Clarity in Confusion – Navigating Party Conference Season

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Politics is changing by the second, making it harder to keep up with the issues that affect you and your clients.

We have three panelists to guide us through this confusion: Katie Roscoe, Head of UK Public Affairs – Helicopters and Civil at Airbus; James Baker, PR and Public Affairs Associate at Brunswick, who advised Boris Johnson on his successful leadership campaign; and Alexander Tiley, former Press and Comms Officer to a Labour MEP and now working in public affairs.

Our guests discuss how to navigate the current political climate, what you should be prioritising and the importance of the Party Conference Season for your engagement.

party conference webinar

 

Influencer marketing rules

Do you know the influencer marketing rules?

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The CMA has launched a survey with PromoVeritas to help the industry test is knowledge of influencer marketing rules.

If you work in PR or marketing and are actively working with bloggers, vloggers, Instagrammers, podcasters and creators then you have responsibilities around gifting and collaborations. Likewise, if you’re working in content creation as an ‘influencer’, then you need to know the rules around working with brands and agencies to make sure you’re getting it right.

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and let’s you know your score when you get to the end.

Take the survey here.  

The CMA will use the results to continue educating the industry about what they need to do in order to raise standards and promote best practice.

It follows the pledge that celebrities and influencers made back in January to clean up their act on social media. This cohort included Ellie Goulding, Alexa Chung, Millie Mackintosh and Zoella.

Vuelio continues to support best practice in the industry both with its clients and the influencers we connect them to. By following the correct process you can ensure your work is seen as high quality, which, no matter what side of the influencer marketing relationship you’re on, benefits your audience and your brand.

Team Tunnah Eventing

Equestrian blog interview: Sophie Tunnah, Team Tunnah Equestrian

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Sophie Tunnah is an equestrian blogger from Northumberland. On her equestrian lifestyle blog, Team Tunnah Equestrian, she shares stories and adventures from training sessions, competition reports, her favourite products and every day equestrian yard life.

We spoke to Sophie about how she first got into blogging, balancing blogging with her day job, the inspiration for content, setting up an Equestrian bloggers’ Facebook Group and how she works with brands and PRs.

How did you get into blogging?
My first post went live in October 2012, when I started my blog as a way to document our competition performance from the past 2012 Eventing season. I found writing my blog posts gave me a really good way to reflect on the positives and the negatives, so I could focus on what we needed to include in our training plans.

Even though I started my blog seven years ago, I still very much stick to these principles – sharing our stories, adventure and our journey. I’ve added various elements throughout the years, such as product reviews and informative posts about general equestrian topics, but all my posts remain personable and relatable to my experiences.

Team Tunnah EventingHow does your professional experience heading up a global digital marketing team for an international travel brand influence your role as a blogger?
Firstly, I LOVE horses, and I have since as long as I can remember. But over the last 15 years, digital marketing and technology has captured my curiosity too. My blog simply enables me to bring these two passions together.

I’m not as hands on with the projects in my team as I used to be. My blog gives me that hands on touch again. But it doesn’t only play to my own needs, my professional experience and knowledge means that I’m able to keep on the pulse of industry updates and innovations to keep my blog in tip top condition.

When collaborating with brands, my professional side can be a huge advantage as I’m able to view the conversation from both my own blogger seat, but also crucially from the seat of a brand. It’s enabled me to ask questions such as what is the brand looking for from this collaboration, what value are they looking for and how can I better understand their objectives to create a great collaboration pack for them?

I also saw that while there were many blogger support groups on Facebook, there was nothing specifically for equestrian bloggers, like there is for travel, beauty, lifestyle, etc. So in March 2017, I setup the first of its kind group, dedicated to equestrian bloggers to create a place we could all unite, share tips, ideas and knowledge to all help each other become stronger. Hand in hand came my Blogger’s Corner section with posts all about how to get more from your blog and the top tips in a digital space to help any kind of bloggers.

I also offer digital marketing consultancy services, on a part time basis, for brands looking for some extra support, insight or recommendations.

What do you enjoy the most about being an equestrian blogger? What are the main challenges you face?
I love being part of such a supportive community. The equestrian world is known for being competitive and quite nasty at times, however, when I explored the equestrian blogging world, I found it quite the opposite. Everyone is supportive, friendly and prepared to help each other. There’s many different interests, disciplines and opinions, but everyone still seems to come together to create a community that I really enjoy being a part of!

My challenges… Well, as my blog is part time, time always has a part to play, but all that means is that I have to prioritise well and make sure I’m organised when it comes to planning my blog’s content and developments. My next biggest challenge is the ever-changing social media landscape. It can sometimes feel you just start to understand and make it work, before it changes again. But this is a challenge I don’t dislike. It stops you doing the same thing over and over, and all the updates are orientated around better user experience and I want my content to be what they want to enjoy.

Team Tunnah EventingHow do you decide what content to focus on?
By our adventures and what we’ve been up to! Training updates and competition reports are easy to do when we’ve been out for the day.

I recently started looking into Search Console more, looking at what keywords my blog had the most impressions for, but didn’t have strong rankings for. I then ran these keywords through a keyword idea generator to spin off post title ideas to help strengthen our rankings. I also realised that my SEO presence for a key phrase wasn’t as I wanted – equestrian blogger. As such, I’ve created 10-15 post titles to write about over the coming months to strengthen this term directly. I did the same thing for dressage, showjumping and eventing. I’ve looked back at those Search Console keywords for specific products, topics or services, and what pages rank for them so that I can freshen these up.

Are there any particular trends you are noticing?
I think the word influencer took over the word blogger a year or so ago. The size and scale of what a brand is looking for is what then seems to make the selection of who to work with.

As influencers have become a trend across the digital marketing world, it’s leading to a somewhat saturated place and I’ve seen instances (equestrian and not) where bloggers/influencers jump from brand to brand depending on what they’ve been gifted.

