Meredith Xavier Creative Mind behind the Ligné Magazine

Luxury Spotlight: Meredith Xavier from Ligné Magazine

Interior design can be dynamic and dramatic or it can be soft and supple but it should always be inspired. Meredith Xavier founder of the Ligne Agency and Ligné Magazine fell in love with beautiful things when working for Christies in Beverly Hills. After tiptoeing around the basement of the National Gallery and grabbing her Masters in Fine and Decorative Arts Connoisseurship she started the innovative Ligne Agency. Dealing exclusively with the creative world of interior design, the Ligne Agency offers a full public relations and business development service. Their highly selective client list boats the best artisans and designers in the business ensuring that high class vision is everything. We sit down with Meredith to find out how the ever tactile company of Ligne Agency is moving forward in the art of the digital age.

Meredith Xavier Creative Mind behind the Ligné Magazine 1

Every luxury expert has a different story on how they got started in the industry. What is yours?

I started at Christie’s Auction House in Beverly Hills. They hired me as an intern when I was a Junior at Pepperdine - and I became enamored with the culture. I was surrounded by incredible and significant works of art and decorative pieces. Soon I was cataloging sales and handling the business side of the art world.

I moved to London after I graduated and obtained my Masters in Fine and Decorative Arts Connoisseurship from Christie’s through the University of Glasgow. We spent our afternoons in the basement of the National Gallery viewing works of art the public has probably never seen. It was an incredible experience - and I knew working with the buyers and clients at this level was exactly where I wanted to be.

Tell us about Ligné Magazine. Who is your core audience and what marketing opportunities do you offer luxury brands?

Ligné Magazine started as an interior design focused publication and over the years has grown to encompass travel, fashion and culture. There is so much great design out there and sadly not as many places to get it published as there used to be in terms of print - so I decided to start my own magazine and tell the stories I wanted to tell. And I absolutely love to write, when I can find the time.

Our audience is consumers in the top 2% HHI and architects and designers that are working on multi-million dollar homes. Our print issue has controlled distribution, so our advertisers know exactly who it is going to. That is the biggest draw about working with Ligné Magazine. Our online readers vary greatly, but one thing they all have in common is a passion for interior design. That is the core of the magazine and always will be.

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In what ways has your publication changed over the years? And how has your publication remained successful in light of competing digital magazines?

Like any magazine we have evolved dramatically each year. The design is better, the content is more international - and we are constantly striving to bring beautiful design to people who are perpetually on the lookout for ways to enhance their home, wardrobe and overall lifestyle. I don’t feel that we are competing with other digital publications - we live in a world that constantly bombards you with information. There is so much to see online that it is at times completely overwhelming. On the upside of that, digital publishing makes it easy to consume several magazines a day regardless of where you are. Ligné Magazine is meant to be something to escape with - a beautiful, clean design with great features that our readers can truly enjoy.

What do you think is the future for print publications, as compared to digital alternatives?

We print Ligné Magazine because the design industry is very tactile. They want to turn the pages, flag designs, bend a page corner - and even tear out images to put on an inspiration board. This is the beauty of print publications. What we are sharing and writing about is nothing like a newspaper. The magazines are meant to be kept and read over and over again - I will always prefer to read a magazine in print than online.

Digital brings accessibility. Articles are easy to share and everyone loves a good Pinterest board. We have a need for both, and I think we always will.

Meredith Xavier Creative Mind behind the Ligné Magazine 3

How has the world of social media affected print publications? And what is your strategy when it comes to social media?

Social media has allowed magazines to expand their audience by sharing original content and driving direct traffic directly back to their publication. It also helps build anticipation towards future issues - we love to preview articles or give sneak peeks to our social media followers so they have the inside track on our upcoming issues.

Many print magazines also manage a successful luxury blog. What is your take on this?

For us, we can’t put everything in print - so online is a venue to share stories and content that we think our audience would love, and just simply doesn’t work into an upcoming print issue. Having an online presence as a publication is vital to keeping readers engaged. It allows constant communication with readers that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

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What do you think constitutes a successful marketing campaign? And what are some examples of successful campaigns that have featured in your publication?

A successful marketing campaign makes you stop and pay attention - whether through verbiage or imagery. It engages, and gives a relevant message to the audience for which it was created. Most of our advertisers are shelter industry focused, and the most successful campaigns are the simple ones. They exhibit great design with no fuss - they allow the quality of the product to come through and speak for itself.

Like most successful blogger/editor, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?

I look for the unique - the one of a kind, and the true talent that isn’t just regurgitating what has been seen time and time again. I also publish products and projects that I personally feel stand for something. Sadly, that’s few and far between. And brands that send me a concise, to the point pitch that is tailored for our publication have a much better chance of getting coverage than the generic press release.

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What is your take on press releases? Do you still enjoy receiving them or do you prefer a more personable one-on-one approach?

Definitely the one on one approach. We appreciate when a pitch is directed at our publication - knowing the individual who sent it has a knowledge and understanding of our audience and takes the time to send us edited and relevant content. Generic press releases that are sent to mass audiences are not of interest to us.

If you had to give advice to a new luxury startup on how to get featured in a prestigious luxury magazine, what would it be?

Get your brand out there - pick up the phone and call the editor you are pitching to. Let them know who you are - set a time to meet in person and show your work. Know your audience, your brand message and your PR goals. Editors appreciate hearing the story about the product and why it is significant, unique and worthy of valuable page space. Every pitch may not be a placement, but you are setting the foundation with that editor and building name recognition. That can only help the future success of your brand with that magazine.

Connect with Ligné Magazine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. Or reach out to us for an introduction.


Angie-Silver-of-SilverSpoon-London-650x360

Blogger Spotlight: Angie Silver of SilverSpoon London

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertise and opinions in this blog series. Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

Today’s blogger is Angie Silver, the founder and writer of SilverSpoon London. Her blog reflects her two passions: London lifestyle, especially the restaurant scene, and luxury travel. Angie’s uses her personal experience and recommendations to ensure her readers will be informed about the very best a destination has to offer.

