Blog – sponsored by Access Intelligence
MK

Best Political Blog – sponsored by PLMR
Guido Fawkes

Best Fitness & Healthy Living Blog
Lunges and Lycra

Best Men’s Lifestyle Blog – sponsored by Jameson
Menswear Style

Best Women’s Lifestyle Blog
Lily Pebbles

Best Food & Drink Blog – sponsored by InterContinental London Park Lane
My Fussy Eater

Best Wedding Blog – sponsored by Sandals Resorts
Rock My Wedding

Best DIY & Interior Design Blog
Swoon Worthy

Best Beauty Blog – sponsored by PZ Cussons Beauty
A Model Recommends

Best Travel and Leisure Blog – Sponsored by Celebrity Cruises
Hand Luggage Only

Best Fashion Blog
Inthefrow

Best Parenting Blog – Sponsored by STAEDTLER
Toby & Roo

Best Newcomer Blog
Best Before End Date

And the overall prize, awarded to one category winner from the night who wowed the judges with his original content, professional blogging and unique proposition:

Best UK Blog 2017
Menswear Style

Congratulations to all of our winners, and look out for the official photos from the night which are being compiled as you read!

Here’s to 2018!

 

As always, the winners of the Vuelio Blog Awards are all listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database

2017 awards for bloggers

Your Guide to the Vuelio Blog Awards 2017

The Vuelio Blog Awards are this Friday! Are you ready?

Here’s our handy guide to make sure you have everything you need to have the best night of your life*.

1. Confirm EVERYTHING

The blogger ballot has been announced with successful bloggers already confirmed in their hundreds. Have you confirmed your place? Have you confirmed your dietary requirements? If not, get in touch with Jake O’Neill who will be able to help (in between his screaming with excitement about how soon the Awards are).

2. Double check the time and location (and date!)

No one wants to turn up to the venue a week late). The event starts at 19.00, on 24 November, with a sparkling drinks reception – aim to be there when the doors open to maximise drinking time the excellent time you’ll have. And it’s at the Bloomsbury Big Top – you can see where that is right here. You get there by entering Coram’s Fields park, on Guilford Street opposite Guilford Place.

3. Find your fancy outfit

The dress code is black-tie and fancy – this is your chance to dress up to the nines and feel fabulous all night long**. What’s most important is that you’re comfortable and happy – we already know you’ll look great.

4. Get ready to make A LOT of friends

The UK blogging community is awesome and the bloggers are lovely but there are too few opportunities for bloggers to meet up in real life. The Vuelio Blog Awards is your chance to meet the face behind the name and mingle with the greats. Did we mention HUNDREDS of bloggers have confirmed their place to attend? Plus excellent sponsors to present the awards (it’s going to be huge!).

5. Bring some cash

Every guest will join us for a glass of something nice in the reception and then sit down for a three-course sumptuous meal including wine. That’s all yours and all included. But we know some of you have exotic tastes, so a fully stocked bar will be available for those that want a ‘sip’ of something extra.

ALSO

We don’t want anyone struggling to get home at the end of the night – while Bloomsbury is lovely, it’s a cold place to be stranded in the early hours of late November. Whether it’s a taxi, uber, tube, bus, Segway, pogo stick or hovercraft, make sure you have the means to get home and have planned your exit (with appropriate mic drop).

6. Use the hashtag

Tweeters at the ready – the hashtag is #VuelioBlogAwards and it’s the best way to get involved before, during and after the night.

7. Get in touch

If you need anything or have any questions about the night, get in touch. We’re a friendly bunch at Vuelio and want to do whatever we can to ensure you have a fantastic time!

 

Before you go, check out the video from last year and get ready for 2017 – which will be even bigger, better and blogging brilliant!

See you soon!

*Obviously this depends on the other nights you’ve had

** We cannot guarantee fabulousness after you’ve left the venue, or when you wake up the next day!!

 

NB: This post was updated on 22 November to reflect how close the event now is!

creative food

Blogger Spotlight: Grace Hall, Eats Amazing

Grace Hall is the author of Eats Amazing, a food blog focused on making healthy food fun for kids. With a special knack for getting kids to eat their greens (along with other fruit and veg), Eats Amazing was recently ranked in the Top 10 Food Blogs. We spoke to Grace about creative lunch boxes, mum being the best cook and working creatively with brands like Disney.