I am pleased to see a lot of brands ‘waking up’ to how to select their influencers, especially in the equestrian world, which seems a little further behind industries such as fashion, beauty and travel. It’s not about how many followers you have, but about how many people you can reach AND engage. Brands seem to be able adapt themselves to a sliding scale with the blogger, rather than simply not working with a smaller account in favour of one with one million followers but only a few hundred likes on their content.

Team Tunnah EventingWhat are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
My best, and favourite, collaboration is with Boudica Equestrian. I was welcomed as their brand ambassador in September 2018 to aid their growth – they are a small start-up and offer personalised online shopping experiences. Laura, who owns the company, was open to my blog due to its real and personable tone and was looking for someone to get behind her business and be dedicated to it growing. It’s aligned totally with my principles and I really enjoy working with her. We will have been collaborating for a year this month, and I really hope it continues for many more years!

Do you accept press releases?
I do, providing they can fit in my content and don’t conflict with existing brand collaborations.

An example of one I accepted is about top tips for winter stabling as it was timely and genuinely offered tips for when your horse is spending less time in the field over the winter. I also accepted a press release about an eventing event taking place as I felt my audience had an interest in this equestrian discipline.

Examples that I haven’t accepted are specific equestrian clothing item releases as this would conflict would Boudica, but prior to that, I didn’t use or wear them; unproven feeding advice and guidelines as I don’t want to publishing any information that could cause problems if incorrect; and very generic equestrian brand press releases as there is no link to them and me.

Do you have a good relationship with PRs? What advice would you give to PR professionals who want to get in touch with you?
The ones I have worked with in the past, I would say I have a good relationship with and always ask to be sent equestrian information for any future opportunities. I enjoy PRs that are interested in making the right connections for the brands that they are representing, which most of them do, but there are some blanket or cold contacts I’ve had that clearly haven’t even read my blog. That’s frustrating!

If any PR wanted to get in touch, please do so! I have no fixed way of working, and so can always offer bespoke solutions depending on the brand’s objectives and desired outcomes. I find this means that every opportunity presented to me actually creates a unique solution proposal back to the PR or brand.

What are your future plans for your blog?
In August I underwent a full redesign, so I don’t think there’s any major design work on the cards, but I am looking to build my social media presence to drive more traffic to my blog and create awareness for it. One of the focus areas will be to research and strategise for my Pinterest profile as we go into 2020. I also want to build an increased search presence in the organic results, and while this isn’t something I can just do and forget about, I’m planning loads of posts in September to the end of the year to give me a good starting point.

I hope that by building on the foundations that I’ve already set, I can also expand the portfolio of brands that I work with and, who knows, it may enable me to learn new things and discover new products and services. This includes outdoor and countryside as well as fitness, to broaden my content and experiences of an all-round equestrian lifestyle; being in the countryside and being fit to take to the saddle!

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PRCA Russia

PRCA launches PRCA Russia

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The Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA) has launched PRCA Russia.  

PRCA Russia will focus on consolidating the industry in Russia, raising standards in PR and communications, setting code of conduct, facilitating the sharing of best practices and innovations, raising the profile of Russian PR and communications internationally, creating networking opportunities, working for the greater benefit of the industry, and promoting on the industry’s behalf.

PRCA Russia is chaired by Francis Ingham, PRCA director general and ICCO chief executive, and managed by Elena Fadeeva, FleishmanHillard Vanguard Russia/CIS general director and Orta Communications group president.

The PRCA is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. It is the world’s largest PR professional body, operating in 66 countries. PRCA Russia is the first international public relations organisation within Russia and the first PRCA organisation in Europe to be founded outside of the UK.

Francis Ingham said: ‘This is the dawn of a new era of Anglo-Russian PR cooperation. Practitioners in Russia, the UK and indeed all around the world share common challenges and common opportunities. As the world’s largest PR Association, we are delighted to announce this new relationship with our Russian friends and colleagues, and I know that together we will drive our industry forward to new heights. I am personally honoured to be PRCA Russia’s inaugural Chairman, and I look forward to working with Elena Fadeeva in the years to come.’

Elena Fadeeva said: ‘The launch of PRCA Russia is a real milestone for the industry in our country with the first arrival of the leading all-around international professional organization. PRCA Russia uniquely brings the PRCA’s 50 years of experience in setting up standards and raising the bar on communications to the country. We are here to unite corporations, consultancies and professionals to work hand in hand building the industry of the future. We believe PRCA’s global reach will help us raise the profile of the best of PR and communications from Russia internationally, featuring truly outstanding work that our industry can do – creative, innovative, ethical, and effective.’

Kate Watson-Smyth 2019 feature

Number one interior design blogger: Kate Watson-Smyth, Mad About The House

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Kate Watson-Smyth is the number one interiors blogger behind the multi-award-winning Mad About The House. A journalist and published author, Kate has designed The Mad House as a sourcebook for modern living.

We spoke to Kate about the future of blogging, the sense of community on Instagram, working with brands creatively and her favourite blogs to read.

Kate Watson-Smyth 2019 3How do you describe what you do to other people?
Author/Blogger/Stylist/Whatever.

How much of a community is there around interiors bloggers?
There is a real sense of community in our field. Particularly on Instagram where we all chat to each other and there’s lots of sharing of each other’s work in stories. I love that aspect of it. It also feels very friendly and welcoming when people share the renovations they are doing and ask for, and receive, advice, ideas and tips.

What’s the best thing about being a professional blogger (if that’s how you refer to yourself)?
I don’t refer to myself as such but that’s probably because I’m a journalist – and therefore a professional writer – by trade. For me the best part of the job is the variety of opportunities that it has brought me. From being able to earn my living from writing, which is my first love, and expanding that into books (my third will be out in March 2020) to interior styling as well as helping people find the decor that is right for them; and then setting up a podcast, The Great Indoors, with television presenter Sophie Robinson [Ranked fourth in the top 10].

More recently I have begun using my platform, if you can call it that, to set up a directory of interiors and homewares brands that are actively trying to reduce their impact on the planet. Do Less Harm aims to be a comprehensive listing of companies in this sector with details of what they are doing when it comes to packaging, disposal, eco-friendly practices and sustainable production. It’s only just launched so it’s small at the moment, but I’m hoping it will grow and be a useful, and huge, resource as well as persuading other companies that they need to step up their own game when they can see what their competitors are doing.