Angie Silver SilverSpoon London 1

Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?

I was working on another business venture and I started to develop the blog as part of that. I found that I enjoyed the blog even more than the other business and I decided redirect my focus. When I came to the decision that it was what I wanted to concentrate on, I renamed and rebranded to reflect my chosen style. I’ve always been passionate about food and luxury travel and my friends had constantly asked me for my advice on where to go and where to stay, the blog was the opportunity to collate this information all in one place and to write a personal diary that I can always long back on.

Like most successful bloggers, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?

I prefer to mostly work with brands I know of and I will certainly only work with companies that share my values and are of interest to my readers.

What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?

I always keep abreast of luxury travel news and trends through websites, news and other bloggers. However, it’s very useful to receive a press release straight from the source. It’s inevitable that I’m going to get some irrelevant ones but these can be filtered out and discarded very easily. I don’t run stories on my blog purely based on the press release, as my blog is all about my personal experience. However, if the news was of interest to my readers, I would certainly share it on my social media.

What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?

I prefer to work with brands that I’ve heard of and already have some sort personal connection with. However, if the brand espouses the same values as me I am certainly open to working with them. I’m always careful when I choose what prizes that I give away as I want to make sure it’s they are right for my blog and my audience.

Angie Silver SilverSpoon London 2

 

If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?

I prefer to be contacted via email so I have all my communications in one place. I also think it’s safer, some brands want to send me samples of products and I prefer not to give out my address over Twitter.

What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in a blogger outreach program?

I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in some beautiful hotels and dine in amazing restaurants. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that my blog has given me.

Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?

I really like the interaction that you get over twitter. I’m able to network with brands I’m interested and have a personal connection with my readers.

Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?

Mostly Twitter, but I think Instagram is also huge for the luxury travel market. The visuals of beautiful places, hotels and scenery just can’t be fully appreciated in words.

In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?

Dedication. A continuous and consistent social media presence in vital, as is networking and interaction with the right people. Good content is also important as well as eye-catching visuals.

Angie Silver SilverSpoon London 3

 

What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?

Both! Blogging is my business but I’m absolutely passionate about it so much so that you can rarely pull me away from my computer or phone!

Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?

I have a strong background in events planning and I’m happy to help with organizing group blogger events.

If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?

Definitely focus on what you love to write about and with so many bloggers out there, make sure that you have a niche. You won’t become an overnight success, building a blog takes time and dedication. One of key ways I’ve found of growing my blog is networking both online and offline. I have a strong relationship with other bloggers and my readers on social media, but I also meet them face-to-face at events and meet ups.

Reach out to Angie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. You can also email her directly. Or, connect with us for an introduction.


Yasmin of Luxury Travel Diary

Blogger Spotlight: Yasmin of Luxury Travel Diary

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertise and opinions in this blog series. Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

Today’s blogger is Yasmin, a travel addict in love with the finer things that life offers. Her blog, Luxury Travel Diary reflects her devotion to her passions – travel and fashion. Be it a boutique hotel or the latest haute couture collection, you are sure to get a glimpse into the world of luxury, as she perceives it.

Let’s find out her take on the luxe side of life.

 

Yasmin of Luxury Travel Diary 1

Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?

I was a regular poster on Flyertalk and TripAdvisor but I felt that TripAdvisor was getting diluted by a lot of unfair posts and pictures of defects within the hotels (hairs in plug holes, rust on radiators etc) rather than focusing in on the overall experience. I wanted to write honestly about the beautiful hotels I have been fortunate enough to stay in, but focusing in on how special and individual each hotel is. I have extensive experience of luxury hotels and products. My husband is a brilliant developer so he made me a beautiful website. Now people read and like what we are doing which is an honor. Every day it gives me great joy to share our wonderful stories with other travelers. I hope it inspires people to take the trips we have done and stay where we have stayed.

What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?

This really depends what the press release is. If it is, for example, a high end brand hotel opening or a fun fashion release with beautiful photos, we will certainly consider running it.

What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?

Holidays always work well and are wonderfully visual so our readers love them. We have no problems setting up a competition as long as the prize is appealing enough.

 

Yasmin of Luxury Travel Diary 2

If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?

Email is always the best as we get so many DM messages particularly on twitter that we can occasionally miss them.

What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in a blogger outreach program?

We do get offered many wonderful hotel nights (usually not in the highest season) and have received wonderful ski equipment and gear as well as some superb jewelry. My current favorite is a piece of luggage kindly sent to me from Dressage Collection. It is truly beautiful!

Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?

Twitter, the audience is absolutely lovely and sends me kind messages suggesting places to go and feedback on my articles. I love this kind of interaction and to know that people enjoy reading what I write… well there is nothing better!

Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?

Twitter is our most interactive channel.

In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?

Hard work, more hard work, more hard work and when you go away to review places you have to remember you are taking your audience there too and must keep up the live tweets so a holiday is never quite a holiday! Suits me though, I’m not a sunbathing kinda gal – I get bored easily!

Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?

Yes I think Klout score is very important as there are a lot of social media accounts out there, and this is the easiest way to differentiate between the offerings. We currently rank 65 and we are still going up.

 

Yasmin of Luxury Travel Diary 3

What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?

Both!

Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands that choose to work with you?

I am open to suggestion.

Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?

Yes, it is for me- I don’t think you can write a good blog part time, it needs to be a full time occupation and passion. Some brands like to get coverage for free and get upset if it is not offered – Not cool.

What would you say is the best thing about being a luxury blogger?

It is a passion of mine. Luxury Travel in particularly is what I love and by writing my blog I am able to share this with my readers. It makes me truly happy!

If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?

Pick a subject that you really truly love, then just do it. I think a lot of blogs are started, and then the writer becomes busy with something else. If you really want to be a blogger you need to give up pretty much everything else and put all your energies into your blog. As always, there is no magic to success, it is unbelievably hard work, but if you love what you do, and I do, it is absolutely worth the hard graft.

Reach out to Yasmin on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. Or, connect with us for an introduction.


