Top Ten Blogs - Vuelio

Fitness & Exercise Blogs UK Top 10

June 1, 2022/24 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Christina Pirilla

The Top 10 Fitness & Exercise blog ranking was last updated 01/06/2022.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please get in touch to let us know. 

1. The Runner Beans

Securing a gold medal for fitness and exercise blogging for another year is Charlie, the runner and writer behind our number 1 blog The Runner Beans. Whether the prospect of keeping fit fills you with beans or leaves you in need of a coffee and a sit down, Charlie has the goods on eating right, keeping fit, travel, lifestyle and – of course – running. ‘Pacing the way to healthy’, Charlie has suggestions for active travel, marathon training, healthy living recipes and much more.

The Runner Beans

the5krunner

2. The5krunner

Moving up a spot in our update of this ranking is the anonymous The5krunner. What we know about this blogger – they’re supplying their readers with regular ‘Endurance Tech News, Insights & Opinion’ in channels devoted to Reviews, Recommendations, Deals and Plans. If you’re planning on going for a run this long weekend but aren’t sure what to aim for, how to push yourself, or where to head, grab inspiration from the Plans section, including How to Get a PB This Weekend.

3. Lazy Girl Running

Certainly not our definition of lazy is Laura Fountain, who also moves up a spot in the ranking this year with Lazy Girl Running. Alongside being a super-successful blogger, Laura is a UK athletics coach in running, fitness and a personal trainer, and has featured in many magazines, on radio and TV, too. An ideal place to start for those who want to build up their fitness levels from low to high, Laura’s blog lists details of running groups to join as well as training plans to check out.

Lazy Girl Running

Keep it simpELLE

4. Keep it simpELLE

A regular feature in both our fitness and exercise blog rankings as well as our dedicated ranking of running blogs is Elle Linton of Keep it simpELLE. Offering ‘the professional insight into health and fitness that we all need’, Elle’s blog features content on Cycling, Fitness, Food, Health, Lifestyle, Running and Travel and you can find even more in the Resources section. Before getting on your bike, read up on the best ways to warm up, how to prepare for your next race and stretching for recovery afterwards.

5. Father Fitness

Another blog moving up in this list is the patriarch of exercise preparation, whatever form it comes in – Father Fitness, AKA Paul Stainthorpe. This ‘normal guy who just wants to try and keep fit’ shares his journey, a ‘realistic one’ filled with ‘hurdles’, just like anyone else’s. For help with your hurdles, this fit father posts information on health, weight loss, product reviews, nutrition, muscle and events. Want to keep fit as a family? Paul also offers advice on exercise and kids.

Father Fitness

Fiona Outdoors

6. Fiona Outdoors

Let’s go outside to get some fresh air alongside our exercise endeavours with Fiona Outdoors. Fiona offers advice and ideas on activities including walking, running and cycling as well as more advanced fitness formats like skiing and snowboarding. If you’re over 50, don’t fret, this blog also has advice for you on keeping fit, as well as reviews of kit you’re going to need when you head out. For those bored of their routine, you can also check out the Have You Tried? section, which features plenty of new things to try.

7. Be Healthy Now

A re-entry to this ranking for 2022 is Be Healthy Now, which you may recognise from our rundown of top UK healthcare blogs. Taking a different route to fitness and exercise, this blog from Petra Kravos bigs-up holistic approaches to health in channels including Natural Health, Healthy Recipes, Healthy Living, Fitness and Natural Beauty. Recently posted in the Fitness channel – ways to stay healthy when you don’t have time to go to the gym and outdoor activities to try that will benefit your health.

Be Healthy Now

FitnessFoodRecipes

8. FitnessFoodRecipes

An important part of fitness is making sure you’re filled with the right kind of fuel – that’s where new entry FitnessFoodRecipes comes in! Here nutrition coach and blogger Oladimeji Ipaye aims to help his readers ‘lose weight and get in the best shape’. Believing that healthy diets should never be boring, Ola has something for everyone in the Diet section. Pick from Vegan, High Protein, Smoothies, Egg Free, Pre-workout, Post-workout and Protein Shakes for the energy you need for your next workout.

9. Tales of Annie Bean

‘Adventure Awaits – Go Find It’ say Annie and Nick, the bloggers behind Tales of Annie Bean. Having evolved a lot since its launch back in 2013, the blog focuses on fitness, travel and lifestyle, as well as the occasional fashion and beauty content. But today we’re here for the fitness, and there is plenty of that. Both qualified spin instructors, Annie and Nick also love triathlons, swimming, cycling, running, yoga and ‘basically any sort of crazy challenge’ – if you’re interested in the same, go check them out.

Tales of Annie Bean

The Fat Girls Guide to Running

10. The Fat Girls’ Guide to Running

Also in our fitness and exercise ranking for another year is Julie Creffield’s blog The Fat Girls’ Guide to Running, which has been helping people with their fitness journey’s since 2003. Having started out as ‘a humble blog sharing the highs and lows of being a plus-size runner’, Julie’s online home is now bumper-packed with resources readers can use, wherever they are with their own fitness journeys. Recently covered by Julie – why it’s 100% safe for you to start again in 2022, and her lessons from over a decade in plus-size fitness.

Collaborating with bloggers requires mutual respect and understanding: respect their schedules; take time to read their content to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted. You can see more advice in our blogger spotlights. 

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio  Media Database.

Literature Blogs UK Top 10

May 4, 2022/6 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists Top Ten Blogs /by Christina Pirilla

The Top 10 Literature blog ranking was last updated 04/05/2022.

1. Interesting Literature

If you’ve got a big pile of unread books you keep promising yourself you’ll get stuck into, take a break from the guilt and instead dive in to the ‘online library of all that is most interesting and captivating’ that is Interesting Literature. Since 2012, freelancer and university English lecturer Dr Oliver Tearle has been sharing accessible ways to enjoy literature that can seem intimidating. Basically, this is a good first step to tackling any scary reading challenges you may have tasked yourself with (and recs for reads to add to your book pile, too).

Interesting Literature

Stuck in a Book

2. Stuck in a Book

Moving up two spaces in our update of the top UK blogs covering literature is Simon Thomas’s space for book fans looking for something new to get stuck into. Blogging about books since 2007, Simon really knows his stuff, though he admits to having a predilection for ‘novels by women from between the World Wars’ – ‘if you imagine a housewife in 1930, then you can probably picture my reading taste,’ says Simon. Currently undertaking a Novella a Day in May challenge, you can cheer Simon on (and join him in the journey) over on the blog.

3. Bookmunch

Another blog moving up our reading list this year is Valerie O’Riordan and Peter Wild’s Bookmunch, where tasty tomes are served up to readers ravenous for quality recommendations. In the words of Valerie and Peter ‘We read books. We’ll tell you what we think about them […] We don’t like everything. But we like a lot of stuff’. Considering the plethora of good stuff out there, it’s lucky Bookmunch is here to help you pick up the best. Want even more to chew over? There are also occasional interviews with the authors for extra helpings.

Bookmunch

Books and Bao

4. Books and Bao

Another tasty prospect is the inspired combo of Books and Bao, where bloggers Willow Heath and Jessica Esa travel through a multitude of translated texts (so you don’t have to put in the extra time on Duolingo, unless you really want to). This focus on ‘translated literature and cultural travel’ means you can journey to far-off lands without leaving the house (or the train to work, etc.). ‘We help to expand your horizons with reviews of the latest fiction and poetry from around the world and showcase cultural adventures that inspire,’ say the Book and Bao team – go get reading.

5. Chapters of May

And coincidently as we’re in the May chapter of 2022, so we come to our next top literature blog Chapters of May. Here blogger Anika shares chapters of her life in her ‘online scrapbook’, which started as a university project and continues as a platform showcasing her love of online content creation… and books, of course. Recently shared by Anika – the books she completed in March and February, literature that has stuck in her mind and tools to use to keep you organised (helpful for organising your reading schedule – there are going to be lots of books you’ll want to check out before you get to the end of this ranking).

Chapters of May

The Reading Residence

6. The Reading Residence

Taking up residence in our ranking is a new addition – the Reading family’s The Reading Residence. Although originally started as a family blog, it has since evolved to cover wider lifestyle topics, including those that will keep bookworms happy. If that describes you, head over to the Books & Reading section and get settled in. A strong proponent of paper formats, Jocelyn (the head of the Reading family) holds monthly readalongs – an online bookclub of sorts. If you want to join in, go find out the choice for May and drop by the blog’s Facebook group to take part in the discussion.

7. Bookbum

This ‘friendly space for all horror, mystery and thriller lovers’ comes from blogger Zuky, who rates reads on an accessible sale from 5 to 1, and even warns of really tough stuff with the DNF (Did Not Finish) section. Those who are brave enough to try the possibly unreadable (depending on your view/tastes) can head there first for challenging undertakings, while the rest of us can reap the rewards of the top-rated propositions. Recent five-star finds include Audrey Magee’s The Colony, ‘And Away…’ by Bob Mortimer and Frank T. Vertosick Jr.’s ‘When the Air Hits Your Brain’ (a diverse mix of subjects – you definitely won’t get bored).

Bookbum

It Girl World UK

8. It Girl World UK

The blogger behind It Girl World UK is Chanel, who also happens to be a ‘choreographer and dance school owner trying to live the UK “It Girl” lifestyle on a budget’. As the multiple skills of this blogger will tell you, It Girl World UK doesn’t just focus on literature, but a variety of subjects including Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle and Entertainment. But right now we’re here for the books, and this blog has plenty of posts on them. As well as reviews of books old and new, Chanel covers adaptations and upcoming releases you might want to watch/read.

9. Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books

No, not a blog about a magical book shop run by the protagonist of ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’ (and other books/films), but instead a much more wholesome ‘children’s book and illustration website’ busy ‘reading, rumbling, reviewing and collecting’ the best of the genre. Here Vincent Ripley posts reviews, author interviews, news and book picks for ‘like-minded enthusiasts, who are as passionate about modern-day children’s authors as we are’. As well as recommendations for the best from the UK, this blog also rounds-up quality literature from the US – go pick from the list from April.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

The Dorset Book Detective

10. The Dorset Book Detective

Another new entry to this year’s ranking is The Dorset Book Detective, written by a corporate copywriter by day and ‘book detective’ by night. ‘I blog about the books I like and the books I don’t,’ says the blogger, who shares ‘everything from interviews and reviews through to more mad posts, like my top fives and my ranty posts on the issues facing the current literature market’. If you’re also a big fan of crime fiction and gritty thrillers, have a scroll through their dedicated sections. Intrigued by those aforementioned rants, however? Head to the Thoughts, Theories and General Ramblings channel for some deep thinking.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio  Media Database.

Pet Blogs UK Top 10

April 20, 2022/1 Comment/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Paul Burvill

Last updated 20/04/2022

1. Katzenworld

For another year, cat people come out on top in our ranking of top UK pet blogs with Katzenworld retaining the number 1 spot. Good friends to felines everywhere Marc-Andre and Iain Runcie-Unger put their pet-related portal together as a ‘one stop source on all things cats for our friends and fellow cat lovers’ and they now have a dedicated following of cat fans. Recently covered on the blog – new research finding that a quarter of Brits want their pets to be ‘Petfluencers’ and the fabulously-titled Tummy Rub Tuesday.

Katzenworld

Bionic Basil

2. Bionic Basil

Top blogger – and P.A./’Purrsonal Assistant’ to a team of creative cats – Cathrine Garnell stays in the same spot for another year. Continuing to blog in honour of cat Basil, Cathrine and her ‘B-team’ of moggies check out products for pets including fashion, crafts and books. Find feline enrichment tips, hacks and ideas, cat health, adventure stories for all ages, colouring and crafting with cats, pet peeves and brain training. Also highly recommended – all the extra-fluffy pics of the B-Team being posted.

3. The Dogvine

Another non-mover is The Dogvine – the ‘Timeout for London Dogs’ living in the capital or planning a visit soon with their humans. Your pup can paw through the Blog, Dog Events Calendar and Dog-Friendly Directory channels to find fun things to do – current recommendations you and your pet may want to check out include a plant-based hub in Hackney Wick, dog-friendly vegan restaurants, hotel afternoon teas and a townhouse dedicated to dogs in Chelsea.

The Dogvine

Alfie's Diary

4. Alfie’s Diary

Moving up several places this year is Alfie’s Diary, which started with the fantastic dog Alfie, and now continues with wisdom from pups including Wilma, who took over the Diary in March 2020. The journeys of Wilma, an incredibly busy dog, and her buds are regularly shared on the blog – in April so far, it’s included trips to Burton Dassett Country Park, Lickey Hills and her own garden. Looking for ideas for places to visit with your pets, or just want to flick through cute pics of Wilma – make a note in your diary to visit this blog.

5. Miss Darcy’s Adventures

Also moving up the ranking is Miss Darcy’s Adventures, where ‘the extraordinary life of a London dog’ – that’s cockapoo Miss Darcy, and her brother George – are dutifully chronicled in sections including the Dining Directory and Travel Directory by their human mum May. ‘My paws are not very adept on the keyboard,’ shares Miss Darcy, ‘I am dictating my stories to Mum as she types my posts’. Miss Darcy and May have hot tips for date nights and can recommend wining and dining in dog-friendly restaurants across London, just for a start.

Miss Darcy's Adventures

Ruffle Snuffle

6. Ruffle Snuffle’s Life With Pets

Pets can take many forms, of course, and if you don’t particularly get on with cats or dogs, this is the blog for you. Animals covered alongside the felines and canines include amphibians, guinea pigs, rabbits, reptiles as well as many more possible pets. All ways to ensure your animal companions are happy and healthy can be found in the Training Library, Enrichment Ideas section, Recipes channel, the Top Gear Picks reviews and Your Life features.

7. Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty

Wandering her way into our ranking of top pet bloggers is the marvelously-monikered Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty, who offers her readers ‘some kitty goddess wisdom and life with a creative mum’ on her eponymous blog. Athena was adopted by her human mum Marie and now helps to get the good word out about pet adoption and raises awareness for animals in need across the world. Just as important, however – the blog’s Caturday Art, where Athena is rendered in a variety of filters and art styles befitting a goddess.

Athena Cat Goddess Wise Kitty

Tuxedo Cat

8. Tuxedo Cat

Another new cat in town here – if you aren’t already acquainted, meet Whisky (cat) and Dan (person). Originally a self-confessed ‘dog man’, Dan realised the error of his ways and is now here, with a team of contributors, to ‘educate and inform people about how great Tuxedo Cats are while also seeking to answer all your cat-related questions’. Cat-focused Categories on the blog include Behaviour, Breeds, Care, Health, Nutrition, Predators, Product Guides, Senior Cats, Training and all-round Useful Cat Info.

9. The Paw Post

Freelance journalist and pet industry expert Rachel Spencer originally launched The Paw Post back in 2017 after finding herself with many stories to tell. Alongside writing for national press outlets, magazines and websites, Rachel tells the tales of ‘people making a difference in the lives of our pets’ on her blog. To get ready for the hotter months (if, indeed, we’ll be experiencing any of those in the UK this year) read her advice for keeping pets cool and even how dogs could be the key to finding your perfect partner…

The Paw Post Pet Blog

WoofWagWalk

10. WOOFWAGWALK

And we complete our pet blog ranking for another year with WOOFWAGWALK, featuring the ‘photogenic cocker spaniels’ Maya and Lucia doing all manner of woofing, wagging and walking as well as many other fun and fluffy things. Fellow dog lovers can find the best of the best for their furry friends in sections including Dog Food Reviews, Dog Friendly Days Out, Dining, Travel, Our Favourite Dog Walks, Tips and Advice as well as Tried and Tested (Maya and Lucia have done all the dog-work so you don’t have to).

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top Blogs: top 50 UK blogs, top 20 fashion, London lifestyle and interior design to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio  Media Database.

Art Blogs UK Top 10

April 6, 2022/1 Comment/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index Top Ten Blogs /by Christina Pirilla

Last updated 06/04/2022.

1. StreetArtNews

In the top spot for another year is StreetArtNews, celebrating supreme street art readily available for enjoyment across the world – no ticket required. Originally launched in 2009 by Rom Levy, this blog aims to cover the ‘stories between the layers of paint’. That means news from the scene, reviews of new works and deep analysis. Check out the Lifestyle, Interviews, Retrospectives, Exhibitions, Videos and Lists sections to find quality art on a street near you.

StreetArtNews`

Jackson's

2. Jackson’s Art Blog

Also in the same spot as last year’s line-up of top Art blogs in the UK is Jackson’s Art Blog from Jackson’s Art Supplies. Whatever your medium, shop for the materials you need and then get extra inspiration from the Interviews & Features and Art Materials & Techniques sections. For beginners, there’s even a Glossary of Art Terms to help you sort out your Acrylic Gesso from your Whiting (calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate that can be used to make gouache opaque… what is ‘gouache’? Check out the full Glossary to find out).

3. Art Plugged

Moving up a spot in our ranking is Art Plugged which aims to showcase great work and cover the ‘broader arts communities’ out there. To plug into the variety of art scenes happening across the world, read up on the blog’s Art Interviews, Art News, Art Talk and Emerging Artists and Exhibitions channels for the hook-up. Recent talks with art talent – Steve Lazarides on Banksy, graffiti and even bespoke furniture (because art can be found anywhere if you look hard enough).

Art Plugged

We Make Money Not Art

4. We Make Money Not Art

This blog from triple-threat writer, critic and curator of art Régine Debatty benefits from its founder’s interest in far-ranging subjects including art, science, technology and social issues. As well as her work writing and lecturing on how artists, hackers and designers use tech as a medium for discussion, Régine keeps this blog updated with interesting content. Read up on recent posts focusing on sound oddities, gender-bending and time-travel, and the geopolitics of phonetics.

5. Making a Mark

Making a big mark on our ranking of top UK art blogs by moving up two spaces is Katherine Tyrrell’s Making a Mark. Launched back in 2006, this blog ‘for artists and art lovers’ covers news about big art competitions and exhibitions, interviews with artists as well as tips and techniques for art and business. Check out Katherine’s takes on landscapes, the most expensive still life ever sold (so far) and new collections to go and see. If you fancy enjoying art from home instead and know your stuff, try the Who Painted This? Quiz backlog.

Making a Mark

Inspiring City

6. Inspiring City

Inspiration is all around us, but if you have trouble finding it in your local area, Stuart Holdsworth is sharing great graffiti, murals and urban art from London, the UK and around the world at Inspiring City. The street art scene ‘turned the East End of London into an exciting ourdoor canvas’ for Stuart on moving to the area in 2012 – those looking for their own outdoor canvas can take notes from the blog’s map of articles, showing the locations of places covered on the blog so far.

7. Scribblah

Also moving up the ranking is Rose ‘artist, printmaker, scribbler, ageing headbanger, feminist, activist, mad-cat-woman, cake-maker, accidental-archaeologist, mud-wrangler, wild, Welsh and opinionated’ Davies, who posts her artworks as they’re created at Scribblah. If celebrating women artists is your thing, peruse Rose’s series of silkscreen portraits and read up on their lives, and if you’re taken with the process rather than the finished results, scroll through for her recent drawing of the view from Brynmelyn Park.

Scribblah

Dark Yellow Dot

8. Dark Yellow Dot

And here is a new edition to our ranking of top UK art blogs – Dark Yellow Dot. All about ‘supporting and making space for new artists and creative beginners’, this blog works to provide opps for artists by partnering with organisations to make art accessible to real people, in real spaces. Aiming to provide entry points into the arts community with events, creative workshops and exhibitions, this blog holds a monthly art competition, and welcomes creators to take part in upcoming initiatives – go check it out.

9. People of Print

Another new entry this year is People of Print, which was launched in 2008 by Marcroy Smith as a directory of designers, illustrators and printers with the purpose of ‘educating and inspiring’. The current team, based in the London office and across the globe, continue to highlight artists worth knowing about and cover news from the arts scene, both commercial and creative. Read up on IKEA X Katie Eary, the launch of Anthony Burrill’s online archive and the 12 Kinds of Kindness initiative.

People of Print

Hookedblog

10. Hookedblog

And finally, for those hooked on street art, we have the Hookedblog, which takes aim at cities across the UK and beyond, including Europe, Africa and America. Launched in 2005 by Mark Rigney, the team’s worldwide network of contributors cover travel, murals and, of course, street art. For London-based readers, the blog has an overview of the top five hotspots for paper paste-ups (one featuring Mary Poppins, who might not have approved of the practice, but looks pretty good on the walls of the capital city, we must admit).

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio  Media Database.

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Relationship and Dating Blogs UK Top 10

February 9, 2022/2 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Paul Burvill

This ranking was last updated on 09/02/2022.

1. Baggage Reclaim

The love affair with Natalie Lue’s Baggage Reclaim continues for another year as the blog stays at the top of our updated top ten UK relationship and dating blogs. Going beyond a focus on relationships, this blog advocates and advises on ‘eliminating emotional baggage clutter’ for improved self-esteem and work life… which also means a much heathier and baggage-free romantic life. Using her own overhaul of her life as a guide, Natalie has helped many thousands of readers – go check out her story.

Baggage Reclaim

Forgetting Fairytales

2. Forgetting Fairytales

Moving up from the number three spot last year is Forgetting Fairytales, where blogger Ell keeps it real to help her readers become the kind of person they want to be to attract the kind of relationships they deserve. ‘You’re not a “damsel”, you don’t need rescuing and if you’re waiting for that perfect “Prince Charming”, well, you’ll probably be waiting for a while,’ says fairy godmother of relationship blogging Ell. Take her advice – and ours – and go read up on Dating, Relationships, Breakups and Wellbeing.

3. Style of Laura Jane

This blogger’s style is to offer her wisdom on getting the most out of relationships and no question is too difficult as Laura Jane vows to answer all ‘love life queries’. Using experience from her own romantic journey, this writer, content creator and poet promotes an ‘open sexual and dating outlook’ to her readers as well as choosing what is right for them. If this sounds like your style too, check on through for content on Dating, Relationship Advice and Sex & Intimacy.

Style of Laura Jane

Global Dating Insights

4. Global Dating Insights

Finding the right one, or ones, is important business, and Global Dating Insights is where to find information on news and trends from the worldwide dating industry. Launched in 2013, the blog now reaches readers in over 100 countries, keeping executives and professionals in the sector up-to-date with detailed coverage and breaking news. Alongside features and interviews, there are also deep-dive reports and analysis – did you know that daters over 50 are more confident with talking to new people than those in their 20s and 30s?

5. Chelsea Black

And moving back away from business and just to the pleasure part of dating and relationship blogging, is ‘The Mizzadventures of Chelsea Black’, which dishes out ‘Black Love, Dating, Relationships and Commentary’ to its dedicated readership. Check out Chelsea’s Random Musings or her Dating Tips (helpfully split into Sex and Misadventures sections, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for). Recent topics covered – budgeting tips for ‘singirls’, identifying your dating blocks and why mansplaining is loved by no one.

Chelsea Black

VavaViolet

6. VavaViolet

Moving up a full four spots in the ranking this year is VavaViolet, founded by Sophie Violet Blackman and featuring the lowdown on Sex & Love, Beauty, Lifestyle, Fashion, News, Travel, Fitness and Interiors. Top content shared on relationships and dating in time for Valentine’s Day 2022 – loving gift ideas for people having a tough time, questions to ask for getting to know your crush and avoiding the wrong guys (if guys is what you’re into – if not, you’ll be able to find something more relevant from the VavaViolet team to help).

7. Never Settle

Knowing that her readers deserve the very best, lifestyle and relationship writer Eve is forever ready to tackle the important parts of romance – in her own words, nothing is ‘too heavy, too hard or too taboo’ over at Never Settle. Have a Q about sexual or mental health, dating dilemmas or tough relationships? ‘Well, you’re in luck, lovely,’ says Eve, ‘Cause that’s my specialty’. Alongside secrets to a happy relationship, the Never Settle blog covers the tougher stuff – read up on signs you’re settling, and how to have a short-term relationship.

Never Settle

Hey Saturday

8. Hey Saturday

Saturday is one of our favourite days, and here is one of our favourite relationship-related blogs – one of the top ten, in fact. Saskia Nelson’s Hey Saturday, featuring in our ranking for another year, created its own genre within the sector and helps daters to do dating photography right. Showing yourself in the best – and truest – light is an important part of connecting with those that will appreciate you to the fullest. Read up on how to take the best pics for dating apps and finding your perfect match.

9. A Dating Dad

This dating dad sharing woes and wisdom on modern romance is a new entry to our Dating and Relationship ranking and definitely knows the way to a reader’s heart. Full of memes and pop culture references, A Dating Dad speaks (well writes) in real talk to fellow people out there looking for love (in all the right places, hopefully). ‘If you’re interested in some support and advice from someone who has been there and learned the lessons, drop me a line,’ says the blogger. In the meantime, check out his defence of online dating. And the Boromir memes.

A Dating Dad

JoshLoveTalk

10. JoshLoveTalk

And we round-up this ranking for another year with another blog new to our top ten – ‘a guy’s perspective on dating better and building better relationships’, JoshLoveTalk. Coach, blogger and podcaster Josh’s favourite thing to do is offer advice and perspectives on relationships (as would be confirmed by his close friends, apparently), so head on over to ‘share, educate, question and get inspiration’ for your own love life and life in general. Happy Valentine’s Day for 2022!

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top 10 Blogs, including music, London lifestyle, vlogs and film.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Top 10 UK Blog Rankings of 2021

December 8, 2021/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top 10 Top 10s, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

You might think that this year wasn’t much to write home about, all things considered, but the UK blogging scene kept busy sharing the best of their niches and sparking inspiration among their readerships through the tough time that has been 2021.

The last 12 months might not feel much different to the previous 12, but the changes in our top 10 blog rankings give a little look into what was more important this year. And it’s not over yet – here is a look at what people have been clicking on…

1. Top 10 UK Vlogs (+4)
There have been many times over the course of 2021 when getting outside to see friendly faces has been, at best, difficult and, at worst, totally against regulations. Thank goodness for vloggers, then, who have been dutifully talking to cam about all matter of important and unimportant things. This year, they’ve provided much-needed connection while we’ve been at home. And much football commentary. And gaming speedruns. Both of those things count as important things, by the way.

2. Top 10 UK Food Blogs (+1)
In addition to human connection, food is a must for a healthy and happy life; particularly when life gets tough, and life in 2021 has certainly been tough. Among food shortages and sourcing difficulties, food bloggers shared ways to stretch what we all had in the cupboard and new things to make with available ingredients. Alongside the sweet treats for quick pick-me-ups, our top 10 had plenty of healthy choices for those getting ready to get back outside in top form when the time came.

3. Top 10 UK Interior Design Blogs (-2)
Sick of staring at the same four walls? You weren’t the only one, as this ranking devoted to the top bloggers in interior design stays in this top ten for another year. From understated and minimalist layouts to grand maximalist designs, this ranking has something for pretty much everyone looking to make a change, whatever space, budget or ambitions you may be working with.

4. Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs (New Entry)
While no parenting topics at all made it into our round-up of the most popular rankings this time last year, here is just the first of them for 2021. Did parents working from home need extra help keeping their children busy/happy/intellectually-challenged over the last 12 months? Or did we all, adult or no, need a bit of our own paternal nurturing this year? Maybe a bit of both.

5. Top 20 UK Fashion Blogs (-3)
Down a few spaces since last year, the Top 20 Fashion Blog ranking continued to be popular. The fashion sector has undergone lots of change in recent years as consumer priorities have evolved. Fast fashion has had to slow down as we invest in things longer-lasting and kinder to the environment. And comfort is more important than ever, with loungewear becoming as much of a wardrobe staple as something super-smart.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio media database and get access to Bloggers in Travel, Food, Lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

6. Music Blogs UK Top 10 (-3)
What was your soundtrack to lockdown [insert number here]? When things got surreal and felt increasingly like a movie versus real life, having the right music on in the background kind of helped. And if your Spotify Wrapped leaves much to be desired, you can start working on next year’s by checking out all the different genres being covered by these musically-minded bloggers.

7. Top 10 UK Beauty Blogs (-2)
Looking after ourselves stayed a top priority this year, and self-care success was assured with advice from these top UK beauty bloggers. Like to be clean, fresh-faced and scrubbed shiny? Prefer to be doused in glitter? This ranking had ideas for both, whether it’s readying for an important work video call, a chat with family, or just pampering while watching something on TV.

8. Top 20 UK Parenting Blogs (New Entry)
Expanding on our Top 10 Daddy and Mummy rankings was this Parenting Top 20, which was updated just last month but has been clicked on by plenty of parental units, of all types and format, and otherwise across the country and beyond.

9. Mummy Blogs UK Top 10 (New Entry)
And for everyone needing a maternal influence this year (apparently, a lot of us), our top 10 UK mum bloggers had the goods. The goods? Good advice on caring for kids, making proper munch and ensuring little ones develop as happily as possible.

10. Top 10 UK Personal Finance Blogs (New Entry)
Perfect for the financially-stressful time that is the festive season – particularly this year – is our pick of the top personal finance blogs in the UK. 2021 has been difficult, and expensive, for many – if you haven’t already taken advice from this mix of expert budget boosters, let them find you the best deals and saving solutions to help you have the best possible finish to this year and a strong start for the next.

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top Blogs: craft, Guardian news, mummy and baking to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of the blogs on these Top 10 Blog rankings, their authors and thousands of others can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

The fundamentals of working with bloggers are the same as with traditional journalists at traditional media outlets: respect their schedules; take time to read their material to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted.

Men’s Lifestyle Blogs UK Top 10

April 14, 2021/2 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

This ranking was last updated 14/04/2021.

1. Menswear Style

Staying on top of the Men’s Lifestyle ranking is Craig Landale’s Menswear Style, which has been helping men find the best out there when it comes to fashion, lifestyle, style and grooming since its launch in April 2012. For what to wear out on the street, click on whoever is wearing what you like in the Street Style section, and for fancier occasions, check out recent features on what ‘Investment Pieces’ really mean, seven things you shouldn’t wear in the workplace and why casual wear doesn’t have to mean sloppy dressing.

Menswear Style

Ape to Gentleman

2. Ape to Gentleman

Chris Beastall’s Ape to Gentleman has evolved along with its readership since its creation back in 2009. While the big styles 12 years ago were deep v-necks, stripes and embroidered shirts, Ape to Gentlemen’s recommendations for life in 2021 are very different. Men looking to bring some style into their life can find advice on how to build the ultimate men’s minimalist wardrobe, which sneaker brands are the greatest in the world today and even picks for stylish electric bikes for getting out and about.

3. Man For Himself

No man looking for advice on things to do, or hair, grooming and fragrance has to figure these things out for themselves anymore when Robin James of Man For Himself is here to help out. Unfiltered honesty is what you’ll find here – ‘no BS, no dodgy dealing, just complete transparency and honesty in our reviews’. This no-nonsense and straight-up approach also extends to the website’s harder-hitting features, including a recent piece on why the pandemic has meant a rise in compulsive behaviour – definitely worth a read.

Man For Himself

Carl Thompson

4. Carl Thompson

Carl Thompson is the founder of men’s fashion brand Hawkins & Shepherd, has featured in magazines including GQ and is busy with his eponymous blog. Sharing insight on men’s fashion, grooming and lifestyle in sections including Fashion School and Style Icons, Carl has ideas for how to improve all aspects of your life. Find out how to dress like you’ve won the lottery, some amazing pieces of art for your pet, and the most stylish films and TV shows streaming now.

5. Maketh The Man

Making its way up two places on this ranking is Maketh The Man, co-editors Callum Watt and Anton Welcome’s online space for men’s lifestyle and travel. Callum and Anton, AKA #TeamMaketh, share the good things in life across the sections Travel, Food & Drink, Fashion, Accessories, Grooming and Tech, meaning pretty much everything is covered. ‘Whilst the Mark Twain quote does say “Clothes maketh the man”,’ says #TeamMaketh. ‘We actually think it’s the finer details that make an outfit really pop.’

Maketh The Man

The Everyday Man

6. The Everyday Man

Since 2012, The Everyday Man has been hard at work curating a mix of ‘all things fitness and lifestyle’ for its readers. Check out posts on fitness, health, fashion, grooming, travel, technology, music, the arts, culture and cars as well as ‘open and honest product reviews’. For what to buy if you’re looking for new earbuds, read up on the best available in the Tried & Tested section and if you’re thinking about getting a dog there’s also the team’s take on the key factors to consider before making the big decision.

7. Clothes Make the Man

Anthony McGrath, the founder of Clothes Make the Man, is of the point of view that there isn’t enough out there catering to the everyday kind of guy, or ‘as Mark Twain put it, “Naked people have little or no influence on society”. Couldn’t have put it better meself, Mark.’ Believing that everyone should have a voice, and choice, when it comes to ‘all matters of a sartorial nature,’ Anthony aims to inform on all things that affect his readers and the clothes they buy, whether the budget is more Primark or Prada-size – ‘Think of me as your agony Ant’.

Clothes Make The Man

Adil Musa

8. Adil Musa

Up a place from last year is Adil Musa, who invites readers to ‘come and experience the journey… where I will take you on breathtaking adventures to exotic locations’. If, like most of us, you’ve been stuck at home a lot this year, travel vicariously through Adil’s content on Travel, Food, Recipes, Lifestyle and his Restaurant Directory. This blogger loves to ‘share experiences with a nice community where people can come together and enjoy a meal’ – go join him for his next one if you feel the same.

9. The Dapper Chapper

New to the Men’s Lifestyle ranking this year is The Dapper Chapper, which aims to help those who enjoy the finer things in life go out and get them. Founded by Adam Tanous and now featuring a full team of bloggers from London and Edinburgh, the ethos behind the blog is ‘to see every man have the confidence to explore their own individual style, no matter their taste, style or budget – There is a Dapper Chapper inside you all!’ So, go grab what you need from the Style, Lifestyle, Grooming and Places To Go sections, chaps.

The Dapper Chapper

Average Joes

10. Average Joes

Still anything but average is Average Joes, where ‘honest and timely’ updates focus on topics including sport, men’s fashion, culture, lifestyle, travel, gadgets, film and motoring. For your work life, there’s advice on the ultimate working from home set-up and for home life when you’re not working, there are round-ups of shows to binge watch, guidance for watching the Marvel Cinematic Universe in chronological order and thoughts on whether Godzilla vs Kong is rubbish but fun, or just fun. Or just rubbish. There’s room for both.

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top 10 Blogs: men’s fashion, fitness and exercise, London lifestyle and lifestyle to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio  Media Database.

Top 10 UK Vlogs

February 3, 2021/1 Comment/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

This ranking was last updated on 03/02/2021.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in vlogs on its system – you can read more about the process here. Our research team actively seeks out new vlogs and vloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please get in touch to let us know.

1. PewDiePie

Still at the top of this ranking is the infamous PewDiePie, whose influence is undeniable. With 107 million subscribers and ten years of YouTube uploads behind him, fans are ready to follow and support the Swedish vlogger whatever the platform and regardless of controversy. With reports that PewDiePie aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg will be making a move to Facebook video and his announcement of a rebrand to a VTube format (that’s ‘using a ‘virtual’/animated avatar’, fact fans), we’ll see where he ranks among UK faves next year.

2. KSI

Still most known as a vlogger, despite high-profile boxing matches with the Paul brothers, KSI stays high up in the second spot. Having started with commentary videos on FIFA games, KSI’s talents have since taken him to boxing rings, recording booths (most recently with Anne-Marie and Digital Farm Animals, no less) and even the Great British Bake-off tent – check out how he does against Baking Heavyweights Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith later this year.

3. F2 Freestylers

Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch are here with the ‘Ultimate Soccer Skills Channel’, where you can find their mix of tutorials on match-play, football-focused entertainment, pranks and live performances. Their first challenge of 2021? An ‘Intense Speed Race’ against Cristiano Ronaldo. And if you aren’t quite ready to leave the good bits of 2020 behind, check out their compilation of the top 10 goals shared on their channel last year.

4. Ali-A

Calling all Ali-A Army recruits – Ali-A/Alastair Aiken rises a few places this year to take the fourth spot in our ranking of what vlogger fans in the UK are watching. ‘This is my place to share videos of me having fun playing games!’ says Ali-A, who aims to provide the ‘best place for gaming news and gameplays’ on the net. Fans of gaming platforms old and new will find a lot to enjoy here, and if Fortnite has been your go-to during lockdown, this vlogger is sharing some of the game’s biggest secrets.

5. Miniminter

Miniminter’s Simon Minter certainly has much more than a mini following online, with 9.19 million people subscribing to his main YouTube channel, 2.9 million following him on Twitter and 4.1 million keeping up to date on what he’s up to via Instagram. A master of the vlogging medium, Miniminter is a canny creator indeed – check out his take on whether 2020 was ‘the worst year so far…’ and even his current relationship status.

6. TheDiamondMinecart

DanTDM – or Daniel Robert Middleton, if you’re feeling formal – has the diamond-grade content when it comes to sandbox video game Minecraft. Perfect for our current socially-distanced times, the most threatening things you’ll find in the game are made up of pixels, so let DanTDM lead you through starting a Minecraft SMP before moving to his coverage of slightly-more-scary game Among Us. And if you need advice on creating the ideal place to play the games yourself, take a look at his recent video on creating a comfy gaming set up.

7. LDShadowLady

Sticking with gaming (because there’s not much else to do during lockdown, and watching a vlogger reading isn’t going to cut it), the next top vlogger on our list is LDShadowLady, also known as Lizzie. ‘Minecraft is love. Minecraft is life’ is just one of the lessons to learn from Lizzie, who loves vlogging mini-games, mods and indie greats. Gamers looking for something a little less blocky can also check out her playthroughs of Sims 4 and much, much more.

8. Deji

Introducing himself on his YouTube About page as a ’23 year old Man Child’, Deji is being very humble. With a growing 10.2 million subscribers, 2.4 million Instagram followers, 1.3 million Facebook followers and 2 million Twitter followers (and counting), fans flock to Deji’s vlogs for his mix of roast, prank, reaction and comedy videos. Deji doesn’t avoid the more serious aspects of being a vlogger, and life in 2021, however – his recent content covers mental health and encourages his fanbase to talk to and support each other.

9. Patricia Bright

The past, present and future continues to be bright for vlogger Patricia Bright, whose content attracts huge audiences on her main YouTube channel as well as on The Break, her finance-focused online home. Find financial, career and personal development videos there, and pretty much all the other aspects of modern life at the Patricia Bright channel – ‘style advice, I’m here. Random life advice, I’m here’. Probably of particular use right now, her advice for self-care essentials, ‘because the world is on fire and I need my peace’ (mood).

10. More Zoella

And no UK vlogger ranking can be complete without one of this nation’s most high-profile and highly discussed vloggers, Zoella. Hitting the headlines again this month, Zoe Sugg is without a doubt still a huge influence on the vlogging scene and continues to attract thousands upon thousands of views from fans who have been following her since her first upload way back when (well, 2009). If the current conversation on her content isn’t for you, catch up with her crafty content from over the Christmas period.

MORE TOP 10s

Discover more Top 10 Blogs including fitness and exercise, lifestyle, travel and tourism and London lifestyle.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Collaborating with vloggers requires mutual respect and understanding: respect their schedules; take time to read their content to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted.

Profiles of these  vlogs and their vloggers can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Top 10 Top 10 Blog Rankings of 2020

December 9, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top 10 Top 10s, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

As we approach the latter stages of 2020, we look back at the best of this year’s UK blog rankings based on the number of unique visits.

Just as everyone’s priorities have had to change this year, the most popular blog ranking topics have switched around since those early days of Before March 2020. Here’s what’s captured our interests, including good eats, nice interiors, comfy indoor clothes and much musing over politics.

1. Top 10 Food Blogs (+1)
Sustenance – always vital – is even more important this year, as we’ve occasionally struggled to source what we need from supermarkets, from bread flour, to fresh fruit, to fancy ice cream flavours that became scarce during lockdown. Top 10 food blogs is the number one visited ranking this year, and no doubt helped with those dalgona coffee and banana bread recipes.

2. Top 10 Interior Design Blogs
Spending a lot more time indoors has resulted in a rise in interior decorating – because who wants to stare at the scuffed walls for months on end? The top 10 interior design blogs, a ranking staying at number 2 in this list, provided much needed inspiration when walking around IKEA or stroking carpet swatches wasn’t possible.