Kate Watson-Smyth 2019What’s does the future of blogging look like?
Well isn’t that the $64m question! For the last few years people have been predicting the death of the blog and I think many of them did take a hit from the rise of Instagram, but Instagram is proving tricksy these days and many people find it frustrating that their pictures aren’t being shown to their audience, which has in turn led to a resurgence of blogging. There was an evening a few months ago when Instagram went down for hours and people all turned up on Twitter announcing that they had written blog posts for the first time in ages. And that, for me, was key. We don’t own Instagram and if it closed down or disappeared, your audience would go with it. You own your blog and its content and no-one can take that away from you.

The other point is that your blog is like your street address – you can always find it and the content that is there. It’s a nightmare searching Instagram hashtags trying to find the brilliant thing you’re sure you saw two months ago when you can’t remember the name of the person who posted it. Long live blogs I say. But then I would, wouldn’t I!

How do you describe your style?
Constantly evolving, but let’s go with monochrome maximalism for the time being.

What’s your favourite room in the house?
The last one I decorated.

How long do you leave a redesign before wanting to do it again?
That completely depends. I might be constantly tweaking but it’s a rolling thing. We moved into this house nine years ago. We painted it all white, then gradually all shades of grey and I have just finished painting out all the grey, so that’s going to average at every three years or so if my sums are right. That said, I realise that how often I redecorate is probably a different answer from how often I want to redecorate…

Kate Watson-Smyth 2019 2What’s the best collaboration you’ve worked on with an agency or brand?
That’s a tough one. I could tell you the worst! (I won’t). There have been many over the years and I tend to like them for the creative freedom and/or the people I work with as well as doing something new. So, Velux was fun because we made a video, which was different and they were a great team. Working with DFS was cool as I worked with Sophie and we styled a roomset according to our own (very different styles), and Bisque Radiators was great because it was nominated for an award.

What advice would you give PRs looking to get in touch?
Do email me. Don’t DM me on Instagram because it’s easy to miss those messages. Don’t address me as ‘Mad’ and do have an idea of what we might do together based on where our mutual strengths lie. It’s always better too, if the brand isn’t overly controlling about what they want.

I have worked on several campaigns that start off as ‘we want to work with you because we love your feed and think it’s a good fit…’ and end up being ‘you need to post this at this time and we want approval of every story and caption that goes out’. I can see that sometimes that is necessary because things can go wrong, but often it ends up killing the creativity that they wanted to hire in the first place. A little give and take and discussion in both directions is always good.

What other blogs do you read?
I love French for Pineapple [ranked tenth in the top 10] – no one is better at spotting a trend than her, Jess at Gold is a Neutral, and Sophie of course – I need to know if she’s being rude about my boring lack of colour that week. I think Melanie Lissack and Karen Knox of Making Spaces are both really talented and clever. I also love Caroline Hirons for all things beauty and Wardrobe Icons for fashion that I mostly can’t afford but like to look at.

 

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Clarity in Confusion

How can you navigate the current political landscape?

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Politics is changing by the second, making it harder to keep up with the issues that affect you and your clients. And whether you work in public affairs or PR, everything that’s happening in Westminster will affect your role and your ability to succeed in communications.

It’s not just the impact on our industry and clients, daily front-page announcements are making it more challenging to understand how to influence in a world of constant change. That’s why we are delighted to announce our next webinar: Clarity in Confusion, tomorrow, Tuesday 10 September 2019 at 10:30 am. 

Sign up here and if you can’t join us live, we’ll send you the recording afterwards.

We have three panelists to guide us through the political turmoil: James Baker, PR and Public Affairs Associate at Brunswick, who advised Boris Johnson on his successful leadership campaign; Katie Roscoe, Head of UK Public Affairs – Helicopters and Civil at Airbus; and Alexander Tiley, former Press and Comms Officer to a Labour MEP, now working in public affairs.

Our guests will be discussing what’s happened up to this point to create the current confusion, how the political climate and Brexit is affecting policy-making decisions, what you should be prioritising and the importance of the Party Conference Season for your engagement.

Party Conferences are particularly useful to understand what’s happening in each party and reach the right people to help with your agenda. But if you have never been, or you are watching from afar, it helps to get the inside track from those in the know. Find out what sessions are the big ones, which guests are likely to make a splash and the tips and tricks to come out of each on top.

Don’t let Brexit, a new Government and parliamentary procedure swamp your role, get clarity in confusion with Vuelio.

Do less harm

Do less harm

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Kate Watson-Smyth, who writes the UK’s number one interior design blog Mad About The House, has launched Do Less Harm: The Directory.

The Directory is designed to help interiors shoppers ask the right questions and base purchasing decisions on those companies and providers who are trying to reduce their harmful impact on the planet.

It also serves as a sustainability round-up because some companies don’t shout about their activities so it will be a one-stop-shop where everything can be seen in one place.

Kate is accepting new submissions from brands and organisations to share their sustainability status. PRs are invited to complete the online form, whether you represent a big high street retailer or bespoke business.

Kate said: ‘The fashion industry has begun to talk about sustainability and I realised that we still don’t have clear information in the interiors world. Often pieces that are made from recycled materials can be very expensive (and limited edition) and I wanted to look at how companies operate as a whole – from their creation to their disposal so that we, as consumers, can decide where to spend our budget.

‘It might be that we can choose three companies selling sofas at the same price, but one is UK-made, one will recycle your old sofa and the other is shipping from China and will dump your old one in landfill. If you have the right information you can choose where you want to spend your money.’

The Directory is still in its infancy but Kate has ambitions for it to become the resource for sustainability when it comes to furnishing or renovating your home.

IMS header

Agenda announced for the Influencer Marketing Show

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The Influencer Marketing Show is back at Old Billingsgate, London on 22 and 23 October 2019. Vuelio is delighted be the official media partner for this two-day event, which includes up to 40 exhibitors, engaging seminars and insightful workshops.

