Side view of people in a crowd looking up to a stage.
Welcome to Leeds

Crafting trend-led articles for a Leeds-based content platform

Keeping Leeds residents and visitors in the know via Welcome to Leeds
Copywriting
Content writing
Trend writing
Culture and lifestyle writing

"Vicky came in just over a year ago and has now made this regular "what's on" in Leeds her own. It's one of our most popular pieces of content that gets shared widely. And as the pages grow, we hope the work does, too – Vicky is a joy to work with."

Simon Fogal, MD at Chapter 81

What they wanted:

Monthly trend-based articles

Simon got in touch in early 2024 to ask if I’d like to write a What’s On article for Welcome to Leeds (WTL), an online not-for-profit platform showcasing the city's cultural scenes, communities and creativity.

His regular writer could no longer write the monthly piece, and he needed someone to step in.

Writing trend-focused articles about Leeds, a Northern city I love? Erm, yes please. Simon didn’t have to ask twice.

And so, I got to work…

1.

Trend-based updates for Leeds locals and visitors

The brief was quite simple, write a roundup about what’s on in Leeds in the coming month that would appeal to a broad cross-section of locals and visitors.

With this type of article, it’s the research, not the writing that takes most of the time. I cross-checked information online against various sources to pull together a shortlist of events for the article. 

When it came to writing, I looked at previous articles to make sure the article flowed on from what had gone before. WTL has many contributors, so there was no requirement to stick to one tone of voice.

WTL’s What’s On guides are published at the same time each month. So, I made sure I left plenty of time to meet the deadline, and make adjustments if necessary.

2.

A reliable monthly contribution, plus ad-hoc support

Simon was happy with what I’d produced, and asked if I’d like to write the What’s On roundup on a monthly basis, Leeds In Bloom (new openings) quarterly, plus contribute ad-hoc seasonal articles if needed.

Here’s why it works for Simon to outsource to me:

  • He knows I’ll be thorough in my research and consistent in my writing
  • He knows I’m reliable, always submitting articles on time and in full
  • He knows he’ll get a unique voice that complements other WTL contributors

I’ve worked for Simon for over a year now since that first article, writing over twenty to date.

3.

Writing that’s 100% relevant to readers

Since events in the WTL What’s On guides were yet to happen, it made sense to research them online. For Leeds in Bloom, which features new openings, it helped to know the city – and what was happening – by visiting regularly, too.

I combined PRs and info (from Simon), online research and on-the-ground insight to write relevant, accurate updates about the best new places to visit. 

My point? I’m a writer that makes the effort to get to know what my clients and their customers really want and need.

For WTL, I provided insightful, relevant and original articles, uncovering the smaller, niche events that larger SEO-focused listing sites often overlook.

The results?
See them here for yourself.

Welcome to Leeds continues to grow across all channels. In the last year, the number of posts/pieces of content were up 46% on Facebook, 225% on Instagram, 466% on TikTok, which helped to generate:

  • Instagram growth of 50% 
  • Impressions up on Facebook by 37%, Instagram by 852%, TikTok by 178% and YouTube by 650%
  • Big post interactions on Instagram and TikTok
  • Newsletter growth of 10%
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