How would you describe your blog?
Eats Amazing is all about making food fun for children. Whether it be fun food craft tutorials or easy recipes that children can cook themselves, I create ideas for getting kids and parents engaged with and excited about making and eating healthy foods (with a few treats thrown in too!).

Why did you start your blog?
I originally started Eats Amazing when my oldest son started school as a place to share and record the creative bento style lunches that I was packing for him each day. I was excited about this new way of packing lunches and wanted to share my experiences. Over the years the blog has evolved a lot and although I do still share plenty of advice and inspiration for packing lunches, it’s now the place to go for easy fun food tutorials, totally doable food art and family friendly recipes.

What are the latest trends in food and cooking we should know about?
I don’t tend to keep up very well with what’s trendy to be honest, if it looks fun, I’m usually willing to give it a try, but I’ve never been one to follow the crowd. Having said that, it’s been all about the rainbows and unicorns on the fun food scene this year and I’ve enjoyed creating some really fun recipes inspired by those themes, so I look forward to seeing what 2018 holds!

What will the next big thing be?
I’ve noticed a lot of alternative foods appearing in the news this year, like edible insects, seaweed pasta and lab-grown meat substitutes. People are looking for more sustainable food sources and I think it’s going to force us all to be a bit more adventurous and step outside the box when it comes to our food.

What and where was the best meal you’ve ever had?
Though I love eating out, nothing beats a meal cooked by my mum! I grew up in a busy household as one of seven children but she still managed to create amazing home-cooked meals that we sat down and ate together every day of the week. Our family Christmas dinner has got to be the highlight, it gets better every year!

What’s your favourite ingredient to cook with?
It only takes a quick look at my blog to spot my favourite ingredient – edible candy eyes! Not the most serious of ingredients, but a couple of googly eyes can make anything fun!

bento box for kids

How do you like to work with PRs?
My favourite campaigns are those when I have a lot of creative control so that the branded content fits in perfectly with my usual style. Several of the most popular posts on the Eats Amazing blog were created for brand campaigns – provide me with the inspiration and I’ll run with it!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I am quite selective in who I choose to work with, only promoting companies that I feel I can truly recommend to my readers. I’m also a bit of a perfectionist so when I do collaborate with brands I make every effort to create the very best content possible for each campaign.

Do you have an example of a great campaign or collaboration you’ve worked on?
One of my favourite campaigns this year was a collaboration with DisneyLife – I created five different family picnics, each themed around a different Disney film, then worked with the PR team to film video tutorials for them all. It was an intense campaign with a lot of hard work all round but I loved every minute of it!

What other blogs do you read?
I love the community to be found around blogging and like to dip into lot of parenting, craft and of course food blogs. My favourite blogs are My Fussy Eater, A Mummy Too, Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen and Le Coin De Mel. They all create fantastic family friendly recipes and showcase them with gorgeous photography in their own individual styles.

 

Grace Hall and Eats Amazing are both listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Greggs sausage roll

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 17 November 2017

This week’s Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed includes Greggs’ sausage roll, Josh Rivers being sacked by Gay Times, Twitter’s verification ticks, Russian troll farms and ONLY ONE WEEK TO GO UNTIL THE VUELIO BLOG AWARDS!

 

1. Greggs and the sausage roll

Sausage rolls greggs
Greggs has apologised this week after posting an image of the three wise men gathered round a manger containing a sausage roll, rather than Jesus Christ. The image, which sparked outrage among Christians online, was made to promote a £24 advent calendar from the bakery, which has a different voucher to spend in store behind each day’s window. While the firm has apologised for causing offence, the story has garnered a lot of coverage for Greggs and its advent calendar, perhaps suggesting there is no such thing as bad publicity.

 

2. Josh Rivers fired from Gay Times

Josh Rivers fired

An investigation by BuzzFeed into Josh Rivers, who was recently appointed editor at Gay Times, found dozens of offensive tweets sent by Rivers between 2010 and 2015. They included ableist, racist, transphobic, anti-Semitic and misogynistic comments, and BuzzFeed read them all to Rivers in an interview. Rivers was shocked and appalled at his own tweets, saying he was a ‘lost’ and ‘angry’ person when he wrote the remarks.

