The Blogger Interviews: Gigi Eligoloff
A few months ago Gigi Eligoloff from InThePowderRoom joined one of our regular blogger socials to talk about the future of blogging. It was the first time I’d met Gigi but she struck me immediately as being a smart cookie who was doing something interesting.
Not only that, Gigi has also successfully built up and sold a blog too. Consequently I had to ask Gigi to take part in our Blogger Interviews series in the hope we could get some insight for those of us striving to write great blogs.
You can see below some of Gigi’s thoughts and insights into blogging. I particularly like her top three tips for people just starting out. There’s an awful lot of content being churned out by bloggers and you definitely need to be original and writing with purpose in this day and age.
Gigi – thanks for taking part and good luck with WeShop!
1. What’s your blog called and what’s the URL?
In The Powder Room http://www.inthepowderroom.com/
2. What’s your blog all about (in 20 words or less)?
Kick-ass opinionated women putting the world to rights. Coming soon: a new way for bloggers to monetize their influence.
3. When and why did you start blogging?
I began my first site MumsRock.com in 2007 after realising that producing reality TV and raising a child wasn’t going to pan out terribly well. I sold the site to In The Powder Room in 2011 on the basis of their social commerce offering WeShop, which is going to change the world very soon (hopefully!).
4. Which blog platform do you use?
In The Powder Room is self-hosted
(thanks Gigi, so WordPress then?)
5. Can you give an example of how blogging has enriched your life?
I’ve met some incredibly talented free thinkers and entrepreneurs who have used the web to kick start new careers, and discovered a whole world beyond my previous career. I also get paid for running a website now. Which is excellent!
6. Are there any blogs you recommend reading and why?
I love ThebeardedIris.com because it’s frankly one of the funniest female blogs around (she also writes for us. Which is nice).
Vagenda ( http://vagendamag.blogspot.co.uk/) which is always fesity, a little like us, and for sheer indulgent beauty gossip BritishBeautyblogger.com is very hard to beat.
7. What three tips would you give to someone just starting out in blogging?
1) Write honestly.
2) Write with purpose, there’s a surprising amount of blogs out there with posts that ramble – I think the time for rambling self-indulgence is gone. Make your voice count.
3) Lastly I would say look at what is out there and try to be original. There is only so much time in the day that people will spend reading blogs – and if you want them to read yours, make it stand out.
8. If you could change one thing about your blog what would it be?
That we would have already launched our social commerce side WeShop. We’re just perfectionists sadly so we’re determined to make sure it’s absolutely right. But I can’t wait for people to see that ecommerce can be done differently, where bloggers and consumers get rewarded for their custom and connections, at last.
9. What is the key to getting readers to your blog?
Original, stimulating content that isn’t afraid to be blunt, opinionated, and at times, very very rude.
10. And finally, what motivates you to keep on blogging?
I love the immediacy of blogging and the internet, it’s very similar to my old career producing shows like The Big Breakfast and Big Brother but without the glut of commissioning editors telling you you can’t do something.
With the web – anything is possible….okay, nearly everything.
