The South African blogging community has hopefully retracted their claws following the Beauty Blog Award drama a few weeks ago. The awards took place this past weekend and I’m sure there is a list of the winners somewhere if you want to google.
This post is less to do with that drama and more a call to action. I want to appeal to all local bloggers to get behind The Pretty Blog and throw some support their way.
Most of us have used Bloglovin at some point or another. It is an international platform that allows you follow and read your favourite blogs all in one place. They’ve engraved themselves as a blogging authority and run their Bloglovin Best Blog Awards annually. There are 30 million users on Bloglovin, nominees for the awards are pulled from these users’ feeds – the 4 or 5 blogs with the biggest followings on the platform make up the nominees. From there those 30 million users are then encouraged to vote for their favourites from the nominee list. You need to be a Bloglovin member and you can only vote once.
Nominees this year include a host of celebrity blogs like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop and international blogging superstars like Michelle Phan. If you watched that E! Channel show about the fashion bloggers you’ll spot Harper & Harley and Zanita as well.
On that nomination list is also The Pretty Blog. As far as I can tell they are the ONLY African blog to make the cut and, if I’m not mistaken, the first to do so. The Pretty Blog is nominated in the best wedding blog category. The blog is headed up by Christine Meintjes and, while it started out as a wedding blog in 2010, it has now developed in to a platform that includes content about travel, weekly recipes and home and decor inspiration. The site is also self funded. As someone who is trying to build my own blog, I’m well aware of the blood, sweat and tears that has gone in to making The Pretty Blog what it is.
The awards are taking place in New York City next month and The Pretty Blog needs some financial support to get to the awards (imagine the incredible networking opportunities they’ll get there!) and, most importantly, they also need your votes.
I’m now asking you to find your South African blogger pride. If you’re a Bloglovin member head over here and cast your vote for The Pretty Blog in the best wedding blog category. Let’s put our little community on the map and bring this accolade home!