After initially suspending Rivers to investigate, Gay Times – which had claimed Rivers’ appointment would best serve the magazine’s diverse and culturally inquisitive audience – fired Rivers yesterday. It has also removed all of Rivers’ articles from the site.

 

3. Twitter strips verification from alt-right

Twitter verified blue tick

The Twitter blue tick, which was once the mark of a celebrity mysteriously hand-picked by Twitter, has in recent times become more accessible – with anyone able to achieve verification for meeting a few simple criteria. But now Twitter has changed its rules and removed the blue-tick from some high-profile far right and alt right users. American white supremacist Richard Spencer and English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson are two such figures to lose their verified status.

Twitter acknowledged that the system, which was supposed authenticate and identify a voice in an age of FAKE NEWS, has recently been seen as Twitter endorsing certain figures that it in no way intended. It is currently working on a new system for verification.

 

4. Government urged to investigate Russian ‘troll farms’

Russia

New research has suggesting that Russian troll farms – allegedly social media bot accounts that focus on a particular topic to influence it – may have been active during Brexit. While the actual numbers of accounts are low, and the genuine power of these accounts and methods questionable, Theresa May has announced that the Intelligence and Security Committee will re-form and investigate imminently.

Russia’s role in Western democracy was also attacked by Theresa May this week at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet. She accused Russia of direct meddling and weaponizing information. The Russian Foreign Ministry hit back, bizarrely hoping Theresa May will one day drink Crimean Massandra wine.

 

5. ONE WEEK TO GO – VUELIO BLOG AWARDS

2017 awards for bloggers

The third annual Vuelio Blog Awards takes places in one week’s time! All tickets have been sent out, the goodies are being prepared for the goodie bags and we’re getting ready for the greatest night of the year!

Taking place at the Bloomsbury Big Top on 24 November, the Vuelio Blog Awards will celebrate 15 outstanding winners on a night when hundreds of bloggers come together, along with PR and communications professionals, for fun, food and frolics.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below! 

Binny Shah

Blogger Spotlight: Binny Shah, Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries

Binny Shah is the author of Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries, a blog in which she shares recipes for dishes she loves and restaurants she’s tried. She also travels and writes about the destinations she visits and reviews hotels around the world. We spoke to Binny about getting out of your comfort zone, PRs appreciating quality and the best meal she’s ever had.

How would you describe your blog?
I am a writer, dreamer, serial wanderluster and travel addict and my blog captures my passion for food and memorable travel experiences.

Why did you start your blog?
I was always being asked by friends and family for tips on where to go and which restaurants to eat at, so it made sense to put them all online on one platform. I’ve always had a passion for writing and Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries launched as a creative outlet where I could share my recipes and document my adventures, both in London and internationally, covering events, restaurants, hotels and destinations I have been to.

It’s also like a digital diary for me and I love reading back on some of my earlier posts from time to time and reliving the memories and experiences.

What’s the best thing about being a blogger?
What I love most about blogging is that it has really enabled me to move out of my comfort zone, meet amazing people, make some brilliant friendships and the blogging community is simply amazing. I hope that in five years’ time my blog has made a valuable contribution to the blogosphere and that it continues to inspire people to move out of their comfort zones and to travel off the beaten track and try new things.

What’s your favourite place to travel to?
As I was born in Kenya, it continues to be my favourite destination to travel to and I love discovering new places and sights every time I travel home. I also love exploring Italy and Spain.

Where haven’t you been yet that you’d like to visit?
The destinations at the top of my wish list are Tahiti, Fiji, Anguilla and Santorini.

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

What and where was the best meal you’ve ever had?
The best meal I ever had was a BBQ on top of a Catamaran in Mauritius. It was surreal! I also love the Butter Chicken at Jamavar in London, which was recently awarded a Michelin Star. Whenever I am craving Indian food it is 99.9% of time that particular dish.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the key to a successful blog is to be consistent, committed and dedicated to it. It is also wise not to compare yourself to others unless it is to inspire, and to focus solely on growing and improving your blog, finessing your writing style and loving what you do. Personally, I try to blog at least four to five times a week and I have focused on improving my photography as well, which has motivated me to blog and share my experiences even more. I think dedication, commitment and self-focus are the most important factors.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like to establish ongoing relationships with PRs and agreeing upfront what expectations are from both parties every single time. I have been really lucky to have worked with some amazing PRs and I like the fact that PRs are becoming more switched on to quality rather than quantity when it comes to aspects such as follower numbers, content engagement and reliability. I like it when PRs actually read your blog too and so know what kind of content you enjoy collaborating on. I keep in touch regularly with my PR contacts to always keep on top of what is new or coming up in the pipeline.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I love travel, taking my own photos and I don’t accept infographics on my site.