The show will give delegates everything they need to learn how to create profitable campaigns across social media, discover new partnerships and learn about the growing world of influencer marketing.

The agenda has been announced and alongside the big issues facing the industry, such as measurement, ethics and best practice, the Influencer Marketing Show also looks to the future of influencer marketing and what it holds for the industry.

Designed to help delegates build relationships and share ideas with those in the industry, the event has great opportunities to network outside of the sessions, including a prosecco lounge and networking drinks at the end of day one.

Whether you’re attending to learn more about the world of influencer marketing or you’re on the lookout for the latest tech to boost your strategy, make sure you drop in and say hi to Vuelio who will be at the show on both days.

Tickets are on sale for the Influencer Marketing Show and readers of the Vuelio Blog can get £50 off the ticket price using code VUELIO50.

christina

ICCO appoints Inaugural Ethics Chair

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has appointed Christina Forsgård as its inaugural Ethics Chair. She takes up the role ahead of the ICCO’s annual Power of Ethics campaign in September, but it has a remit for driving change throughout the year.

The appointment is part of the ICCO’s strategy to work with other sectors and focus on educating the public, businesses and PR professionals to identifying and combat misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, and helping to identify reliable information and trusted sources.

Christina is founder of multi-award-winning PR consultancy Netprofile in Finland. She also takes an active role as a marcom technology angel investor, has appeared on several top influencer lists and was awarded a National Security Award for designing a ground-breaking cyber security and disinformation training course.

Christina said: ‘We acknowledge that our profession comes with great powers of influence, therefore we have responsibility to combat disinformation and fake news. Not because it’s important, but because it is absolutely vital for humanity. I am honoured to act as the first ICCO Ethics Chair globally and fortify the power of ethics in communications with ICCO leaders.’

Elise S. Mitchell, president of the ICCO and founder and chairman of Mitchell, said: ‘Ethics is one of ICCO’s top strategic priorities. Christina’s expertise and leadership will help ICCO continue to elevate the global conversation about ethics and promote professional principles such as advocacy, honesty and transparency. I am delighted to serve alongside her.’

ICCO works to raise professional and ethical standards of the public relations industry internationally and the September campaign marks two years since the Bell Pottinger expulsion from PRCA on 4 September 2017 as well as the creation of ten globally binding principles, agreed across 66 countries in the Helsinki Declaration, that champions the #PowerofEthics.

Press release

6 steps to write a press release

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The press release remains the PR’s choice for distributing news and communicating with the media. Whether you’re tweeting your news or publishing online for search engines and digital audiences, there are six points to follow to ensure your release gets the attention it deserves.

1. Have something to say
The most important step: have some real news to share. What is your company/client doing differently to everyone else? Has this story happened before in your industry? While the appointment of a new HR director might be big news in your organisation, it’s unlikely to spark much excitement externally. However, if your new HR director is implementing an innovative people management scheme, then this could be news.

2. Know your audience
Before you attempt to build a target media list, get to know your audience. Who are you trying to reach? This will enable you to target the right journalists and influencers. The more relevant your news is to their style and audience, the better the chance is of them covering it.

3. Get to the point quickly
Journalists and influencers receive hundreds of releases a day so write a snappy headline and put the story highlights at the beginning. Use the headline as the subject line if you’re emailing your release, which will help the recipient quickly work out that it’s relevant to them. Use this momentum and get to the point in the first paragraph – who, what, when, where, why and how – keeping their attention.

4. Use quotes to add colour but put them in the right place
Quotes can help explain the ‘why’ of your story. Really think about using quotes from experts that add to or move the story on. Quotes appear towards the end of your press release after the facts have been established.

5. Follow the press release template

  1. Headline
  2. All the relevant points in the first paragraph
  3. More detail in the second and third
  4. Quotes
  5. Contact details for more information
  6. Notes to the Editor with extra information that provide some background
  7. Boiler plate explaining what the company (or companies) does and how it describes itself

6. Prepare for follow up
When following up your press release, be ready to provide answers to any questions the journalist has and give time frames for getting back to them. It’s also a good idea to have supporting materials and spokespeople ready for providing extra comment or interviews.

Ready to send a press release but don’t have the right tools? The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, editors and influencers with detailed biographies and contact information, and Vuelio Distribution lets you reach them all at the click of a button.

people having a conversation

Top 3 conversation starters for networking

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Summer is coming to an end which means only one thing, event season is about to begin again. As networking drinks, conferences and roundtables start filling up your calendar, make sure you’ve got these three fool-proof conversation starters in your back pocket.

These openers can be used at any networking event, from busy conferences with hundreds of delegates to industry drinks after work. You might find that some conversation starters work better than others in certain situations but the best way to find out is to put them into action.

1.  Have you been to this event before?

Whether you’ve attended the event in the past or it’s your first time, this question opens up conversation whatever their answer is.

If the answer to this question is ‘yes’ this creates the perfect opportunity for you to make the other person feel special and naturally leads the conversation into a discussion about what the event was like last year (or last month if it’s a regular networking event), what they liked and what they’re hoping to get out of the event this year.

Don’t panic if they say ‘no’, you can use this as an opportunity to bond with them about being first-timers to the event, or if you have been before you can suggest sessions to attend or share your positive experience of the previous event.

2. Are you here on your own or with your colleagues?

Obviously, you only want to use this question when approaching someone on their own but it works as a soft conversation starter, especially if that person looks a little nervous.

If the answer is that they’re at the event with colleagues this allows you to ask what their co-workers do, giving you an opening for an introduction and an opportunity to catch up with them as a group later on.

If you’re both flying solo at the event this gives you the chance to bond and share which sessions you’re interested in attending or head to the bar together – make sure you don’t stick to them the whole event, you can always arrange to meet up later. And if you have gone with a group of your colleagues, introduce them to each other, your networking can help their networking too!

3. Do you mind if I join you?

This can work for groups or someone stood on their own and whilst it doesn’t instantly lead to a question, as long as it’s followed up by ‘Hello, I’m… from…’ you can use this as a gateway to the first two questions.

