Meet PR Blogger Arianne Williams

Hello and welcome to my second instalment of my ‘meet the PR blogger’ series, this time including Arianne Williams. But, before I start, lets get down to the basics.

What is the ‘meet the PR blogger’ series?

This series has been put together by yours truly to delve in to the inner workings of the PR blogging industry. PR blogging is a niche area, but an incredibly interesting one. Therefore I am committed to finding as much out about it as I possibly can. I want to leave no stone unturned. Having blogged within the industry for over a year myself, i’m all too familiar with the quality content circulated, the brilliant connections made and the overall fun of it all. PR blogging is certainly a niche worth getting involved in and I hope this series will encourage some to do so.

I’ll be (hopefully) posting a new addition to the series once a week, with a new PR blogger in the pipeline every single time.

If you’re a PR blogger, or simply work in PR/business yourself then I couldn’t recommend connecting with every participant in this series more. Each interviewee has been chosen due to their outstanding skills and expertise in the areas of Business & PR. Alongside, of course, the quality of their blog.

So, without further ado, here’s my second addition of my ‘meet the PR blogger’ series with Arianne Williams

Meet the PR blogger – Arianne Williams

Introducing Arianne

Arianne is second up in my series and is a participant that I am so grateful to have on board. Alongside being an award-winning blogger, Arianne is a PR & French graduate, and is now an account manager for a Comms agency in Exeter.

When shes not blogging, working or doing other PR-related things, Arianne is a keen dancer and has coached dancing as well as practising herself. A wonder-woman to say the least!

I mentioned ‘award-winning’ and i’m not about to brush over that. Arianne’s prolific blogging skills have landed her the Best UK student blogger award 2016 (awarded by Behind the Spin, better known now as PR Place). Alongside this creditable achievement, she has also been shortlisted for the 2017 Reginald Watts Prize for Insight, obtained the Douglas Smith student award 2015 and has been featured in the top 10 UK PR blogs by women on Vuelio. (And that’s just to name a few). 

Being a multi award winning blogger whose blog i’ve followed for a long time now, I am so pleased to have Arianne as my second feature in this series.

The ‘meet the PR blogger’ interview with Arianne

Jessica: How long have you been blogging for?
Arianne: I started my student blog back in June 2015. I’ve since bought a new domain and have been blogging on my current site – arianneonline.com – since October 2017.

J: What are the main things you blog about?
A: Public relations, social media, business management – anything and everything relating to those areas that pique my interest. My posts could be anything from social media tools and tips, to summaries of events I’ve attended or comment on a recent scandal in the industry.

J: Have you always been a PR blog, or was you once something else?
A: Always a PR blog!

J: Have you found that having a PR blog has been beneficial to you in the industry? (In interviews, etc.)
A: Most definitely. My first blog acted as a portfolio and I used it in interviews to demonstrate my work and writing skills. My current blog has helped me to make lots of connections within the industry, when people have read and commented on my content. It has given me something to help start conversations with leading figures in the industry and opened lots of doors for me to pursue exciting opportunities.

J: Do you have any PR blogging inspirations? These could be people, or simple reasons that you blog.
Blogs I read on a regular basis include Stephen Waddington, Sarah Hall, PR Place, Ella Minty, Marcel Klebba and Scott Guthrie … as well as many more. They have all inspired me in some way, shape or form – whether its inspiration for an individual post or for blogging as a whole.

J: What was your reason for setting up your PR blog?
A: I enjoy it! I have a passion for writing and researching trends, topics and stories in the industry. It made sense to put some of these thoughts down on paper … or up on screen … and it seems some people are interested in reading what I have to say. It encourages me to keep abreast of what’s going on in the industry, practice my writing skills and have a play around with the technical side of running a blog too.

J: Do you have any advice to prospective PR people who may be looking to set up a blog?
A: Read other blogs – not just PR related – to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t (but of course, never copy!) Plan what you would like to focus on and how you are going to promote your posts. Don’t be afraid to give it a go and then ask for feedback, it’s the only way you’ll improve.

J: Why did you chose to study/work within PR?
A: I love writing, I love working with people, I love research and communication. I didn’t really know in detail what PR was all about when I started studying, however, I did know that I enjoyed all the elements that it encompasses so it just seemed like the right career choice for me.

J:  And finally, what do you enjoy most about PR blogging?
A: Firstly, challenging myself to research, create and promote content. Secondly, being part of a great blogging community that supports, advises and helps each other.

Connect with Arianne

I would always recommend connecting with Arianne, not only is her blog so interesting but it’s also such an inspiration for mine too. If you work in PR and you haven’t come across her blog yet, you need to ask yourself ‘why not?!’. If this is you and you want to get connected, you can find Arianne on Twitter here, Instagram here, or read her renowned blog here.