Boss Babe – Always Anne

How I got 100K unique visitors on my website

May 8, 2018November 15, 2018Posted in UncategorizedTagged Boss Babe, digital media, Inspiration, success1 Comment

I launched Magenta Magazine in September 2017 and just knew that my millennial readers would love the brand as much as I do.

Magenta was launched because we identified the huge potential to launch a female millennial product over Africa as there’s not a lot of resources for African women to get the latest fashion, celeb and lifestyle news.

Under the mentorship of Grant Fredericks, CEO of African News Agency, I’ve managed to create and grew my website from 2890 unique visitors in the first month to over 105 000 visitors per month in less than 5 months.

We’ve also managed to get over 220 000 page views over that one month period – all by working hard and implementing effective online strategies based on research and digital consumer trends.

My motto is ‘CONTENT IS QUEEN’ and quality over quantity will always result in returning visitors and long term results.

Our top 5 countries – Reader Demographics

South Africa 29.3%

Kenya 22.6%

Nigeria 16%

Namibia 10.7%

Ghana 7.7%

Magenta readership growth since launch in September 2017

MONTH	UB	% GROWTH
September	2890	285%
October	11474	297%
November	22199	93.5%
December	36100	62.6%
January	47820	32.5%
February	105250	120%
March	98184	-6.7% (due to regular site crashes and server updates – we had too many readers on our site, so we had to upgrade our server to accommodate the growing website traffic.)

EXAMPLE OF OUR MAGENTA STYLE CATEGORY

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is our biggest traffic source as almost 70% from our readers are directed to Magenta via our social platforms.

It’s important to stay authentic to your brand. We use our Instagram platform to enhance our brand identity with is fashion forward, youthful and pink.

With Twitter our strategy is to follow the latest trending topics and post breaking content as it happens. For example we immediately wrote a short online feature when it was announced that Bonang Matheba will be hosting Miss South Africa 2018.

See reaction to our tweet with link to site below:

Besides using our Facebook Page as a website driving tool, I believe it’s extremely important to engage with your audience and build conversation around relevant topics.

8 tips to grow your online traffic from my experience:

Identify your brand’s USP – Unique Selling Point – and stick to it.
Invest in social media advertising. Start off with a small budget and tailor your target audience.
Stay up to date with the latest breaking news and produce and upload trending content while it’s still hot and happening.
Use visuals to keep your readers longer on your site to lower your bounce rate. Research has shown that you only have four seconds to grab a person’s attention online, so make it worth their while… and data.
Invest in a proper SEO strategy by making use of keywords, alt & meta tags, image captions, inbound & outbound links.
Use relevant on hashtags to increase your posts on social media.
Finally, my golden rule is – if I won’t read it, I’m not posting about it.
My CEO told me in the beginning that I need to be ready for the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ moments. All of the above have happened, but if you believe in yourself and your brand, the results WILL show.

I’m not with Magenta anymore due to a promotion to Head of Digital at a Publishing House, but Magenta will always be my ‘baby’ and it served as a great research experiment to show that you can achieve anything you put your mind on.

Go to magentamagazine.co.za for all the latest lifestyle, fashion and celebrity news.

20 things you didn’t know about me

July 11, 2017May 9, 2018Posted in FASHION, UncategorizedTagged Blogger, Boss Babe, Editorial, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Photography, Inspiration, Outfit of the day, Photography, Style, Style Blogger, Styled ShootLeave a comment

Life is short, tell your story.

Everyone knows that I’m that girl with the bangs chasing my magazine goals with a skinny cappuccino in the one hand and my pink phone in the other, but did you know that I am actually a big chess nerd who hates yoga? BOOM!

Here’s 20 things you didn’t know about me:

If I wasn’t in the magazine industry, I would have been a concert pianist playing classical masterpieces in Austria, Berlin and Paris.

I’m more obsessed with Bach than Bieber. My favourite piano piece to play to date is Bach’s Prelude & Fugue No.2 in C minor.

I was the primary school chess champion in Grade 1 – yes, I even beat the grade sevens and I’m owning that.

I haven’t worn a bikini to the beach since 2009. #workingonthat

People think my kindness is my weakness, but it’s absolutely my biggest strength.