Remember, the majority of people are polite and unlikely to say you can’t join their conversation so bite the bullet and start a conversation, you never know where it might lead.

Advice from the experts

Clarissa Bloom, relationship expert for DrinksPal uses honesty as her tried and tested opener: ‘I often come over and admit I don’t know anyone there, that I feel awkward and ask if it is ok to talk to them. At this point you have admitted your awkwardness, which instantly makes them want to build a conversation and involve you within their group and whatever they are doing. This is a great way to quickly build a rapport, to skip a lot of the ‘starter convo’ and skips you on to the interesting talks.’

Fleur Stamford, comms assistant at TopLine Comms has this top tip: ‘When attending trade shows or exhibitions on behalf of a client, I always make sure to research key attendees beforehand. This doesn’t have to be too time consuming but reading recent articles they’ve written and exploring their social media accounts is a start. It means that I feel more confident in approaching them and introducing myself. From here, the conversation naturally leads into “I’ve noticed you’ve been writing a lot about *topic* recently…” and you discuss both theirs and your opinion on the topic.’

What do you think? Have you got any stellar conversation starters? Or perhaps you’ve had someone introduce themselves with a joke? (Though this is perhaps a risky strategy)

Vuelio attend events throughout the year, you can find out where to find us on the events section of our website here.

Mini Travellers 2019 1

No 1 family travel spotlight: Karen Beddow, Mini Travellers

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Mini Travellers is the number one family travel blog written by Karen Beddow. With the aim of proving that having a young family doesn’t have to stop you seeing the world, Mini Travellers covers day trips, staycations and long-haul destinations for families.

We spoke to Karen about how to get into family travel blogging, being creative around term times and working with PRs who understand the personal touch.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
Honestly it depends who asks. I sometimes say travel writer, sometimes blogger and sometimes, especially if I’m travelling and filling in forms, I still say I’m a lawyer as I still do some consultancy. It’s easier to explain than what I now do.

How do different social channels feed into your blog?
Facebook has always been the channel that I have seen the most engagement from. Instagram is almost a mini channel in itself and I don’t see many click throughs to the blog from it, however while grid posts (especially ads) seem to have fallen dramatically in likes, story engagement is increasing.

How easy is it to get into family travel blogging? Did you have any major concerns?
I didn’t know about blogging when I started. I had read one family travel blog which had inspired me to book a trip but I didn’t know they were a big thing, so I wasn’t worried about starting one. I also never expected mine to take off and become so popular. I do, however, think it was easier to grow a few years back and I wouldn’t want to be starting right now.

What’s the best family destination in the world?
So tricky to say, we love so many places, but this year we have had amazing family holidays to Tanzania, New York and Greece, all of which we loved.

What are your top tips for long distance travel with young children?
Snacks, snack and more snacks. Pack them in your travel bag and in your suitcase to divvy up when you get there too. I often pack breakfast cereal too because if the kids can eat something they like in the morning they are then set up for the day, and they can always eat it for a late supper too.

Mini travellers 2019

How restrictive are term times for the perfect family travel experience?
If you are inventive, they don’t have to be too difficult. We’ve done Portugal, Italy and Germany at half terms really cheaply recently, and when I say cheaply I mean flights from between £200 and £250 for all five of us.

Do you accept press releases?
Sometimes but rarely, as to be honest as I have so many people who write for Mini Travellers now across the country we usually have a lot of content piling up.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
Again this is tricky to say, but this year our Tanzania collaboration with Tantoo (in country) and Kamageo (UK PR) was an incredible experience for the whole family and we had an amazing 10 days on safari producing video content for them.

What advice would you give to PRs looking to get in touch?
I love it when PRs mention the children by name and show that they’ve read the blog. I’m much more likely to be do the job or do them a favour when they show they are genuinely interested.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of blogs and get so much inspiration from them so it is hard to name a few – but I have just started an Africa with Kids Facebook group with Jenny from Travelynn Family and I am always so inspired by their spirit of adventure.

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awards evening

How to write an award-winning nomination

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We’re fast approaching industry awards season and for the first time the Online Influence Awards are taking nominations for best campaigns and agency. All you need to do is complete a nomination form.

Wait!

Will your entry stand out? And what do you need to consider to be worthy of an award win? Whether you’re going for Best B2C Influence Campaign or Best Content Agency, here are our top tips for writing an award entry that will be sure to catch the judging panel’s eye.

1.  Stick to the point

It’s easy to get carried away when you’re passionate about your subject but make sure you’re still answering the question on the form. Use the word count to keep you on track – don’t forget, our judges will read lots of entries, so you don’t want to lose them in the first paragraph.

2. A picture is worth a thousand words

You’ve spent time and effort creating amazing visuals for a campaign, so show them off! An image or a video can bring your entry to life and catch the judge’s eye. Plus, it won’t affect your word count so you can include them to share your award-winning results and those all-important stats.

3. Proofread you’re award entry

Did you spot it? Proof, proof and proof again. Get your colleagues to read your entry, they’ll spot typos you might have overlooked. Better yet, ask someone who wasn’t involved in the campaign because they’ll be able to sense check what you’ve written and ensure your entry makes sense.

4. Show your personality

Every organisation and every campaign is different, so make sure your award entry is different to everyone else’s. Show off the people who brought the campaign to life, taking the idea from a brief to delivering great results. Remember, the judging panel are people, so if you can make them relate to your entry, you’ve got their attention.

5. Timing is everything

Allow yourself plenty of time to write your entry because every word counts and you might need to write a couple of drafts before sending over the finished article. Remember, judges like to see results, so it’s best to pick a campaign that’s complete and you have the data to back up your success.

Entries are now open for The Online Influence Awards for the following categories:

Best B2B Influence Campaign
Best B2C Influence Campaign
Best Cause-Led Influence Campaign
Best Content Agency

For all the information about how to enter please read our nomination pack.

Good luck and remember – the deadline for entries is Friday 4 October 2019 and there’s no charge to enter.

