Just over two years ago I started the blog. Two years on, it’s introduced me to some brilliant people, I’ve had the chance to take part in some amazing events (from raving in underground tunnels to acro-yoga with a hip-hop harpist – yep, that actually happened), I’ve interviewed Olympic athletes, I got to hang out and train with Victoria Pendleton in the Swiss mountains, I have too many pairs of free trainers to count, Premier Training International are training me up to be a Personal Trainer and most importantly it landed me my dream job as Campaigns Manager at Women in Sport. Here’s a run-down of how it all started, how I landed my job, what I’ve learnt along the way and why more women need to start blogging about sport and fitness.
How it all started
I started Lunges and Lycra just over two years ago with my running and drinking partner in crime Charlotte. Inspired by London 2012 and fed up of male dominated sport mags or worthy women’s health mags, we set up the blog for women like us who like sweating or fitness but who also like a bag of crisps or a cocktail.
How I landed a gig at Women in Sport
It’s really hard to make a living from blogging. It takes time – lots of it. As well as writing you need to be your own editor, photographer, PR, web designer and social media manager. It does however open lots of doors, it builds your CV and your skills and it helps you evidence your passion. So once I’d used blogging to fill out my CV how did I get my foot in the door at Women in Sport? Twitter. My morning ritual of running through the blog twitter feed meant I spotted a tweet about the job. I landed it and now I get to combine a passion for sport with my day job. Win!
My top tips for bloggers looking to land a job in women’s sport
1. Find something which makes you stand out – what makes you different to other blogs? Play on that and make sure at least some of your posts offer the reader something – information, advice etc. – that gives them a reason to read.
2. Network (both online and offline) – do lots of it! Use social media to strike up conversations with brands, other influential bloggers and magazines. Get your name out there! Twitter in particular is great for giving you access to people and companies you may otherwise have struggled to get in touch with. Fitness Writers Association will be a good place to get contacts offline. A lot of it, as they say, really is down to who you know. For example, I got us into Stylist magazine after chatting to someone at an event.
3. Have no shame – Don’t be afraid to get in touch with companies, PRs etc. whose products you may be interested in reviewing, mags and blogs you may want to work with, you never know.
4. Be committed – blog at least three times a week – this is something I’m guilty of not sticking to when I’m busy at work but, wherever possible, to show your commitment, maintain your traffic level and so people don’t forget about you, you should post a minimum of three times a week.
5. Market yourself – if you do a blog post on a certain topic – let’s say running for example – post a link to it on running group Facebook walls, forums etc. Spread the word!
Why we need more women blogging about sport and fitness
Women’s coverage in the media when compared to men’s is shocking – only 7% of all sports coverage is of women’s sport. There is a need for more reporting on competitive events and more female athletes in the media but there is also a need for more ‘normal’ women to talk about their involvement and experiences of sport and breaking down the misconception that it is male dominated and only worth doing if you can seriously compete. So off and put pen to paper!
If you have a question on setting up your own blog or you are a brand or sports deliver who needs support on how social media can be used to engage women and girls contact me here: emma@lungesandlycra.co.uk