3. Top 20 Fashion Blogs (+3)
Whether sitting down to watch Tiger King again, or heading out for a Government-sanctioned fitness outing, finding the right fashion fit became a bigger priority this year. Our fashion ranking rose three places and included ‘slow’ and sustainable fashion, highstreet and highbrow, and affordable, budget-friendly comfies.

4. Top 10 Music Blogs (+4)
Also more popular this year was music, with the top 10 providing ideas for lockdown playlists and good shouts for festive party music, too. Urban, pop, independent, alternative, dubstep, death metal and emerging artists – a plethora of genres featured. Not much Medieval Folk Rock or Country Truck Driving Music this year, but maybe in 2021…

5. Top 10 Vlogs (New Entry)
Mukbangs when you want to share a meal with somebody, beauty tutorials if you need advice with applying winged eyeliner or just a catch-up on life stuff with an influencer you like and follow – vlogs continue to rise in popularity, and reach the midpoint of our rankings ranking this year.

Struggling to reach influencers? Try the Vuelio media database and get access to Bloggers in Travel, Food, Lifestyle & more.

Get in touch

6. Top 10 Beauty Blogs (-3)
Self-care was a good hobby to take up in 2020, and the (bb) cream of the crop when it comes to beauty have been busy shopping their stashes, reviewing new releases and advising on how to look less tired and zombie-like when on a video call with colleagues, friends and family.

7. Top 10 London Lifestyle Blogs (New Entry)
Before Tier 2 times, finding the best of what’s happening in the UK capital was already a challenge – the top London Lifestyle blogs continue to be reliable resources for having a good time. As the world changed, so did London, and its bloggers adapted to feature socially distanced socialising and enjoyment.

8. Top 10 Political Blogs (New Entry)
Letting politics pass you by was no longer a possible privilege this year as the decisions of governments across the world were watched carefully. Writing from a variety of political backgrounds and stances, the top UK politics-focused blogs kept us informed with detailed coverage.

9. Top 10 Gardening Blogs (New Entry)
For those lucky enough to have access to a garden, or a window ledge planter, gardening – along with baking and beauty – is a hobby that helped many through the harder parts of 2020. Colourful flowers, fruit and vegetables, or herbs – gardening grew in popularity, and enters our top 10.

10. Top 10 Men’s Fashion Blogs (-3)
And finally, our most popular rankings ranking this year ends with more fashion. Though falling three places, the men’s fashion blog community has many fans across the world – and rightfully so, with all the tips for luxury, bespoke, every day, budget-beautiful and casual wear being shared by its top bloggers. Thank you to them for making opening the door to food deliveries more stylish this year.

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top Blogs: craft, Guardian news, mummy and baking to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Education Blogs UK Top 10

September 9, 2020/19 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Blog Posts, Social Media Research, Top Lists, Influencers, Top Social Lists Top Ten Blogs /by Vuelio UK

The Top 10 Education blog ranking was last updated 09/09/2020.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process  here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please  get in touch  to let us know. 

1. @TeacherToolkit

Originally founded in 2008 by teacher, author and blogger Ross McGill, the @TeacherToolkit team have a simple goal – ‘to make complex, classroom theory as practical as possible for time-poor teachers’. With educators under extreme pressures in summer 2020, this blog hopes to help where it can with #5MinPlan templates to download as well as updates on what’s happening in education when it comes to policy, regulation, safety and more.

2. Special Needs Jungle

Tania Tirraoro and Renata Blower’s Special Needs Jungle shares info on special education alongside health conditions and disability issues. ‘Informing, educating and empowering’ its audience, the blog is updated with news parents need to be aware of, including recent reports of children with complex issues being told to stay away from school as others are encouraged to return. Support, listings, webinars and recommendations from the team are shared in the Resources section.

3. The Learning Spy

There’s no need to don camo and go undercover to find out what’s happening in modern education – David Didau created The Learning Spy in 2011 to share the struggles of everyday teachers as well as his own classroom successes and failures. Staying busy over the summer, this blogger has also been streaming webinars as part of his Learning Spy Academy – catch up on subjects including ‘Building a Reading Culture’ and ‘Intelligent Accountability: how to ensure teachers thrive’.

4. Resourceaholic

If you’re an educator with a need for resources, Jo Morgan has just the thing for you. Resourceaholic is where Jo has been sharing lesson plans, ideas and resources for teaching secondary school mathematics since joining Twitter in 2014 and finding a treasure trove of resources from fellow maths teachers. The interesting facts and mathematical trivia Jo was able to bring into her lessons boosted her and her students’ enthusiasm for the subject – teachers can find resources in the Algebra, Shape, Data, Year 12 Pure, Statistics, Mechanics, Number and Gems sections for multiplying results in their own classrooms.

5. The Action Hero Teacher

Flying in to save the day when it comes to making classroom management simple is The Action Hero Teachers’ founder Karl Pupé, a qualified Primary, Secondary and Further Education teacher specialising in behaviour management. Teachers looking to take back control of their classroom don’t need a cape to become heroic for their students – Karl runs workshops, has authored The Action Hero Teacher: Classroom Management Made Simple and blogs advice on subjects including how to help children who struggle to listen (and Arnie quotes that will make you a better teacher).

6. The Confident Teacher

Having spent 15 years as an English teacher and school leader, teacher and blogger Alex Quigley is now National Content Manager at the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), a regular columnist for education magazines and author of books for creating confident teachers. Get extra credit on the blog with his recent posts on remote learning, successful study strategies, whether reading on screen is comparable to traditional print textbooks and helpful websites on reading for teachers.

7. Kat Howard @saysmiss

Here is where Northamptonshire-based senior leader Katherine Howard ‘muses over aspects of the education profession’ that interest her, in between writing for a variety of other publications, delivering workshops around research-informed practice, managing teacher workload and wellbeing, and much more. Recent aspects of teaching this blogger has mused on: teaching to an empty classroom, tackling the root causes of stress and the need for fluid curriculums.

8. FunkyPedagogy
The blogger behind FunkyPedagogy is teacher, leader, author, speaker and Co-op Academy Leeds Assistant Principal: Teaching, Learning and Staff Development, Jennifer Webb. Blogging to ‘develop herself, reflect on her experiences and share good practice’, Jennifer also delivers online CPD to hundreds of teachers each month, raising money for charity with the ticket sales. For more from Jennifer, you can check out her books How to Teach English Literature: Overcoming Cultural Poverty and Teach Like a Writer.

9. Ms Cole’s Blog

Ms Cole’s Blog and her Educated Minds YouTube channel are just part of the ‘community for students, teachers and positive-minded people’ Miss Cole has created for those involved in education. This blogger has been teaching since 2012 (or since childhood, if you count teaching teddy bears, too) and always knew this was the profession for her. Offering relatable videos and blog posts to help students get through their GCSEs, Miss Cole aims to help educate young people in the 21st century with new projects including ‘One World, Many Voices’, showcasing the work of black people and other marginalised groups.

10. Teachwell

And for teaching well, Tarjinder Gill has advice and support at the Teachwell blog. Tarjinder has taught undergraduates at Trinity College Dublin, spent over ten years working in inner-city primary schools in Birmingham, London, Leicester and Great Yarmouth, and is firmly on the side of those wanting to ‘resolve the actual problems in the education system and support appropriately, those who spend their time developing their children intellectually in all subjects’. Some of the subjects recently covered by this blogger include reading comprehension and the importance of political neutrality in the classroom.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Women’s Fashion Blogs UK Top 10

August 5, 2020/3 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Fashion, Top Lists, Influencers, Top Social Lists Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

Last updated 05/08/2020

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process  here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please  get in touch  to let us know. 

1. Inthefrow

Multi-award-winning blogger Victoria Magrath stays seated right at the front when it comes to women’s fashion. Sharing what’s good from the frow (that’s f-row/front row, by the way) on the blog since late 2012, Victoria has also completed a PhD in the subject, published the best-selling book The New Fashion Rules and teamed up with brands like Dyson Hair, Dior Makeup and Armani Beauty for ambassadorships. It’s not all about what’s worth wearing for Victoria, though – her success has enabled her to work with charities she’s passionate about, most recently the British Red Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inthefrow

Fashion Foie Gras

2. Fashion Foie Gras

Staying in the same spot is Emily Johnston’s Fashion Foie Gras, which has been serving the tastiest tailoring available since its launch in 2009. Daily fashion news was the original aim for the blog, which has since evolved into a personal account of Emily’s life in travel, food, but mostly, fashion. And while this blogger is London-based, America is where she hails from, meaning readers get a mix of what’s hot in the UK capital as well as places like Beaufort, Charleston or Savannah over the pond. Also well-travelled when it comes to writing, Emily has featured in publications including Cosmopolitan, Glamour and HELLO!.

3. Zoella

A familiar name to anyone who’s had an internet connection during the last decade is Zoella – influencer supreme, and the woman behind the third blog in our Women’s Fashion ranking. Regularly sharing trends, launches and ideas for fashion in the blog’s Style section, the Zoella team are here to help brighten up your wardrobe. Catch up with the Weekly Wants feature for how to style shoulder tops, what to wear to the beer garden (apart from a face mask, naturally) and the best Bermuda shorts. Yes, they really are back in fashion – it’s time to invest in a pair.

Zoella

Raindrops of Sapphire

4. Raindrops of Sapphire

Showering her fashionista fans with inspiration for what to wear is Lorna Burford, who also happens to have a sideline in denim, being the blogger behind The Jeans Blog as well. Here, Lorna shares her outfits for every season as well as beauty, bags, shoes, wellies, sunglasses, watches, what’s new, gift guides and advice. Particularly useful for the current season, and the rising temperature that comes with it, is her 20 favourite summer outfits, and four different looks for day to night-time (Bermuda shorts are not featured in any of them, you may be glad to hear…).

5. Disneyrollergirl

On the roll since launching this blog in 2007 is Navaz Batliwalla, the girl posting ‘observations and opinions on the culture of fashion’ at Disneyrollergirl. No-nonsense fashion is the focus here, Navaz utilizing all of her experience in the industry to keep things practical and honest when recommending fits for her followers. Aiming to be a ‘go-to resource’ for industry insights on fashion and beauty as well as trends emerging in editorial shoots, Navaz shares what’s on her radar in the shops (online, and etc.), as well as photoshoots and video. And why Disneyrollergirl for the name? It’s ‘a hybrid of my favourite Beach Boys song Disney Girls, and my obsession with 70s roller-skating nostalgia’.

Disneyrollergirl

Powder Rooms

6. Powder Rooms

Formerly known as What Emma Did, Powder Rooms is now a hub for UK lifestyle, wellness, beauty, self-care and, YES, fashion. Based in Manchester, but written for women across the world, the blog from makeup artist Emma Campbell shares in-depth features, product reviews and how-to guides. How to stay on trend this summer according to Emma? Gold jewellery, cats-eye sunglasses, loungewear and luxury watches. And with slow fashion starting to pip past fast fashion in popularity, longevity is also covered at the Powder Rooms – read up on Emma’s choices for versatile pieces for Summer 2020 and beyond.

7. That’s Not My Age

The birth of this blog was in 2008, but age isn’t important for Alyson Walsh, who launched That’s Not My Age to cater to ‘every woman who refuses to be invisible’. This author, former magazine fashion editor and freelance journalist’s space for celebrating women of all ages packs a lot into its Style section – Inspiration, Style For All Ages, What Women Wear and Expert Style Advice. What works in real life is what’s advised by Alyson – finding the clothes and accessories that will work hard for her readers in the day-to-day rather than what happens to feature on the cover of magazines, in viral Instagram posts or on the catwalk.

That's Not My Age

Not Dressed As Lamb

8. Not Dressed As Lamb

Not dressing as lamb, but help with dressing in a way that suits you best is what’s on offer at Catherine Summers’ Not Dressed As Lamb. Sticking in the same spot for this year’s Women’s Fashion ranking, this blog is for everyone who’s ever asked themselves ‘who wants to be “age appropriate”, anyway?’ ‘Occasion appropriate’ is what’s always in season for Catherine, who has a tendency to wear bright colours and mix her patterns. In fact, the self-styled ‘Queen of Clash’ recently shared her birthday outfit in a post for going ‘out-out’ – Clashing Summer Prints and Bold Colours (inspiration for everyone currently enjoying putting outfits together from what’s left in the wardrobe).

9. Lydiaelisemillen.com

Blogger and vlogger Lydia launched her ‘corner of the internet’ during her final year of uni to help get her through her dissertation. Finding it an ideal outlet for her creativity and love of fashion, Lydia has grown and changed alongside the blog – these days readers can find snapshots from her daily life, beauty essentials and outfits. Encouraging interaction with her audience, Lydia asks for their take on fashion as well as providing them with advice – ‘do I purchase the sage dress of dreams or do I accept my fate?’ Go check out her recent post on white vs sage dream dresses and let her know what you think.

Lydia Elise Millen

Curiously Conscious

10. Curiously Conscious

Sustainability should be in fashion for every time of year and occasion, and if you’re both conscious of what it takes to live a more clean and ethnical life and are curious about how to extend that to what you wear, Besma’s blog is for you. Low-impact lifestyle, clean beauty and sustainable fashion is the focus, as blogger Besma believes that ‘care for people and the planet is just as important as how effective a product is and its price tag’. As what we all consider important has drastically changed over the last few months, being aware of the journey the clothes we choose to wear have taken has become a much bigger concern for many of us. Curiously Conscious will help with making the most of the clothes you have, and with continuing to invest in fashion that will last long past lockdown.

MORE TOP BLOGS

Discover more blogs: top 20 fashion, men’s fashion, top 50 blogs, and lifestyle to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Men’s Fashion Blogs – UK Top 10

July 29, 2020/10 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Christina Pirilla

The Top 10 Men’s Fashion ranking was last updated 29/07/2020.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process  here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please  get in touch  to let us know. 