Have you got a question about the Online Influence Awards? No problem, email Rebecca Potts and she’ll be able to help with your query!

Mental health 2019

The cost of poor mental health in PR

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The CIPR has teamed up with Mind to create new industry resources to improve the understanding of mental health and wellbeing in PR.  

The first resource is a skills guide, Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing, created by CIPR Health. It outlines the current state of mental health in the industry and is designed to help employers build an environment of support to foster positive mental health. It also advises practitioners on how to take care of their mental wellbeing and includes practical steps such as provide managers with training, buddy up and switch off social media when you’re having a bad day.

The second resource is a recorded webinar featuring health experts, professionals in health communications and those with experiences of living with a mental health condition discussing how to take positive action on mental health in the industry.

These resources follow research that revealed the link between the nature of PR work and poor mental health amongst practitioners. Results from CIPR’s State of the Profession 2019 show that 21% have a diagnosed mental health condition and almost a quarter (23%) of respondents who discussed concerns about their mental health with a manager said that nothing happened as a result of those conversations.

Rachel Royall, chair of CIPR Health said: ‘We are delighted to publish this guidance to benefit our industry. The human and financial cost of poor mental health has had, and will continue to have, a huge impact on our profession. The responsibility to address this rests with each of us – every agency, organisation, manager and colleague.

‘These tools are just the start, we’re looking forward to continuing to work with our members to listen and understand what further action and support we can give to help make our profession happier and healthier.’

Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind said: ‘Working in PR is hugely rewarding but comes with its fair share of pressures. It’s great to see CIPR taking action on this issue by developing a guide to increase understanding of mental health across the industry. Aimed at organisations, managers, employees and freelancers working within the sector, this guide can help you take care of your own mental health and better support the wellbeing of colleagues.’

The Family Adventure Project 2019

Family travel spotlight: Kirstie Pelling, The Family Adventure Project

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Kirstie Pelling is the author of The Family Adventure Project, a top 10 family travel blog. Following Kirstie and husband Stuart’s journeys around the world with their three children, the blog encourages readers to try new experiences and challenges. We spoke to Kirstie about making lifelong friends while travelling, the versatility of Japan and her advice for PRs looking to get in touch (it’s a marriage, not a one-night stand).

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I have been a freelance journalist for thirty years, working in radio, print media and online. So that’s what I tend to call myself, although my writing life is eclectic – I have also worked as a digital poet amongst other things.

How do different social channels feed into your blog?
Our feeds are an extension of our blog personality and presence but often reach different audiences. For example, we enjoy the cycling community on Twitter and regularly interact with those active in promoting local tourism like the Morecambe Bay Partnership. On Facebook, our audience is more fellow family travelers from around the world and people who love the outdoors. Some of our followers and friends have engaged with us for more than a decade and we learn from their experiences and travels as much as they learn from ours. In fact, sometimes when I’m in a tricky situation I think what would Thomas or Brenda do?

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How easy is it to get into family travel? Did you have any major concerns?
We never actually stopped travelling when we started a family so for us this wasn’t an issue. In fact, my greatest challenge came when I fell pregnant while on a gap year cycling adventure with our two toddlers. Doctors advised me that exercise wouldn’t harm the baby, but at the tip of New Zealand, six months pregnant, I was tempted to throw my bike into the sea rather than get back on it with the bump.

There are always concerns about safety when travelling with young kids, but the key is to think it all through. When the children were babies, we bought the best cycle trailers on the market. When they were tweens, they took up stoker positions on our tandems. When they first rode their own bikes, we cycled in Scandinavian countries where cycling was normal and traffic polite. And for adventure sports like canoeing, rafting and glacier hiking, we engaged experts to help and guide us.

What’s the best family destination in the world?
Japan delivered something for everyone. The kids loved the robots and electronic districts as well as activities like making wax food and learning temple etiquette. We swam in sacred lakes, ate in bizarre themed restaurants and enjoyed onsens and ryokans. We loved Iceland too, for its wild outdoors and quirky character. And you can’t beat our home county of Cumbria for the scenery; the lakes and fells are part of our kids’ DNA.

The Family Adventure Project 2019 3

What are your top tips for long distance travel with young children?
It’s all in the planning. Fly at the best times for their body clocks, don’t try to pack in more than one big thing a day and try to relax and give them some freedom to explore. Also, strangers are not necessarily a danger. Rely on the help and local knowledge of other families; we’ve been rescued by all sorts of kind souls over two decades and are still friends with many of them.

How restrictive are term times for the perfect family experience?
Very restrictive. We have abandoned plans for many trips based on the prohibitive cost of taking five of us away in peak season. The Government’s policy on this is detrimental to the less well off. It’s a shame as I strongly believe travel is good for family bonding and building shared memories and this is being compromised for a whole generation.

Do you accept press releases?
Of course. They help keep us briefed on changes in the travel industry and what destinations are offering families.

The Family Adventure Project 2019 2

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
We love collaborating. Our whole blog is a collaboration between myself and my husband, and the kids help make our YouTube videos. We love to work with tourist boards and brands to brainstorm innovative campaigns. I am also a member of the Family Travel Collective, a  group of five experienced journalists who have their own blogs in different family travel niches (other members are Cathy from Mummy Travels, Gretta from Mums Do Travel, Nichola from Globalmouse Travels and Ting from My Travel Monkey). I also work with Captivate to provide collective coverage for tourist boards.  

What advice would you give to PRs looking to get in touch?
Our most effective relationships with PRs have been long term, with occasional contact when there is something new to promote or update. Some PRs make the mistake of thinking the only valuable coverage is immediate; I like to think of it as a one-night stand versus a marriage. As a freelance for many outlets, I might include a destination years later in a round up post, revisit with teens instead of toddlers or keep updating one of my own posts to rank higher on Google. One of the best examples of this is Catalonia/Costa Brava tourism, where we have worked together on and off for over a decade. They understand the value of a lasting relationship.

