London Blogger - Manuela

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12 Social Media Video Tips to Drive Traffic to your Blog Post

manuela / August 8, 2023

As a blogger, you want to ensure you use all internet channels apart from various search engines as effectively as possible to drive web traffic to your website. Not only can you gain a worldwide audience, but you also have the power to grow your blog or business. You may already be very active on social media and have an established online persona but that does not always guarantee that your followers head to your website. Thankfully, there are some digital marketing and video marketing strategies for bloggers and influencers that can help you with attracting a bigger readership and reaching millions of prospective clients via social media. So read on! 12 Top Tips to use Videos on Social Media to attract more Blog Readers 1. Create a short Video Script Stand out from the crowd with a sharp and to-the-point video that focuses on what’s the core message of your post or content. Having a script, even for short videos, will help you lay out the groundwork and main goal for the video. You can refer to the script when in doubt and add more elements later on. Video scripts can help you become more confident in front of the camera. Social Media Marketing teams often use scripts as they expedite your video-making process and streamline your delivery to make the video production more efficient, budget-friendly, and resourceful. If you have a YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok channel you may need to tailor your script to the different audiences and requirements based on video length, video format, etc. You should also bear in mind which narrative is most suitable for each platform to encourage as many viewers as possible to click on your website link added to your video. Make sure you test different formats and scripts first, then analyze the results via the analytics features each platform offers and observe which videos get the most views and interactions. If you’re for example a travel blogger, then you should check out some travel vlogging tips to optimize your videos. 2. First impressions are everything With the attention span of people being shorter than ever, you need to grab their attention in the first few seconds mainly. Start with a quick intro or get to the point very quickly. You can stand out from the crowd by having a few exciting first seconds with an eye-catching thumbnail. Most of the bigger UK influencers also use this technique to get people to watch their content. You can add timestamps and video descriptions to the videos, which are especially important if you want to get viewers to find your blog or website and related posts. 3. Make all kinds of videos People love seeing entertaining and informational videos on social media that keep them engaged. The most successful videos on video streaming platforms are the ones that manage to combine both. Being familiar with different types of videos will help you maximize your reach across all social media platforms. Make different types of videos like vlogs and live streams so that there are a lot of different formats available for your audience to see and to even connect with you and your website. You should obviously set up social media pages for your blog or website where you can post stories and videos in combination with your written content. Visit some of the blog pages I have created where I regularly share news and blog publications that go live: UK News Blog – Home | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ukeducationblog/ You can run ads for these pages to reach more people such as paid Facebook ads for example that come in different formats including video, which I have also used to increase the followership. 4. Focus on good Storytelling Good storytelling is one of the most invaluable skills that any blogger or content writer can have. With people having more creative control over the content than ever, it is your responsibility to have a good story in a place that conveys your message effectively. This will give you an advantage over your competitors no matter what. Compare what the most successful bloggers in your niche are doing and what is trending. Making content relevant and unique for your brand with seasonal events such as Christmas or Blue Monday can help gain additional traction on social media with the right hashtags. However, try to develop your own style that is immediately recognizable and be your authentic self just like me: A storyboard will help you to plan video elements, structure, materials, resources, and people you need. 5. Think about Aesthetics Visuals are everything in the online world. Having an eye-pleasing video is a must, and key elements are ensuring you are in a well-lit space for example, and capturing a video with adequate sound quality. When editing the video, add transitions and motions of your choice and add text incorporating the core message. This will help your video stand out more than ever. There are different filters available too in video editing apps that you can use. With great audio and video editing tools available now, one should focus on having a unique aesthetic for their brand. This helps with brand awareness and recognition. 6. A good Setup is important Although gear is not the most necessary thing in the world, having good gear can make a world of difference. A tripod, camera, and ring light will take you a long way. You can then later add on a mic for great audio capture. This is a great digital marketing strategy too. Work with the gear that you can afford, and as time goes on, you will be able to hone your craft more and save up for the best equipment and then buy it. At the start, a camera phone, ring light, and tripod are the only things you may need. This will help you get started and see what the shortcomings of this setup are. You do not need a professional setup and can

