We we’re lucky enough to have a chat with the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The South London Blog Natalie De Luca! Her site has gone from strength to strength since launching last year, and is now the definitive guide on what to do south of the river. Here’s what she had to say….
How long have you been blogging?
I started my blog around the end of November 2012 but it took a while to get it looking the way I wanted and build up a bit of content. I then really started to push it from January in terms of building my following on social media, particularly twitter, to drive people to the site.
What was it that made you want to start a blog based around South London?
I was interested in starting a blog as a way of learning new skills but also using my base knowledge gained through my work in digital marketing. I was also keen to pick a subject I was passionate about because I think that is the only way it is sustainable. An avid Time Out reader I thought that writing about things to do and places to go in London would be a good way to push me to try new things, but I needed a niche. I grew up in South London and post uni returned so I have lived in various places in both South East and South West, there was my niche!
Your blog has grown rapidly and has a great following; do you have any tips for newbie bloggers hoping to emulate this success?
Writing on subjects that interest you and that you are passionate about is a good start. Keep updating content regularly and use social media to reach out to people who are likely to be interested in your subject matter. For example you can start by following people that are talking about topics relevant to your blog and respond with relevant tips/advice.
What has been your all time favourite freebie?
It’s always nice when you get something free as it seems like a note of recognition and a bit of a reward for all the hard work you have put into the blog. Getting a free meal in somewhere you’ve been wanting to go to is great and I have a free night stay in a penthouse apartment coming up so looking forward to that!
Where do you see your blog in a years time?
Hopefully with lots more relevant content and an even bigger following! I have also toyed with the idea of holding an event or perhaps creating some merchandise that would appeal to fellow South Londoners.
If you could give one piece of advice to a first-time blogger, what would it be?
Believe in your idea and don’t give up! It takes a while to build a following, you won’t be getting free meals from day one! I also suffered a hack pretty early on, so one valuable piece of advice is to always have a back up!
If you’d like to be interviewed just tweet us !
No comments yet.