What other blogs do you read?
There are many great family travel blogs out there, in fact I love all of the blogs on the recent Vuelio Top 10 list. Paula Eber at Road Trip Nation is a great writer and intrepid family traveller, and I have just read the proofs of her book about cycling the world. I also enjoy reading about Becky Enright’s exploits at Borders of Adventure.

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Silly season

4 tips to win silly season

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August is a slow month for news, with parliament on recess, half the entertainment industry in Edinburgh and August bank holiday just around the corner. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of opportunity for great PR to secure cut through and still make the front pages. In fact, in many ways there’s even more opportunity.

Here’s four quick tips to help you take this silly season seriously.

1. People still want news
While the UK has fewer citizens at home – with some 24 million people going abroad at some point in Q3 each year – these people aren’t all on holiday at the same time and, in our connected world, people still check in with news or social media and can see the stories you’re releasing.

Tip 1: Some stories won’t make sense in August (particularly anything political), but you shouldn’t hold on to a great story just because it’s summer.  

2. Context is vital
Parliament is on recess, which means there’s less attention for political stories. Similarly, children are on summer holidays, which means school stories won’t get much traction but activities and events for families will do much better than normal (especially as we reach the end of holidays and best laid plans for keeping kids entertained start wearing thin).

Tip 2: Carry out audience research, find out what matters most during August to your target(s) and create messaging to suit those needs. For research inspiration, check out our latest highlights from the ResponseSource Press Release Wire.

3. Your contacts go on holiday
You may have the perfect black book of senior contacts at all the best publications, but even Dacre took a holiday occasionally. Maybe. And just because a desk editor or star reporter is abroad, it doesn’t mean the publication stops creating news and content.

Tip 3: Make sure you know who to contact when your contact is away. If you’re struggling to find the right people, the Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, editors and influencers with detailed profiles and preferred contact information.

4. Silly season ends abruptly
Many schools return on 2 September and parliament is back on 3 September. At that point there will be just 58 days until the UK is due to leave the European Union, so expect the news agenda to include only one topic for a couple of months. Getting coverage in September is going to much harder and it’s also going to take a lot more work; is there anything you can do now to make that easier?

Tip 4: If you’re finding it quieter, and you don’t have the stories to fill the void, use this time wisely because you’ll miss it when it’s gone.

 

What tips have you got to win silly season? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio, and we’ll retweet the best.

Fiona Harris

Relevance International appoints Fiona Harris as UK managing director

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Fiona Harris has been appointed managing director of Relevance International’s UK office. Harris is an experienced and trusted leader in brand strategy, marketing and public relations, who in 2018 was named one of London’s most influential people by Evening Standard and was previously cited in PR Week’s Power Book as one of the UK’s leading communications experts.

Harris has nearly 30 years of public relations and marketing experience and previously headed the VIP relations department for Selfridges, where she helped define strategy around attracting and retaining the international ultra high-net-worth customer.

Prior to this, Harris held a number of senior strategic roles at luxury hotel group Corinthia Hotels, Kuoni Travel and Condé Nast Publishing. She also co-founded her own successful travel and lifestyle agency, Bacall Harris Associates.

At Relevance, Harris will be responsible for the day-to-day strategy and execution of public relations services in Relevance’s London office, which opened in 2017 to coincide with Relevance New York’s rebrand to become Relevance International.

The London office includes a roster of luxury, property and corporate clients such as Quintessentially Estates, Concierge Auctions, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, The Royal Atlantis Resort and Residences in Dubai, H8 Collection in France and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants among many others.

Suzanne Rosnowski, CEO and founder of Relevance International, said: ‘Relevance’s London office has grown strong over the past year and a half and I can’t wait to see where it soars to with Fiona now at the helm. Her extensive background in the luxury, hospitality and lifestyle spaces is perfectly aligned with Relevance’s areas of focus. She is connected, seasoned, creative and savvy, and we are so very happy to welcome her to the team.’

Harris said: ‘Working with a myriad of luxury brands and businesses that have taken me around the world, I’m confident in my ability to take Relevance’s London office to the next level. I resonate heavily with the company’s long-term global vision and am proud to be a part of such a premier, international agency.’

Relevance International was founded by Rosnowski in 2012 in New York City, and has now grown to become a leading global agency, with a network of affiliates to support its worldwide client roster. The London office was this year a finalist for PRWeek Global Awards.

China live streaming market

How can brands navigate China’s live streaming market?

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This is a guest post and infographic [below] by Balvinder Kataora, marketing executive at Comms8.

An astounding 98% of people in China experience the internet through their mobile phone, which instantly makes over 800 million users a formidable cohort for marketers to tap into. When combined with the steady growth of the Chinese middle-class, it is clear to see business opportunities in what is now the world’s biggest retail market.

While the market is ripe for marketers, a unique set of technological and cultural factors has led the internet to develop differently from the UK. Having a large population, being awash with cash from a booming economy, and excellent mobile coverage roll out means the mobile app ecosystem is leaning towards innovative uses and high-bandwidth applications. Demand for long-distance communications, entertainment and hassle-free payments has propelled instant messaging, fintech apps and live streaming platforms to become a mainstay of the internet east of the Himalayas.

Live streaming has noticeably become a cultural mass phenomenon that is arguably the most popular form of online entertainment. Sitting between the crossroads of a modern-day QVC and communal socialising, platforms such as Kuaishou, Douyu, Meipai, Inke, and Momo are offering wide-spectrum appeal in any niche with seamless shopping and gifting options for fans.

The context for these live shows is often thematic and involves a presenter documenting their life and thoughts to an audience from tens of people to even millions. While intimate, some often weave product reviews and demonstrations during their shows to drive click-throughs to their own mini shops online, generating sales. Others, however, opt for the endorsement route whereby large brands, often luxury or fashion orientated, provide free samples in exchange for ‘air-time’ on their regular shows.

An increasing number of live streamers have pursued a more controversial option of gifting. Viewers buy virtual gifts with real money to effectively ‘tip’ live streamers. During these shows you will often see animated diamond icons, emoticons and sometimes richly animated flying jets and rockets shooting into space for the big spenders to show their ‘boss status’.