Jeffrey Gomez Founder & Editor in Chief of The Snob Magazine

Luxury Spotlight: Jeffrey Gomez, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of The Snob Magazine

The founder and visionary behind The Snob Magazine, Jeffrey Gomez is an expert on the exclusive nature of all things luxury. Starting out as a writer for Source Interlink Media and their automotive titles in his college days, he turned to the world of wealth and attained the position of a lead investment broker at a Beverly Hills hedge fund.

But the lure of the world of luxury made him take another turn in his career. Determined to wipe away the inane concept of ’mass luxury’, he started The Snob Magazine – ”a luxury lifestyle publication that provides readers with a highlight of the very best luxuries from around the world”.

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Every expert has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?

I started The Snob Magazine after I left a great career as an investment broker. Having dealt with the super rich for work, I knew the arena and players well. Creating The Snob around that audience was the natural progression.

 

Like most luxury experts, you probably receive hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?

I look for a rich history of a brand. I am particularly interested in the quality of their products and/or services. Too many brands are stuffed full of marketing, but what it really comes down to is service and quality.

 

What is the best pitch you have received from a luxury brand? What is the worst?

The best pitches tell me a story and sell me on why I should pay attention. Set me up with a scenario and lay out for me what is important. The worst pitches are all hype and are quickly deleted. I need substance, not marketing and gimmicks.

 

Jeffrey Gomez Founder & Editor in Chief of The Snob Magazine 1

What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?

I hate press releases. I understand that it is an efficient way to get information out, but I don't believe that it does much good for magazines or other publications. Sure TV and newspapers can use the information from a press release to write up a quick snippet, but marketing and publicity needs to be more delicate and specific for outlets if you want to have any real and meaningful coverage.

 

What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?

I would want cross promotion and marketing. We can get your brand in front of a large and well-heeled audience, but we need help in return. Too often brands ask for something and give nothing in return. It is a two way street and brands need to follow up with their business if we send them customers. Dropping the ball will make us all look bad.

 

If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?

Email is the best way to reach our magazine. Social media works sometimes, but it is too familiar and relaxed. This is a business after all.

The Snob Magazine online

 

 

What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in an outreach program?

I get endless gifts, thankfully! From watches to private jets.

 

Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?

I prefer Instagram. I think people want to see splashy images. The ability to comment is also appealing to the public. Having direct commentary to a taste maker makes consumers feel empowered and listened to.

 

Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?

I think it is a toss between Instagram and Twitter.

 

In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?

Presence and persistence. You can't blog off and on and you can't not answer questions or reply late. We live in an instant gratification era and anything other than timely will lose.

 

Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?

Social ranking, etc is all bogus. Just take one look at Fiverr.com and you will see that anything can be bought. Marketing and PR people need to focus on the publication and their audience and partnerships with other brands. Everything else is irrelevant.

 

Do you sometime receive compensation from luxury brands, whether it's in the form of cash or incentives, to write about them?

Yes.

Jeffrey Gomez Founder & Editor in Chief of The Snob Magazine 2

 

 

Apart from your managing your magazine, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?

Definitely. It just comes with having a very wealthy audience. We do everything from private dinners to events, experiences with companies for our audience.

 

Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous through your work as a luxury expert?

Living in Los Angeles, I interact heavily with the movers and shakers of entertainment and politics. A great number of our readers are very famous, but naming names is so passé. Rest assured though, we get emails all the time asking for specific help from some very important people.

 

If you had to mentor a new writer, what is your go-to advice to become successful?

Work, work and work. Keep your nose down and write. Everything else will fall into place. Content is KING!

 

Get in touch with Jeffrey Gomez vi email. Or, connect with him on Facebook or Twitter. Or, reach out to us for an introduction.


10-Best-Luxury-Travel-Bloggers

What it Feels Like to be Voted as "Top 10 Best Luxury Travel Blogger"

It feels simply fantastic!

I have written it before, creating an engaging blog that people want to read takes a lot of passion and dedication. The first year in blogging is the hardest since everything seems to go in slow motion. You keep asking yourself "Why am I doing this again?" and everyone around you wonders the same. Then all of a sudden you notice your site traffic picking up and new fans following you on social media every day. This is when you remember why you blog - to share your expertise with those who seek it. You get excited, then at one point you start getting too many emails to keep up with, and this is when you get hooked by the fun of fit all.

Being nominated by a panel of industry experts as one of the Top 20 best luxury travel bloggers felt incredible, but being voted as one of the Top 10 best luxury travel bloggers by readers feels ever better.

I remember when I started, looking up at JustLuxe and Pursuitist, simply trying to determine the voice of our own blog. Their success seemed so out-of-reach, but I told myself "What do you have to lose if you try? If you know you can contribute to the industry in a new way, why not just take it one post at a time?"

At first, we mostly blogged about new luxury - product launches, new marketing campaign, but then we came into our own when we started focusing more and more on luxury travel. As someone who spends her life traveling the world, it simply made more sense. I have never bought a Louis Vuitton handbag, that is simply not my style, but I have been aboard superyachts, stayed at five-star hotels and eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world. I asked myself "If you were suddenly a billionaire, what would you do with the money?" The answer was simple - buy a luxury yacht and travel the world. To become successful at blogging, we needed to follow our passion with LuxeInACity, and our passion was luxury travel.

Obviously, Maxine and I couldn't have done this alone. A great thanks to all our writers and contributors who have shared inspiring stories with us for our readers. A special thanks to Mahasweta Bhattacharyya who has become the gate-keeper of LuxeInACity, the one who makes sure everything is just right.