My grandmother’s full names are Anna Elizabeth and that’s where Annette came from meaning ‘graceful.’

I ‘published’ my first story when I was five years old. It was about a sheep and a fly having a fight, but still… I even illustrated the cover and asked my mom to make photocopies at school.

I have never not had a fringe – it’s my identity. Anna Wintour has her straight-cut bob. Annette de Wet’s got the bangs!

The first time I saw my ‘now-husband’ in my life was in the doctor’s waiting room. I saw this guy wearing a blue tie and super polished shoes, looked at my mom who was with me at the time and said: “That’s the guy I’m going to marry!”

I have never smoked a cigarette in my life.

I’m obsessed with Jack Parow and I totally turn into a gangster poppie when listening to him.

I’ve ran two half marathons. And I didn’t die.

In University, I compared every guy I dated to Chuck Bass. I once dated a guy only because he looked and talked like Mister Bass. #donotjudge

I type 80 words per minute and have the certificate to prove it. #NERD

My brows are naturally black, but my hair is light brown. People think I have ombre highlights and tint my brows regularly, but that’s just the way I was born. I’m old school, – when I wake up I already have eyebrows on.

I hate yoga. I don’t do the slay nor namaslay thing. The only downward dog you’ll find me in is on the couch with coffee – milk, two sweeteners.

One of my goals are to start an anti-bullying platform. I was bullied in grade 8 by my so called “BFF” and ended up with no friends. She would leave “You are fat” sticky notes against my cupboards, turned all my friends against me and spread the worst rumours you can image…. It got to a point where I lost all my self confidence and it literally took me 3-4 years before I was my crazy confident self again. I lost out on soooooooooooo much fun in high school, because of one person.

I am not an avocado person.

I haven’t coloured or put any chemical products like a brazilian in my hair for 3 and a half years. #VirginHairDoCare

And finally, I absolutely love my life!

Always, Anne

xoxo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rezaine Desai

OUTFIT: Shirt with slogan – Nicci Boutique | Leggings – Woolworths | Boots – Truworths

LOCATION: Arthurs Road, Sea Point

Boss babes have off days too

May 28, 2017June 12, 2017Posted in FASHIONTagged Always Anne, Blogger, Boss Babe, Cape Town, FASHION, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Diaries, Fashion Editor, Foodie, Outfit of the day, Photography, South Africa, Styled Shoot, StylistLeave a comment

Never be afraid to speak up if you are not okay.

Lately I have been working hard on chasing my goals – just a pity you don’t burn calories while at it….

Oh well, I managed to tick all of them off and I am beyond ready for the next exciting chapter on this roller coaster ride even though I won’t be able to spill all the beans just yet.

BUT

For a few months I wanted to give up… give up on the career I have chosen when I was only five years old and just move to a small town with a stress-free job working from 9-5 making someone else rich. Overall I just wanted to give up on life for so many personal reasons (yes, boss babes have off days too!)

The turning point was when I caught myself sitting on the pavement in Strand Street (Cape Town CBD) two weeks ago with no ambition left, no fight inside me and 100% not in the mood for living.

I remember phoning my mom and telling her I’m done. With fashion. With friends. With life.

I don’t know how she did it, but after an one hour or three of mommy talk she managed (from 1000 km away) to get my bum on the bus and making some important healthy appointments I won’t bore you with. It came as no surprise that I was suffering from some medical issues which resulted in me not having the usual go-getter attitude or energy to run a 10km looking like I woke up like this.

WHAT’S YOUR POINT, ANNE? (you might ask)

No matter what you are going through in life, it only takes the first step to get better. Just make the call, send that email, do that gym class, make a medical appointment, join a support group, opt for the fruit salad instead of the cheesecake – only one step to a happier and healthier you!

Since I’ve made a few changes, life’s been good – gosh, I even dropped 2 kilograms!

Whatever you’re going through in life right now, you are not alone and please don’t ever be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Don’t suffer in silence. That’s just not okay.

If you want to talk to someone, drop me an email any hour of the day.

You got this, boo!

Always, Anne

xoxo

OUTFIT: Woolworths, Dress R899.00

LOCATION: Strolla, Sea Point

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rezaine Desai