Blogging - May 1, 2017

How to Start a Fashion Blog Step 3: Incorporating Social Media

social media tips for fashion blogging
silk scarf neck tie, peplum sleeve top, navy rag and bone pants

Hi y’all! Back with the blogging series that focusing specifically on how to start a fashion blog. I like to take a good amount of time in between each post because I love hearing everyone’s comments, specific questions to answer next time, etc., and really want each post to be as comprehensive as possible. If you haven’t read the first two posts in this series, I recommend starting there then coming back to this one – they’ll make more sense and be more valuable when read in order, I think.

Here’s a breakdown of this series in general:

Part 1: Finding Your Niche
Part 2: Creating Your Site
Part 3: Incorporating Social Media
Part 4: Managing Content
Part 5: Making it a Career
…and maybe more?!

Today’s post kicks off Part 3: Social Media – something that I get endless questions or requests for advice on. And I totally get why. Social media is stressful, intimidating, and at times super annoying, especially when your business revolves around it. I admittedly have a love-hate relationship with it, but at the end of the the day, it’s a crucial part of being a fashion blogger – or a blogger in general, or even a brand in general – so I deal with it and try to make the best of it. Let’s get into it!

how to manage social media for fashion blogging

Side Note: I talked all about my DEEP love for this top in last Thursday’s blog post where I styled it THREE different ways. Check it out if you haven’t already!

How to start a fashion blog – Incorporating social media

I’ve put A LOT of thought, and trial & error, into my social media strategy, because I want it to be as good as possible, but I also want my time to spent on it as efficient as possible, ya know?

SO below I’ll get into each platform and my general feelings on each, and I’ll be including my social media strategy tips as well. Obviously each blogger has a different view or goal, but in general this post is focusing on my general thoughts on (1) each platform in general, (2) the point of each platform business wise, (3) management, and (4) growth/engagement.

how to manage social media for fashion blogging

1. Snapchat (& also sort of Instagram Stories)

My thoughts: I’m gonna start here because it’s my favorite. And you want to know why? I feel like it’s the best use of a platform without a ton of stress. Yes, there are analytics on Snapchat, but they aren’t blasted on a profile like Instagram or Facebook, so something about not focusing as much on growth here makes the platform likeable.

Plus, it’s the easiest way to connect with engaged followers (ugh I hate that word but I’m going to use it for the sake of this post, k?). No one is going to follow you on Snapchat unless they want it (it’s not like Insta where you might follow them for their photos but then have to hear their videos too, even if you don’t necessarily want to – though you can unsubscribe from IG videos per person but it’s a hassle). I really appreciate knowing that everyone I’m “talking to” is there because they want to engage and have a conversation with me – it makes me feel like I can totally be me and I don’t have to present anything perfect or staged.

The point: Honest, raw connections and showing behind the scenes stuff. For fashion bloggers, this is a great outlet to show the unedited version of your closet, or how some outfits look in real life vs. on a model, etc.

Management: I don’t have any sort of management when it comes to Snapchat, and I wouldn’t recommend one, honestly. Like I just said, Snapchat doesn’t have to be staged or stressful. I think it’s important to be mindful of it and to try and post daily if you are interested in that connection, but there doesn’t need to be a schedule.

Growth/Engagement: It’s smart to mention your Snapchat name (or call out to instagram stories in your instagram caption) on other platforms to give people the opportunity to engage, and view your content. Make it easy for people. And engagement here is crucial – if you’re taking the time to show your day, take the time to get back to people and have those conversations. Try to set apart a few minutes each day to respond to Snapchat messages, or to engage with people you follow if you’re working on growth. Build relationships!

SIDE NOTE: Personally, I’m really struggling to try and figure out how to best use both Snapchat & Instagram stories without duplicating content and/or staying sane (ha!). Obviously, I have a MUCH higher engagement rate (and views!) on Insta stories but I do feel like it’s a bit of a different audience there. Plus, snapchat followers are ALWAYS going to be more committed. But all this being said about Snapchat above, I want to just mention that I haven’t really been using it as much in the past 2-ish months. I find it really difficult to do both Snapchat AND Insta Stories. I think the rest of the industry is also trying to figure out how to balance this as well. What do YOU think? Which one do you like better – snapchat or instagram stories?

how to start a fashion blog part 3 - incorporating social media

2. Instagram

My thoughts: The love-hate is real y’all. In all honesty, Insta causes me stress on the reg, even if that’s silly to admit. It’s the truth.

