Media, Journalism & Publishing – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 magazine 10 photographer 11 lifestyles 12 jackets

13 vintage markets 14 1960s 15 spots

16 silk 17 belts 18 inspiring

Chloe : Hi everyone, I’m Chloe, and I run my own fashion blog. I’ve always been obsessed with clothes, ever since I was a little girl trying on my mother’s dresses. So starting a blog seemed like the perfect way to share my outfits and ideas with the world. At the beginning, it was really tough and I hardly had any followers. I tried promoting it on social media, paying for little ads here and there, but nothing seemed to work. But what really changed things was when a well-known magazine reviewed my site and praised my style. Shortly after that, a local radio station even interviewed me, but it was undoubtedly that print article that caused a massive spike in my daily visitor numbers and got everything moving.

With the blog growing so fast, I soon realised I couldn’t do it all on my own anymore. I thought long and hard about paying a web designer to revamp the site’s layout, because it looked a bit basic. However, I ended up taking on a photographer instead, which has made a huge difference to the quality of the visual content. It really elevates the whole look of the blog.

When it comes to selecting which clothes to feature, it’s quite a tricky process. You might think I mainly consider my audience’s budget, or perhaps their age, but actually, it’s the lifestyles of my readers that dictate what I post. Since most of them are busy university students juggling classes and part-time jobs, the clothes need to be practical and comfortable for that kind of daily routine.

Speaking of student budgets, I recently ran a poll on the site asking what items my readers invest the most cash in. I fully expected shoes to be at the top of the list, because a good pair of trainers can cost a fortune, or perhaps winter boots. However, the results showed that jackets are what they’re willing to spend the most on, probably because they are worn every single day and need to be durable.

To keep my content fresh and interesting, I don’t just rely on typical high-street stores, though I do pop into them occasionally. While online boutiques are great for buying basic everyday items, I get my absolute best and most unique pieces from vintage markets. You do have to search through a lot of rails of clothing, but you can find absolute treasures there that nobody else will have.

I’m often asked by followers where my style inspiration comes from. While I occasionally look at the bright neon colours of the 1980s for a bit of fun, for me, the 1960s provide the richest source of ideas. The bold shapes and mini skirts from that era are just timeless and so much fun to style.

In terms of patterns, I try to mix things up so my feed doesn’t get boring. Striped shirts are always a safe bet, and floral prints are lovely when summer comes around. But recently, I’ve noticed that whenever I post a picture of an outfit featuring spots, my blog gets an incredible number of hits and comments. They just seem to be very trendy right now!

I’m also becoming much more conscious of the fabrics I wear and promote. I’m trying to avoid synthetic materials like polyester entirely because they aren’t great for the environment. While organic cotton is a great everyday choice, I’ve really been focusing on featuring garments made of silk lately, because it feels so luxurious against the skin and lasts a very long time if you care for it properly.

A few months ago, I decided to try my hand at making some accessories myself, just as a fun side project. I knitted some thick winter scarves, which my friends liked, but they didn’t get much of a reaction online. Then I created a few customized belts, and suddenly my inbox was flooded with followers asking where they could buy them! It was quite a shock, but a pleasant one.

Looking back, I’m so proud of how the blog has evolved from a tiny hobby into a proper business. Some users have called it highly professional, which is a great compliment, but I was most thrilled when a group of followers described the blog as being inspiring. That’s exactly what I set out to achieve when I first launched it. Thanks for listening!

9 monthly newsletter 10 video editing 11 portfolio 12 lighting equipment

13 high-definition camera 14 natural look 15 corporate sponsor

16 July 17 social media manager 18 online community

Maya: Hi everyone! I’m Maya, and I’m the creator of a lifestyle and beauty blog called Maya’s World. I started it as a hobby in my bedroom about three years ago, and I am absolutely thrilled by how much it has grown recently. It’s got to the point where I simply can’t manage everything on my own anymore, so I’m in the process of scaling up my business operations.

Lots of people assume that I decided to expand because my channel hit a million views. While that was a fantastic milestone, the real turning point for me was when my monthly newsletter reached fifty thousand subscribers. That showed me I had a dedicated audience that wanted high-quality content regularly.

Up until this point, I’ve been entirely a one-woman show. My followers often think that filming the content takes up the bulk of my week. While filming does take a couple of days, it’s actually the video editing that consumes the vast majority of my time and keeps me up late at night. It’s exhausting!

To scale up, the very first person I plan to hire is a dedicated photographer. At first, I considered just asking a talented friend of mine to take the shots to save money. However, I quickly realised I need someone who already has a professional portfolio, so I can be absolutely sure our creative styles align perfectly. I’ve been looking at some brilliant candidates.

In terms of what the photographer brings to the table, I’m not overly concerned if they don’t have access to a massive photography studio. Most of my shoots are done in my own home or outdoors. Instead, what is absolutely crucial is that they own top-notch lighting equipment, because the natural light in my apartment is terrible during the winter months.

The second major hire for my business is a professional makeup artist. Now, I run a beauty blog, so I’m pretty confident doing my own everyday makeup. But recently, I invested in a high-definition camera to improve the visual quality of my content. The problem is, that upgrade means every single tiny flaw or slightly mismatched foundation is instantly visible to my audience!

I’ve been interviewing a few fantastic makeup artists over the past fortnight. A lot of them had incredible showcases of highly dramatic, theatrical styles. But that doesn’t really fit my brand. However, I finally found someone whose true expertise is creating a flawless natural look, which is exactly what my audience tunes in to see.

Now, scaling up and hiring two professionals obviously requires a fair bit of money. Initially, I had a meeting with my bank to discuss taking out a small business loan. But thankfully, I managed to sign a long-term contract with a corporate sponsor last week. Their funding will comfortably cover the new salaries for the next year.

I am so eager to get started. I was really pushing to have the new crew start shooting with me by early spring. But realistically, with contracts and scheduling, we’ve agreed that the new team will begin working together in July. That gives us plenty of time to prepare for the big autumn campaigns.

Looking ahead, I already have other expansion ideas. People keep telling me I should hire an accountant to manage the finances. While that’s on the list, my absolute priority for the next hire is a social media manager. Keeping up with thousands of comments and messages across different platforms is just getting too overwhelming for me.

It is definitely a bit terrifying to let go of total control over my blog. Some of my friends think I’m trying to build a massive global beauty empire. Honestly, though, my primary motivation for this expansion is simply to nurture a supportive online community. I want my readers to feel connected, and having a team will free me up to actually talk to them again.