All posts, Blogging, digital marketing, digital PR, London Blogger

How to offer Press Coverage of Business Events for Digital PR and Marketing as a Blog Editor

manuela / October 10, 2022

The beauty of starting a website or blog is that you often don’t know exactly where the journey takes you. You begin with registering a domain and writing about topics that you’re interested in and over time various categories emerge from your overall web content. The most popular topics that people find your website for through their searches on search engines or social media, may establish your online presence as an expert niche publication in the industries you mainly cover. This can attract enquiries from journalists, marketers and event organisers or press departments looking for influencers or digital publishers in their field to cover their events and news. This is the journey I have been on since I started blogging on various websites, which I will share as examples of my editorial work that has led to such collaborations. I will show you how I went about the whole process, from the enquiry stage to the execution stage of press and event coverage as I have noticed that there is a high demand in this field. Why cover Events & News as a Blogger & Publisher? A blog is a digital content publishing platform, which can be utilized for news and event coverage. Consider your websites as web properties that people visit when searching for specific information. The more visitors your website attracts, the better of course as you can offer any content publication a wider audience exposure. You have the opportunity to write about brands and organisations as well as established experts in your niche, you may also be able to conduct exclusive interviews and network, which is all positive ROI for your website. Event and news coverage can also establish you as a writer, digital marketer, or influencer, especially if you can utilize your populated social media channels for more online exposure. You can be creative with how you publish such content, and you’ll need to have guidelines set up that clarify the terms and conditions of your coverage of course. See the services I offer in more detail here: If people are happy with how their events and news are published on your website, they will come back for more. As you can see, I offer press and news release publications, which I offer in two formats: a free plain-text version and a paid media version. I want to give everyone the opportunity to share their news, however, the more value a publication provides, the more work it requires which cannot be offered for free. I explain this in more detail in my release enquiry response emails for example, which look like this: Hi, Thank you for your submission. We can publish your release on the following relevant sites: https://www.londonbusinessnews.com/ DA 38 We offer a free plain text publication without any images/videos/hyperlinks or a paid publication with images/videos/hyperlinks for an admin fee of £40. The main difference is that the branding is much more effective with a media publication, and it offers SEO advantages. Sample of a free publication: https://www.londonbusinessnews.com/ethical-menswear-brand-launch-london-store-with-six-figure-investment/ Sample of a paid publication: https://www.londonbusinessnews.com/smile-direct-club-uk/ You can find more information here: https://www.londonbusinessnews.com/digital-pr-services/ I look forward to hearing back from you so that we can go ahead and publish your release within the next 3 working days. Kind regards, This can be a beneficial and lucrative option for a webmaster if they market and rank their website well to offer their clients the intended exposure and ROI. How to cover Events & News as a Blogger & Publisher? You will have established yourself as an expert in your niche and will therefore bring the necessary know-how to any news and event coverage in your industry. Another plus is that you can be quite creative with your coverage on your website as you’re the webmaster and make all the rules. You should be up to date with the latest features your website can offer in terms of plugins for example for WordPress sites to offer the best web design and user experience for your clients and visitors. If you’re not well-versed in this area, you can always speak with a web consultant to make your website extraordinary. Depending on your website’s unique audience and focus, you can choose certain businesses, experts, or topics you want to cover that you find most suitable and promising. This can be determined by keyword searches with SEO tools and by the nature of enquiries you receive via your website. The way you cover them can also be flexible if you don’t have to follow guidelines from your partners or if you negotiate these beforehand. Make sure you have a clear vision of what you’d like to achieve with your event and news coverage and that you also take your partners’ goals and requirements into account. This will help you identify which features to offer, e.g., photography/videography, interviews, research, social media shares/posts, email marketing etc. Ensure you have the resources to deliver what you offer, e.g., a professional photographer/videographer or required equipment for example. Find below my examples of different events I have covered for some of the blogs I manage to get an idea: Top Features of Event & News Coverage Publications As you can see, the coverage I currently offer has the following features: Exclusive and unique photographs taken by a professional photographer or provided by a client Quotes from exhibitors Information about exhibitors covered Social media posts that were shared live Hyperlinks that take readers to the exhibitors’ websites/channels My own commentary with regards to my expert opinions on what is covered plus tips and recommendations I have enquired about or researched Depending on the size of an event, it can be difficult to cover everything, so I’d recommend you focus on selected exhibitors, topics, workshops etc. that will be most interesting for your audience based on what you usually cover. Preparation is key and you should always ask all entities you cover for permission to do so, perhaps even liaise with them prior to the event to discuss