If you are curious to know who else made the top 10 Best Luxury Travel Bloggers for 2014 list by popular vote, here they are:

1. Nicolle Monico of Just Luxe
2. Yasmin Pullman  of Luxury Travel Diary
3. Ana Silva O’Reilly of Mrs. O Around the World
4. Christopher Parr of Pursuitist
5. Roxanne Genier and Maxine Genier of LuxeInACity - yes that'is us!
6. Carol Perehudoff of Wandering Carol
7. Kim-Marie Evans of Luxury Travel Mom
8. Melanie Brandman of The Travel Curator
9. Brooke Saward of World of Wanderlust
10. Emily Stephens of The Luxe Travel

We also want to mention the other 10 amazing bloggers who were nominated in the Top 20 Best Luxury Travel Bloggers by the panel of experts. They are, in no particular order,

Nyssa Chopra  of The Cultureur
Ian Garstang of Luxury Travels
Keith Jenkins of  Velvet Escape
Dr. Paul Johnson of  A Luxury Travel Blog
Mark Jolly of globorati
Tom Muyllaert of Luxury Travel Butler
Amie O'Shaughnessy of Ciao Bambino!
Lesley Peterson of CultureTripper
Maria Russo  of The Culture-ist
Ava Stochinsky of Vagablond

Lastly, I would like to say "Thank You" to Judy Colbert (JudyColbert.com), Katie Dillon (La Jolla Mom), Jennifer Miner (The Vacation Gals), Elizabeth Thorp (Poshbrood) and Mary Ann Treger (USA Today contributor) who nominated us in the first place.


Carlos Melia Luxury Travel Curator Cover

Blogger Spotlight: Carlos Melia, Luxury Travel Curator

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertise and opinions in this blog series. Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

Today’s blogger is Carlos Melia, a Travel Agent/Travel Blogger/Concierge/Hospitality Consultant/Wedding Planner specializing in bespoke luxury experiences. With 25 years of experience in the luxury travel industry, he is sure to be the best guide you can have when it comes to tailoring your travel plans according to your tastes and inclinations. Direct access to exclusive suppliers and services makes him the best luxury travel curator you may have.

 

Carlos Melia Luxury Travel Curator 1

Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?

Way before becoming a travel blogger, I have been a travel agent and I have a bachelor degree on hotel and restaurant management. Travel blogging happened as a consequence of that. Clients always asking where to go, where to eat, where to stay, what to do. At that time, I was mainly doing inbound travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina (where I am original from). So I decided to start a blog, with all the info. So when a client would ask me, I would just send them the link and done, instead of writing the same exact email over and over. Well so I did, and it become very popular by viral effect. The word-to-mouth began, and I started to receive invitation and pitches from around the world… from there one…. here I am.

Like most successful blogger, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?

I base my decisions on those that represent true travel and life experiences foremost. If I see there is an interesting angle to cover, explore and share, then I am all over it. Other than that perhaps my second criteria goes by destinations. Finally I do consider travel icons… I love to experience them and learn about them, we do not have that many of them anymore.

 

Carlos Melia Luxury Travel Curator 2

What is the best pitch you have received from a luxury brand? What is the worst?

I always repeat myself, but the best one ever was and has been living with the elephants at the Four Seasons Tented Camp in the north of Thailand, in the region called Golden Triangle. Second best, to add something new, has been two of the Orient-Express Trains I did, once in Scotland and second from Thailand to Singapore. Hmmmm worst, ha ha …. in my case, anything that has to do with the heavenly island of Jamaica. I am not a fun at all.

What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?

I read them, only if they are short and to the point. I keep the once I find an interest on….. and that’s it. I mean it helps me to be inform and up-to-date. Now I never do write ups or posts based on press releases. I am an experiential travel blogger, so I only report on things I have tried myself and based only on my own travel experiences. This is, I think, the key to my success. Over the years, I have managed to gain the respect and trust of clients and readers, based on this commitment.

If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?

Any mean of communication is good, either conventional or unconventional. This way, in the past, I have managed to discover true gems that are completely off radar, and truly represent the soul and spirit of the destination and culture to feature.

In your mind, what makes a successful blogger outreach program? Is it the incentive, the brand itself or the relationship you already have with the brand?

In my case has always been the relationship you have with either the brand or the PR firm that represent them. This not only to their own products/services, but as a referral to fellow brands. Many times I have been referred from one group to the other, or even better, when one group sees the work you have done for their competition, then that’s the best introduction.

 

Carlos Melia Luxury Travel Curator 3

Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?

For the last year and a half, I am in a full on love affair with Instagram. I think is the one that best allows me to express, show and share what I experience while traveling. It is also a great way to connect to new and potential brands.

Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?

Instagram, but I must be bias here… since this is the one I spend the most time on, and people know can reach out to me instantly, regardless where in the world I am.

In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?

Find a voice, find a niche, be consistent but don’t overdo it. I am guilty of all that, and over the years I have learnt, paid the price and still learning.

Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?

Hmmmm I do every month or so. Anyhow they remind you periodically. The last I recall, my KLOUT Score was 68, but I must admit I don’t even know that it means, nor if its high or low. Brands approach me, because they know that I having been around for quite a while. I have managed to become a brand and referent. Despite that my readership is very diverse, brands are well aware that I have managed to become a referent for Luxury Gay Travel. This is a niche within the niche, one of the most difficult to access, and one of the most daunting to find the right ambassador to do it with. Over the years, groups like Belmond, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental among many others, have chosen and trust me as one of the few to carry their message to this affluent niche of market.

What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?

Both. My business is my pleasure. I love what I do and I am very passionate about it. I grew up in a family of commercial pilots, I have been around the world three times and counting for the forth. As I become older, I have transitioned organically from back-packing to luxury travel. I have over 25 years of experience working within the travel industry, for travel agencies, hotels, airlines, printed and digital publications…. so travel it is my DNA.

 

Carlos Melia Luxury Travel Curator 4

Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?

Yes of course. The ROI - Return on Investment, behind my blog, is that I am a full service Travel Agent. So most of my clients follow my travels around the world, looking for their next travel experience. It is not rare that I review a hotel or airline, and days after a client calls or emails me to book it based on my reviews. Other than that, I am the founder of LGTNetwork - Luxury Gay Travel Network. Our goal with this networking group, is to narrow the existing gap between mainstream luxury brands and the leading gay travel professionals, press, bloggers and influencers. Our pillars we cherish and promote are: Good-Fellowship, networking, communication, experience, education and trust. So there you see…. I have my blog CarlosMeliaBlog.com which mainly caters to the direct client and then LGTNetwork.org with caters to the travel professionals, conventional/unconventional press and influencers.

Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?

