Fashion Today
Learning about fashion has become more comfortable as social media changes.
People used to hear and learn about fashion exclusively from magazines, such as Vogue and Elle. People also learned about style via fashion shows.
It’s always been a dream of mine to attend all the fashion weeks shows all over the world, as I ’m sure many others have.
Options such as magazines and fashions shows aren’t always the best or most feasible options. Magazine prices have risen, and fashion shows are even more costly.
Luckily for you (and me), social media has introduced us to an entirely new world of information when it comes to fashion and fashion brands.
When social media began, fashion was very linear, meaning that the same fashion brands got the most press and indie fashion brands were unable to spread the word about their brand.
Believe it or not, fashion is an industry that relies on politics. The world of social media has disrupted that politics, making it easier for fashion brands to gain press and popularity. With the help of influencers, fashion brands have transformed the way that people view fashion.
There are people out there that have blooming careers because of the fashion industry and the world of influencers.
When I first started influencing, many fashion brands I had never heard of reached out to me for campaigns.
Now, thanks to influencer marketing, these brands are some of the most well known today.
How Fashion Brands Benefit from Influencer Marketing
There are many different ways to benefit from influencer marketing as a fashion brand.
Have you ever heard of Fashion Nova? If not, you probably don’t spend much time looking at fashion on social media platforms.
Fashion Nova is a company that has grown into a multimillion dollar company by using influencer marketing. You’ve probably seen many of your favorite female celebrities wearing fashion nova.
Recently, they’ve created a men’s section, further spreading their brand across platforms. Of course, there are some disadvantages to growing so quickly, especially when fashion is involved.
Some people have an issue with just how rapidly these fashion brands have grown. However, the growth shouldn’t be seen as negative, but as a change within an industry that needs new and fresh brands.
The critical point is that all fashion brands benefit from influencer marketing. Just think about how expensive it is to put an ad in a high-quality fashion magazine, such as Vogue.
You might have to spend a fortune, but with influencer marketing, you can spend your budget more efficiently.
Influencer marketing might be the best option for fashion brands. Let me tell you why.
Receive Honest Opinions
When you use influencer marketing, you gain the potential to get honest opinions of your fashion brand.
If you’re starting, you should have your PR team send out some samples to different influencers. These gifts should be individualized and make the influencer feel special.
Why? Well, many influencers typically receive many different gifts from many different brands every week. You want to stand out by giving them a gift that fits their platform. Do your research before sending something and make sure that you have the right name and information.
An important tip to remember is that a company or agency represent the most significant influencers. You’ll want to reach out to that point of contact before reaching out directly.
All in all, once your brand is in the hands of an influencer, you’ll be able to get opinions about what you’ve given.
You can make improvements as you go along.
Fashion Is Visual, and Influencers Know It
A picture says a thousand words.
Well, influencers, especially those on social media platforms such as Instagram, and Youtube, know that the visuals they present should be on point. These influencers use image-focused platforms, such as Instagram and Youtube, with good reason.
They understand that audiences, especially young audiences, respond more to visuals than to anything else. When it comes to fashion, people don’t want to read every detail about a garment.
They want to see it, and they want to see it well. Once they see it and they love it, they’ll decide if they wish to engage more with the product.
Influencer marketing works great for fashion because brands get to see their pieces presented uniquely and creatively. The uniqueness and creativity allow potential customers to see how a piece fits and looks within a space.
When thinking about the influencer market as a fashion brand, it’s important to understand that visuals are, quite literally, everything.
Different Types of Influencers For Best Results
New fashion brands can’t always afford the hottest celebrity or macro influencer endorsements.
Brands like Fashion Nova have no issue cashing out on some of the biggest influencers, such as Kylie Jenner, and Amber Rose. However, some brands have other priorities and don’t have the money to cash out.
Luckily, there’s an alternative to celebrities and macro influencers known as micro-influencers. Micro-influencers offer affordable and effective platforms to promote your clothing.