What other blogs do you read?
My favourite blogs to read are SilverSpoon London, Fresh and Fearless, Follow Your Sunshine, Adventures of a London Kiwi and The ZRW.

Binny Shah and her blog Binny’s Kitchen and Travel Diaries are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

The Money Principle

Blogger Spotlight: Maria Nedeva, The Money Principle

Maria Nedeva created The Money Principle, a blog that aims to help its audience get out of money trouble and build wealth. The blog recently featured on the Top 10 UK personal Finance Blogs. We spoke to Maria about building wealth, the effects of Brexit, her rules for financial health and how she is direct with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
The Money Principle is a blog that helps people leave their money troubles behind by taking them from ‘no money at all’ to ‘building sustainable wealth’.

Why did you start your blog?
I was in financial trouble myself; more specifically, £100,000 worth of consumer debt. Through learning about money and doing, we flipped out finances – in five years we went from £100,000 of consumer debt to £100,000 new investments. We didn’t stop there either.

I started The Money Principle to share what I learned and to support others on their way to financial health and wealth.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
I believe that one of the biggest issues in personal finance today, and one that I’m very interested in, is about women and investing. All research shows that women do well when investing but very few of us invest. This is a problem at a time when the future of the state pension is uncertain, more women are on their own and we live longer.

I also believe that this matter is not going to be solved by education. Knowledge can get you far only after the fear and motivation have been taken care of.

How do you think Brexit, once enacted, will affect our finances in the UK?
Ha! This is a good one.

I think that we’ll have a very hard decade or so (and this is optimistic). Brexit will negatively affect our finances in variety of ways including:

  • low pound
  • consequently, all imported goods will be more expensive
  • this will be bad with food (or we can revert to eating mainly root vegetables)
  • inequality in the UK will increase (and poverty as well)
  • crime will rise with it (beyond a level of poverty opportunistic crime rises)
  • education and health will be (predominantly) private and costly
  • we’ll experience labour market gaps (jobs for which our people are either over- or under-qualified)
  • weaker pension funds will fail

This is one of the cases where I really hope that I’m wrong. Getting out of profound economic, social and identity crises is very hard work.

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

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Here are The Money Principle rules for financial health:

  • Make sure you don’t waste and remember that frugality is over-rated
  • Pay off all debt before you are in your mid-30s (probably except your mortgage)
  • Earning more is very easy: just remember that it is about contributing value to people’s lives
  • Start investing and don’t be scared. Make use of digital wealth managers and low-cost index funds
  • Do not lust after material things – it is just rubbish that empties your bank account and kills the planet
  • Buy experiences instead – much more satisfying

And the main thing: whatever you choose to do, remember that life is for living with joy.

How do you engage with your readership?
I mainly write aiming to educate and entertain. Sometimes I make videos, but Hollywood is not on the cards!

I also talk to my readers on Facebook and Twitter and I always respond to emails.

What makes your blog successful?
Honesty. This is something I learned from my martial arts practice.

Honesty not only tells my readers that I’m fallible just like them; it also makes me think about things much more deeply so I become better.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I suppose the key is in mutual respect. Here honesty rules again – I only work with brands I love.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
No messing about, no ego, no bullsh*t. Just value!

What other blogs do you read?
I read many blogs and am always on the lookout for new ones. I have preference for blogs that focus on big issues in personal finance like paying off debt, money management and investing. I regularly read: Budgets are Sexy, Listen Money Matters, Reach Financial Independence, MonevatorRockstar Finance (which has very good curating), and Miss Thrifty.