Of course. But I think that those that are taking it seriously, do know that. Bloggers have come a long way in the last five years. I always remember my beginnings, seating at the end of the table, being the new kid on the block. Now I seat among the leading travel publications from around the world, offering a more dynamic and global approach.

Do you manage more than one blog? If so, which ones?

Yes. !!!! I do my main blog CarlosMeliaBlog.com - www.carlosmeliablog.com. Then I manage the blog for LGTNetwork - www.lgtnetwork.wordpress.com. For the last 4 years I have been the official blog master and social media master for Les Clefs d’Or UICH - www.lesclefsdor.wordpress.com and for the last 3 years, I have done the same for Fashion Designer RUBINSINGER www.rubinsingerblog.com

What would you say is the best thing about being a luxury blogger?

Ha ha ha …. I always joke about this. Life of champagne with salaries of beer. !!!! You are allowed to experience things, which many think impossible or unreachable.

Have you rub shoulders with the rich and famous through your work as a luxury blogger?

Yes… but that is not something that impresses me. I have been connected to the world of Luxury Travel since very young age. I always believed, and I might be proven wrong, that to work in Luxury, you either had to be born in it, or work for it. Mine was the second, and I feel that I truly understand it, beyond the mere concept of self-indulgent.

If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?

I get emails all the time, from new bloggers, looking for advice and inspiration. I always tell them: find your voice, find your audience and do what you enjoy doing, if you want it to come natural and be successful.

Get in touch with him on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. You can also email him. Or, for an introduction, reach out to us.

 


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LuxeInACity Nominated as Top 20 Luxury Travel Blogs by USA Today and 10Best

Wow! I am extremely proud to announce that LuxeInACity, our travel blog, has been nominated as one of the Top 20 Luxury Travel Blogs by USA Today and 10Best. It feels great to be recognized for the quality of our content and be amongst such industry leaders.

If we inspire you to travel, please encourage us by voting for us. Until Sept 22th, you simply need to click on this link to vote: http://www.10best.com/awards/new-media-awards/best-luxury-travel-blogger/luxeinacity-roxanne-genier/. With your support, we can make it to the Top 10 list!

When you start blogging, you ask yourself why, why would anyone ever want to read anything I have to say. But yet, you continue because you are a little crazy. Somehow you believe that you can inspire others to take action upon reading your advice. For someone like me, someone with a true passion for travel, blogging is about filling that need to share my discoveries with everyone.

As some of you might know, in the last 15 years, I have traveled to 65 countries, often visiting the same country or even city dozens of time. You might think that I would want the house with the picket fence, but no, I still much prefer the open road.

Since last October, I have been on a Pan American road trip to discover as much as I can about this great continent. Although I was expecting to be in Argentina by now, we have only made it to Nicaragua. The "we" includes my boyfriend Tommy and my chubby main coon cat "Minou". I know, who travels with a cat, right? Someone as crazy as me. So why are we traveling so slow? The reason is simple, there is too many amazing places on the way to rush through it. This is a once in a lifetime trip and I want to make sure it lives up to its full potential.

I have to admit, I am not someone who is naturally drawn to the pen and paper. I am a sailor, a traveler. I am one of those eternal nomads that can never stay in the same place for too long. I much prefer to spend my days swimming with whales sharks, sand-boarding down an active volcano or learning to surf. Yet, as often as I can, I try to share my experiences on paper to inspire others to follow in my footsteps.

So please, pick a destination, somewhere you have never been, somewhere that sounds very exotic and fascinating and go learn about yourself as you discover the world. Allow us to inspire you to travel the world through our stories.

Vote for us at http://www.10best.com/awards/new-media-awards/best-luxury-travel-blogger/luxeinacity-roxanne-genier/.


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Blogger Spotlight: MOGI by Malin Richardson

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertise and opinions in this blog series.Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

 

Today's blogger is Malin Richardson, a young woman who grew up in Italy, France, Belgium and Sweden with her family and her passion to travel was born this way leading her to start her own lifestyle blog back in 2007. She is now the 24 y/o CEO and Creative director behind Scandinavia's most read high end lifestyle/travel blog Mogi by Malin Richardson. With over 400 000 hits every month and over 80 000 unique readers she is the most successful blogger in the world in her field. 

On www.mogis.se Malin takes her readers on adventures around the world where she gives them the best advice where to stay, eat and what to wear while abroad. Her passion for her blog has landed her a job as a travel/food writer for ELLE Food & Wine. She has also been awarded for her photography which has landed her a job as an ambassador for Canon in Sweden.

 

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1. Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?

I grew up in Italy, France, Belgium and Sweden with my family and we have always travelled a lot during holidays so my passion for travel started that way. I have always loved to write and photography so I thought that a blog would be the perfect outlet for me to share my passions! I started my blog back in January 2007, I was one of the first to start a blog in Sweden and it grew very fast!

2. Like most successful blogger, you probably received hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?

I decide which companies and brands that I would like to work with, I only want to work with brands that I stand for to a 100%. I am very picky!

3. What is the best pitch you have received from a luxury brand? What is the worst?

I haven't gotten one that knocks me out of my chair yet but I have had many amazing collaborations with luxury brands which I am very happy about!

4. What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?


On my blog I only write about my own experiences so press releases isn't something that I use for my blog but of course I read them to keep up with what's going on!

5. What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?

It would have to match my profile and be something that I would know my readers would really like!

6. If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?


I usually work with email the most but I got approached by a company via my instagram (@mogis) just a couple of weeks ago and that worked great as well!

7. In your mind, what makes a successful blogger outreach program? Is it the incentive, the brand itself or the relationship you already have with the brand?


In my opinion it is about the connection the blogger has with the brand, that you feel that the connection is 100% real!

8. What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in a blogger outreach program?


I don't work with gifts that way, either I work with a brand in a collaboration or that they buy ad space on my blog.

9. Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?

My blog www.mogis.se is my number one priority and then I like Instagram @mogis!

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10. Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?

They interact a lot via my blog and via my Instagram!

11. In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?

You have to be passionate and dedicated to what you do and have patience and focus on quality and of course take care of your readers!

12. Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?

I don't use Klout but perhaps this is something I will try in the future!

13. What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?

My blog is my fulltime job and business since 3 years back so I update it 2 times per day so my readers always have something new to read!

14. Do you sometime receive compensation from luxury brands, whether it's in the form of cash or incentives, to blog about them?

If we have a collaboration or if they buy an ad space they pay a certain amount of money to be seen on my site!

15. Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?

Not right now! My main focus is blogging and Instagram!

16. Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?

I think that they have realized over the last few years that a professional blog is just like any lifestyle or fashion magazine out there. The audience that I have created the last 7 years are in many cases larger than magazines out on the market so why shouldn't I get payed for the work that I put in to it? But I have truly felt a big difference over the last 3 years which feels good. The prices to work with bloggers get higher for each year!

17. Do you manage more than one blog? If so, which ones?

No www.mogis.se is the only blog I have!

18. What would you say is the best thing about being a luxury blogger?

I love that I get to work with my passions and travel the world and discover new places, restaurants and amazing fashion! So far during 2014 I have been home in Stockholm for 1,5 months and the rest I have been travelling so it's very intense but I love it!

19. Have you rub shoulders with the rich and famous through your work as a luxury blogger?

I had lunch at Matbaren in Stockholm back in 2011, a great Guide Michelin restaurant and next to our table sat Whitney Houston! That was quite amazing! 2 weeks ago when I was in New York I had lunch at Sant Ambroeus in West Village and Anne Hathaway and Mr Valentino himself sat next to our table!

20. If you had to mentor a new blogger, what is your go-to advice to become successful?

 

I would say find your nisch and stick to it! Quality over quantity and you have to be passionate and dedicated to succeed in this business!

 

Reach out to Malin Richardson through social media on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, or once again, if you need an introduction, don't hesitate to reach out to us.


Luxury Expert Spotlight: Doug Gollan of Elite Traveler Media

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.

Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

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Today's blogger is Doug Gollan the Group President and co-founder of Elite Traveler Media Group, a pioneer in media targeting the global Ultra High Net Worth consumer. He is co-author of "The Sky's the Limit" and a contributor to Luxury Society. He is considered an expert on the super rich and their lifestyle habits. He has been referenced on NBC, CNBC, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He is a member of The Luxury Marketing Council and has participated in Northwestern University's "Future of Luxury" think tank and has been a guest lecturer at New York University's Stern School of Business. His blog Douggollan.com  highlights opportunities for luxury marketers to sell more to the ever growing global Super Rich.

 

 

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Every luxury expert has a different story on how they got started in the industry. What is yours?

"It was 2000 and I was running a $30 million dollar group of trade magazines in the travel industry vertical catering to travel agents. Our flagship Travel Agent magazine was a weekly and was large enough to be ranked by Advertising Age as one of the Top 10 magazines in the country by ad pages. Our former owner like many of the wealthy was unhappy with the deteriorating service level of the U.S. domestic airlines.  He had switched his travels to private jets.  Coming from the publishing industry, he noticed that while the passengers on private jets were rich, most of the magazines were targeted to the pilots and the only consumer reading material readily available was local newspapers and magazines, which were sporadic at best.

With my B2B experience in controlled circulation, I knew if we could figure out the distribution, and put together a product that appealed to these folks, we would have a unique and desirable audience.  I was ready for a new challenge and wanted to expand  my knowledge beyond travel, so it seemed like a good idea.  I convinced my colleague who was running sales to jump with me, he did, and we are still at it nearly 15 years later."

 

Tell us about Elite Traveler. Who is your core audience and what marketing opportunities do you offer luxury brands?

"Elite Traveler is positioned as the private jet lifestyle magazine. You now have the private jet, we are about everything else you might enjoy.  We are the first and only publisher to claim private jet distribution and have it successfully audited by a third party on an ongoing basis, in our case BPA.  We have an audience of over 400,000 readers every issue with a Household Income of $1 million or more, about 10 times more than other publications such as Robb Report, Town & Country or Departures.  We have a beautiful magazine, but others have nice magazines too.  The simple difference is our distribution puts Elite Traveler in front of Ultra High Net Worth consumers, whereas others rely on charge card databases, subscriptions and newsstand meaning their audiences are necessarily more mass. 

We have multi-platform marketing opportunities ranging from Elitetraveler.com, with over 300,000 unique visitors per month to Elite Traveler TV, our web based television channel and a global database of private jet owners.  We have private events during events such as the Monaco Yacht Show and Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show where we have readers from around the world.  I think the last point is our distribution is global – we are in over 100 countries, from Nigeria to China to Brazil to Russia. We like to say wherever in the world you’re from, wherever in the world you happen to be, if you fly by private jet Elite Traveler is with you.  In other words, we reach this hard to reach audience. 

In the luxury business, you never know where your next top customer is coming from, or where he or she happens to be today.  Our distribution covers that for our partners making sure they are always in front of them.  Our two month publishing cycle adds value and shelf life."

 

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In what ways has your publication changed over the years? And how has your publication remained successful in light of competing digital magazines?

"When we launched in 2001 we were ahead of the curve in terms of making our information accessible, understanding that our readers were on their private jet, sharing the magazine with friends and family.  We utilize our oversize format with lots of pictures. We are the only magazine in the world that is regularly featuring top suites as opposed to just the generic hotel, but then again, our readers are the folks who are spending $1,000 to $40,000 per night to stay in these places. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

We put in contact information with the name, phone number and email of a hotel general manager or the name of the manager of a boutique featuring the watch or handbag we are writing about.  We use award winning writers and reporters, but challenge them to write in a short-form format realizing time is money. We give you the names of top guides in the places we write about. We give you the names of the manager of the restaurant with the hot table. We are like a friend to our reader, telling our reader, “If you want this bracelet, make sure to ask for Janet and use my name.  She’ll take good care of you.”  

