Blogging used to be a place where people expressed their own inner thoughts and daily lives. In the past few years it’s grown into it’s own business. There are plenty of national companies in the fashion industry that recognize fashion bloggers as legitimate business people and marketing tools. Fashion bloggers represent the mass; the consumer that they have previously only had a small margin of what women and men would like. Companies like Lucky Magazine feature fashion bloggers in their magazine as models for different trends. What the fashion blogging world so competitive I thought I’d share what I learned through research, trial, and error about starting a Fashion Blogging business.
Your Blog is a Brand
If you’re serious about becoming a fashion blogger than you have to look at it as your brand. You’re blog is now you’re company and you’re the C.E.O. Each brand dedicates time and energy to their brand. In the blogging world that means to post frequently and stay on the same site. I’ve and main other bloggers I know have lost readers because they’ve switched sites. Versace wouldn’t suddenly become Versace.org instead of dot.com. People won’t know where to find the brand they love.
Make a Plan
For many people blogging is a hobby, for fashion bloggers it’s a way to either pay the bills or launch them into their careers into the fashion industry. Blogs serve as a great podium for portfolio’s these days. Whatever your intention make sure you have a plan. This is one of my errors. When I first began blogging I would struggle to think of something to post daily until my blog suffered and fizzled out.
Now I think of my post a week in advance. I lay them all out, type them up, and schedule them to be posted for the week. Doing it this way gives me a chance to do everything else I have on my already busy schedule.
Network
Another one of my errors when I was first blogging I thought that other bloggers in the same genre as me, would make my blog suffer. I thought people would go leave and go straight to my “competitions” blog. This time around with my new blog I’ve learned that other fashion bloggers and fashion communities are extremely helpful. When you’re a part of the fashion community, you actually get the opportunity to gain more readers. Fashion Bloggers talk about other Fashion Bloggers. It’s not the same as stores. Someone from Anthropologie wouldn’t talk about someone’s dress in BCBG.
I learned a valuable lesson from a good friend of mine (Jennine Jacob) and fellow fashion blogger, which will be a part of tip # 4;
It’s Never to Early to Work with Brands
Back in 2010 I thought that only blogs with readers in the hundreds and thousands could work with brands. I learned differently in these past two years since I’ve started Aphrodite+Kidd’s Closet. Brands have realized just like magazines that bloggers are a great way to advertise. If you have as little as 25 readers maximize on those readers by joining a brand that incorporates your blogs brand. Start off with a small company who wants to get know and work your way up to bigger companies as your blog grows.
Media Kit
Yes, even new blogs with 25 readers just starting out need Media Kits. Media tell brands and PR people that may want to work with you everything they need to know. You stats, Which social media you belong too, You contact information, Your About Me page. It gives them more of an insight to who the person is behind the blog. Of course as your numbers increase it’s your job to update your Media Kit.