1. Menswear Style

A fashionable favourite for all seasons is Menswear Style, which stays at the top of the men’s fashion blog ranking for another year. Since being launched by Craig Landale in April 2012, the blog has grown into an influential and award-winning digital space for sartorial tips and style. Going beyond the wardrobe, the Menswear Style team of expertly-clothed experts covers runway collections, breaking fashion news, well-known labels and up-and-coming designers. You’ll also find grooming and lifestyle features and rateable inspiration in the Street Style gallery.

Menswear Style

Permanent Style

2. Permanent Style

While much has gone out of fashion since 2007, Simon Crompton’s Permanent Style (which launched that year) is still in style, and goes up a place in our ranking. Having since launched his own clothing line, Simon uses his experience as a journalist, author and all-round fashion-forward fella to school his readers in what’s worth wearing when it comes to ‘bespoke, craft and luxury’. Picks for black tie events, casual clothing, handkerchiefs and scarves sit with sections on building your wardrobe and even lockdown looks. Also useful – the blog’s rundown on how to wear a cream jacket (our tip: don’t eat spaghetti).

3. Ape To Gentleman

Staying in our top three is the online evolution of traditional men’s magazines, Ape To Gentleman. Created in 2009 by Chris Beastall, this blog dedicates itself to ‘timeless yet contemporary style, intelligent living and value’. Grooming and Hair join the Style section, helping readers stay on top of trends from top to toe. Put your best foot forward with luxury shoe choices, assemble the best bracelet brands and catch up on a brief history of the ol’ OCBD. That’s ‘Oxford Cloth Button-Down’, if you aren’t yet fully tooled-up on your timeless essential wardrobe staples – luckily, Ape To Gentleman is here to help with that.

Ape To Gentleman

Grey Fox

4. Grey Fox

Style can be timeless and should be ageless. Created by David Evans, Grey Fox focuses on fashion for men over 40, a huge age-bracket often ignored by fashion brands and magazines alike. Despite covering over-40 men’s style, the blog is read by all genders across all ages, and has led David to become a leading menswear influencer, appearing in publications like FT’s How To Spend It magazine and The Guardian. British-made style is a focus for the blog, as well as inspirational fits, accessories and grooming. Curious about the people behind the designs? You can catch up with them in the People section.

5. Clothes Make The Man

Calling all ‘ordinary’ men: Clothes Make The Man is the one for you. Created by Anthony McGrath, this blog is for men who want advice on fashion and style without being befuddled by big names and labels. ‘When we say ordinary man, we don’t mean this in a derogatory manner, no siree’ – in fact, CMTM aims to be an ‘extraordinary blog for the modern man’, taking Mark Twain’s ‘Naked people have little or no influence on society’ to heart. From Primark to Prada, the team aim to inform like ‘any good mate’. This includes how to style your moustache, the art of shaving and how to iron shirts properly – because working from home doesn’t have to mean pyjama bottoms and a stained t-shirt.

Clothes Make The Man

Michael 84

6. Michael 84

Michael 84 was born in 2008, and comes from Newcastle-based fashion blogger Michael Adams. Sharing his passion, opinions and advice on style, clothing, grooming and more, Michael showcases what he knows best – smart casual. No outlandish or unwearable outfits here, as the blogger actually wears the clothes he writes about, from high street clothing to high-end designer brands. Check out what’s new in his wardrobe, the best white trainers for minimalist looks, capsule clothing collections on the way and handy help for dressing to impress: ‘if you’re looking to dress better, there’s something for you here’.

7. Carl Thompson

This eponymous blog was started straight after the foundation of Carl’s menswear label Hawkins and Shepherd in 2013, and shares men’s fashion, grooming and lifestyle content. While it’s been hard to take a trip to the highstreet (or places higher-end) recently to try on new clothes and put outfits together that suit, Carl Thompson is helping readers wear what’s right for them in style guides featuring smart casual and formal attire for 2020. As the seasons change, the blog has your back with transitional wardrobes and investment tailoring – particularly useful as fast fashion falls out of favour.

Carl Thompson

Man About Town

8. Man About Town

About town, or mainly at home on online video chat right now, Charlie Irons aims to help out the ‘everyday guy’ with grooming tips and how tos on what to wear. Seeing himself as a ‘typical’ person still learning when it comes to grooming and fashion, this man about town seeks to share his experiences and lessons with his readers. As the weather heats up, take notes on the top warm weather staples, how to court the summer tennis trend, buying the best boat shoes, as well as face masks, moisturisers and scents that will stand the test of time, post-lockdown and beyond.

9. The Everyday Man

Joining our ranking of rakish men’s fashion blogs this year is The Everyday Man, established in 2012 to bring expert insight into the fashion world. Features on the big international fashion brands are shared alongside emerging menswear labels and designers. Restocking your outfit selection is easy with summer-at-home fits, exclusive releases, brand collaborations, what’s being restocked and even washable face masks that won’t make you blush or grimace when leaving the house wearing them.

The Everyday Man

Flush the Fashion

10. Flush the Fashion

Flush with men’s fashion trends is Flush the Fashion, the blog for Flush Magazine and online home for what’s stylish when it comes to what to wear, watch, eat and listen to. With summer finally here (or did it arrive quickly – your lockdown mileage may vary on that), the blog has the big trends for the season. But if you’re already looking ahead to the Autumn when the leaves change colour and knits get thicker, what to expect in fall fashion is covered. A heads-up so you’re flush with knowledge – jewel tones and knitwear are what to invest in. And are much more wearable than the back-in-fashion, apparently, socks with sandals. In the words of the Flush the Fashion team, ‘how the heck did that happen?’

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Wedding Blogs UK Top 10

July 22, 2020/12 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Wedding Blog ranking was last updated 22/07/2020.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process  here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please  get in touch  to let us know. 

1. Rock My Wedding

Still sitting pretty a-top the top-10-UK-wedding-blogs cake is Charlotte O’Shea’s Rock My Wedding, which started as its blogger planned her own nuptials and has since expanded to become a whole brand. Its podcast boasts over 100,000 downloads, the book ‘Your Day Your Way’ is on its fourth edition and over 1.3 million people follow Rock My Wedding across social media. This blog’s handpicked directory of industry suppliers – The List – helps couples across the globe to plan their big day and the DIY and Wedding Ideas sections are there for those who want how-tos on handling their dream wedding.

Rock My Wedding

Love My Dress

2. Love My Dress

The main focus for Annabel Beeforth and her team at Love My Dress is storytelling and community building, sharing beautiful wedding stories and supporting businesses in the industry, from tiny back-bedroom startups to international brands. With a Facebook community of 5k+ planning brides – with other groups for these members to move into once they are married – Love My Dress covers the important issues impacting its readers, including diversity and inclusivity in the wedding industry, and encourages further thought on the big topics in its Wedding Talk section. And while COVID-19 continues to affect both the industry and those waiting to wed, its #WhatAboutWeddings campaign is gaining traction across social and mainstream media.

3. Rock n Roll Bride

While white, off-white, cream and pearl are classic choices for weddings, brides and grooms after something alternative can find what they’re looking for from the rest of the colour spectrum at Rock N Roll Bride. Created by Kat Williams in 2007, this blog aims to be ‘the ultimate guide for alternative brides’. Recent theme ideas for weddings include spring-time pastels with a punk rock edge, Shetland unicorns and food trucks, and The Nightmare Before Christmas (featuring lots of purple and skulls). For couples who are ‘simply meant to be’, weddings don’t have to be simply cream-coloured events anymore.

4. Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

Born out of her own wedding planning, Louise Baltruschat Hollis created Whimsical Wonderland Weddings in April 2010. Now with a team of experts helping to dispense wedding whimsy, this blog doesn’t feature the fantastical and out-of-budget, but ‘real weddings’ – Alternative, Budget, Classic, Destination, DIY, Outdoor, Pretty, Rustic, Vintage, Modern and more. Aiming to be friendly, welcoming and inclusive, the WWW team shares stories from real weddings and connects suppliers with engaged couples making plans. And while wildest dream weddings are on hold, there are also tips for celebrating love connections during lockdown.

5. Boho Weddings

Award-winning wedding planner Kelly Hood launched this boho wedding blog and directory back in 2007. All about all things boho, from lovely luxury to rustic romance, this blog hopes to help couples reflect their personality throughout their ceremony – ‘weddings should be about you – it’s all about individuality. Create the wedding you want, not the wedding you’re told to have!’. Kelly’s focus on ‘fun inspirational and informative’ content has led her to writing for magazines like Glamour, Wedding Ideas and Perfect Weddings as well as the Huffington Post. Believing that all weddings are amazing, Kelly just ‘loves seeing people in love’ – go check out ideas from her and her team of contributors that you’ll love.

7 Boho Weddings

6. Brides Up North

Multitalented Julia Braime has been a fashion journalist, lawyer and now bridal blogger, and stays in our top ten UK wedding blog ranking for another year. Noticing a lack of Northern-focused content in the glossy bridal magazines available on newsagent shelves, Julia moved from fashion and law into wedding blogging, hoping to big-up Northern-based suppliers and venues for couples living in the area, or planning to get married there. Julia has also mastered multiple formats for sharing ‘aspirational, accessible and inclusive’ wedding ideas, editing her own glossy bridal magazine, Unveiled.

7. The English Wedding Blog

If you’re England-based and a jet-setting destination wedding isn’t popular (or possible) with your intended guest list, Claire Gould’s blog is where to journey online for English and UK weddings and suppliers. There’s a lot of variety to be found within the English isle, which you’ll see in this blog’s dedicated sections to different kinds of ceremonies – classic/timeless, boho/whimsical, alternative, outdoor, festival, creative and DIY, chic and modern, and black tie and formal. And, well, if further afield is still ideally where you’d like to be when getting hitched, you can also check out the destination weddings and elopement sections.

8. B.LOVED

Still beloved by its readers is B.LOVED, which has been sharing wedding inspo since 2011. Now also sharing lifestyle content, with a team of contributors, this blog aims to highlight the ‘luxe & lovely’, whether sparkling dusty blue wedding inspiration in Amsterdam, hand-painted wedding stationery, or fruits and floral weddings down in Kent.

9. Wedding Sparrow

Inspired by organic, tangible, artisanal, natural and light wedding ideas, Sara Russell’s Wedding Sparrow covers all aspects that go into creating a dream wedding – getting engaged, choosing wedding vendors, which style to settle on for the big day, and honeymoons and travel. While this started as a fun project for Sara in 2011, she has since discovered a genuine love for the sector and passion for helping couples create something different and special to them. ‘I’m here to champion authentic, inspirational weddings,’ says Sara, so if you’ve got a date saved, go submit your ideas, create and chat.

10. Bespoke Bride

After taking a break from blogging during lockdown, the team behind Bespoke Bride are back with bespoke bridal blogging, and back in our UK top ten. 2011 was a bountiful year for beautiful wedding blogs – pals Emily Pettiford and Jessica Turley also launched then, and have since won an award from Cosmopolitan for ‘Best for Bridal’ and have featured in Marie Claire. As well as DIY how-tos for party favours, gifts and flower arrangements, this blog has helpful tips for planning, travel guides, ideas for anniversaries, and even an online shop for hen party games, photo booth props, printables and stickers. While the lockdown has caused real challenges for the industry, and couples ready to start their lives together, we’re glad Bespoke Brides has stuck around.

Collaborating with bloggers requires mutual respect and understanding: respect their schedules; take time to read their content to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted. You can see more advice in our blogger spotlights. 

Profiles of these  blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database. 

Football Blogs UK Top 10

July 15, 2020/2 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers, Top Social Lists Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Football Blog ranking was last updated 15/07/2020.

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please get in touch to let us know.

1. The Anfield Wrap

Ahead on points in the UK football blog ranking is The Anfield Wrap, AKA TAW, which covers Liverpool FC for its legion of supporters. While going to actual matches is off limits for fans right now, they can still congregate here for everything to do with the club, in blog, podcast and video format. From its small start in 2011, TAW now attracts a huge audience to the site and across its social media channels. Who needs to be sitting in the stands when all the Liverpool FC-related gossip, news and updates as well as opinion, reaction and exclusive interviews are right here online?

Top 10 football blogs

2. CaughtOffside

Don’t be caught offside without the latest news of what’s happening on the UK football scene – CaughtOffside claims to be the most popular independent football blog in the world, so is a safe bet for finding facts on the current state of the sport. As shown in the multicoloured garland of football shirts decorating the front page, all teams get equal love on this blog – click on the shirt of your team for the latest on its fortunes (Manchester City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Watford FC and more). And if you also like to keep up on the lives of footballers’ wives, there’s a dedicated (and drama-filled) WAGs section.

3. The Republik of Mancunia

If you’re a Red Devils fan, no doubt you’ve already declared allegiance to The Republik of Mancunia. Since 2006, blogger Scott – a ‘season-ticket holding Mancunian, who loves his team, and isn’t ashamed’ – has sought to show a more optimistic side to football fandom (what he calls wearing his ‘red-tinted specs’). Transfer news and statistics – aimed to be as realistic and evidence-based as possible – cover what’s happening on the pitch, and the forum is where to join fellow fans for optimistic chat, even when the team aren’t out and scoring.

Top 10 football blogs

4. Daily Cannon

Still firing on all cylinders is Daily Cannon, which secures the last Champions League spot at number four. Launched in 2008 by Lee Hurley, and covering everything Arsenal (who you will be seeing more of later in the ranking), long reads are posted alongside shorter gossip pieces on transfers and updates on the club and its players. And when we say ‘everything Arsenal’, it’s true – hover over the Arsenal channel and you’ll find Arsenal Injuries, Arsenal Loan Watch, Arsenal History, Arsenal Opinion and even Arsenal Wallpaper.