 

Maria and her blog The Money Principle are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Miss thrifty blog

Blogger Spotlight: Karyn Fleeting, Miss Thrifty Blog

Miss Thrifty Blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. Written by Karyn Fleeting, the award-winning blog focuses on spending and living well. We spoke to Karyn about the return of fashionable thriftiness, her advice for young adults and why PRs need to get to know her first.

How would you describe your blog?
The Miss Thrifty Blog champions the idea that you can spend less and have more. In other words: you can live within your means, get out of debt and begin saving for the future, without resorting to recycling teabags. My posts tackle all areas of spending, from food and fashion to personal finance.

Why did you start your blog?
When I launched Miss Thrifty in 2008, I was thousands of pounds in debt, but talking about money just wasn’t ‘done’. With the exception of my grandmother, who lived through the Blitz and still makes do and mends, my friends and family had zero interest in hearing about my new passion for making ends meet. So, I began sharing my money-saving tips, tricks and discoveries online instead. As the recession hit, traffic to Miss Thrifty soared. Thriftiness became fashionable again – for the first time since the 1940s.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
The pension’s hole and the difficulties facing younger people who want to save. When house prices are going through the roof, rental prices are going the same way; you are saddled with an exorbitant amount of student debt and you are expected to plonk down tens of thousands of pounds for your wedding. What can you – and will you – put aside for your pension?

How do you think Brexit will affect our finances in the UK?
Generally, I avoid writing about politics on Miss Thrifty, because I have found my audience doesn’t engage with that subject on my site. People come to Miss Thrifty to discover good ideas and to cheer up! However, Brexit goes beyond politics, because the financial implications are going to affect so many of us. I think we are going to be in the soup.

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Never borrow against a depreciating asset. Don’t take out a car loan, or pay for electronic goods with a credit card if you can’t pay off the balance immediately.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in personal finance, business, lifestyle & more.

How do you engage with your readership?
I serve Miss Thrifty readers on a variety of platforms. A number of email subscribers communicate with me via email, asking questions and sending ideas. The blog has been around for a long time now, but I always try and reply personally and promptly. Right now, I enjoy engaging with Miss Thrifty readers via Facebook Live. I like the immediacy of it, and the ability to engage with my audience in real time.

What makes your blog successful?
It makes frugality fun and the editorial voice is distinctive. I am not a domestic goddess; nor am I a 1950s housewife. But this, I believe, is where much of the blog’s appeal lies. What really sets the Miss Thrifty Blog apart is its strong, active community of readers, contributors and followers. They range from schoolgirls to great grandmothers. What they share is the love of a good bargain.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I don’t do much with the news releases I get, but I like to work with PRs and their clients on a more meaningful level: brand partnerships and exclusive, in-depth features are more my thing.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
I live with my young family, in a modest semi in Greater Manchester. Why am I taking the trouble to point this out? Firstly, if you invite me to your after-work event in London, I probably won’t make it. Secondly, journalists at a women’s magazine once asked if they could come and photograph me in my ‘craft room.’ I was amused by the assumption that I lived in some sort of Pinterest mansion, but had to let them down gently.

What other blogs do you read?
When I started the Miss Thrifty Blog, there weren’t many other UK money blogs around – but now there are lots, and I enjoy reading them. Current favourites include Debt Camel, Be Clever With Your Cash, The Money Principle, Skint Dad and Emma Drew.

 

Karyn Fleeting and Miss Thrifty Blog are both listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

The Young Money Blog

Blogger Spotlight: Iona Bain, The Young Money Blog

Iona Bain is a freelance journalist and speaker who writes The Young Money Blog. Covering advice for young people’s finances including housing, stocks and pensions, The Young Money Blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. We spoke to Iona about the financial issues facing today’s youth, using valuable research from PR sources and engaging her audience.

How would you describe your blog?
My blog is the first and pretty much only UK blog dedicated to covering young people’s financial problems – what they are, how they came about and what we could do to solve them.

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in 2011 when I was 23 because there was no coverage of financial issues that affected young people in the mainstream media at that time. We were entering a new era where teens and 20 somethings faced unprecedented financial problems, from student debt to unaffordable housing, but were getting very little guidance or representation. I used to be a musician and music journalist, but the work started drying up and I moved back home. It was a difficult time. My dad used to be a financial journalist before he retired last year, and he said I could start a financial blog. That way, I would build my confidence around money and possibly help others at the same time. I am very glad I did.

