Blog Spotlight: Love by N
March 20, 2016 Blogs
Cairo-based fashion blogger Nour Aboulela, author of Love by N, spoke to MediaSource about blogging for a profit, the importance of social media for bloggers, and how she works with brands.
What was the inspiration for starting your blog?
I've always been into fashion and traveling, and modeled as a teenager in Switzerland. Even before starting my blog, I used to take pictures wherever I went and shared them on my personal Facebook, or by email with friends and family. I then started the blog as a hobby, but it quickly turned into work.
How do you measure the success of your blog?
Some people say the number of readers or followers you have doesn't matter, when actually it's all that matters. I measure my success by three factors: My Stats - the number of readers/followers and daily hits on the website; Brand Work - some of the big international brands are very selective about who they work with and when I get chosen I feel successful; Profit.
How important are your social media accounts for engaging with your readers?
They are just as important as actual daily hits on my website. A big percentage of followers on social media won't actually visit the website, but prefer to get a daily glimpse of what's going on through social media.
Which social media platform do you find the most effective?
Instagram and Facebook are both very effective, especially as people become addicted to them. I have friends and family around the world, different people, different lifestyles and they all use Instagram and Facebook. People will always check their accounts on a near daily basis. After that comes twitter, which I believe is more for actual readers, but also very strong.
What’s your favourite blog and why?
I have a few favorites - Bryanboy.com, The Blonde Salad and Peace Love Shea. What makes them stand out is their creativity and individuality. I see a lot of blogs daily and many have a lot in common, which is boring.
How do you work with brands and PR agencies?
I work with many PR agencies - a few are in Cairo, but most of them abroad. I style their items or we do a shoot together. I don't accept all offers because some are just time consuming and totally not worth it. I like it when PR companies discuss how we can collaborate first.
I strongly believe that having a feature on my blog can be better than paying for an online advert in some countries, depending on who they're targeting. Sometimes, but rarely, I work without a profit simply because I like the brand or brand owner and want to help them out or style their items.
Do you have any advice for PR professionals wanting to pitch to you?
Always make it a win-win situation. Be open to different kinds of collaborations. Listen to ideas.
Prev