5. The Spurs Web

Retaining its spot in the Europa League on this line up is The Spurs Web, whose team has been covering the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur since way back in 1996, which you may remember as an important year for football. No, not just because of this blog’s launch (but also that). Articles focus on match analysis, opinion pieces on the Europa League, and what it takes to win (advice the England team could have used back in 1996 – not that we’re living in the past). The Spurs Web aims to snag readers with what it calls ‘refreshingly honest, topical, and entertaining coverage’ of the football club, which it supports through thick and thin. The team also welcome tips and suggestions for stories, so get in touch if reading that has… spurred… you on (sorry).

Top 10 football blogs

6. JustArsenal.com

On the ball with more news from Arsenal FC is JustArsenal.com, whose team reports on news from the club, new transfers, match reports and statistics. Gunners fans can also read up on any rumours currently doing the rounds, watch videos from previous matches and check out previews for what’s coming up. And for those who like to go deeper, this blog’s writers like to consider the big questions: ‘Who would you choose in Arsenal’s Battle of the Keepers?’, ‘Who should we keep or sell?’ and ‘What’s going on with Arteta’s substitutions?’ We don’t have the answers – go check out the team’s takes.

7. Never Mind the B*llocks

Part of also-magnificently-monikered The Fighting Cock, the Never Mind the B*llocks blog is new to the top ten football ranking this year. Part of a podcast, fanzine and website devoted to Tottenham Hotspur FC that’s been going since 2011, the blog posts pieces from a team of writers with things to share about the sport and their favourite team. A recent take from the writers: ‘What is wrong with me? It’s like I can’t help it. Spurs are a devastating drug, and I’m a full-blown addict’. For those who feel the same, Never Mind the B*llocks is where to go for a football-fix.

Top 10 football blogs

8. The Transfer Tavern

Returning back to the subject of the sport at large, our next top ten blog is Taylor Williams’ The Transfer Tavern. The ‘one stop shop’ for transfer rumours, news and breaking headlines helpfully splits its gossip on who is going where by team, and encourages its readers to ‘pull up a bar stool’ and join informal conversations online just like those they’d have at the pub. Here it is ‘always happy hour’, though red cards can be raised if fan debate gets too rowdy. Just want the facts? Read up on Fixtures & Results and see what’s happening in the League Table.

9. The Tomkins Times

Taking the same tactical position as last year’s ranking is The Tomkins Times, focusing on Liverpool FC and originally created by author Paul Tomkins. Previously bigged-up by The Independent on Sunday as ‘perhaps the most intelligent guide to LFC available on the internet’, The Tomkins Times requires subscription for much of its content, which provides fans with analysis from its current roster of writers particularly passionate about the football team. And while the sport has been vastly changed during the current pandemic, there’s also a Coronavirus/COVID-19 Discussion Page under the Debate section.

top 10 football blogs

10. West Ham Till I Die

And finishing our top ten is a blog from a familiar face to the Vuelio blog rankings – Iain Dale’s West Ham Till I Die. Well-known for his political commentary on radio and in print, here Iain focuses instead on news from West Ham Football Club. Match reports from West Ham games, and columns from regular writers like ‘HamburgHammer’ and ‘Goatygav’ join Iain’s posts on the team as well as a nifty section on the squad, outlining the key stats for each West Ham player. Did you know that Pablo Zabaleta is 178cm, and had made 37 appearances as of May 2018? Us neither – go find extra stats if you’re dying for more from the Hammers.

Collaborating with bloggers requires mutual respect and understanding: respect their schedules; take time to read their content to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted. You can see more advice in our blogger spotlights.

Profiles of these craft blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Craft Blogs UK Top 10

July 8, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Paul Burvill

Last updated 08/07/2020

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process here. Our research team actively seeks out new blogs and bloggers for inclusion, but if you think we’ve missed someone, please get in touch to let us know.

1. Red Ted Art

Still red hot when it comes to getting crafty is Maggy Woodley’s Red Ted Art. This blog for beginners shares ‘cute and easy crafts for kids’ that are promised to be a) ‘do-able’ b) made from simple materials and c) perfect for helping build both skills and confidence. With a selection of books also under her belt, Maggy has the makings for many fun family afternoons with pots of glitter, poster paints and spare paper to hand. Find her most popular posts under the ‘START HERE’ section for how to make a volcano, paper clay or princess paper dolls in 3D, or watch along with her YouTube playlist for crafters aged 8-12.

2. Kids Craft Room

Bringing ‘creative fun for everyone’ is Emma Smith at the Kids Craft Room. Since 2012, primary school teacher Emma has been sharing art and craft ideas with an aim to inspire children to get creating (and boost their self-esteem and self-expression while doing so). Believing there is no right or wrong way when it comes to crafts, an explorative process is what this blogger promotes. That means printable plans for pasta and handprint pineapple art, paper bag lions, potato printing paintings and getting messy with sensory play for what Emma calls a ‘more hands-on free-range childhood’ filled with fun.

3. Mum In The Madhouse

We take another trip to the Madhouse, which stays in the top ten for UK craft blogs (AND features in our top ten UK mummy blogs ranking). Multitasking comes naturally to the Mum in this Madhouse Jen Walshaw, even when things are mad-busy – her ideas for family time with kids don’t involve staring at screens or Switch Lites, but instead making memories up the table with sellotape, pipe cleaners and toilet rolls, or in the kitchen for more edible concoctions. And Jen’s ideas are inexpensive – check out the printable 2020 time capsule, downloadable colouring sheets and recipes for quick meals, too.

4. The Gingerbread House

Crafts for kids and adults are being cooked up over at The Gingerbread House by blogger Jenny Kearney, who has been posting ideas for all age groups since 2005. For parents, the Back to School section is bound to be coming in useful soon, and for grown-ups who want to get crafting themselves, the Crafts For Adults channel has plenty of projects. Die cutting, patch work and quilting, sewing projects and paper cut art are regular features, alongside Jenny’s monthly attempts at the Mollie Makes magazine front cover gift. And if that’s not quite enough to keep you busy, Jenny also shares which (often craft-related) books she’s reading right now.

5. Crafts on Sea

Sailing smoothly back into the ranking for another year is Kate Williams with Crafts on Sea. Having featured in publications including The Sunday Mirror, The Daily Telegraph, and HuffPost, Kate has also previously found herself at Downing Street for discussions with Mumsnet and Railway Children. Filled with useful things, Crafts on Sea splits its ideas by age, with creativity for kids and toddlers. Activities for two-year-olds is one of this blogger’s favourite posts, as well as 40 things her daughter could eat before she got teeth. Our fave: the Captain America paper plate shield (which is good for every age).

6. Rainy Day Mum

Another familiar face from both past craft blog top tens and mummy blog rankings is Cerys Parker of Rainy Day Mum. Starting with a goal to complete at least one activity with her toddler each day, the blog has since grown and is now filled with enough ideas for many, many rainy (and sunny) days to come. Crafting with Cerys doesn’t just involve paper and glue – there are nursery rhymes and songs to follow along with, ideas for cooking, reading, and summer bucket lists to work through, for babies, toddlers and pre-school children.

7. Heart Handmade UK

And here is where we move beyond Beginner-level crafting and towards Expert… If you heart all things handmade, Claire Donovan of Heart Handmade UK has plenty of practical projects to partake in. Established in 2010, this blog has craft ideas, expert guides, home décor tips and ‘plan & print’ resources for bullet journaling, mastering calligraphy and much more. Describing herself as a ‘chronically ill, disabled blogger’ and this website as her ‘Happy Haven’, Claire is an advocate for happy creative lives, and crafting as a tool for helping with mental health. A recent idea for keeping your surroundings bright during lockdown – templates for paper flowers (perfection).

8. Folksy Blog

Folks: modern British craft is something to be proud of, and the people behind Folksy are here to big-up designers and makers across the UK. Setting out their raison d’etre on the blog, the folksy team believe in craft skills, strength in numbers for reaching bigger audiences, the support of cottage industries, the merits of work standing for itself and ‘David, not Goliath’. For those who have expert painting, crochet, knitting, embroidery, wood/metal work or pottery skills and are busy making all things beautiful, the Folksy blog is where you can share what you do with others, and pick up advice for finding your audience.

9. Look At What I Made

Look at what blogger Dedri Uys has made – a top ten craft blog for her crocheting and baking success stories. Now also featuring help from friends Jane and Jenni, Look At What I Made covers all things yarn (and sometimes, cake). ‘What started out as an ‘anything-I-can-make-or-bake-or-fake’ blog ten years ago has turned into a full-on crochet fest,’ says Dedri, who sees the art of crochet as much more than a craft, but a ‘life-saving panacea’ for medication-free therapy and meditation. Having published and collaborated on numerous books on the subject, Dedri definitely knows how to hook happily – grab some wool and join her.

10. Barbara Gray Blog

Founder of Claritystamps and curator of quality stencils and designs, Barbara Gray blogs to share her thoughts on new card products she’s trying out, updates on how her current projects are going and ideas for things you can try crafting yourself. Always ready with a warm welcome for her fellow crafty card and art makers, Barbara is well-loved and regarded within the crafting community, who are frequently invited to (digitally) take a walk in her garden, ruminate on what’s worth having a go at and take part in regular giveaways. If you’re into crafting and haven’t discovered Barbara’s blog yet, give it a go.

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top Blogs: charity, lifestyle, mummy and top 20 fashion to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Collaborating with bloggers requires mutual respect and understanding: respect their schedules; take time to read their content to learn their interests; and only contact them if/when they want to be contacted. You can see more advice in our blogger spotlights.

Profiles of these craft blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Beer Blogs UK Top 10

June 10, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

Last updated 10/06/2020

1. Boak & Bailey’s Beer Blog

Top of the drinks menu for UK beer bloggers is still Jessica Boak and Ray Bailey’s beer blog. While you can’t make it to the local pub to test the produce quite yet, you can join Boak & Bailey online for chat from the (digital-at-the-moment) pub scene. Blogging on the subject since 2007, these ‘geeks in general, but especially about beer and pubs’ dip into a variety of beer-related subjects. Did you know the HMV dog also advertised beer? That there’s a pub designed to look like an art deco racing plane out there? And that the best seat at their local takeaway pub is the table tucked away by the front door? Go pull up an imaginary seat with an imaginary (or real, if you have any in the cupboard) pint to join the chat.

2. CAMRGB

The Campaign For Really Good Beer (that’s CAMRGB for short) was launched back in 2011 by Simon Williams, who wasn’t happy about English kegged beer being denied a place at the Great British Beer Festival. Since then, CAMRGB has continued in its quest to big-up big-taste beer. ‘We’re a group of likeminded people who believe that good beer and good breweries should be celebrated and supported no matter what their size, shape, or dispense method’. Good beers recently supped by the team have had ‘lashings of sticky honey right at heart’ and finishes that are ‘super smooth, soft and clean’. Thirsty? Check out the blog to find out where you can get yourself a glass of the good stuff.

3. Protz On Beer

Still steady in the third spot is leading beer writer, historian, lecturer and taster Roger Protz with the Protz On Beer blog. While Roger’s worldwide search for the best beer around is on hold, his posting on quality pints continues, with reminiscing about his favourite pubs, past breweries and plans for new openings. And when it comes to reviews, Protz has a palate you can trust, having founded the British Guild of Beer Writers, edited the Good Beer Guide from 2000 to 2018, won the Glenfiddich Drink Writer award twice, and the SIBA 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Brewing Industry. And if you want more of his words, there are over 30 books from Roger on his specialist subject.

4. Zythophile

Martyn Cornell, the lover of beer (that’s what ‘zythophile’, pronounced ‘zee-tho-fyle’, means, by the way) behind the Zythophile blog travels his way up this ranking this year. If you’re looking for a bit about history alongside the imbibing, but watching Drunk History isn’t quite hitting the spot, Martyn posts a mix of tales from the past and present. With pieces on Porter – it was recently the 299th anniversary of the first mention of the tipple in print – and tragic histories of brewers past, Martyn is also covering current events impacting everyone, including the Black Lives Matter movement. ‘An award-winning blog about beer now and then,’ Zythophile isn’t just for those looking for a new IPA to try.

5. The Pub Curmudgeon

When you’re really missing griping over a drink or two with friends, this ‘jaundiced view of life from the darkest recess of the saloon bar’ is where to go to hangout. From the counter on the left side of the home page highlighting the number of pubs closed in England since 1 July 2007 (current count: 20,411) to polls on how long you’d queue to get into a pub (55% – ‘I wouldn’t’), this sobering view of the ins and outs of the changing industry, and continuing impact of the smoking ban, is written anonymously. Meaning the opinions shared are raw, without being sugar-coated, or as artificially sweetened as an alcopop or fruity cocktail. Interesting to hang out and listen to, whichever side of the debate you happen to fall on.

6. Tandleman’s Beer Blog

This veteran beer lover, local CAMRA Chairman and activist, beer writer, beer reviewer and ‘pursuer of all things good in beer’ supports Northern methods of beer dispense, dislikes pasteurization and truly hates poorly presented beer. The Tandleman’s promise: ‘The opinions will be forthright, but you can always disagree’. Founded by Peter Alexander in 2007, the blog largely focuses on pubs and beers in the North West of England, also covering breweries takeovers, mergers and buy outs. Having been a judge at the International Beer Challenge and the World Beer Awards, this blogger knows what makes for a tasty tipple, and has travelled far and wide to find the best.