All posts, digital marketing, London Blogger

6 Best Ways to get a Press Release Published for Digital PR

manuela / August 31, 2022

Driving traffic and measuring conversion have become monumental metrics in modern-day PR and SEO. With the digital information sharing revolution rife in today’s online arena, exponentially high numbers of active freelance copywriters, businesses, and large corporations are reliant on the myriad of opportunities that the world wide web brings. Most online users, however, face visibility challenges based on the premise of being tiny droplets in a virtual ocean of network interconnectivity. Having the potential to influence your digital PR agenda, this begs the question, As a writer, how can I produce structurally sound, informative, and streamlined press releases that stand out from the crowded copywriting community and cater to my intended audience? For all copywriters on the rise, PR practitioners, marketers, or small business owners, pay close attention because I’m about to take you on a journey to exploring what confounding factors make for crafting compelling press release content for your digital PR campaigns to flourish with a higher ROI. What is a Press Release for? Also referred to as a news release, a press release is a written or recorded statement issued by a communications entity for use by media outlets to garner news coverage. However, in the digital age, press release publications can contain various media formats such as videos and hyperlinks to additional resources for example. They should therefore be utilized as effectively as possible. The general structure of a press release includes: A heading with action verbs. Addressing the question of “who,” “what,” “why,” and “where” in the first paragraph. Contextually factual and informative subject matter articulated with understandable language. Relevant quotes. A clear call-to-action (CTA) Modern digital press releases can also include: Additional information through added hyperlinks to web channels and online resources Images and graphics to elaborate on the information shared visually Videos to provide a deeper and more interactive insight into the matter covered In catering to a targeted online audience, particular angles aim to meet their respective press release type, some of which involve: New Product Launches Mergers and Acquisitions Product Updates Events Grand Openings New Partnerships Rebranding Executive Promotions/Hiring Awards Investments/Funding By providing publications with succinctly sufficient newsworthy material delivered in a distinct style, strong press releases pack a punch for media outlets keen to publish intriguing business stories. How Press Releases are Used in Digital PR Tactful in spreading the word on the world wide web, press releases are considered valuable pieces of marketing material in the digital PR landscape. Viewed by the masses ideally making up the online community, press releases live in public domains, opening doors for potential stakeholders and customers to view them. Digital PR Defined Short for digital public relations, digital PR is a viable online marketing approach copywriters and businesses use to get press coverage and grow their online presence, enabling them to earn honest reviews and respond with comments to requests from journalists. The Benefits of Digital PR Effective digital PR practices and their advantageous potential in the marketing arena always undertake to meet nine core factors, namely: Fast and effective information-sharing Improving SEO and increasing site traffic Generating leads Building online authority Increasing brand awareness Improving brand reputation Generating meaningful engagement Increasing trust Sale and revenue boosts Using Digital PR Services Effectively for Your Press Releases Formed on the foundation of building strong long-term relationships, digital marketing and PR agencies and other online communication entities network with journalists, bloggers, and influencers from countless fields/sectors of interest to share their press releases, resulting in high-quality backlinks, social media mentions, and improved SEO. Digital PR is valuable because it introduces PR practitioners, marketers, business owners, and copywriters to a vast array of new target audiences through search engine results pages and editorial article placements on popular sites. Effective in boosting website traffic, digital PR and media services offer tried and tested ways for digital press releases to get picked up by media outlets and become the source of new inbound links to an individual website. These links help improve search engine optimization of the site, making it easier to source online. Sharing top tips and excellent examples in the video below, Exposure Ninja vlogger Tim expands on the value of digital PR and the various forms it comes in: 6 Ways to Publish a Press Release for Digital PR Effective press releases lay the foundation for all successful PR campaigns, which could include a digital eco news or education marketing news angle and this symbiotic strategy puts a ’cause and effect’ tactic in place to gain publicity. By turning to press release services to boost your SEO, you can expect a substantial rise in your press coverage via prominent publications and big-time broadcast media outlets. When setting out to learn the steps to producing the perfect press release and everything a press release is not, understanding where they completely miss the mark is equally crucial for conquering this marketable copywriting craft. Want to get your press releases noticed online without fault? Here are my top six tips for meticulously manifesting a perfectly packaged press release of irrefutable worth in the age of digital PR based on the press releases I approve and publish daily as a blog editor: 1. Perfect Your Pitch with a Newsworthy Story According to Sally Stewart, author of Media Training 101: A Guide to Meeting the Press: “A press release is successful if it makes the phone ring or the email ding. Press releases should be a catalyst for further action, not the final result.” A relevant news story or official announcement is the starting point of all press releases. To get essential messaging spread through a media outlet, the reporter, or editor, must feel your story is newsworthy to form the basis of an idea to cover. Consequently, the broader topic must align with the editorial ethos of the publication and the interests of the audience it serves. Journalists are often frustrated by the high influx of news releases that aren’t relevant to their work. After recognizing this problematic

