Social Media Portal interview with Amy Edwards at Bubble Jobs

Social Media Portal profiled interview with Amy Edwards, SEO Manager at Bubble Jobs

Social Media Portal (SMP): What do you do there at Bubble Jobs and the Bubble Jobs Blog?

Amy Edwards (AE): I'm the SEO Manager.  I?m responsible for all aspects of online and offline SEO and marketing for Bubble Jobs. I also help to create new pages for the main Bubble Jobs site and write and run the blog.

SMP: Briefly, tell us about Bubble Jobs (for those that don?t know), what is it and what does the organisation do?

AE: Bubble Jobs is a niche online jobs board that specialises in advertising the latest digital, online, online marketing, web design and web development vacancies from some of the top specialist recruiters and employers in the UK and Europe.

SMP: Tell us a little about the Bubble Jobs Blog how long as it been going and why was it started?

AE: The Bubble Jobs Blog has been going for around a year and a half but it?s only in the last six months (that I?ve been working for the company) that we?ve really started to pay some attention to it and blog every single day. The MD knew we needed a blog for SEO and the fresh content perspective but didn?t have the time to blog regularly. As an experienced blogger and online content specialist, I pretty much took the mantle and ran with it on the blog when I joined Bubble Jobs in April.

SMP: Who are your target audience and why for the blog?

AE: We have a few target audiences for the blog. First up, job seekers who are looking for advice or a way into the digital industry. Next up, direct employers or recruiters who are looking for advice on how to attract the best candidates for their positions. And lastly, anyone who isn?t actively looking for a job at the current time but still wants to stay up to date with the latest industry advice/trends.

Because we have a mixed target audience, the content on the blog is usually pretty mixed and can range from simple CV tips to the latest SEO trends and everything in between.

SMP: How did you initially attract users to your blog and how do you do it now?

AE: Social media has always played a big part in the promotion of the blog but while we initially started with things like Facebook and Twitter, we?ve recently moved onto sharing the blog in relevant LinkedIn groups and forums and we?re finding that that?s a really effective channel for us. When it comes to attracting users, it?s all about targeting the niche groups and hoping it spreads between users that way.

SMP: What sort of content matter and content do you deliver on the blog?

AE: Like I said earlier, the type of content we produce on the blog is pretty varied. We always try to keep it on trend for our audience and try to appeal to at least one of our target markets. Advice articles, tips posts, industry news, how to guides ? you name it, you can find it all on our blog.

SMP: What are the low moments of what you have been doing so far (regarding the blog)?

AE: At the moment the site is still fairly new (it?s been running since 2011) so sometimes it can be frustrating when you work really hard on a blog and it doesn?t get the sharing/feedback you think it deserves. This is happening less and less now the blog is getting some big fans and earning itself a niche audience but it still happens ? and I always take it personally! ☺

SMP: What are the high moments of what you have been doing so far (regarding the blog)?

AE: There?s been a few ? when one of the blog posts I?d been working hard on got tweeted by a couple of the big players on Twitter (including someone who works for the Huffington Post!) ? that was pretty rewarding. Also just last week someone got in touch about advertising on the blog itself, which has never happened before so that was definitely a good day! ☺

SMP: What do you see as your biggest challenges and opportunities?

AE: The biggest challenges are staying committed to producing great content day after day, particularly when you?re creating content for other parts of the site. In terms of opportunities, we?re definitely looking forward to opening the blog up for quality guest posts when the time is right and creating a real community on Bubble Jobs ? that?s always been the vision of our MD.

SMP: What are the next moves for Bubble Jobs Blog in terms of social media?

AE: The next moves for the Bubble Jobs Blog in terms of social media are definitely to just keep doing what we?re doing and starting to really work on making sure our blogs get seen by the right people ? definitely going to look into more targeted tweets and things like that.

SMP: What?s the next big step for social media / networks and what impact could this have for job seekers?

AE: I think the next big step for social media is definitely going to involve more targeted networks. With things like Branch, it?s all about connecting to the key players in the industry and having a voice in the conversation ? this is definitely going to be a good thing for job seekers because it?s going to make networking so much easier.

SMP: What?s going to be the most interesting aspect regarding social media / technology throughout 2012 and into 2013 ? what impact could this have on job seekers?

AE: I think we?ve not heard the last of the privacy side of things when it comes to social media ? that?s definitely going to become a hot topic again before long and will definitely impact on job seekers who might not be aware of how private their ?private? data actually is.

SMP: What are your top five predictions for social media throughout 2012 and into 2013?

AE answers:

• Facebook is going to become more and more unpopular ? Facebook is just not as effective as it used to be and is definitely losing ground to things like Twitter.
  
  
• Tumblr is going to get bigger: It might have a niche audience now but Tumblr is definitely set for bigger and better things in 2012/2013.
  
  
• More niche networks are going to emerge: We?ve already got things like Medium, Menshn and Branch but I think more targeted niche networks are going to make an appearance in the next few years.
  
  
• Twitter is going to replace email: Thanks to its dynamic nature, Twitter is definitely going to make email redundant within the next five years.
  
  
• Social proof is going to rule the roost: OK, so this one?s more marketing-related but social proof is definitely going to become more important than testimonials when it comes to e-commerce sites.

SMP: What are your top five social media tips for job seekers?

AE answers:

• Clean up your profiles: Believe me, employers look at them so if you don?t want drunken pictures to be seen, make sure they stay private!
  
  
• Follow the right people: Social media has made networking easier than ever so make sure you stay up to date on the latest trends by following the key players in your industry.
  
  
• Follow job boards/recruiters: Like Bubble Jobs, loads of recruiters and job boards are now using social media to advertise their vacancies ? follow them to ensure you don?t miss out on an opportunity.
  
  
• Make sure your LinkedIn profile is filled out properly: OK, it?s boring filling in a profile but this is the profile that might bag you that new job so you need to ensure it?s as effective and detailed as possible!
  
  
• Make a name for yourself: If you?re really keen on getting into an industry, try to follow and tweet the biggest stories in your industry on a daily basis ? that way you?ll get more followers and your profile will look more professional as a result.

SMP: Is there anything else you?d like to add?

AE: If you?re finding it hard to get a new job in digital don?t give up ? it only takes one ?yes? and work hard to make yourself stand out from the crowd!

SMP: Best way to contact you and Bubble Jobs Blog?

AE: Twitter for both - @BubbleJobs and @amy_edwards88 are definitely the best ways to get in touch with us.




SMP: What did you have for breakfast / lunch?

AE: Rice Krispies

SMP: What?s the last good thing that you did for someone?

AE: I brought the post up for our office neighbours even though we didn?t have any!

SMP: How many hours to you work a week?

AE: 37.5

SMP: If you weren?t running Bubble Jobs Blog what would you be doing?

AE: I would probably be working for some kind of online marketing/digital agency (although I?ve already done that and definitely prefer working for direct clients!)

SMP: When and where did you go on your last holiday?

AE: I went to see my friend in Jersey for a couple of days in July.

SMP: What?s the first thing you do when you get into the office of a morning?

AE: Put the kettle on! ☺ I?m a typical Brit and need a cup of tea to function in the morning!

SMP: If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

AE: Time travel ? so I could go back and be present at some of the most iconic moments in history (and find out who really shot JFK!)

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