7. Called to the Bar

‘Words on beer, pubs, people and travel’ from Adrian Tierney-Jones is what you’ll find at Called to the Bar, which enters the top ten UK beer blogs this year. Freelance writer Adrian has written for publications including The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times Travel, All About Beer and Brewing & Beverage Industries Business, and is also the editor of Original Gravity. In fact, Adrian is very busy between pints – he’s been writing books since 2002, edited editions of 1001 Beers to Try Before You Die, contributed to The Oxford Companion to Beer, sat on the Chair of Judges at the World Beer Awards and more. After recounting all that, we need a beer – check out Adrian’s expertise if you feel the same.

8. Beer Insider

Glynn Davis’s Beer Insider (sister site to Retail Insider) is here to amplify the voices and experiences of those working in the beer and pub industry. During a difficult time for the trade, contributions to the blog come from brewers, bar and bottle shop owners as well as beer writers and lovers – ‘there are lots of websites and blogs devoted to beer so the idea here is to be a little bit different and provide a platform not only for my voice but also a variety of other individuals’. While shining a light on the parts of pubbing you might not know, Glynn is also here to celebrate good beer and the places that will be back to serving it soon.

9. Cans Across The World

Raising cans across the world are the team behind this non-profit blog and podcast, which has been going since 2019. Stu, a writer and musician, and Seán, a music, travel, food, beer and ‘craic enthusiast’ based in Belfast, have a clear mission with their content: ‘no toxic elitism, no pretentious tomfoolery, no hate, no prats, no gatekeeping, no underhanded brand affiliation, no shilling, no agenda, no politics, no discrimination, no snobbery, just fans of beer’. Still on their journey in beer discovery and palate development, Stu and Sean want to champion small brewers and promote the beer lover community. If you’re also fanatical about beer, raise a can and join them.

Look at Brew

10. Look at Brew

Taking a close look at brews (and the fancy artwork on beer bottles) is Rachael Smith, part of the British Guild of Beer Writers and active member of the Sussex beer scene. Initially intrigued by the complex designs featured on artisan beer bottle labels, Rachael found her palate for the beer inside of them developing, and now blogs about both what’s in and on the brown and green glass. Most recent reflections from Rachael focus on pale ale and IPA and her thoughts on beer, pubs and life during lockdown. If you’re getting bored of contemplating your navel while stuck indoors, consider contemplating with Rachael instead.

MORE TOP 10 BLOGS

Discover more Top Blogs: top 50 UK blogs, baking, beauty, and mummy to name just a few.

Or explore the full list of Vuelio Top 10 Blogs here.

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of these beer blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Top 10 UK Green Blogs

June 3, 2020/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Public Affairs, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Green Blog ranking was last updated 03/06/2020.

1. Moral Fibres

Wendy Graham’s Moral Fibres stays at the top when it comes to all things green, sharing ‘sustainable living that’s hip, not hippie’. Since 2013, Wendy has been helping those wanting to go green across all areas of their lives, not just in the kitchen or garden. The blog’s sections for living sustainably include Life & Style, Food & Drink, Home & Garden, Families, Travel and Resources. ‘I want to show that sustainable living can be part of everyone’s daily life, whether you wear sandals or prefer a more substantial footwear – Moral Fibres is never preachy, nor judgmental’. It’s not always easy being green (as a wise frog once said), but our judgement? This blog will certainly make it a lot easier.

Moral Fibres

The Earthbound Report

2. The Earthbound Report

Reporting on the developed and undeveloped world is Jeremy Williams, who originally launched The Earthbound Report as Make Wealth History. Created to work in tandem with the Make Poverty History campaign, Jeremy’s blog now covers a variety of subjects for earthbound folks who want to make the world a better place for everyone living here – recent posts focus on low carbon greenhouse farming, recyclable solar panels, rebuilding reefs and turning coal mines into energy storage, and lessons learned during lockdown. And if you’d like to learn more, there’s Jeremy’s round-up of facts he’s found across the web in ‘What we learned this week’.

3. #EthicalHour

Sian Conway believes ethical business is something worth spending time on. Having left the corporate marketing world to bring ethical change to big business, Sian shares her passion for sustainability on the #EthicalHour blog, hoping to contribute to building ‘a future where business is a powerful force for good’. Split into sections on Ethical Business, Ethical Living and Sustainability, content aims to ‘start conversations that matter – making ethical and sustainable living easier and more accessible, and helping good businesses grow’. Articles take in topics like changemakers, policy, shopping with intention and the problems with palm oil – if you want to help make change, go join the conversation.

Ethical Hour

The Green Familia

4. The Green Familia

Welcoming eco-friendly fans into The Green Familia is blogger Brenda Cuby, who advises families on shopping greener. Family extends to pets (as it should) here, with content on going greener with Babies & Toddlers, Kids & Teens, Grown Ups AND co-habiting canines/cats/other cuties (healthy hemp inspired wellness treats are a good investment for the furry members of the fam – pro tip). Green giving goes right along with green living at The Green Familia and if you’re not sure what’s worth having when it comes to making sustainable purchases, Brenda’s Reviews & Views section will point you in the right direction.

5. Curiously Conscious

If recent times have made you curious enough about environmental issues to forgo fast fashion, convenient but chemical-filled food and gems that have been unsustainably sourced, find out how with Curiously Conscious. Started by Besma Whayeb in 2014, the blog provides a guide for making changes during the day to day. Beauty, Fashion, Home, Life and Travel feature, filled with advice on caring for your clothes to make them last longer, shopping for vintage/upcycled fashion, making plastic-free swaps, cooking with eco pots and pans and banking ethically. ‘Sustainability in a pandemic: is it necessary?’ – Besma says yes, and taking a look through her blog will convince you to keep curious, both during lockdown and beyond.

Curiously Conscious

Inside Track

6. Inside Track

Think tank Green Alliance has the goods on all things green across the globe, being dedicated to ensuring UK political leaders are delivering solutions to environmental issues worldwide. Updates on what’s developing when it comes to policy, plastic and renewable energy, Inside Track is where you’ll find debate and political opinion from the think tank as well as those supporting the work of the Green Alliance. Passionate about a specific cause? Under the Themes channel, click through to Political Leadership, Resource Stewardship, Sustainable Business, Low Carbon Future, Natural Environment or Greening the Economy to get the inside track.

7. pebble magazine

Here to help its readers ‘read the change’ in the air, whether concerning sustainable design, ethical fashion, eco-travel or slow food (like slow fashion, but easier on the digestion) is Georgina Wilson-Powell, the mind behind pebble. Having previously worked in Dubai for BBC Good Food and Lonely Planet Traveller magazines, blogged for BBC Travel and managing many Time Out guides, Georgina knows what’s going on around the planet. Realising that green is the way to go, and ‘rather than retraining as something useful like a mushroom farmer or shoreline manager,’ Georgina launched the platform for positive stories from people doing good things for the world in 2016– feel good features are just a stone’s throw away, on both the blog and its big Facebook community.

pebble magazine

The Big Table Blog

8. The Big Table Blog

If animal welfare is close to your heart, this blog from Compassion in World Farming CEO and animal advocate Philip Lymbery is shining a light on animal reform. The Big Table Blog aims to inform, educate and debate the future of food, taking a 360-view of all aspects of the meat industry – humanity, animals (farmed and wild) and the planet. A difficult, but important, subject, Philip himself warns that the content of the blog ‘won’t always be pretty, but it’ll give you the facts and make you think – it is for all those who want to hear about the here, the now and the future’. For those who want to see a future still filled with animals free and out in the wild, this is a must read.

9. Veggie Vagabonds

You don’t have to roam the world in search of green and vegan-friendly adventures – adventure vicariously with Veggie Vagabonds and self-confessed ‘crazy vegans’ Josh and Sarah. Bartender Josh and disco dancer Sarah originally met in Steel City Sheffield and their appetites for adventure inspired their travels and eventually, this blog. Jettisoning the material for a life of ‘vagabonding’, the bloggers have shared their time climbing mountain peaks in Sri Lanka, completing the UK Three Peaks Challenge by bike and rock climbing in the forests of France. If you also want to live a life outside, but aren’t quite as adventurous, Josh and Sarah provide resources for those itching to embrace the outdoors in ethical ways.

Veggie Vagabonds

PinksCharming

10. PinksCharming

Blogging (and charming) its way into the top ten green UK blog ranking is PinksCharming from Becky Pink, a ‘clean-beauty-aholic, interior-obsessed, sometime crafter and baker’ based in Milton Keynes. Having evolved from its start in 2015 as a place for Becky to record life with her daughters, the blog now shares simple ways to lead more sustainable lives. Full of tips for living ‘a greener, more ethical life, without compromising too much on the good stuff,’ posts cover House to Home, Clean Beauty, Life & Style, Family Life and Make & Do (Days Out, Crafts and Recipes). Check it out – you’ll be tickled pink (and green).

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of these Green blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Cycling Blogs UK Top 10

May 20, 2020/6 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Cycling blog ranking was last updated 20/05/2020.

1. The Inner Ring

Still in first place in the top ten UK cycling blogs is The Inner Ring, which has been busy covering all the big cycling events since its launch back in February 2010. Over ten years later, the blog has built up a following of fans of cycling, cycle sport and pro cycling with its mix of news, comment, opinion and chat. With no particular ‘overriding aim’, the blog’s take on cycling is that ‘analysis and nonsense can go together’ and that, despite the business side and commercial aspects of the pursuit, riding a bike should always be a pleasure. The approach taken by the mysterious and anonymous bod behind the blog is a popular one – they’ve also written for Cyclesport, cyclingnews.com and Procycling magazine.

The Inner Ring

CyclingEurope

2. CyclingEurope.org

Also on the inside track is writer, teacher and cyclist Andrew P. Sykes, who shares his two-wheeled adventures across Europe at CyclingEurope.org. Andrew and Reggie (that’s his two-wheeled fellow adventurer) have traversed the Scottish Highlands, the Pennine cycleway, and cycled from Spain to Norway together. While current circumstances may have stalled the journey for now, wisdom from their wanderings is still being posted in recent pieces on Gears for Queers’ writers Abigail Melton and Lilith Cooper and the 2020 Tour De France contenders. And if you want more from Andrew, he’s written three books focusing on his travels and presents his own podcast – perfect for listening to when on your (stationary) bike.

3. Wiggle Blog

Retaining its place at number three is the official blog of outdoor online retailer Wiggle. The team write about a variety of keep-fit sports/hobbies in sections Run, Triathlon, Competition and Gym alongside the Cycle channel, so there’s lots to keep busy with while wiggling back into your Lycra shorts and cycling helmet for outdoor exercise is on hold. Though cycling can be a sociable pursuit, Wiggle has useful tips for covering significant distances on your bike while socially-distanced – check out ‘Seven Ways to Enjoy Solo Cycling’ (make sure your bike is in good form, stick to a known route, be ready to fix any punctures and pack extra snacks, to start).

Wiggle Blog

thewashingmachinepost

4. thewashingmachinepost

Scottish Hebrides-based blogger Brian Palmer created thewashingmachinepost – or TWMP, for short – in 1996 and covers way more than the wheels, posting interviews and features as well as DVD, equipment, clothing, books and video reviews. Along with the biking and blogging, Brian is the man behind the Ride of the Falling Rain (a 100-mile ride taking place every first Sunday in August – hopefully this one, too) and local Islay-based cycling club Velo Club d’Artbeg. If you’re ‘consistently caught at the wrong end of the peloton’ like Brian at the moment, find out more about the pros – there’s a whole section of the blog devoted to 1984’s winner of the King of the Mountains jersey Robert Millar.

5. Epic Road Rides

Here to answer questions like ‘where should I ride?’, ‘where’s the best place to stay?’, ‘should I take my bike or hire one?’, ‘how can I fit cycling into a holiday with non-cyclists?’ is Epic Road Rides Clare Dewey. Also answering ‘where is the best place online to help me ponder and plan my post-lockdown cycling holiday?’, Clare’s blog gives impartial advice on the best routes to take in the best places across the world – ‘you’ll find everything from 20-mile coffee runs to century rides with thousands of metres of climbing’. Take notes from sections including Destinations & Rides, Gear and Planning & Logistics to prepare for that first coffee run (because thousands of metres of climbing needs some working up to).

Epic Road Rides

As Easy As Riding A Bike

6. As Easy As Riding A Bike

Getting into cycling as a hobby isn’t always as easy as… well, you know. Blogger Mike Treasure started blogging in 2011 with a hope to inspire those with cobweb-covered cycles to get on their bike instead of into their congestion-causing cars. Since then, Mike admits ‘I’ve changed my mind. People are not stupid. They will vote with their feet – or more accurately, their wheels. We should listen to the reasons people give when they say why they don’t cycle’. A realistic approach to road safety is just part of the treasures Mike dispenses – read about e-bikes, dealing with junction turns and navigating sometimes-hostile road networks safely.

7. The Ranty Highwayman

‘Adventures in time and space in the strange universe of highways and transport’ is what you’ll find on The Ranty Highwayman. Sometimes a rant can be as good for the health as a walk, jog or bike ride, and professional engineer Mark is here to help – ‘this is my way of exploring how we can enable walking and cycling in the UK’s urban areas (as well as moaning about other highways and transport-related things!)’. Believing that unrestricted car use is not sustainable for towns, cities and their communities, Mark advocates for the improvement of cycling conditions with solid engineering. Engineers – and others – can join the debate fully tooled up with this blog’s Resources, Glossary and Legislation sections.

