DIARY directory recently caught up with Jen Thorne of the blog A Beauty Junkie in London, which primarily covers beauty, travel and home content. Over the years, since starting the blog in 2009, it’s been nominated for many awards, including ‘Best Beauty Blog’ in the inaugural Cosmopolitan Blog Awards. Jen took her blog from hobby to career over three years ago.

Thirty Plus Blog Awards’– ‘Most Addictive Blog‘ 2016 Highly Commended

"I try not to be *too* swayed by trends"
 

Listed in DIARY directory in the digital influencers subsection, along with 1000+ categorised influencers for PRs to work with, Jen talks about how she makes her content different to others, her advice for PRs and where she sees blogging in five years time.

Who are your core readers?

My core readers are female, aged 25-44 and based in the UK and US. I tend to always say my core readers are ‘like me’, as they tend to be in a similar age range and female. A bit of a generalisation of course!

What do you hope to offer your readers/followers?

I hope to offer them content that can be genuinely useful. I want to create blog posts that are visually appealing but staying on the ‘real’ side of life. As much as we all love a bit of aspirational content, I still think it’s nice to have that relatable and useful content to enjoy too.

How do you make your content different to others?

I try not to be *too* swayed by trends or blogging ‘cliches’, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be partial to the odd marble backdrop or copper basket… but when it comes to content I am happy to cover everything from ingrown hairs to the latest launches from Charlotte Tilbury and everything in-between. I love to cover beauty ‘problem solvers’ and talk about the un-glam side of beauty as much as the glossy and fabulous side. I think because I’ve been doing it for so long now I really can write about what I’m interested in and not feel the need to write about what everyone else is each time there’s a new wave of hype.

" I think the blogging world will look very different over the next few years. I think the gap between hobby and pro bloggers will increase even more. But so will the gap between different ‘types’ of pro bloggers."

 
What advice / top tips would you give PRs looking to promote their clients through your blog?

Oh so many bits of advice I can think of! When it comes to general PR approaches, the main advice I have is target your release. If you send a foundation five shades too dark for me, it’s never going to appear on the blog. If you’re looking to work with bloggers on sponsored content my top tip is to speak to the bloggers you think are the best fit before you set your brief. They know their audience and will know what content will work for them - opening that conversation up early means more opportunity to get something that works for everyone!

How do you think your readers view your relationships with PRs?

I think my readers are fully aware I have a relationship with PRs - I couldn’t cover as many products as I do without it! But they also know I’m totally transparent about it and any samples. Probably ‘over’ disclosing at times - not that I think there is such a thing - but I tend to still disclose when a product is a sample, even now when the bigger debate is often around disclosure of payment. I just always believe honesty and transparency is best as without trust it’s all a bit pointless!

Do you have any professional help for your blog?

Not at the moment, I’m a team of one! I have looked into options for help with photos or videos and potentially some technical help. But so far I’ve managed to do it alone (with the odd bit of help from the Instagram husband!)

Do you have a rate card? Can you tell us an example of a cost?

I do have a rate card and happy to share it with any brands or agencies who are keen to work with me on creating some content. However, I always clarify that it’s not set in stone and can be flexible if it’s a brand I’m really keen to work on or a fun project.

How important is social media to your blog? What platforms drive the most traffic to your site?

Very important, not just for my blog but also the other side of the work I do. Along with running the blog I also work as a Social Media Consultant. Advising on strategy, helping brands to create images for their social accounts and doing some community management. Which means it’s pretty important that I’m always up to speed on all social channels. One thing I have decided to do in 2017 is streamline my own social channels for the blog and focus on three key ones - Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter, as these are my main traffic drivers and also the ones I enjoy using the most so I’m keen to focus on them.

Snapchat or Instagram Stories?

I’ve actually been a bit of a traitor to Snapchat since Instagram stories launched. I loved it but just found splitting between yet another platform and how it drained my battery was off-putting. So in 2017, I won’t really be using Snapchat as much. My advice to brands would be similar and to make the most of your existing channels before starting new ones - so if you have an audience on Instagram already, it makes sense to use Instagram stories for your more ‘in the moment’ content too. Same applies for live content - something I think will be massive for brands and bloggers in 2017.

Blogging can - to an extent - be seen as a numbers game, however, we believe that numbers don't always measure up to engagement. What does success mean to you and how do you measure it?

Blogging can very much be a numbers game, increasingly so over the past couple of years. But for me, I’ve always tried not to focus on the numbers too much. For me it’s more about being consistent. I know that the content I put out has more longevity and I get a good volume of search to archive content through search. It’s activity like that, that can’t always be ‘seen’ numbers wise but shouldn’t be forgotten. For me, success has varied over the years. Of course, there are milestones of numbers that are lovely to tick off but it’s also about getting lovely comments. Emails from readers saying how useful a post has been or when I get messages asking questions - it’s nice to feel that what I’m putting online is useful!

Biggest lessons learnt while working/blogging in the industry?

I have learnt SO much from blogging, especially since working for myself. General lesson would be that being a nice person and good to work with counts for a lot. Money and ‘business’ wise, a big lesson I’ve learnt is to always have a contract and the money isn’t ‘yours’ until it’s in your account.

Tips for other bloggers?

Don’t feel you need to conform to a certain style or any ‘blogging rules’. Always be honest and transparent. Don’t be swayed by the lure of free stuff or money. A quick win of stuff or payment is never worth losing the trust of your readers. Be creative but don’t force it. If you’re not feeling it then take a break. There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ type of content. Doing things that don’t work for you can be the best way to find things that do - and in turn find your style and voice. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Above all else, blogging is meant to be fun (even if it’s your job).

Where do you see blogging in five years time?

Wow, when 2017 marks eight years of me blogging it feels a bit odd to think of another five in the future. I think the blogging world will look very different over the next few years. I think the gap between hobby and pro bloggers will increase even more. But so will the gap between different ‘types’ of pro bloggers. There are those that will shoot off into the ‘celebrity’ level stratosphere and those who will continue to make an income. I don’t think professional blogging will work long term for everyone. It takes a lot of perseverance and a thick skin to keep going and keep it working. I think for me personally I’ll continue to split my time between the blog and working as a consultant for brands who are looking to make the most of their social channels.

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A Beauty Junkie in London in 'digital influencers'