What Can Fashion Bloggers Learn from Fashion Week?

Fashion Bloggers: lessons from Sprin Paris Fashion Week

As  Paris Fashion Week comes to a close, we were struck by some clear lessons for bloggers and editors.

• Our writing and curation efforts, even our social posts, bear our signature, much the way a fashion collection does.
• Just as designers use a runway show to express their vision, bloggers also need a clear point of view
• Content is abundant, but there is only one of your brand.

Let’s take a closer look at PFW, and see what fashion bloggers, and others, can learn:

1.    Have A Point of View:  Learning from The Runway

Let’s compare two of the week’s standout shows:

The Rick Owens provocative show had everyone talking.  His use of real women, and the sheer “fierce-ness” of the show, broke every mold. Was it joyful? Was it ugly?  As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but he gained attention, by expressing HIS vision.

Maison Martin Margiela provided an entirely different experience. The setting felt familiar, but the designs were pure MMM.  The audience was offered a unique MMM point of view.  As he always does, this designer had observers thinking in new ways about beauty and gender.

Fashion Blogger’s Takeaway:  Designers at PFW all work with the same tools – fabrics, models, stylists, make-up, hair, music … but in the end, they succeed by being “known for” something unique.

When readers visit or subscribe to your blog, they are also looking for a consistent experience and a unique point of view.  They need to know the DNA of your brand, be it a singular aesthetic or an experience.  The more clearly you can articulate that, the more you will grow.

Examples of blogs with a strong point of view: Brian Clark/Copyblogger, Jennine Jacob, Founder of IFB, or Seth Godin.

2.    Working with Others: The Collaboration

When done well, collaboration can bring new interest to an established brand, extend its reach and make an exclusive brand more accessible.  Here are a few recent examples from fashion:

Catherine Malandrino’s capsule collection for Kohl’s … Victoria Beckham as Skype’s entry into fashion … LeBron’s new $50K watch for Audemars Piquet.  In each case, the outcome enhances both parties.

So too, with blog collaboration.  Multi-author blogs, guest posts, sponsored posts, republishing can all be win-win if the end result is a richer and better experience for your reader.  If it adds value … do it.  If not, don’t.

Examples of blogs that use collaboration to add value for their readers:  Guest posts on Mark Schaefer’s blog “Grow”, multi author blogs like IFB, blogger Denise Wakeman’s use of social curation and excerpts, Jonathan Bailey’s use of republishing on Plagiarism Today.

3.    Maximize Exposure:  The Red Carpet

Is there any better way to create demand for a designer’s clothes than to have them seen and photographed on celebrities?

To spread and gain a following, a blogger’s work, like a designer’s newest collection, has to be seen.

The broader your reach, the greater your influence, and the greater the business benefits that will accrue.

Blog “reach” strategies include:  Syndication of blogs on multi author blogs like B2C (Business to Community), on republishing networks like repubHub, and participation in collaborative communities like Triberr.

4.    Cautionary Tale: The Cheap Knock-Off  

We all know it … we’re better off investing in a new pair of high quality, on-trend shoes or accessories to freshen up an older outfit, than throwing money out on a cheap knock-off.

This is more of a blogger and fashion “don’t”, than a “do”; beware the cheap knock-off.

“Cautionary Tale” for bloggers:  Just like that poor ill-fitting, pilling, poorly sewn imitation, Google penalizes duplicate content, link farms, article spinning, and many other dubious cheap content tricks.  Instead, invest your time creating and curating quality content.

Remember, bespoke tailoring makes a lasting impression.  Sometimes, less is more.

Fashion Blogger Monetization

To monetize your blog, readers must understand how you are different.  Like the iconic Chanel bag …  your message, style, and way of connecting must be unique.

And, your blog must add value to the reader’s day.  Just as we feel great when we wear something new, we want to gain a new perspective, as well.  When your content resonates with your readers, they will give you their time, attention and loyalty. They will share your content and help build your following as brand advocates.

Of course, the more avid readers you have, the better your opportunity to reap the rewards of successful blogging – elevation to industry leader status and, yes, dollars and cents.

We’ll be discussing some new ideas about blog monetization in a future post …  or in the case of fashion bloggers, how ‘Green’ can become the new Black of fashion blogging.  There are many ways to monetize our blogs, and leverage our investment in publishing, but in blogging, as in fashion, it all starts with the brand.

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Fashion Bloggers: Invitation to Try repubHub

We invite you to learn more about repubHub, our new republishing content network.

repubHub is a new addition to your blog marketing mix, where you can:

• Contribute your content, and build your reach. Be sure to have your content there when we launch our new fashion portal, soon.
• Source topical content to legally reuse from our network.  We offer a database of millions of articles, refreshed by 7,000+ new posts each day.

repubHub is free to join.  Contribute your feed easily, with the free iCopyright Toolbar, to make your content available to others.  Or, subscribe for free to a curated feed of content based on your interests.

We look forward to you early feedback.  Check back for our new category repubHubs soon!