There is so much pressure that comes with Instagram – the number of followers, likes, growth, comments, replies to stories, let alone more aesthetic stuff like how each picture looks on its own and how it looks as a whole on your feed, etc. The  list of worries about Insta just doesn’t end. BUT, as a blogger, especially a fashion blogger whose job it is to show outfits and trends, photo apps like Instagram are imperative.

The point: To share your life, but in a more staged, editorial way, to monetize, to interact. This is the place to put together looks and show them, to provide inspiration with outfits, to provide engaging comments, etc. It’s basically a mini blog if you will, and therefore it should be streamlined to the content you’re putting on your site.

Management: I highly recommend using Iconosquare to track your analytics, then an app like UNUM or Planoly to plan out your feed. Let me explain.

  • Iconosquare – To me, no app does Insa analytics better. Yes, you can sign up for a free business account on Instagram, but they don’t get as specific as Iconosquare. Plus, I love looking at Iconosquare analytics on my computer and seeing everything laid out – the organization of it is simple to use but highly impactful for your account. I personally like the Elite package, as I think it’s the best deal. You can dive into which types of photos are doing the best (full body vs. flat lays, etc.), which are drawing the most comments, the most optimal time to post, etc. Just do yourself a favor and download Iconosquare if you don’t have it (and they’ve made a lot of improvements since they first launched) and plan out your Instagrams based on those analytics.
  • UNUM or Planoly – Apps like these take the stress out of knowing what your feed will look like cohesively. Take stats from Iconosquare, like which hashtags do the best, then you can put prep your feed and caption/hashtags. Though Instagram hasn’t opened up their API and you can’t schedule posts to directly post for you, Planoly will send you a notification at any time you want it to (so your optimal posting times) as a reminder.

Lastly, your number of followers should be a good indication for how often you post. If you have 500 followers, I’d post 1x a day. 500K? I’d post 3 times. You want ot make sure your content is coming up often enough to be seen in the algorithm, but you also don’t want to be spamming people. Test out different amounts and see how they do!

Growth/Engagement: There’s a lot you can do in terms of growth, but growth also usually comes slow and steady. Using the analytics of Iconosquare can help pinpoint what does well, so you definitely want to keep that in mind for growth, and then here are are some other ways to grow:

  • Do giveaways with other bloggers so that new people are being tagged and you’re being linked out to from other bloggers’ feeds – therefore being seen on an account that perhaps doesn’t follow you. Although let me just say that I do have very mixed feelings about doing giveaways – even though I’ve done plenty myself. The truth is that they absolutely DO help you grow, my question is just how to do them without feeling like a sell out (or maybe that’s just a personal problem). At the end of the day, it IS a business, so doing giveaways is a way to help your business grow.
  • Post consistently, decide on a frequency per week and stick to that number (on average). Make a schedule for yourself!
  • Use hashtags, but also don’t forget to keep up-to-date on the best hashtags to use. You want to use a mixture of both SUPER popular hashtags and not-so-popular hashtags to give yourself a fair chance of getting in the “top posts” for them.
  • Post at optimal times when your followers are on. You can see this information either via instagram analytics or iconosquare if you sign up! I think you can also see this in UNUM’s analytics too!
  • Engage! Click on similar hashtags that you’ve used and click around to profiles using those hashtags, then give out some likes and comments on posts you genuinely like. Being genuine is key! Leaving a comment like “cute” might not get you a follow back or attention from that account, but a genuine engaged comment might. Get out of the bubble of your own account and engage – plus make sure to engage back to people commenting on your posts! It’ll build connections and will likely get people to stick around.
how to manage social media for fashion blogging

3. Pinterest

My thoughts: One of the biggest mistake I see people making, in my opinion, is not utilizing Pinterest. (oh wait, this is currently myself too! ha! I just haven’t found the time!) It can be a HUGE market in terms of traffic for bloggers, and by not spending time or effort there, you’re not taking advantage of what it could do for you. But just as a disclaimer, don’t use my Pinterest account as an example because it’s pretty bad right now. I’m about to do a major revamp soon, but I’d love have you following along in the meantime!