All posts, London Blogger, London lifestyle

A Very Happy Christmas & End of Year Celebrations Message from Manuela & Reflections on 2021

manuela / December 25, 2021

Looking back at the year 2021, my first year working remotely as an Online Marketing & PR Strategist for ClickDo Ltd. and SeekaHost Ltd. full-time, I had some wonderful moments, enjoying freedom and the digital nomad lifestyle despite restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are some impressions of my 2021 as a digital nomad & my takeaways: How it all started: My daily life now: working, learning and exercising from home: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manuela Willbold (@manuw_blogger) I recognise the importance of eLearning and remote learning and cover such topics regularly: I also exercise daily while I work in London or UK hotels: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manuela Willbold (@manuw_blogger) But I do treat myself while blogging and writing: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manuela Willbold (@manuw_blogger) And it is rewarding and motivating when the work you do receives recognition: I have been more invested in offering UK Businesses guest posting opportunities on the Blogs I write for: And attend more business events like the Business Show 2021 at London ExCel where I spotted interesting home office options: I also attended the UK Black Business Week in London to cover very interesting insights into business financing: As a digital nomad I visit and write about Co-Living Spaces: Wherever I work from I look for opportunities to swim, exercise and use a sauna and steam room: Summer is my favourite time of year: whenever I get a break from the laptop, I enjoy the sun, sea and the best beaches in the UK: Working on a computer all day long: I realised how important movement breaks are at the home office and have added a standing desk, an exercise bike and yoga equipment to my home office: Especially during the lockdowns I understood the impact of being restricted with moving freely and this is reflected in this short video by photographer and videographer Petra Eujane: Final verdict of 2021: It’s been a year full of flexible yet hard work that challenges but equally fulfils me and I look forward to more remote working perhaps outside the UK in 2022 as a digital nomad. If you want to give it a go: Then check out my digital nomad guide and let me know how you get on by contacting me or reaching out on social media:

All posts, London Blogger, London lifestyle

Will a Cocktail still taste the same alone in Isolation?

manuela / March 30, 2020

London, my home and a city that normally never sleeps is about to be in lockdown as I write this with bars, pubs and restaurants closed from tomorrow as the government announced today. So, I decided to have my last drink in public before I have to have it at home in isolation. I sit by the river Thames with a view over St. Paul’s. While I look through the menu, I ask myself: which flavour do I want to taste last before I live in isolation? It’s tough, I’m indecisive. I hate having to do this and without sounding dramatic here, I feel I can slightly relate to someone on death row having to choose their last meal. Tough Decisions lie ahead Ok, I can do this. I go for something cheerful, full of life, refreshing yet grounding. A cocktail with a strong pineapple flavour, however, not overpowering, not sweet. Well balanced with gin and topped with lavender foam. I am in love; I feel free looking out to London’s ever-changing but continuously impressive skyline. In the background I hear legendary Abba singing “there’s not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer”. The bar is not full on this Friday night, but a few people are enjoying a drink like me. I reminisce on the days where I would enjoy a glass of wine on a Canary Wharf rooftop bar while writing blog articles under the sun. The uncertainty of when I will be able to work outside my home again while freely choosing where to work from gives me an eerie sensation. I take a sip and realize that the intensity of the flavours and notes in my cocktail, the colour, the shimmering foam – they would not feel the same in isolation. The surroundings of where I have my drink, the atmosphere, the view, they all add to my sensory experience. Working from Home during Isolation I see an empty boat passing and I wonder how I will make it through this isolation period. Thankfully, I have so many pleasurable experiences to go back to, so many amazing people I can have a drink with in virtual meetings. And I have my main work tool with me all the time so that I can write, communicate and record everything I do – my laptop & smartphone. For now, I will have to work from home. No matter how much I love to travel and work from different places, I know this is the time to put my head down and work hard. Because there certainly will come a time where I can live the laptop lifestyle again and when it comes, I want to be ready for it. And for the cocktail, I’m confident it will taste so much better once I can truly appreciate it again. Alone or with someone somewhere again.