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
Hopelessness and the feeling of alienation among young people. If we start to think there is no chance of saving any meaningful money or having a healthier relationship with spending, then we are destroying any chance of cementing our long-term financial security AND happiness. It is possible to be frustrated about the status quo and determined to not let it defeat or demoralise you at the same time.

How do you think Brexit will affect our finances in the UK?
I don’t know. I see very little point in speculating about the future. Waste of time. None of us know how things will pan out. Anyone who pretends otherwise is putting on a very good show.

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Don’t get a credit card. If a company offers you one, delete the email, close the webpage, throw the letter in the bin. They’re not worth the huge psychological price you will end up paying throughout your twenties. I don’t have one because I can’t trust myself. We’re only human – credit cards pander to our weaknesses and make us pay dearly for them.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in personal finance, business, lifestyle & more.

How do you engage with your readership?
I am sympathetic to my readers – I’m not constantly telling them what to do. I say, ‘Hey, I get it. Handling money is tough – particularly these days.’

It helps that I’m not an old fogey. But I don’t talk down to readers either. I don’t assume that they’re thick, wrong-headed or easily bored just because they’re young. I don’t write insultingly short blogs in big font with simple words. I try to write the kind of blog I’d like to read – intelligent, witty, thoughtful and insightful. I don’t always succeed but hey, I think people appreciate the effort. I respond to comments and I’m always trying to reflect the zeitgeist, what young folk are thinking and worrying about.

What makes your blog successful?
I think the title says it all. Young Money. It’s simple but it represents something important. Nobody really cared about my generation and its money problems when I started in 2011, bar a few articles/news items here and there. Now we’re starting to recognise that young people need to be listened to, understood and helped when it comes to their money. And I think the blog has become a very visible focal point for that feeling. And it helps that I’m a journalist, applying certain standards to what I write.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like PRs who really understand what journalism is about. Any research or insights have to be commensurate with that. Good PRs think about what the blog is, what it’s trying to do and make a real effort to come to me with something valuable (maybe even something I could use as a freelance journalist).

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
The blog doesn’t accept advertising or guest posts provided by companies. It’s independent – readers trust that I’m not swayed by commercial considerations. But I am definitely always interested in hearing about genuinely original research or insights into young money issues.

What other blogs do you read?
To be honest, I have massively cut down my online time recently. It was quietly driving me around the bend and dulling my creativity/free-thinking. So, I’m making more time to read offline. Newspapers, The Week…and magical things called books. There are blogs I admire and respect, but in the end, you’ve got to go your own way. That’s the only way you create something original or significant.

Iona Bain and The Young money Blog are both listed in the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

The Money Shed

Blogger Spotlight: Jonathan Gutteridge, The Money Shed

Jonathan Gutteridge is the author of The Money Shed, which recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs. The largest community websites focused on earning money online, The Money Shed helps people find home-based opportunities and shares experiences of making money in the digital world. We spoke to Jonathan about avoiding judgement, engaging his readership, working with PRs and his absolute favourite blogger.

How would you describe your blog?
The Money Shed is the UK’s largest community website dedicated to earning money from home. People can come to our site and instantly find out how to earn £1,000+ a month from home without any trouble. We have a community forum with over 100,000 posts on it as well, which is chocked full of thousands of UK members all talking about how they earn money from home.

Why did you start your blog?
I wanted to create an alternative to MoneySavingExpert. I wanted to create somewhere where people could ask questions and get helpful replies instantly to get them earning money as soon as possible. I wanted to create a culture that wasn’t just advising people to do surveys for pennies but would promote higher paying things such as Web Search Evalulator work or Risk Free Matched Betting .

What’s the biggest issue facing personal finance today?
Judgement. People made decisions a lot of the time because they are right for them at that point in their life. Sadly, that can come with a lot of judgement, either from their family or friends or from the banks. There’s sadly a real culture of looking down on people who are just trying to crawl their way out of debt in the best way they can.

How do you think Brexit, once enacted, will affect our finances in the UK?
Well it’s already affected our exchange rate with the Dollar. I remember working the night of Brexit and literally watching it nosedive as it became clear ‘out’ was going to win. Apart from that I just think it’s too difficult to say at the moment how it will change things financially, heck, not even the Government seem to know!