Our format doesn’t have jumps. We follow a format that makes it easy for regular readers to find what they are looking for and our size and heavy paper re-enforce the private jet lifestyle image.  I think a lot of luxury magazines talk to their readers like the storekeeper in Pretty Woman.  We recognize 90 percent of UHNWs are self-made.  They are not buying the products we cover as validation. They are buying them because they want them.  Knowing our readers are the movers and shakers of the world, people who made innovations that changed millions of peoples lives, heads of state and even royalty, top celebrities and sports stars makes us very humble that they read our magazine!"

 

What do you think is the future for print publications, as compared to digital alternatives?

"Richard Branson said the magazine business hasn’t changed its circulation model in 150 years.  Our model of getting the magazine to private jets is different.  We figured out a new way to slice bread, so for what we do I think the sky’s the limit, pardon the pun.  Since the recession, and the end of free money from credit cards and home loans for the mass affluent consumer, marketers of luxury products are more focusing on wanting to reach people who can buy their products regularly, or heavy users in ad speak.  We reach more of this target with less waste than any publisher in the world.  I’m happy to repeat that, but if you look across the business world innovation rarely comes from incumbents. The fact that we were new to consumer publishing enabled us to create a model that the big players missed.  It’s truly amazing.  Advertisers challenge their media partners to come up with a big idea. That’s what we do every day – bringing our partners to the laps of the richest and most influential people in the world on their private jets.  It’s very exciting and fulfilling!"

 

How has the world of social media affected print publications? And what is your strategy when it comes to social media?

We are active on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.  We have over 25,000 followers.  I think it’s hard to tell what percentage are UHNWs vs. regular folks who want to get a glimpse of the private jet lifestyle.  I can’t say it’s something we do better or worse than lots of others.  We like to observe.  I guess the best way to put it is I think Mark Zuckerberg can rest easy.

 

Many print magazines have established relationships with bloggers. How does this benefit both parties?

It’s not something we have done yet, however it’s something we are looking at.  David Ogilvy once said it takes around a dozen impressions to get the notice of a consumer.  We want to create as many touch points as possible with our readers, yet we also know that it’s impossible to be great at everything.  We don’t believe in vaporware, so we don’t like to dive into things until we know how to make them work for what we do, yet we also know there are bloggers who develop a very loyal following.  I guess the best answer is watch this space.

 

What do you think constitutes a successful marketing campaign? And what are some examples of successful campaigns that have featured in your publication?

Magazines are first and foremost best for awareness and branding.  Today in the luxury market, in virtually every segment - watches, jewelry, auto, fashion, hotels, shelter - there is product overload, meaning creating awareness of what you do and what you offer is more important than ever. Today’s Super Rich are self made and didn’t grow up with luxury brands.  They may know the brand names, but they know a lot less about the products than luxury marketers believe.

Regularly we have advertisers who track sales of jewelry sales in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and real estate in the millions sold directly from the magazine.  We have had presidents of countries spend $500,000 booking a floor of suites after reading about it in Elite Traveler.  We have had royalty place million dollar orders for watches after seeing an ad in our magazine. These are people you can’t reach through credit card databases and you will never get to come to a boutique opening for a free glass of champagne, yet each issue we have over 400,000 readers like this. Yet it is hard to track every sale. 

We also tracked millions of dollars in transactions for watches, jewelry and accessories ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, which for the normal person is a big deal, but for our readers regular shopping. Every CFO will put my picture on the dartboard, but I believe that the overweighting of ROI takes away for the need that luxury companies need to spend more money creating awareness of their ever-growing line of products.  As an example, it wasn’t too long ago Montblanc only made pens, now they wave accessories, watches, jewelry and so on.  Do the super really rich know what you are selling?  I often find sales reps for luxury brands have trouble keeping up with their own product lines.

 

 

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You also blog on a regular basis. What is your main goal as a blogger?

I think the UHNW segment is underinvested by luxury marketers.  The idea that you bring somebody into the brand through accessible price points such as fragrance and one day they become a billionaire and buy $100,000 necklaces is a fallacy.  Today – globally – the best prospects for luxury companies know less about what these companies are selling than the junior manager sitting in her cube flipping through Vogue.  The UHNWs made their money many times in some mundane industry.  They figured out a better way to make widgets.  Chances are they came from a middle class or even impoverished household. Look at Larry Ellison or Lewis Katz. Their early years were spent borrowing money from relatives and using credit cards to invest in their business, not taking fancy vacations.  Their spouse and children probably worked in the business as well.  Now they are rich and they know less about your brand than you think.  It’s a great opportunity, and all research out there shows the rich are getting richer. 

The top 1 percent are going to become the core segment successful luxury brands need to build loyalty with.  The next 9 percent are going to more and more buy less and less in luxury and will increasingly gravitate towards ‘look for less’ solutions.  My blog is about my passion for highlighting the UHNW market and the marketing opportunities.  I also love the spending by UHNWs creates jobs for entrepreneurs and folks who are trying to make ends meet.  When an UHNW has a $3 million party, the money goes to the waiters, bartenders, florists, security guards, black car drivers, those freelancers who support the entertainers, the venue designers, the construction workers who build out the venue, on and on and on.

 

Anything else you want to share with us?

When you love what you do, it’s not a job.  It’s been said again and again, but I can attest it’s true.

 

If interested to collaborate with Doug Gollan or the Elite Traveler Media Group, reach out through social media on Twitter at @EliteTravelerDG or on Google + at +DougGollan or once again, don't hesitate to ask us for an introduction.


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Blogger Spotlight: Dr. Paul Johnson of A Luxury Travel Blog

Behind every great luxury blog, you will find a great story. Luxury bloggers are real people, not machines, and to successfully work with them, we recommend you get to know them a little better. Through our years at LuxeInACity, we have talked, collaborated and exchanged ideas with dozens of great bloggers from around the world.

 

Since bloggers rarely talk about themselves – they tend to talk about everyone else instead – we hope to showcase their skills, expertises and opinions in this blog series.

Get to know them, learn from them and hopefully you will find an innovative way to collaborate with them.

