Brian Haslett & Mark Irvine from Belfast run their blog: The Gourmet Boys, about Food and Drink.
Why did you decide to become a blogger/influencer?
We were putting so many photos of food on a personal Facebook page and boring all family and friends, someone suggested we start a “foodie” page – and that’s what started The Gourmet Boys.
Tell us something your followers might not already know about you?
We are both involved in theatre and between us we are:
- A qualified Horse riding Instructor
- A dance teacher
- Piano player
- Singer
- Facial hair extroverts !
- Proficient tandem riders
What would you consider your biggest achievement as a blogger/influencer?
We are brand ambassadors for Cross Sword Shoes – handmade leather shoes with a heel specifically designed for men. We managed to sell the first ever pair of Cross Sword Shoes to a customer in New Zealand. Proof that influencers can make a worldwide impact.
What would you consider the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in the industry?
Be open and honest, never compromise yourself or your beliefs. We pride ourselves in giving restaurants fair feedback both publicly on our social media pages and in person.
We once wrote a review for a venue which had a number of issues and we made a number of suggestions for improvement. Rather than hide behind a virtual face on social media we agreed to go to the location and talk about our feedback face to face with General Manager and Head Chef. This approach was appreciated by the venue and was a useful lesson for us.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
The biggest challenge to date has been the idea that you “chase numbers of followers”. It’s a very easy trap to fall into. Rather, be clear about what you are about, make sure that when posting that the content is helpful, informative or fun. Entertain your followers.
Do you feel that bloggers are unfairly judged at times, if so why?
There certainly can be a feeling that bloggers are “out for what they can get free of charge”, that they can hide behind an anonymous face, or that they are superficial in their views. As we have started to get to know a number of bloggers throughout Belfast, we have found this to be completely wrong.
Bloggers can directly benefit any business, product or service, encouraging sales and referrals. They can act as a support network to spread the word of new products and services. At zero cost (or low cost) they can directly impact the bottom line of any business.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a blog/instagram page?
- Be honest
- Be clear about why you are blogging
- Do not take unfair criticism to heart
- Never compromise your beliefs
- Enjoy what you are doing: if it’s not fun – stop
What local blogger do you look up to and why?
We love following Cathymartin10, Belfastfoodblogger and DishYouWereHere. These guys have entertaining, varied and informative pages.
What international blogger do you look up to and why?
We have such fond holiday memories of Mykonos and we have had a few fantastic meals here at Funkykitchen_mykonos. Owner/Chef Pavlos, has a brilliant moustache not dissimilar to ours.
You can find The Gourmet Boys’s social media using the following link: https://linktr.ee/Thegourmetboys!