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in finance, business, lifestyle & more.

What piece of advice would you give a young adult in relation to how they manage their money?
Make a spreadsheet. I know it sounds boring to anyone under 40 but visually being able to track where your money is going can really set you up for life. If spreadsheets really aren’t your thing then you can look at using one of the many money tracking smartphone apps around so you can keep on top of things.

How do you engage with your readership?
The forum is the number one place to find me. As the UK’s largest community site dedicated to earning from home, it is always busy but I personally connect with every new user who signs up to get an understanding of what drew them to The Money Shed and what I can do to help get them earning and improve their financial situation. On top of that I would say social media is a biggie, it can feel like you are on a conveyor belt sometimes trying to manage Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. all at once but it’s worth it when you connect with people and are able to help them out.

What makes your blog successful?
It’s been featured in The Sun, Daily Mail, The Mirror and all sorts of other places but I wouldn’t say that’s what makes successful. Instead I look at how many lives The Money Shed has been able to change. People have been able to have holidays or even just been able to afford the bills easier thanks to my site once they are shown how easy it is to earn a decent amount from home.

How do you like to work with PRs?
Always, until I get told there isn’t a budget and ‘others’ have worked for free and they sort of expected me to do the same. Lol.

What’s the one thing all PR pros should know about you?
That I don’t work for free but your content will get cross promoted across both our blog AND our forum so you get double the bang for your buck!

What other blogs do you read?
Slummy Single Mummy is probably the only regular one that I read every few days if only because I like to see her latest middle-class japes.

 

Jonathan Gutterridge and The Money Shed are just two entries on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Eva Thompson

Blogger Spotlight: Eva Thompson, Eva and Amelia’s World

Eva Thompson writes Eva and Amelia’s world about the adventures she has with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Amelia. Recently featuring on the Top 10 UK Pet Blogs, Eva and Amelia’s World reviews style products and accessories. We spoke to Eva about the dog-friendly side of London, Amelia’s love of attention and forming friendships with PR professionals.

How would you describe your blog?
Our blog is very picture based, set with a white and light pink theme. I wanted to create more of a lifestyle magazine feel to it than a classic pet blog – a London lifestyle blog with your dog! We live in Knightsbridge and our blog features snippets of our daily life, where we like to go and so forth. We have had the pleasure of working with many companies since our launch this year and product reviews have taken centre stage! Our Instagram account and blog complement each closely.

Why did you start your blog?
Being a dog owner in London is wonderful as so many places are dog friendly. Particularly when you own a small dog it’s very easy to spend all day out with them in London without being turned away from shops or restaurants. I wanted to share my knowledge of dog-friendly locations with others.

Whats it like having a famous pet?
It’s such a joy! Every couple of days someone recognises Amelia and comes up to us wanting to stroke her. It’s very sweet. Some people have been too shy to come up to us directly and message us on Instagram later on to let us know they saw us today. It’s such an incredibly nice feeling to know people around the world know of Amelia and feel connected to her.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in pets, lifestyle, travel & more.

How does your pet cope with the pressure?
Amelia loves being the centre of attention and meeting new people. As soon as the camera comes out she is excited and ready to pose! I think from her point of view every day is just a fun day of meeting people and receiving treats! Of course, when attending full day events or photoshoots it can be very tiring for both human and hound! We try to split up these long days by playing with her favourite ball and having a cuddle in a quiet spot.

Whats your favourite pet product?
I couldn’t live without our Teddy Maximus carrier. Amelia comes with me everywhere I go and it’s very convenient to have a bag with me for her. Whether it be rush hour on the tube or a bed on the go at a cafe having a stylish carrier makes all the difference!

Amelia in a bag

Whats your favourite post?  
My all-time favourite post is one of my first ones, ‘Valentine’s day with your dog’. This was the first post I had planned in my mind when starting our blog. It is set at Peggy Porschen in Belgravia, which has remained our signature spot.

How do you like to work with PRs?
Getting to work with PR companies is a privilege many don’t get to experience. Forming working relationships is based on trust. I like to be very honest and when this is returned from PR executives it forms a lasting working relationship.

What one thing PRs should know about you?
We are very organised. We like to have a clear idea of what is expected and in what time frame. I firmly believe that when both parties feel comfortable and in the know the relationship becomes more of a friendship.

