There is no doubt that there are thousands of people out there with an undying passion for fashion and blogging but absolutely no idea on how to start a fashion blog. And you know what? That’s completely normal.
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We can all agree on one thing:
With any creative project, the hardest part is actually getting started. More often than not, we’re stuck wanting to learn how to start but get completely overwhelmed with the hundreds of resources we’re met with.
Luckily for you, fashion blogs are absolutely huge right now! If done right, you can easily be making thousands in passive advertising, affiliate sales, sponsored posts and much more.
Yes, it’s quite competitive. Yes, there are thousands of fashion blogs out there. But one thing remains true: Most of them are subpar.
Your chance to stand out is actually much higher than you might think – if you’re willing to put in effort, take on challenges and learn patience and endurance along the way.
In today’s post, I’ll show you how to become a fashion blogger, create something truly awesome and unique, grow a huge following and make money while doing it!
Quick Intro Into The World of Fashion Blogging
Fashion blogging has very quickly turned from a hobby to a major profit-making business.
Most fashion bloggers have thousands, if not millions, of followers, their own product lines, and their own businesses. Basically, fashion bloggers have become the new “celebrities”.
Blogging is competitive. You’ll find it hard at first to break into the market – as long as you’re different, smart about your content, and unique with your brand.
10 Easy Steps to Starting A Fashion Blog
Before we get into some fashion blogging tips and tricks, I’ll take you through a step-by-step guide on how to start a fashion blog and get it up and running.
1. Get a domain name and hosting
First things first, you need a domain name. After all, wouldn’t you trust a website with a normal URL (myfashionblog.com) more than one with a domain name in the end (myfashionblog.domain.com)?
This will be the place you’ll be posting from, networking with, launching products from and much more. So make it right!
Choosing your right domain name can seem a little bit doozy – you have to think of it as your “brand name.” and as challenging as this sounds, here are a few tricks to get it right:
- Make it short.
- Make it easy to spell and pronounce.
- Let it reflect what your blog is about.
- Be as unique as possible.
- Make it flexible so it could be brandable later on.
2. Install WordPress
WordPress is one of the top blogging tools online and will remove the hassle of having to find a web developer or web designer at first.
Using it is a fool-proof way of getting your blog up and running in no time. No HTML. No CSS. Nada!
3. Pick a theme
WordPress comes with a lot of nice free themes that you can choose from – at first. Using a free theme in the beginning works, but later on, you may want to shift to premium or hire a Web designer to give your blog a little bit of an extra oomph.
Keep it simple to start with – a nice static background, a color scheme, and an organized layout.
4. Install essential plugins
Plugins are an essential part of the WordPress experience. Plugins usually really help in enhancing the user’s (and your) experience on your website and optimize it for your advantage.
Here are some of the best plug-ins for fashion blogs:
- Pinterest Hover Pin-It Button – adds pin-it buttons for the images on your blog.
- SEMrush – Learn from your competitors. What’s their website traffic? What keywords do they use? What keywords should you use?
- WP SEO by Yoast – Yoast pretty much does all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to SEO optimization.
5. Tell your story
Write your About section, include your name, your picture and why you started this blog.
Why should people listen to you?
What made you start this blog?
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Where do you want to be in the next 5 years?
6. Content, content, content!
Content is king. You need to publish the best content your brain could possibly produce. And then publish some more.
- Start by having an editorial calendar – Have a list of topics you want to write about, and have a minimum of 3 posts per week. Then, build out a calendar around those posts.
- Write long blog posts – Not only will you rank higher on Google, but you’ll also be providing higher value!
- Add value – Create style guides, DIY tutorials, give advice, and share your vision.
- Focus on evergreen content – Instead of writing about topics that are relevant for a week or two, write content that will stay with you forever.
- Write about what you love – You probably already know it: The readers can feel whether or not you’re passionate about what you’re writing about.
- Keep a running list of topics – Choose a niche but make sure that niche encompasses enough topics to talk about.
- Use pictures – Use captivating pictures in your blogs…Which brings me to the next point.
7. Invest in high-quality photography
Either invest in a high-quality DSLR camera and take the DIY route (set up a tripod and take your own pictures) or invest in a photographer.
No matter what: Always make sure your pictures are high quality, visually appealing, and edited to fit with your general theme.
8. Create a strong brand
It’s not about your logo or your brand name. It’s about who you are and everything you say and do. Whether it’s a signature look, a quirky personality trait or an-out-of-the-box content strategy – make sure you stay unique.
9. Build out a network
Of course, having good content is an essential building block to start a fashion blog, but it’s definitely not enough. If no one sees it, then it’s as if you haven’t even started yet.
One of my main fashion blogging tips for you is to build a network. Here’s how:
- Create a Instagram profile.
- Follow fashion bloggers who inspire you.
- Learn what they do.
- Reach out to them.