The point: To share your blog and social content and to set up inspiration boards.

Management: Honestly, I think spending up to 5-7 hours on Pinterest a week is not a waste of time – if you have it. Pinterest has an algorithm, just like Instagram and Facebook do, and it’s important for growth and visibility to get on the good side of what they want.

I love relying on the system called TailWind for Pinterest efforts. It’s $15 a month (after a free trial), and it basically let’s you set optimal times to pin, then you can pin into a queue of sorts. So say you have an extra hour one night… instead of pinning 30 things and totally spamming your followers and the algorithm, TailWind spaces these pins out for you over the next few days – depending on how many pin slots you have each day. It’s simple, effective way to manage your pins, and to consistently post.

Growth/engagement: By sticking to a consistent schedule with pinning, growth will happen – if you’re pinning solid, streamlined content at least. Here are a few things to keep in mind for growth and to make your Pinterest an account people find or want to follow:

  • Make your boards clear. People may follow one board or all of yours, so you want to make each board specific. Don’t pin every single fashion post into one thing – maybe some followers aren’t into seeing bathing suits but they love to see denim posts. Make different boards for different themes, so “vacation outfits” and “denim looks.” Also, your boards should represent your brand and style, so try to stick to your general aesthetic.
  • Try to pin a good amount every single day – at like 7 pins a day, but best case would be 15-20. (I totally don’t do this, but I hope to get to this point some day – once I figure out how to better manage all that I’ve got going on lol)
  • Pin from your site and social! Don’t forget about your content here. Make your images linkable and go through your content and pin to your boards. This is how you grow your blog traffic via Pinterest! And if you have a killer outfit on Instagram, pin it!
how to manage social media for fashion blogging

4. Facebook & Twitter

My thoughts: I’m including these together because 1. I think they are pretty similar in terms of growth, management, and engagement, and 2. Y’all are probably ready to stop reading, LOL. But bottom line is, there are still benefits in both of these platforms as bloggers, so don’t ignore them if you can help it. My social mantra is, if there’s opportunity on a platform, take advantage of it.

The point: To SHARE, get a pulse on what’s happening, to monetize, to share info, to engage.

Management: The great thing about Facebook is you can pre-schedule posts. You can get TweetDeck and do it for Twitter, or an app like Hootsuite & Buffer will let you pre-plan both all in one place. Try to post to each of these at least once a day, or schedule something out.

Growth/Engagement: In my experience, Facebook garners more traffic than Twitter, so I put a bit more effort there. Here are a few things to do for growth/engagement on both platforms:

  • Share that day’s post. Duh right? But sometimes people forget this! GIve your followers an opportunity to see what’s new.
  • Share shoppable items – especially if something is on sale, this is a great place to let people know.
  • Get personal. Ask for advice! See what movies people are loving, which sales people are going to – anything on brand is worth sharing on these platforms.
  • Recycle old content – don’t let content die, recycle it and share older, relevant posts. Maybe a follower is new or old readers didn’t catch the post the first time.

And like all other platforms, don’t forget to engage. If people are taking the time to engage on your accounts, resopnd!

OKKKK I think that’s about it. As you can see, I’m passionate about this subject and have done a lot of research, so apologies for the length. I hope it’s helpful!

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Outfit Details:  Gibson Bell Sleeve Top (wearing size XS) // Rag & Bone Simone Pants (OBSESSED! run TTS) // Dee Keller Scalloped Wedges (run TTS, such a good Spring classic and SO comfortable) // Chloe Medium Marcie Bag //  Sonix Preston Sunglasses (under $100 and so cute!) // Moon & Lola gold Hoop Earrings