Whats a memorable campaign youve worked on?
Amelia was chosen to promote the Just Eat Food Festival this year which was great fun! The team had organised a shoot with dog ice cream that Amelia got to enjoy while being photographed this past summer. We both had a fantastic time on set and at the event itself, thanks to her agent Layla at Urban Paws.

What other blogs do you read? 
A personal favourite of mine is South Molton St Style. Anna has an authentic voice you can relate to and Lopez, her adorable little dog, features in her blogs and Instagram alongside her.

 

Eva and her blog are just two entries on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.

Sascha Taylor-Curtis

Blogger Spotlight: Sascha Taylor-Curtis, Beauty Geek UK

Sascha Taylor-Curtis writes the top 10 beauty blog, Beauty Geek UK. Reviewing all the latest products, Beauty Geek UK has an expert focus on skincare. We caught up with Sascha to talk about the rise of Korean beauty, building relationships with PR pros and all of her favourite beauty blogs.

How would you describe your blog?
A six-year-old beauty and lifestyle blog with a special interest in problem skin that features passionate reviews on skincare and makeup, interspersed with features on lifestyle, health, life and being a mum.

Why did you start your blog?
I was trying so many different treatments and products to try and clear up my acne, with varying degrees of success. I wanted to share my experiences so that other people with similar issues would be able to make more informed decisions. That’s the main reason, but I also needed to find a way to justify spending horrendously large amounts on lipstick!

What’s the current beauty trend we should be aware of?
I think Korean beauty has been slowly gaining credit in the UK beauty market over the last few years, but it’s finally becoming a lot more mainstream, which is great news as it’ll hopefully take UK beauty in an exciting new direction. I also think colourful hair is now a lot more accessible thanks to more modern application techniques, so it isn’t just for the brave and the bold anymore; anyone can add a touch of peekaboo lilac or pink under the top layer of their hair.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio Media Database and get access to 11,000 UK Bloggers in beauty, travel, lifestyle & more.

How does video fit in with your blog?
Every few months I decide to start vlogging, as it’s something I think that works so well alongside blogging, but it’s also something that I think you need to be very good at to make a success of, and I’m definitely much more comfortable with writing. Never say never, though!

What makes your blog successful?
I would like to think it’s because I provide detailed and honest features on what I perceive to be important and informative beauty news and reviews. I also think the fact that I talk honestly about my continuing battle with acne (at the age of 33) is useful for those struggling with similar concerns.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I really like to develop mutually beneficial relationships with PRs and I now count many of them as friends. I find the easiest way to work together is to be honest about what we want from each other and how we can deliver it. I also like to have regular catch-ups with PRs to find out what’s new as I find this a lot easier than events or e-mails.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
It might be obvious ,but I don’t always need product to feature a new release – if something is very exciting, I’ll want to share it with my readers as quickly as possible and will happily do that with press releases and imagery for reference.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on?
I loved featuring Makeup Revolution when it first launched as it was so fresh and innovative. I also love to work with the guys at Deciem as they produce such inspiring products at an impressive rate, so there’s always something to get excited about and I love to feature their news. For me, though, the most exciting features are QVC ‘s TSVs [Today’s Special Values]; you can always feel the excitement surrounding them, especially as they’re often really amazing brands such as Elemis, Decleor, tarte and NIOD, and I always feel like sharing them with my readers develops a real buzz.

What other blogs do you read?
So, so many! I check my Bloglovin’ app at least ten times a day. Jane at British Beauty Blogger is great for breaking beauty stories (I especially love her beauty news updates), Ree at Really Ree is brilliant for product swatches, Laura at Laurzrah.com creates amazing imagery, as does Michelle at Thou Shalt Not Covet, and of course Temptalia is my beauty bible for whenever I want to start building a shopping list. Vicki at Let’s Talk Beauty gets the balance of beautiful pictures and detailed reviews just right, and finally, Laura at Laura Lou Makeup is a great ‘real’ makeup artist, by which I mean, she shows you exactly how to achieve certain looks and techniques which she demonstrates so that it appears entirely achievable, even if you’re like me and lack the skill and talent!

Sascha and Beauty Geek UK are just two entries on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.