DIARY directory recently caught up with Leigh Travers from fashion, beauty, music, art and travel blog Fox & Feather. Although initially focused around her obsession with clothes and her love for vintage fashion, Fox & Feather now features a diverse pool of content; everything from Leigh's latest burger discovery to the latest festival she has attended with a bit of beauty, travel, music and art thrown into the mix. Leigh was recently awarded Highly Commended Fashion Blog in the #BloggersBlogAwards. 
 

UK fashion, travel, music & food blogger

#BloggersBlogAwards  Highly Commended Fashion Blog

"Don't beat around the bush!"

Listed in DIARY directory in the digital influencers subsection, along with 1000+ categorised influencers for PRs to work with, Leigh shares how blogging has changed since she started; the importance of a social media strategy and how working in a PR role affects her work as blogger.

What got you into blogging, how long ago did you start? How have things changed since then?

I actually started blogging when I was 13 years old, but needless to say I've had several blogs since then. However, I've been writing Fox & Feather for the past 5 years and started it as a past time at university. I was studying Illustration at the time, so my blog was a creative outlet for my love of writing & fashion, which I couldn't necessarily express in my degree.

Who are your core readers?

My readers are predominantly female aged between 18 and 30.

 
How do you make your content different to others?

I don't necessarily try to make my content different to others, but I simply don't play by a structure or schedule, which is partly down to finding time outside of my job to maintain it. I blog about what I want and when I want. I have found that a lot of my vintage fashion content tends to perform better than everything else, and although there are other wonderful, vintage bloggers out there - we are a niche.

You also work in PR, how does this affect how you work as a blogger?

I work in music festival social media & PR, but if it weren’t for my blog I wouldn't have landed the skills needed to pursue a career in this area, because as I mentioned before I studied Illustration. I think it benefits me to be a blogger, as during outreach campaigns I already have connections with other bloggers/influencers and there is a trust that has already formed between us. It also means I know how bloggers tend to work; so I find a lot of campaigns I set up with bloggers work well!

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

Don't beat around the bush! It's better when campaigns are direct and laid out in front of you, rather than nitpicking after the post has been written - it saves a lot more time! Also, I enjoy fun, creative campaigns and find they get a lot more interaction from my readers too.

"I measure my success based on comments and interaction from my readers, as well as any feedback I have from companies I may work with...."

How important is a social media strategy for bloggers? How do you keep your blog at the forefront?

It's so important to stay connected to your readers and keep the conversation flowing. I think actually talking to your audience is much more important than scheduled promotional tweets. Social media is another platform for your readers to learn more about you, see another side to you and generally engage more instantaneously.

Do you find some social platforms grow better than others?

Instagram tends to grow a lot faster and easier than the rest of my social platforms. Although my Instagram following isn't huge, it's my favourite platform to use as it's so much more visual than the rest and I'm quite a visual thinker. I stopped using YouTube simply because I find it difficult to keep up a routine of filming when I have a full-time job & an extra long commute every day. I can keep my Instagram up to date during my train journeys.

Do you use product placement & what are your thoughts on disclosure for ads?

I receive samples on occasions, which are always clearly marked. I feature a lot of pieces that I've purchased myself, so it's important that the items that are gifted are clearly distinguished.
 

Do you have any professional help for your blog – photography / representation agency / SEO advice?

No, I don't. My blog has always been about personal documentation and creativity, so I don't think I ever would take on board any professional help.

Blogging/YouTube 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?

Numbers aren't really important to me either. As I mentioned before, my blog started as a creative outlet and that's how I intend to keep it. I measure my success based on comments and interaction from my readers, as well as any feedback I have from companies I may work with. Also, if I feel really happy with a blog post myself, I would certainly count that as a success!
 

What other bloggers / influencers do you follow and why?

I follow as many as I possibly can across as many genres as I can. I draw inspiration from other bloggers across all fields, so I try to stay connected and up to date with as many as possible.

Contact

Leigh Travers in 'digital influencers'