Whether you want to launch your fashion career or you just love fashion as a hobby, one great way to explore your passion is by starting a fashion blog. You can write about your favorite outfits, where to find the best deals on clothing, and many other topics. There are several ways that you can start a fashion blog, and even make money in the long run, and we’ll cover steps on how to get started below.
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Examples of Popular Fashion Blogs
The fashion blog industry is quite large, with new bloggers popping up here and there every day. It might be intimidating to you since there are already a lot of established blogs. Add to it the fact that many of them are actually earning big bucks. However, if you try to compare yourself with the success of these popular bloggers, you will get overwhelmed. Do not feel overwhelmed. Look at it this way: these bloggers may already be soaring high now, but they all started small. To help inspire you, we will take a look at three of the most popular fashion blogs.
This is a Paris-based website by a woman named Ellie. Now with 42,000 followers, Ellie’s theme is urban luxe fashion. She has become an expert at mixing denim with accents of striking colors. A lot of her success is due to her eye-catching photos, which she posts about six times a day. For examples of what works in chic fashion, check her out.
YoYo Cao is a Singapore-based fashion blogger who provides you with behind-the-scenes passes into the world of fashion and beauty. She posts an average of three articles a week. This seems overwhelming, especially to a new blogger, but she does it by having guest bloggers. That, plus her sharp business acumen and dynamic style make her an impressive fashion blogger. Once you are up and running, seeking out guest bloggers is something to keep in mind.
Lisa Gachet is another Parisian fashion blogger who has launched a brand that truly represents the idea of DIY. Her blog focuses on fascinating do-it-yourself fashion statements, which reflect her personality, but also teach you how to reflect your own personality through fashion. Part of her success is that she covers several topics: fashion, travel, beauty, even food. Each topic focuses on her signature DIY theme. This allows her to reach a broader audience, but ties everything together with a common premise.
How To Start a Fashion Blog
Now that we’ve looked at some of the most popular fashion blogs, let’s take a look at how to start a fashion blog. As with any other niche blogs, there is a specific process to follow when starting a fashion blog. This can be a tedious task, but don’t fret, we will make things easier for you. Here are the steps that you need to take when starting a fashion blog.
1. Pick a Specific Niche
The first thing that you need to do is to select the particular set of topics that you want to cover on your fashion blog. There are a great number of fashion blogs out there, and standing out is the difference between success and failure. Yoyokulala, for example, focuses on insider tips and industry secrets. Being vague in your purpose can lead to confusion in the readers, and failure for your blog.
Consider your prospective readers. Who do you want to read your blog? Do you want to talk about female fashion and cater to women? Do you want to discuss male fashion and explore the world of the male clothing industry? Are your interests geared towards blogging about fashion for plus-sized women? Or will you stick to the fashion styles of kids? By being specific in your niche, you gain more readers who would use your blog as their guide throughout their lives. If you are going to be a generalist and cover many different topics, do so within a specific framework, such as Make My Lemonade’s DIY focus.
2. Choose a Blogging Platform and Hosting Company
The next thing that you will need to do is select the blogging platform. There are several platforms out there, but the most popular ones include WordPress, Blogger, and Wix. They all provide customizable options, making it easy to design a site that matches exactly what you want. We highly recommend WordPress.
You will also need a blog host. Initially, you could use a free hosting website like WordPress.com but as you grow you’ll want to look for a more flexible and scalable host, like Bluehost.
3. Pick a Domain Name
This can be tricky. A domain name should briefly describe your blog. It should encapsulate what you want your readers to expect when they click to your blog. It should be short, yet catchy, and above all else, memorable. Try not to pick a domain name that does not really relate to your specific niche. If you are all about women’s boots, for example, do not insert other pieces of clothing on your domain name, such as hats and gloves. “My Hat and Glove Blog” does not convey the idea that you deal solely with women’s boots.
Here are a few examples to check out:
4. Get Started with Little Money
Some people think that only those who have a large budget can blog. While having a budget can certainly help with marketing and visibility, we’re here to say that you can actually start with little to no money. Many web hosting plans are cheap (and even free). The best solution when working on a tight budget is to use your passion and determination (and your SEO knowledge) to get your blog trending. The higher it trends, the more it shows on searches, and the more traffic your blog will get. The more traffic it gets, the more it trends, and so on. As long as you are determined, you can get started with very little money.
5. Write Your First Post
Now that your account has been set up, it’s time to write your first post. It could be about anything – from a short introduction of your site to a photo essay of your particular aesthetic focus. Be sure to put some images in to help break up the text and keep the blog moving. Once you have gotten comfortable with blogging, you may also want to look into Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which will help make your blog visible on search engines. However, all of these are well and good, but the important thing to remember is to write with passion. Let your love of your topic come through. If the post you write doesn’t excite you, then it won’t likely excite your readers, either.
6. Make Money From Your Blog
Your blog does not end after creating your first post. The key here is to continue writing and posting photos that are connected to your chosen specific niche. If you have enough articles, you could actually make money from a fashion blog. How can you earn money from blogging? There are a few ways.
1) You can use affiliate marketing which allows you to promote other people’s products. When a reader clicks on the affiliate link and purchases the product you recommend, you earn a commission. Obviously, the more traffic you have, the more likely you are to have ad revenue, so this is a great way to earn money once you have a regular flow of visitors. rewardStyle and ShopStyle collective are some great fashion affiliate programs.
2) Brand sponsorship. Similar to the previous method, this one is brand specific. A brand would pay you to be featured on your blog and social media channels. It’s what television and radio shows have done for the last century.
The key to a successful fashion blog is to stand out. This is difficult to do in a market full of fashion blogs, but it is far from impossible. Find your niche, write with passion, and build a community of readers. As your blog grows, there are more advanced steps to take and decisions to consider, but this should get you started on your own road to doing what you love!
