Today we speak to Rachel Bull, editor of newly launched LiveUrbanLoveRural.com. Rachel discusses her motivation behind the launch of the website and how she likes to work closely with PRs.
About Live Urban Love Rural:
What were your reasons behind the launch?
I wanted to create something for London dwellers who crave a bit of the simple life. There’s so much going on in London and infinite opportunities to explore, that it’s hard sometimes to find time for quiet, feel part of a community or even imagine there is a greener side to the city. I grew up in a tiny Yorkshire village, and spent my first few years in London dreaming about the day I could move back to the country. It took a while, but I eventually realised that everything I was looking for I could find right here. I try to show readers that they can pursue their career dreams in the city and still bring elements of the countryside into their own lives.
What subjects do you cover?
We’re all about showing readers the country side of city living. Within that, we cover kitchen gardening, urban green projects such as community gardens, eco-living, London-based makers and craftspeople, local food producers, craft fairs, wildlife, and sustainable businesses. We have practical guides on bringing the countryside to the city, from urban bee keeping to allotment-sharing. We also have crafty make-and-do projects and review all kinds of London-based courses and workshops that teach traditional rural skills. Our what’s on page provides a comprehensive guide to all the countrified goings on in the city.
What makes you different from the other outlets in your sector?
At the moment, we’re the only website publishing daily content on this subject that is specific to London. We’re more than a blog, with several specialist writers providing unique content and interviews. Very soon, we’re planning to launch two new categories: one focusing on family and the other featuring gorgeous homeware, ethical fashion and garden products.
How do you decide the content?
We try to remain topical and seasonal, but if it makes me squeal with excitement, it will probably make the cut!
About PRs:
Do you work closely with PRs?
Yes! As a young publication, it’s always useful to hear from PRs with relevant clients and great stories. So far, I’ve had a really positive response from the PRs I’ve worked with – they all seem to understand the LULR brand, so I’m looking forward to more of the same.
If you could make one change to the way PRs deal with you, what would it be?
The simplest and most important thing is to know who you’re pitching to. The more detail PRs can offer about how and where the story would fit, the better. And make sure you get the publication name correct! I’ve had a few variations on Live Urban Love Rural since we launched, which can be off-putting.
How should a PR approach you about their client?
An email is a good start – I try to respond to all my emails on the same day, so I never have a huge backlog. But if the PR is confident their story is a perfect fit I don’t mind getting a phone call – morning is usually best, as this is when I tend to work on editorial planning.
About you:
Describe a typical day at work:
LULR is very much my own creation, so a typical day for me can range from scheduling content, interviewing, commissioning and picture researching to visiting an urban forest and making pom poms! It’s really varied. I also get lots of emails each day from PRs, journalists and advertisers, which need replying to, and have to make sure I schedule in time to work on social media.
What interests you most about your job?
So many things. I am ridiculously passionate about the subject matter and feel inspired by everyone I meet along the way.
Do you tweet?
Yes, @L_U_L_R, and I wish I had time to tweet more! The power of Twitter as a networking tool is invaluable. It’s a really important part of my job to make sure I’m using it to its full advantage. It’s great for content ideas too – we find a lot of our events just by scrolling through the day’s tweets.
[lnk|http://www.featuresexec.com/mo/18004|_self|LiveUrbanLoveRural.com]
[img|jpg|Rachel Bull]