ByAre you a fashion blogger? Would you like to build a successful fashion blog with social media?
Whether you are a fashion blogger that works for a brand or you have your own website, social media use in the fashion industry is at an all-time high and looks set to increase year-on-year.
Fashion blogs and “internet-famous” influencers are one of the most important resources when it comes to decision making for consumers. In fact, over the last 5 years the fashion industry has been turned upside down by digital media. Bloggers, vloggers and fashion influencers hold a lot of power. According to experts, the industry has become “democratized” meaning that the power is in the hands of the social media consumer.
So what are the most important fashion blogging tips, and how do fashion bloggers and the industry work hand-in-hand?
Do what the top brands are doing
Instagram and Pinterest are specifically aimed at the fashion and design industries. Recent studies have depicted the influence of social media on the consumer, and it was found that Twitter is the least influential social network in fashion.
UK fashion company Superdry have recently benefitted from using Instagram, amassing over 105,000 followers. They have built an engaging presence on networks like Twitter and Facebook too.
They have specifically targeted their audience of young adults who enjoy extreme sports and music. By targeting their audience with related content they have gained a significant following; not just in the UK but in the competitive US market too.
Meanwhile, Burberry publishes video content of their ‘Acoustic Sessions’, which they then use to promote on Instagram, Twitter and other channels. This is an interesting way of re-purposing content for different means, whilst promoting their clothing line.
Just like these brands you need to figure out your Fashion blog’s audience and create content they want to read. And don’t forget to promote it on networks like Instagram and Pinterest.
Other statistics released found that:
- 64% of social shoppers turn to message boards or blogs to find inspiration before purchasing a fashion item
- Instagram inspires decisions in at least 1 fashion category for 42% of women aged 18-29.
Fashion bloggers tend to focus on Twitter and Facebook as their main sources of communication. However, these stats provide evidence that Instagram and Pinterest are far more beneficial to some industries.
The visual elements of apps such as Pinterest provide an opportunity for bloggers and brands to display their products in a creative manner. The integration of video content has allowed for video bloggers (vloggers) to have a huge influence on the fashion and digital industry.
Get your name out and get involved with fashion brands
Brands are always on the lookout to partner with bloggers. Coach were one of the first businesses to partner with fashion bloggers.
If you want to attract their attention you need to build a solid community following your blog and social media. Once you have cracked this, you can approach fashion companies for collaborations in publicising their products. This could even lead to product giveaways and competitions.
Fashion bloggers have to combine their blog content with their social media presence. This enables engagement and helps to create connections.
Zoella’s website has gained an enormous following since its advent, but the social media content is by far the most thriving aspect of her presence. She has over 2 million ‘likes’ on her Facebook page, 3.5 million followers on Twitter and 5.5 million followers on Instagram.
Brand collaboration is one of the main ways that fashion bloggers can build their authority and following. This is often a very slow process and needs a lot of time, dedication and creativity.
This is also the route that bloggers including Olivia Palermo and Bryan Boy have taken. Building up quality content and gaining a following will also help you develop the Domain Authority of your website which can help you rank higher in Google.
To quickly get involved with fashion brands you might want to team up with a Fashion Digital Marketing Agency that works with influencers.
If you find it hard to team up with a good agency or brand, it’s probably because you don’t have a case study that shows your prowess. So, create a case study that shows that your readers, followers and fans buy what you recommend by selling your products on sites like Mercari.
Networking!
Any blogger in any industry should head to industry events to gain contacts and knowledge. The more you become recognised, the more your fashion blog will benefit.
The digital world is constantly evolving and by attending events and discussions you can stay at the forefront of the industry, whichever niche you are in. You could even call up companies and see if you can interview them for your website.
Zoella is no doubt by far one of the most popular fashion bloggers. With over 6 million subscribers and 12 million views a month, Zoe Suggs is the constantly happy vlogger who gives tips on fashion and beauty whilst giving an insight into her daily life. By networking and building connections she has been able to build a powerful social media account whilst becoming very wealthy in the process.
Optimize and look after your website and social media
Online businesses now rely on good online accessibility with a pleasant user experience as well as offering consumers a level of interaction and say in trends. You should do the same!
Learn about the technical side of building and developing a blog and how to market yourself. You may even want to consider guest blogging on other websites. Progress will take time and be prepared to put in a lot of time and effort.
UK fashion blogger Lily Melrose is, along with Zoella, one of the most well-known fashion bloggers in the industry. Lily is the perfect example of how you have to be fully committed in posting to your blog every day as well as adjusting your site to make it as appealing to your audience as possible.
There are many ways to drive a successful social media campaign; you don’t just need a blog! The main points that attract us to a fashion brands social media are: content, brand message and effective ways of interaction. Much of a brand’s marketing budgets are directed towards digital presence and this will only grow. Therefore, the industry will always be on the lookout for influential fashion blogs and bloggers.
What brands social media channels do you like best? Do you have a favourite fashion blogger? Tell us about them!
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About Rachel Bowland
Rachel Bowland is the content manager at Social Marketing Writing. She likes to write about marketing and design.