Today’s blogger is Dr. Paul Johnson of A Luxury Travel Blog. With over 25 years of experience in the travel industry, he is a repository of knowledge for the discerning traveler, whether you want to find out about charming hotels, gourmet restaurants or other finer facets of travel.  The Daily Telegraph named A Luxury Travel Blog as one of the world’s best travel blogs, and that’s not for nothing – today it attracts more than 400,000 unique visitors per month. And the popularity is only increasing.

 

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Let’s take a look at what he has to say about luxury travel.

1.    Every blogger has a different story on how they got started blogging. What is yours?
I started with A Luxury Travel Blog ( www.aluxurytravelblog.com ) back in 2005. In blogging terms, this makes me quite an early adopter and probably accounts, at least in part, for the site’s huge success. Prior to that (and still to this day), I have been a Director of The Dedicated Partnership Ltd. ( www.dedicate.co.uk ), which specialises in internet marketing for the tourist industry).  I had been dabbling with a personal blog for a year or so prior to this and saw that most travel blogs at the time were backpackers documenting their travels.  My interests lay in luxury travel, which didn’t seem to be catered for well by blogs, and the rest is history. Today, A Luxury Travel Blog is widely regarded as one of the most successful luxury travel blogs out there.  It was voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” by The Daily Telegraph and “best for luxury” and now enjoys in excess of half a million unique visitors per month. (Few travel blogs even achieve a tenth of this figure.)  I am also a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. ( www.kendalcottages.com ).

 

2.    Like most successful bloggers, you probably receive hundreds of emails per month from luxury brands who want you to share their story. What makes you decide to work with a brand over the other?
Actually, in my case – and I’m not exaggerating – I get thousands per month, not hundreds!  What makes me decide to work with someone is the nature of the approach and the suitability of the proposal. Those that contact us are referred to our guidelines that explains a variety of ways in which they can work with us. Many take no notice of the guidelines and just fire off a press release.  Others will pitch some kind of counter-proposal which doesn’t interest us. A minority (sadly) take time to go through the material we send them and carefully pitch in accordance with the site’s guidelines.  If the fit is there, it’s the latter we choose to work with.

 

3.    What is your take on press releases? Do you like receiving them or do you simply discard them?

A big no-no.  We don’t like receiving them and we state as much in our guidelines, yet so many still insist on sending them or adding us to their mailing list to receive all future releases.  On receiving a release, we remind people of our guidelines for pitching to us.  If they still persist after that, we just mark any such emails as spam (which is ultimately bad news for the PR company as all their emails to us then won’t be seen at all).
Picture it from the blogger’s point of view: assuming the blog is popular, the blogger is getting lots of these on a daily basis.  Adding to an already busy inbox with unwanted releases is only going to serve to irritate and make a poor first impression with the blogger. Furthermore, press releases – by their very nature – are invariably duplicate content (something which Google isn’t too thrilled about) so any blogger worth their salt will find little incentive in copying and pasting content from press releases.

 

4.    What would make you choose to work with a brand on a giveaway campaign on your site?
First and foremost, I’d be looking at whether the giveaway is a good fit for the site. Secondly, I’d be looking more closely at the prize itself – is it attractive and of significant value?  If it’s not, it’s less likely to generate interest with readers of the blog, and so that would be of less interest to me. I would also be looking at whether the prize is open to all – we have a worldwide audience so a prize of two nights in a luxury hotel in Barcelona, say, is only really appealing if flights and transfers are included.  I don’t like to run giveaways where the winner might have to spend money (on flights, for instance) in order to take up their prize.
5.    If a brand wants to reach you, what channel should they use? Do you prefer email, social media or another means of communication?
They should use the contact form on our site – >www.aluxurytravelblog.com/contact-us

 

6.    In your mind, what makes a successful blogger outreach program? Is it the incentive, the brand itself or the relationship you already have with the brand?
All can be a factor but, perhaps most importantly of all, is how it is pitched and how good a match it is.
7.    What is the coolest gift you have received from a luxury brand in a blogger outreach program?
A trip across Nepal and into India with Land Rover in 2013, trialling the brand new Range Rover Hybrid (it wasn’t even available to the public until the following year). We even got to go on an Everest flight as part of the trip.

 

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8.    Of all the social media channels you engage on, which one do you prefer and why?
Probably Facebook although we have an even greater following on Twitter.  I just find the interface more intuitive, easier to use and less overwhelmed by ‘noise’.

 

9.    Which social media channels does your audience interact with the most?
Facebook and Twitter. We’re also semi-active on Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest, but it’s Facebook and Twitter where we have the greatest following (over half a million followers across the two combined) so that’s where we also tend to have the greatest engagement.
10.    In your opinion, what does it take to become successful on social media?
A lot of time, dedication and devotion, where possible, to individual, personal relationships. Constant, on-topic engagement is key to continued social media success.
11.    Do you monitor your Klout score on a daily/weekly basis? Do you think this social ranking is of any real value to luxury brands?
No, I pay no real attention to Klout although, because I’m a member of a blogging association that uses it in their database, I am aware that my own score is seemingly rather favourable.
12.    What is the main reason you blog on a daily basis? Is it for pleasure, for business or for both?
For both.  It’s for business (my blog is my full time job) but I’m lucky in that I love my job, so it’s a pleasure also.

 

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13.    Apart from blogging, do you offer additional services to luxury brands who choose to work with you?
Yes, I offer online marketing consultancy services for the tourist industry.  This can cover anything from helping with website analyses, SEO analyses, travel writing, travel photography and social media training and assistance.

 

14.    Do you think luxury brands should understand that blogging is also a business for some?
Yes!  For serious bloggers, it is very much a business. I think brands are slowly waking up to the fact that some bloggers carry a hugely significant influence.

 

15.    Do you manage more than one blog? If so, which ones?
I have run several blogs in the past but currently I am focusing purely on A Luxury Travel Blog.  Keep an eye out for www.aluxuryfashionblog.com and www.aluxuryhomeblog.com too – when the time is right, I might just launch them also. I also oversee the content on blogs for a few travel-related clients.

 

Follow Paul’s new adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest. Or, get in touch with him via the site’s contact form. Or, if you are feeling a little shy, reach out to us for an introduction.