Those who are consistently on the prowl for good places to visit within Klang Valley to sate their appetite for new cuisine will most likely be familiar with the name Bangsar Babe.
Bangsar Babe was first created back in November 2007. What started out as just a platform for her to share her thoughts soon began to grow an unexpected mass following. This led her to trademark the name of her blog to represent her overall brand, one the first of Malaysian blogs to obtain such a status.
Almost 10 years later, Bangsar Babe or Sue Lynn as she prefers to be called, has seen the transformation of her personal blog where she just used to express her love for food and travelling, to now creating content for over 500,000 readers who diligently follow her social updates.
The name actually came from her manager and other half, Jien. “I wanted a space to pen my thoughts, so Jien helped to set up the blog ‘bangsarbabe.com’ for me. He gave me the moniker Bangsar Babe because I was born and bred in Bangsar and I felt it suited me perfectly,” said Sue Lynn to Vulcan Post.
From A Hobby To A Business
Despite popular belief, Sue Lynn shares that blogging was never her full-time career.
She also currently runs a digital marketing agency that offers digital marketing solutions ranging from social media marketing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to brand building and helping businesses tackle the new age marketing challenge.
Part of the reason she still manages to stay so active on her blog despite balancing her other career is mainly due to her managing her time well. She always makes sure there is new content to be shared on her blog consistently and cites her manager/partner as a key factor in helping her stay disciplined in updating her website.
“I’ve always had a full-time job while blogging. I worked in advertising, and formerly managed the brand and communication portfolio for a large GLC. I’ve since left to set up my digital marketing agency, which is something I’m also passionate about,” said Sue Lynn.
When asked on whether she had ever seen blogging as a steady source of income, she never really perceived it as anything but a side hobby which grew into something more.
“Bangsar Babe is something I’m passionate about—a hobby and also a brand that I’ve grown from scratch. I still love what I do, and it is the dedication towards the brand that keeps me going,” said Sue Lynn.
Having majored in Advertising Design in university, marketing has always been an interest of hers, both in her blog and on a professional level.
“I left my job in corporate late last year to set up my agency Rhombus Consulting. It was also in my previous company that I noticed a gap between the agency and client, and how the solutions provided by agencies are based on a ‘cookie-cutter mold’. So I decided to take that leap of faith and pursued what I believe in which is providing solutions to businesses & brands who require help on the digital landscape. It’s a lot of hard work, but I’m happy,” shared Sue Lynn.
Celebrating Almost A Decade On The Blogosphere
People who follow Bangsar Babe most likely found her through her extensive list of recommendations on places to eat throughout Malaysia and even some international countries. Her amazing photographic skills in making the dishes look ten times more delectable is also a pulling factor.
And even after nearly a decade of listing down various locations of delicious cuisine, Sue Lynn still manages to maintain her blog and brand with interesting new content by showing her readers what new café or restaurant is out there to try.
When asked what secret formula she believes helps her maintain her brand, Sue Lynn responded with three main key attributes that can be applied to any other career or hobby.
“Passion, dedication and a whole lot of integrity. These are what every blogger should always practice to make sure that not only the readers are satisfied with what you publish but also you yourself as the creator can enjoy your own content as well,” said Sue Lynn.
Though 10 years has passed and a lot has changed for her brand throughout that duration with the rise of social media, what does a veteran in the blogging-sphere see herself doing in the next 10 years?
“Social media is ever-changing so it’s hard to predict where I’ll be in 10 years. Hopefully, my brand would have grown by ten-fold and I would be able to say I’m happy with where it is,” said Sue Lynn.
When asked whether she believed social influencers will continue to take over the entertainment industry, she comments “I think the trend will continue to grow as brands are realising the impact of bloggers and influencers. That said, this will also open doors for opportunists, which the brands need to take note of.”
Seeing the younger generation pursue social media influencing once they’ve gained a certain amount of followers reminds Sue Lynn the difference in why she began Bangsar Babe initially. Her years spent dedicated to her blog has seen the rise of her own company as well as her brand influence on social media overall but the core reason she holds on to remains.
“One advice I’d like to give to aspiring bloggers is do it because you’re passionate about blogging. Fame will come after you put in effort and hard work. If you’re doing it for freebies or fame, that ‘drive’ can only take you so far,” said Sue Lynn.
Feature Image Credit: bangsarbabe.com