- Comment, like and share their posts.
- Start discussions.
10. Social media is your holy grail
Even though you’d think that this is a no-brainer, the amount of people who know how to start a fashion blog but don’t invest in social media is insane.
As a fashion blogger, make sure you use Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest and populate your feeds.
And finally, be patient and be yourself. Starting a successful blog requires hard-work and takes endurance.
How to Grow a Following as a Fashion Blogger
1. Start with social media
Again with the social media, right?
Definitely.
Social media is crucial when it comes to growing a following, and one of the best ways to do this is through having an Instagram with your blog handle and a Facebook page with your blog name.
Social media generates a golden opportunity to generate thousands of likes, shares, and visitors to your blog through cross-promotion.
2. Use Google Analytics for important insights
For you to grow a following, you need to first learn the insights on your blog. How long do people stay on your site? What type of people visit it? Where do they come from? How many page views do you have?
Once you have an idea of those insights, you can build your optimization strategy around them.
3. Engage with your readers and followers
Communicating directly with your followers and readers adds much more value than you might think.
You’ll be building a sense of community and that specific sense of community is what will keep them coming back for more.
Reply to their comments, ask them questions, let them ask questions, and always show them that you’ve read their comments.
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4. Network on ground
Attend all fashion weeks, exhibitions, and galleries around you and network your way through them.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a local brand that would love to partner with you, or another blogger who doesn’t mind giving you a shout-out.
5. Grow an e-mail list
One of the most important fashion blogging tips is: grow your e-mail list.
Ask them to sign up for your newsletters, or offer them a goodie (e-book, discount, free PSD template, style guide…etc) in exchange for their e-mail.
6. Collaborate with other bloggers
Even better if they have the same audience! Collaborating with another “bigger” blogger is an easy way to get your blog out there.
It’s a great source for new followers, and it will put you in front of a new audience.
7. Write guest posts on other blogs
Choose a blog that has a similar audience to the one you want to acquire and write a blog post there. Preferably a blog with higher traffic than your blog and a larger following!
8. Do expert roundups
Find some celebrities, big fashion bloggers or fashion influencers and request an interview! By writing about some of the biggest names in the industry, you’ll be creating a huge amount of interest for your blog.
9. Host giveaways
Contests are one of the most effective ways of growing a following for your blog.
Run a contest and let your followers know that they have a chance to win a giveaway when they “share” or mention your blog.
It’s a win-win situation.
You get hundreds of new followers and visitors, and they get a gift!
8 Ways Fashion Bloggers Make Money
It’s not all about how you can start a fashion blog. It’s also about monetizing it and creating a decent source of income from your passion.
1. Seriously, embrace Instagram
Instagram is a goldmine for all fashion bloggers out there.
Fashion influencers make anything from $200 – $5000 per post.
Promote your Instagram everywhere, make sure it’s consistent with your blog and grow a following there so you can later get paid for posting about a brand!
2. Create a media kit
Once you have created a blog and actually started to get a decent amount of traffic, you’ll need to create a media kit.
A media kit is your passport to brand partnerships, sponsorships, ads, and collaborations.
Make sure to include a little bit about yourself, your blog, your follower count, average engagement, blog traffic stats, and rates.
3. Use affiliate links
One of the easiest (and most low-effort) ways to earn money as a fashion blogger is through affiliate links.
You can use sites like RewardStyle and ShopStyle that will direct the users to the products that you have listed.
You’ll get paid one of two ways: either per click (a few cents for every click that the website you directed to gets) or per action (a set percentage of each converted sale).
4. Sponsored posts
Sponsored posts are one of the main pillars when it comes to making money as a fashion blogger. Sponsored posts are when a brand chooses a blogger who they think represents them and gives them a product/service to review.
However, you will definitely need a decent following and traffic to go this route. It also doesn’t hurt to reach out to brands that you think resonate with your blog and offer a sponsored spot.
5. CPC or CPM ads
Another foolproof and quite common way most fashion bloggers make money is through putting display ads on their blogs.
You can choose between CPC (pay per click) or CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) ads through Google Adsense.
6. Sell private ads
You can, later on, reach out to firms or advertisers and offer a per-month price for placing their ads on your blog.
7. Sell digital products
If you want to generate an even higher stream of income, try selling digital products. These could include:
- Online fashion courses
- PSD kits
- Fashion style guides
- E-Books
- Create your own product and launch a line
And much more!
8. Join an ambassador program
Ambassador programs are becoming more and more popular because of how low effort they are.
You can partner with a brand you love, get a unique promo code for yourself and whenever this promo code is used, you’ll get a set commission or a percentage of the sale.
The Bottom Line
Creating a fashion blog will certainly be an exhilarating experience.
It will take effort, it will take time – but it will most definitely be exciting.
You can learn more about how to make passive income through blogging here or learn about the most important steps to becoming a blogger here.
