Award-winning influencer Kat Williams launched the first ever UK-based wedding blog in 2007 and it’s quickly grown into one of the biggest in the world. But Rock n Roll Bride isn’t just about weddings anymore.

The alternative blog and magazine, which brings individuality to a world of pastels and often puke-worthy sameness, is evolving. With it comes a string of new followers and fresh exciting marketing relationships.

While the ethos of Rock n Roll Bride has stayed the same, the blue-haired cat-loving blogger behind the brand is moving with the times - the internet and her own life. Many of her new followers aren’t getting married at all: they love her style, her cats, and - recently more than ever - her new home.

Who's involved?

Kat originally announced she was to start a house renovation blog, before deciding to test the waters with a weekly Rock n Renovation series on Rock n Roll Bride in July 2017. She’s creating her very own Barbie’s Dream House and smartly cherry-picking companies she loves to fulfil the fantasy, while creating a mini blog series on the project.

Just a few of the brands she’s worked with so far:

• Homeware and wedding gift company Prezola
• Quirky, unique homeware maker Orchid Furniture
• Fireplace manufacturer Focal Point Fires
• Fresh-thinking wallpaper brand Woodchip & Magnolia.

Purpose of campaign

Dedicating space to home renovation on a site solely for wedding content was a bold move, but it works. Naturally, Kat wanted to share her project with readers, but the secondary aim of these paid partnerships is to expand the readership and client list for Rock n Roll Bride, while promoting brands organically to her dedicated following.

The blog still appeals to Kat’s readers wanting ideas for weddings, but now it’s also there for renovation and interior inspiration when they decide to buy a home (a natural progression from marriage). Kat injects her rock n roll ethos into what’s becoming a ticks-all-the-boxes blog: unique marriages, houses, holidays, hair, pets, everything.

Process

After announcing her Rock n Renovation blog series, Kat has gone on to work with a range of brands she genuinely loves, in the form of blog and social media posts.

One of the most natural is this sponsored post from Orchid Furniture. As befits a blog that celebrates a diverse range of styles, Kat’s picked a few choice pieces from the Orchid collection to add a Far-Eastern-inspired touch to her eclectic home.

She followed this up with Instagram posts showing select pieces. Throughout the blog post, links to homewares are easy to follow, so readers can purchase the rug, lamp and table if they want them. She’s also added ‘wishlist’ items that she can’t afford at the end, which gives it a more genuine, attainable, but aspirational touch.

More recently, Kat did a big living room reveal with homeware and wedding gift company Prezola, followed up with a paid Instagram post. It’s the perfect brand for combining stylish, quirky wedding and homewares, showing readers how they can use gifts in their own home.

Analysis

The combination of a real life event (buying and renovating a house) combined with the classic Rock n Roll Bride aesthetic makes these brand partnerships refreshingly organic.

Mixed with non-sponsored content, it gives the blog series a truly trustworthy feel. While Kat may have bought homewares from brands such as Orchid Furniture anyway, the company were wise to get involved for maximum exposure.

Everything about the Rock n Renovation campaign appeals to Kat’s target audience, while generating sales for the brands she works with at the same time.

Companies such as Orchid Furniture and Prezola get click-throughs directly to homewares and readers can choose to purchase if they like what they see. If they’re not into the house stuff, they can just skip past.

Despite moving away from weddings and into home renovation, Kat has created a medium instantly recognisable to her diverse and alternative audience, bringing similar colours, themes, ideas and values to her posts and photos. The content doesn’t look out of place on Rock n Roll Bride blog or Kat’s Instagram account - her 78.1k followers don’t seem to mind, anyway.

Outcome

Whatever Kat does, she does it organically and creatively. That’s why her community buzz is so natural, and so many followers click on adverts featured on the Rock n Roll Bride blog.

The paid Instagram promotion with Prezola had 1,700 likes, with a multitude of adoring comments asking where homeware items were from and followers looking into the company from her recommendation. It might not be about weddings, but the format is familiar and the content is genuine, relevant and useful.

Lessons

•  Don’t be afraid to step out of your niche. Ultimately, Rock n Roll Bride is an alternative wedding blog, but Kat’s very organic step into home renovation still appeals to rock n roll couples - her invested followers.
•  Build worthy hype. For those following Kat’s Rock n Renovation series, the big living room reveal had been a while coming. This is the ultimate time for brands to jump in, as Prezola did, when engagement is going to be high. Next is her office reveal, so it’ll be interesting to see if she partners with any brands for that.
•  Work with brands you genuinely love. By blending your own story, interests and tastes into each and every post, sponsored content doesn’t stand out as a blatant advertisement. Instead, it blends right into the usual things you post about, delivering content your followers want but marketing products organically and effectively.