Speedy Spotlight: Ananyah

An interview with Michelle Muirhead, author of the food and lifestyle blog, Ananyah. Michelle spoke to us about the range of topics and themes that make up her blog, reflecting the diversity of her background and childhood, how she works with PR and digital marketing agencies and being  one of the official BBC Good Food Show Bloggers. 

Why should people read your blog? What makes it different? Good question! I’ve been blogging for over 11 years now at ananyah.COM and before that, I blogged elsewhere (which I’d rather forget about!). I’ve put in a lot of time and effort into making my blog a success and I like to think my blog is aesthetically pleasing, the content well written and it is backed up with good quality photography. I bring my true self to my blog and say things how I see them.

What makes it different? I think the range of topics I discuss. My background also greatly impacts my blog and the way I write. I grew up in Singapore and Kuwait, then moved to Aberdeen for University as my parents moved to Paris. I’m now based back in my original home town of Glasgow. I incorporate the things I love in life into it, it’s really an extension of myself. My day job is working in a huge worldwide IT company fixing computers so technology runs in my blood. Outside of work, I love food. I try and merge both of these into my blog to get the best of both worlds. With the technology side of things, I have a few secrets under my sleeves, I want to grow it more because I am equally as passionate about it as I am with food.

How do you measure the success of your website? Statistics are one thing but the relationships you build with your readers and your peers are my main focus, the engagement between yourselves. My statistics are like a rollercoaster at times, if I haven’t blogged for a while, naturally they plummet and I’ve since learnt that with the bad comes the good. If you solely measure your blogs success on stats, you’ll be pulling your hair out! As a blogging veteran, I’ve had my fair shares of ups and downs, I’ve had to re-brand myself and re-develop my blog from a purely personal blog into a blog which focuses on food, life and technology. Blogging is a never ending learning curve and you have to change with the times.

What’s your favourite blog and why? I have an endless list of blogs that I love, all for different reasons, it’s hard to pick one from the crowd. If I had to, it would be Alfred’s Foodography. He may not blog as often as I’d like due to his job in the medical field but his food photography is outstanding. I wish mine was as good.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog? Before you start, find your niche. There are so many blogs out there, you need to be able to distinguish yours from the rest. Whether it be food, fashion, lifestyle…. What can you bring to the table?

I think one of the hardest starting points is the name. You don’t want a really long name that no one will remember and you certainly don’t want to be unrecognisable. Short & Sweet is my motto. Your name is your brand. My blog is called “Ananyah” (an-an-yah) which is Hindi for one of a kind. A rather strange name to most but I love the meaning behind it, especially with my upbringing all over the world.

Blogging is hard work and at times feels like a full time job in itself. You have to blog for the love of it, not for the possibility of something for free.

How do you work with marketers and PRs? It all starts with an email, usually from a PR agency. I love working with PR companies or Digital Agencies to create great quality content that my readers will love, but most importantly I love. I’ve turned down a lot of PR requests if I don’t think they’d be the right fit for my blog. I don’t say yes to just anything. To me it’s quality over quantity

Who do you work with in brand marketing? PRs? SEOs? Anyone else? I mainly deal with PR companies, they make you feel like they actually take an interest in you and your blog. You aren’t just a number to them but someone they want to build a mutual beneficial relationship with.

Of course, I have had some interaction with SEOs, however, the relationship is rather different and more like a one off than anything else. It’s hard to build upon.

What can marketers do better in working with you? Get to know me and my blog. If you really want to work with me like you say you do in your emails, you should at least know my real name and my location. I’ve been sent so many emails with “Hello Blogger” or “Hi there”, it’s not very personal, shows that you are just mass mailing a contact list and realistically couldn’t care less about working with the blogger. If you are genuine, do some research! The same goes for event invites in other parts of the country such as London. I’m based in Glasgow, I can’t just drop everything and fly down to London with 2 days’ notice to attend an event. Especially one without travel costs included.
What was your blogging highlight last year? Being asked to be one of the official BBC Good Food Show Bloggers. It made me feel like all my hard work was being recognised in a topic that I love. As an adult, it’s hard to make new friends at times, so through blogging, and especially last year, I’ve built lasting friendships with people in the Glasgow blogging community and regularly meeting for nights out. 2014 has been rather eventful too, possibly even more so!

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months? You’ll just have to read my blog to find that out… won’t you?