Are you passionate about fashion? Do you never get tired of gushing about anything related to fashion?
Well, then, fashion blogging might just be your forte or your favorite hobby.
What Makes Instagram Perfect For Fashion Blogs?
If you dream of making it in the fashion industry, blogging is an excellent way to start.
During your journey, Instagram is going to be your helping hand. This social media platform is one of the best to start a fashion blog.
So, why Instagram?
With more than 1 billion monthly active users as of June, 2018, Instagram is a massive platform. Used by people of almost any ages starting from teens, millennials to adults, it continues to grow as the most popular social media platform.
Instagram revolves around one thing – pictures. You can take photos, videos, and share them either publicly or privately on the app.
This app is known for its visual aesthetic. You can actually find people competing against one another on who has the best aesthetically pleasing feed. So, since fashion provides a similar aesthetic, Instagram and fashion are a match made in heaven.
In a few words, Instagram is the new blogging platform for fashion lovers.
So, why not just post photos instead of writing on a blogging website and save a lot of time and effort?
Even though you have a blogging website, your blog and Instagram can both help each other out. The exposure goes both ways. Instagram helps increase the chances of ranking higher on Google. On top of that, you can build a reliable connection, earn followers in no time, and you can make more money through blogs for sponsored posts.
What’s more? Fashion blogging comes with tons of opportunities, such as:
- You get to attend the world’s most popular fashion shows, award shows, and events.
- You get PR packages (free clothes and makeup products) for review.
- You get brand deals for endorsements.
- As per Google, style and beauty fall under the most searched for guides. With a blog, you have a high chance to get discovered in search results.
- It’s a great option to set your foot into an industry that is never boring.
Starting A Fashion Blog With Instagram
When you get an idea, make a blog, and share them on Facebook, Twitter, and post images on Instagram to drive more viewers to follow your blog.
If you want to start your fashion blogging career on Instagram, you have two choices:
- Create a blog using WordPress themes and share your thoughts, experiences, and more to your social media. Here, you have to purchase a domain name and hosting for a year. It can be a great source of spreading information and valuable ideas to the world and earning money from it.
- Make a business account on Instagram. A business account is quite different from the usual accounts. You can include your contact info, track traffic, include shop links, perform paid promotion of your posts, and more. When starting your blog, this useful app is a great way to track your progress. Post high-quality pics and watch the number of followers grow. If people love your content, it is super easy even to go viral.
If you look for a cost-effective and efficient way to kickstart your fashion blog, then Instagram is the best option. But, wait, here are a few things you should know on how to start a fashion blog with Instagram.
Pick A Good Username
Your username is your imprint on your Instagram account. It is just like the domain of any website. Make sure you choose the username that best speaks to you and depicts your brand or yourself. Keep it simple, short, and easy to remember. It is best if you include your full name as your username.
Increase Followers
The first step to Instagram success is to get followers. You don’t need a specific amount of followers for your blogs to be famous. But a little nudge goes a long way. Followers are influential, and so are the people you follow.
Search by tags and make sure you follow people of the same niche to keep you inspired. But don’t spam their followers. Follow the accounts that you feel are an inspiration for you. These can be designer brands, companies, supermodels, fashion magazines, top bloggers, and influencers.
Interact With Your Followers And Other Instagram Users
Followers help you grow your career. So, it is crucial always to maintain their trust and always make them feel connected. So, interaction is everything on Instagram. A lot of companies tend to give more opportunities to influencers who have a genuine relationship with their fans.
So, tips to increase your followers is by keeping the interaction alive. Fans feel most connected to you when you’re listening to them, have a relatable personality, and show your real side too.
So, ask questions, make polls, do surveys, get their opinion, do giveaways, take any suggestion or criticism, and also be real. A huge turn-off for fans is when influencers have a “fake” personality. If you want to take it further, DM them or respond to DMs.
Create A Business Email
Create a business email for your Instagram. Companies are going to want to work with you. So, you don’t want to use your personal email. That’s probably not the best idea. You may think they can also reach out to you via DM. But with a lot of DMs, it can easily be missed.
So, add your business email to your bio. So, companies can easily reach out to you. It’s better if you have a separate business email. It allows you to separate your business deals and your Instagram account.
Instagram Feed Theme
Instagram themes weren’t always popular, but now it’s an integral element. For you to stand out, stick to a theme with your posts. Be unique while trying to pick off some specific aspects that inspire you.
It is beneficial, especially if you have a new following, and they start exploring your Instagram. Just have fun and play with colors, graphics, and photos.
Prioritize The Quality Of Your Content
If you wish to maintain an online presence anywhere on the web in any niche market, then you must be ready to create fresh and quality content for the platform of your choice.
Quality always matters over quantity. Instead of focusing on creating a lot of content, try and create the best content before hitting the upload button. This way, you have a better shot at building your audience.
Stick To A Posting Schedule
Being consistent is key in every field. So, stick to a schedule and research on the appropriate time to post.
Instagram’s algorithm keeps changing from time to time and if you’re not very active, your followers can forget about you. Some bloggers who post upto 4-5 times a day and multiple stories. So, slacking around only keeps you behind.
So, plan and stick to a schedule. Moreover, it helps you build a strong following.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way for followers to find you. So, use proper and a lot of trending hashtags. For e.g., for a fashion-related post, relevant hashtags can seem like #style #styleinspo, #vintage, #minimal, #fashionblog, and such. This way, followers can find you through these hashtags and you can have a wide audience.
Introduce Your Blog Through Instagram Slideshow
Instagram has a new slideshow feature allowing you to build a story with a series of pictures. Use it to your advantage. You can create a mini-guide, showcasing your day, or add photos of your outfits.
While doing so, tag other bloggers, give credits to the locations you share.
Tag The Places You Visit
Through the posts on your blog, you are influencing people. Moreover, you are helping them decide to either visit a site or not.
When you share a picture of a city or a place, you are introducing that place to your audience. So, make sure you tag the place. This way, you will not only be influencing people but also increasing the chances of appearing on the search results for content on a particular location.
Link Your Pinterest account
Since Pinterest is also image-centric and user-friendly, be sure to link your Instagram with Pinterest. Doing so, you have potential customers on the go.
Don’t Take Shortcuts
There is no short road to success. Different third-party apps that promise to boost your account look promising. But, buying fake followers, likes, and comments is a big no-no. Not only are they a scam, but you also put your account at risk for hackers, and you may lose your account.
So, it’s best to avoid those apps. There is no shortcut to building a large following on Instagram. It takes a lot of effort and time. So, be patient and focus on creating fresh and original content.
Conclusion:
The first and foremost tip on creating a successful fashion blog on any platform is to remain authentic. Being authentic and unique sets you apart from everyone else. It is crucial in building a strong presence, growing your followers, and being successful in the long run.
Have you started fashion blogging? Do you use social media to promote your blogs in any way? Let us know about your experiences in the comment section below