Vintage Brighton editor Jo-ann Fortune appeared in the Telegraph this weekend, offering insight and advice on the set up and running the site. Here we share photographs from the shoot, undertaken by the fabulous Brighton-based photographer James Boardman (available for weddings folks) in Jo-ann’s Hove flat, and more in-depth answers from the full interview:

Why did you set up Vintage Brighton? I launched the site in September 2010, just after my wedding. I knew that I’d have a lot of spare brain space and saw a gap in the market – I was surprised that there was no online hub for Brighton’s vibrant vintage scene already and so snapped up the domain name as soon as I had the idea.

How did you start to make money from it? It took around a year to build the site’s reputation, through relevant online and media networks, social media and word-of-mouth, to the point where businesses wanted to get involved. When Vintage Brighton celebrated its one year anniversary, I started to approach brands and also joined with three similar sites which represent vintage in other UK cities to form The Vintage City Network, through which we offer advertising opportunities across all four of our sites. Vintage Brighton has also helped to raise my professional profile, opening up opportunities for related freelance writing.

Do you social media to promote the site? Yes, Vintage Brighton is on Twitter and Facebook and also had it’s own dedicated Pinterest board.

Has this helped generate revenue? Definitely – many businesses have found out about the site and advertising opportunities through our social channels and I was recently approached to write on a freelance basis by a publisher who had come across my work through Twitter.

Do you use advertising? I recently trailed Facebook adverts, which seem to work well if you have a small budget, and occasionally write for a vintage magazine in return for a half-page advert. Also, when writing for vintage magazines and third-party sites such as the Guardian fashion blog, I always ask for a mention and link to the site.

What was the biggest thing that you did to boost your income from the site? It’s very important to get your name out there – to market your content. I always look for opportunities to spread the word about Vintage Brighton, whether it be through something I’ve written for a third-party site or publication, how I promote the content through social media or handing out flyers at an event.

Any advice to those just starting out and are looking to attract readers and followers? Don’t think about the money you may make – that’s not why I started Vintage Brighton. Of course it’s a welcome benefit, but first and foremost you need to be passionate about your subject matter and know the community you’re writing for – that’s how you start to make a name for yourself. And it takes a lot of time and effort.

For more articles featuring or written by Jo-ann (on her typewriter), visit the Vintage Brighton press page.

All images by James Boardman