About the publication:
Who reads it and how many of them are there?
Mummy’s Little Monkey attracts around 3000 visitors per month.
What subjects do you cover? What stories are you most interested in covering?
Any topics relevant to parents – funny family anecdotes, topical issues, new products, children’s fashion, and reviews.
What makes you different from the other outlets in your sector?
I come from a glossy magazine background, so my ‘Mummy Blog’ has more of a breezy, fun magazine feel.
How do you decide the content, front covers and headlines?
I dedicate time each day to social media such as Twitter, to gauge what my readers are talking about, what they are interested in.
About PRs:
Do you work closely with PRs?
Yes, I’ve forged some fantastic relationships with PRs who work with quality brands relevant to my readers. In fact I’ve recently started working as a social media consultant, advising PRs on how to successfully engage Mummy bloggers, and build complementary relationships via social media and traditional channels.
If you could make one change to the way PRs deal with you, what would it be?
Email rather than phone – I also look after my two young children at home, so my spare time is very limited, and I’m only going to ask you to put it all in an email anyway!
How should a PR approach you about their client?
Please read my blog first to see if your product/press release complements my content.
About you:
Describe a typical day at work:
Get the kids fed and dressed. Check and reply to urgent emails. Check the on-line news. Chase some feature stories/start a blog post. Respond to some press release/PR enquiries. Feed kids and spend some time with them. More emails. Draft some social media advice for a PR client. Monitor my Twitter feed constantly, too see what’s going on in the blogging world. Write up a product review. Take some photos for the blog. Leave some comments on other blogs – all while juggling the kids needs and demands. Break for dinner/bath/kids’ bedtime. Then it’s back on the computer to check emails again, do a phone interview for a feature story, take advantage of the peace and quiet to write some copy.
Where have you worked previously, and how did you end up in your current position?
I’ve written for true-life women’s magazines for the past 18 years. For the past 6 years I’ve been freelancing for all the top UK weekly and monthly titles. Then, 18 months ago, I diversified into parenting journalism, and launched www.mummyslittlemonkey.com – which is currently ranked 54 and 55 respectively in the Wikio and Tots 100 Parenting Indexes.
Do you Twitter? Why, why not?
I’m a total Twitterholic. I didn’t see the attraction at first, but now I’m completely hooked! So much so, I’ve now started managing Twitter streams for clients – Tweeting on their behalf, and building up their profiles and follower numbers. It’s fantastic when you work at home, because you feel connected with the outside world!
[lnk|http://www.featuresexec.com/publications/info_outlet.php?pubid=16202|_self|Mummy’s Little Monkey]
[img|jpg|Jacqui Paterson]