The Ranty Highwayman

road Theory

8. road|Theory

Pete Linsley shares his theories on ‘cycling, pro cycling and other stories’ on road|Theory, home to posts on road|Reality, road|Reviews, road|Behaviour and more. As well as features on well-known cyclists like Chris Froome and in-depth accounts of past Tour De France events, Pete provides reviews on cycling gear and the techy tools you need for smooth sailing riding. You’ll also find his takes on lockdown cycling – recent posts include ‘Free your mind and your (Lycra-clad) ass will follow’, ‘Cycling, frictionless, through lockdown’, ‘Virtual cyclist and corona-business’ and – particularly useful – ‘How to be a cyclist when you’re “lockdown fit”’.

9. Bikes N’ Stuff

Former pro-snowboarder, PR consultant and model Juliet Elliott is here to promote women in the sport of cycling with her blog Bikes N’ Stuff. Alongside the bikes, the ‘stuff’ includes top locations, training schedules, events and picking the right shoes for cycling routes. Bike Biz’s ‘Most Influential Woman in Cycling’ (and one of YouTube’s ‘Women to Watch’) Juliet also founded women’s action, art and adventure title Coven Magazine, contributes to national and international publications, consults for brands, films and TV and has competed in road, track and mountain bike races. Basically, she’s very busy with bikes and lots and lots of other stuff.

Bikes N Stuff

Life In The Saddle

10. Life In The Saddle

Back in the top ten UK cycling blog ranking is Tim Wiggins, who blogs his ‘personal story of adventure cycling, endurance bike racing and insights into a two-wheeled world’ at Life In The Saddle. Having founded his blog on his passion for the sport, Tim hopes to engage fellow enthusiasts and supply ‘inspiration, motivation, and education for cyclists from all backgrounds and disciplines’. Cycle through sections including Adventures, Reviews and Advice and take some tips on overall health while you’re here – Tim has secrets for improving sleep quality, top reads and a good recipe for sprouted spelt pancakes (that you’ll be able to work off when the world opens back up).

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of these Cycling blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Gardening Blogs UK Top 10

May 13, 2020/6 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Gardening Blog ranking was last updated 13/05/2020.

1. The Blackberry Garden

Still growing strong is The Blackberry Garden – created by Leicester-based ‘amateur and somewhat obsessed gardener’ Alison Levey. Originally planted online back in 2011, this blog opens the gates to Alison’s own garden, as well as inspirations and things about gardening that make her happy. Happy things include reviewing products, gardening books and sharing her current plant-related projects (right now – practising patience while waiting for Wisteria to flower). As Alison herself says, this is not quite a ‘how to’ blog, instead it explores the enjoyment that can come from creating a welcoming outdoor space of your own.

The Blackberry Gardener

The Middle-Sized Garden

2. The Middle-Sized Garden

Not too large, not too small – journalist and gardener Alexandra Campbell seeks to celebrate those gardens sitting right in the middle when it comes to square footage. If your garden is ‘bigger than a courtyard, but smaller than an acre,’ Alexandra’s blog is for you. Town and country gardens, trends and designs, container gardening, decorations and parties, know-how, sheds and sanctuaries, wildlife and growing-your-own – The Middle-Sized Garden is full to the brim with handy horticulture. Need to stock up your shed? You can also find tips for the best gardening tools and products in Alexandra’s ‘Things I Like’ section.

3. Growing Family

For those lucky enough to have a garden for family-overflow when staying inside gets stuffy, blogger Catherine Hughes has plenty of ideas to plant. Originally purely focused on bringing gardening and the outdoors into family life, Catherine added family crafts, days out, holidays and interiors into the mix. While you can’t venture much beyond your own fences, check out how to grow your own windowsill herb garden, what your birth month flower is and tips on getting started with vegetable plots. And if you don’t think it’s a bit mulch, there is the blog’s recent round-up of gardening puns (they’re just the thicket!).

Growing Family

Mr Plant Geek

4. Mr Plant Geek

Mr Plant Geek is Michael Perry, who brings over 18 years of experience in the horticultural industry to his blog as well as his presenting stints on QVC, This Morning, The One Show and BBC’s Great British Garden Revival. His wisdom (and willingness to share selfies with his favourite plants) have amassed him a growing following of more than 26,000 on Twitter, 22,000 on Instagram and 12,000 on his Facebook, but if you’re looking for shortcuts to gardening success, his blog is where to find uncomplicated tips – ‘I’m here to clear the fog, and help people enjoy easy gardens again!’

5. Vertical Veg

Things continue to be on the up and up for Vertical Veg’s Mark Ridsdill Smith, whose sustainable skills in growing vegetables on window sills, balconies, and basically anywhere you can fit a few pots or a trestle, are proving particularly useful in the current climate. Rain or shine, Mark has tips for growing (‘lots of!’) food yourself – ‘anyone can create a beautiful, productive container garden. I’ll show you how’. Very handily, the blog is split into sections like DIY projects, Learning, Challenges and Solutions, and if you prefer to learn visually (or aurally), here’s the Video & Podcasts channel to get stuck into.

Vertical Veg

Two Thirsty Gardeners

6. Two Thirsty Gardeners

‘Digging and swigging through the seasons’ are the Two Thirsty Gardeners Rich and Nick, who have been making their own cider since 2008. Now far from those early days of sneaking apples from other people’s trees, struggling against hoards of slugs and weeds when starting their own allotment plot, and producing their first fruit harvests, Rich and Nick are sharing free resources for readers creating their own tipples. If you’re starting from the ground up with growing eatables or eventual drinkables, take notes from The Veg Plot and The Brewing Shed sections, and when you’re ready for bottling, the blog has printable PDF labels so you’ll never mix up your beetroot wine with your blackberry brandy.

7. The Frustrated Gardener

Chronicling ‘the life and loves of a time-poor plantsman’ is Dan Cooper’s The Frustrated Gardener. Plants have always been a passion for Dan, since experimenting with seeds and cuttings in his parents’ and grandparents’ gardens as a child, acquiring his own greenhouse at the age of 14, gaining a first-class degree in Landscape Management at university and opening The Watch House – his second home in Broadstairs – to the public for the National Gardens Scheme in 2015. Commuting back and forth from London during the week couldn’t stop Dan from finding time for his garden, so get inspiration from the ‘Our Garden’ and ‘Our Allotment’ sections while you also have more time to potter among your planters.

The Frustrated Gardener

The Enduring Gardener

8. The Enduring Gardener

Enduring in the top ten UK gardening blog ranking is freelance journalist and former Country Living magazine gardens editor Stephanie Donaldson. Now blogging alongside greenhouse business pro Daniel, Stephanie’s got the goods on greenhouses (choosing one, keeping it clean, etc.), gardens (composting, designing, maintaining) and plants (smelling the roses, growing strawberries, winter fragrances and plants that bite – yikes). ‘Gardeners tend to be a resilient lot, hardy, dependable and patient. Able to overcome the most extreme conditions and put up with setbacks,’ says Stephanie (we imagine that’s useful with those plants that bite).

9. Garden Ninja

Sneaking up a place on the ranking since last time, is Lee Burkhill’s Garden Ninja. Based in the North West of England, Lee posts advice for formal gardens, informal gardens, contemporary gardens, cottage gardens (*deep breath*), themed and fantasy gardens, concept and fusion gardens and many, many more. Any kind of garden you’re hoping to grow, Lee’s tips can help you to cultivate your cuttings and propagate plants. While you can’t mosey down to the local garden centre for new planters and pottery, take a look at this blog’s recent postings for changing up your outside spaces without filling up a trolley with trellises.

Garden Ninja

MandyCanUDigIt

10. MandyCanUDigIt

The Mandy who can definitely dig it when it comes to quality garden blogging is freelance journalist, specialist gardening copywriter and ‘plantaholic’ Mandy Watson. Her ‘rainforest of information’ grew from ‘the tiny seed’ of a Twitter account, and now seeks to make gardening more accessible to those perhaps less able, less funded and less knowledgeable about the pursuit. Mandy advocates for gardening as a tool for better mental and physical health, and even has a ‘Jobs’ section with timetables for what to get working on in the garden each month (week two of May is all about herbaceous perennials, tender plants and hardy annuals, so go and get digging).

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of these Gardening blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

Political Blogs UK Top 10

March 25, 2020/7 Comments/in PR Pulse, Top Ten Blogs, Social Media Index, Public Affairs, Top Lists, Influencers Top Ten Blogs /by Holly Hodges

The Top 10 Political Blog ranking was last updated 25/03/2020.

1. Guido Fawkes

The number one political blog in the UK is Guido Fawkes, originally created in September 2004 by Paul Staines. ‘The primary motivation for the creation of the site was purely to make mischief at the expense of politicians and for the founding author’s own self-gratification,’ goes the origin story from Paul, who found other such blogs at the time ‘too earnest and serious’. Guido’s mix of news, rumour and gossip has since made it a major mover in the world of Westminster, capable of changing the political landscape. Whichever way you’re affiliated politically, it’s a key place to visit if you want to keep up with the latest goings-on in the halls of power.

Guido Fawkes

ConservativeHome

2. ConservativeHome

In the same spot as last year’s ranking, the ‘home of conservatism’ continues to encourage conversation among its readers while covering everything going on in the party. A lot has changed since Tim Montgomerie launched the site back in 2005 for grassroots Conservative members. ConservativeHome uses its independent stance to cover news in its ToryDiary section, reports on what’s happening across the corridor in its LeftWatch channel, and publishes opinion and feature pieces in the MPs ETC, Local Government, Majority and Think Tank parts of the site. Now edited by Paul Goodman, this blog is one to keep an eye on as the nation watches the ruling party’s reaction to the challenges of 2020.

3. Wings Over Scotland

Rev. Stuart Campbell’s blog focuses on the political landscape in Scotland with a straightforward style and brutal honesty (the most honest, or brutal, perhaps being its ranking for ‘The Thickest Politician In Scotland’). If you’re new to the blog, check out the About Us page for choice quotes on its content from media outlets including STV News, The Herald and the Daily Mail, and even opinions from politicians themselves. What you’ll also find is sharp insight on how the media is covering politics in Scotland as well as original commentary and analysis from its contributors.

Wings Over Scotland

LabourList

4. LabourList

Supporting Labour while remaining independent from it, LabourList launched in 2009 as a forum for discussion of, and news from, the party. It’s News, Comment, Video, Brexit, Unions, Selections, Local and Scotland channels aim to cover everything happening in the party and writers range from grassroots activists to peers and current MPs. Readers are also an important part of the blog, which encourages its visitors to share their takes on the latest political news alongside its contributors. Leading the team is Sienna Rodgers, who brings experience from her work in journalism and activism for the party.

5. PoliticalBetting.com

If something lighter yet informative is what you’re looking for in a political blog, PoliticalBetting is a safe bet. Describing itself as ‘the best online resource for betting on politics’, this platform for political gamblers and forecasters posts analysis, statistics and polls for predicting what might happen next in global politics. Founder Mike Smithson comes from a journalism and politics background and has been combining the two on the blog since its foundation in 2004. With things changing in politics across the world by the day, check out Mike’s predictions for what might happen tomorrow.

PoliticalBetting

Slugger O'Toole

6. Slugger O’Toole

Multilingual content is what makes Slugger O’Toole unique – contributions come in English, Irish and Welsh and cover news from the Republic of Ireland, Britain and across the globe. Aiming to bring its audience ‘open source analysis’ from the blogosphere and the mainstream media, the team are ‘constantly on the look out for opportunities to add value to the debate of matters of regional, national and international concern’. Slugger O’Toole started life in 2002 as a place for founder Mike Fealty to share Northern Irish political news – now its focus reaches further and doesn’t shy away from controversial issues, whatever language they come in.

7. Left Foot Forward

Edited by Josiah Mortimer and Joe Lo, this space for progressives on the left of the political sphere aims to provide fresh takes on current affairs. Unaffiliated to any political parties, Left Foot Forward keeps its posts evidence-based to analyse current policy. Topical contributions from its readers as well as campaigners and politicians are welcomed, particularly if they come with new or unreported data people should know about, reports of unbalanced media coverage, or any debate on the British left. There’s certainly lots to talk about – put your Left Foot Forward if you have something to share.

Left Foot Forward

Craig Murray

8. Craig Murray

Craig Murray has had a busy career and brings a wealth of experience to his eponymous blog. The campaigner, broadcaster and author was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to 2010 and regularly speaks at events on a variety of topics. This blog has a popular comments section with posts attracting healthy debate among its many politically engaged readers. If you can’t get to a family meal to argue politics at the moment but have thoughts to share, this is an ideal place to visit and interact.

9. Bella Caledonia

Unaligned to any party, Bella Caledonia was created in 2007 by Mike Small and Kevin Williamson. Focusing on Scottish independence and aiming to provide conclusions uninfluenced by the mainstream media, the blog welcomes viewpoints from readers, campaigners and people working in the creative industries. Bella Caledonia aims to create a movement that is ‘vigorous and insatiably curious’ and sections including Arts & Culture, Opinion, Media, International and Economics reflect each way politics influences all aspects of our daily lives.

Bella Caledonia

Iain Dale

10. Iain Dale

This blog from award-winning radio presenter Iain Dale often features posts inspired by discussions from his work on LBC’s Evening Show – recent posts focus on strains on the NHS, surviving self-isolation and how to help struggling businesses. A respected political commentator, Iain regularly writes for publications including The Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard, was a contributing editor for GQ magazine, a columnist for Attitude, founded Total Politics magazine and was one of the team behind Politico’s Bookstore. Here you can find regular updates and his take on current events on the website as well as news on his books and upcoming talks.

Vuelio’s blog ranking methodology takes into consideration social sharing, topic-related content and post frequency. Profiles of these Political blogs and their authors can be found in the Vuelio Media Database.

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