This business model has received criticism, as younger viewers may feel pressurised to financially support their online idols, or that the process of patronage does not manifest a physical item. The ephemeral nature of the performance makes it difficult to accurately price the value of gifts; is your favourite online star worth $2 or $200 per stream? A hard question to answer, but the value is sure to increase if the audience enjoys the stream.

Despite being relatively new, compared to more established digital trends, Deloitte has estimated the value of the live streaming market to be $4.4 billion in 2018, an 86% increase from 2016.

The attraction for the format, just as with social media, is the convenience it offers to meet like-minded people and share common interests in real time – and for free. For a nation that has witnessed radical demographic change over the last 50 years, much is out of balance. The preference for parents to have boys, has meant that the gender ratio has widened to the degree that there are almost 35 million more men than women, which is more than the population of Malaysia.

The gender disparity in the country is also reflected in the viewing audiences too. In 2016, IResearch found that approximately 63% of viewers were male with 35.5% being female. These platforms are in some cases allowing the socially isolated to instantly be adored with attention and praise from their most preferred online star, who happens to be from the opposite sex.

The biggest hurdle for brands is how to enter methodically into a fast-moving market without succumbing to social or legal faux-pas. The line between advertiser, endorser, advocate and consumer is increasingly blurred. So much so, there are concerns to whether viewers will be sure they are being marketed to, as per requirements of legalisation for online endorsements and sponsorships.

Given the rise of live streaming in China what can international brands learn from the market in the East?

New forms of sales relationships
It is almost unheard of to use pay-per-click (PPC) marketing or pay-per-sale (PPS) as arrangements are almost always a flat rate fee. That said, platforms like Bangtuike are trying to make all live streamers and online influencers advertisers, no matter how small their audience is. The desire to work with micro content providers is seeing greater demand as brands are able to capitalise on a wider audience market.

Being mindful of corporate social responsibility
Unlike TV and Radio, regulatory bodies are still catching up to the technology and so there is a legal blind spot in the way brands are able to use the platform. Brands need to step back from their campaign from time to time and assess how the overall impact might be interpreted, rightly or wrongly.

Localising content
As David Ogilvy once said, if you going to sell to someone it is best to do so in their own language. Localising content is the key to winning hearts and minds.

One way to do this is to use influencers who are not only based in the large metropolises. Knowing that the next 20 cities after Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong still hold a huge retail population, and moving away from a well-beaten path, could reap huge rewards.

In essence, developing a Chinese voice for the brand is key to gaining market share and have your brand, in a way, speak Chinese.

Crisis Comms for Terrorist Incidents

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How do you manage crisis comms for terrorist related events?

A new guide by the CIPR and CPNI explains how the right communications can mitigate the harmful effects of terrorist incidents and in some cases even prevent them in the first place.

We are delighted that the guide’s co-authors Sarah Pinch, Managing Director of Pinch Point Communications and Dan Gerrella, Associate Director at Liz Male Consulting will join our webinar, Expect the Unexpected – Crisis Comms for Terrorist Incidents to discuss best practice for communication management before, during and after terrorist incidents.

 

crisis comms terrorism incident

 

CyclingEurope

Cycling blogger spotlight: Andrew Sykes, CyclingEurope.org

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Andrew Sykes is the writer and cyclist behind CyclingEurope.org, a top 10 UK cycling blog. Covering the best routes and cycling tips, Andrew has also published three books about his travels across Europe.

We spoke to Andrew about being part of the cycling blogger community, his new bike Wanda and the best way to get in touch if you’re a PR or brand.

How do you describe what you do to other people?
I am, above all, a cyclist. Combined with a love to explore this wonderful continent that we called Europe (as well as the other six!) and the skills to express my experiences in words, I suppose I’m also a traveller and writer.

How did you discover your love of cycling?
I have always been a cyclist or at least from the point when I learned to ride a bicycle when I was very young. It remains, in my opinion, the most practical way to get from A to B and, after crossing Europe for the first time in 2010, I discovered that the combination of cycling, long-distance travelling and writing was a very good one indeed.

What’s the best bike you’ve ever ridden?
The one that I have just invested in! It’s a wonderful Koga Signature WorldTraveller bike from the Netherlands. With its hub gears, carbon belt and sturdy build, it should hopefully have me crossing more continents in the years to come. It’s also got a name: Wanda.

What’s the best cycle route in the world?
The best cycle route is the one that you abandon your car to make on two wheels instead. That could be across the country, to work or just to the end of the street.

The next big thing in cycling – what are your predictions?
I’ve mentioned my new bicycle already and some of its features; the hub gears and carbon belt are not new but, now that hub brakes have almost become standard, surely advanced drive systems are next. Time will tell. Efficient power generation when cycling has also come a long way in recent years, especially as everyone wants to keep their high-tech devices topped up on the go. Expect to see big advances in that area too.

What’s the cycling blogging community like to be a part of?
It’s great to be at the heart of it. Most cyclists are very down to earth people; we reflect the machines that we ride; humble, inconspicuous, environmentally friendly… and I’m proud to be part of that group of people.

Do you accept press releases?
Yes, as long as the general topic is in line with the themes of CyclingEurope.org, namely cycling, travel and/or adventure. And I don’t turn things away simply because they are not about Europe!

What are the best campaigns you’ve collaborated on?
I’ve worked with many groups over the years helping to promote a range of services and products that I think may be of use to the readers of the website: clothing manufacturers, travel specialists and transport companies. I’m also increasingly working with tourist authorities writing bespoke content for the site about their particular corner of the world.

What advice would you give to PRs/brands reaching out to you?
Be honest in your approach. Avoid telling me that you’ve always been a fan of the site, that seems unlikely. And if you are offering sponsored content, be up front about the financial side of things. Most long-term relationships kick off with everyone knowing where they stand.

What other blogs do you read?
I’m familiar with most of the sites on the current Vuelio top ten list of cycling blogs but I have to admit that Brian Palmer’s thewashingmachinepost is hard to beat in terms of his shear depth of knowledge and attention to detail. Impressive stuff!

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