The main concern is that micro influencers have small followings, but those small followings shouldn’t be counted out. They may have small followers, but their engagement is usually high.
Micro-influencers spend time building a community, rather than just focusing on followers. The people that follow them trust their opinions. These types of influencers are usually more affordable and more comfortable to work with.
The great thing about these influencers is that they showcase your products in fun an unique ways that connect your brand with their community on social media.
They are also, usually, more flexible and will work with you despite a low budget.
Influencers Often Collaborate
When it comes to fashion, influencers usually collaborate with other influencers.
Many people love to work with other people in the same industry to increase following and engagement.
This is excellent news for your brand because it means you get double or triple the engagement. When one influencer wears your brand while working with another, they share your brand in more ways than one.
This type of collaboration is great for all fashion brands, especially the newer ones. The more people see your brand, the better your engagement will be.
Gain Offline Engagement
Another added point is that the influencer market happens offline as well.
So, an influencer wearing your brand out in public means that other influencers are exposed to your brand as well. Think of the influencer as a walking word of mouth, meaning that the influencer is showing others that they enjoy your brand by wearing it offline too.
Metrics are restricted online, but offline, the possibilities are endless. If your chosen influencer happens to wear your pieces to a significant event, that’s more engagement online metrics can measure.
Influencers Make Fashion Relatable
Influencers make it their job to connect with others on an emotional level.
This emotional connection is something that many fashion brands lack. People are more likely to purchase because of their relationship with an influencer. Influencers also affordably present brands, especially when you offer a discount code for them to share.
Most people don’t engage with fashion brands because the prices make a purchase feel out of reach. Using an influencer might change that overall sentiment.
When someone sees that someone they enjoy wears a particular brand, they are more likely to try it out themselves, despite the hefty price tag.
Fashion Is Already Online
Fashion brands have moved to online platforms since social media became popular.
Sure, there are still magazines out there, and people still attend New York and Paris every year for Fashion Week, but most people don’t engage with either of those things.
Do you know what they do pay attention to? Their phones, and the screens in front of their face. As a fashion brand, it’s a must to have a social media presence. Without it, you’re missing out on opportunities to expand.
Starting, you might lack the build your online presence, but it’s spread the word about your brand. That’s why influencers are essential.
Influencer marketing builds an audience and creates content for you. The influencer takes care of the tasks that you feel like you can’t manage.
Other Brands Have Found Success
So many other brands have been successful in their partnerships with digital influencers. Some of the most prominent fashion brands have proven just how effective influencer marketing is.
Brands such as H&M, Forever 21, and PrettylittleThing have garnered success using influencer marketing. Your brand should be on that list of names too.
How to Start
Want to get started?
There are a few things to consider before launching your best influencer campaign. If you ever need direction on where to go, check out this list of things to do.
#1 Identify Your Target Audience
Who engages with your product most? Who do you want to buy your products?
These questions are essential for anyone that owns a brand, of any kind. Influencer marketing is most successful when fashion brands target the right people.
If you use a digital influencer that doesn’t align with your target audience, the campaign won’t produce the best results. Consider researching how your chosen influencer connects with your brand and its audience.
Do they engage with them, or do they post and leave? How often are they discussing fashion on their platforms? Think about these questions before moving forward with one person.
The best thing might be to work with several different influencers under the same niche.
#2 Set Marketing Goals
While influencer marketing might seem less structured but it’s just as important as other marketing methods, such as billboards or tv commercials.
The influencer marketing you implement needs a foundation and goals that will help you get on the same page as your target audience.
You don’t want to aimlessly use influencers because you will waste money that way. You’ll need to think about what your goals are. If you’re going to increase sales, you’ll need to focus on ways to do that.
If you want to raise brand awareness, then you’ll want to focus on getting your brand in front of more people. Digital influencers help you reach these goals, especially with the right direction. If you don’t know what to do, neither will your influencer.
After creating your marketing goals, discuss them with the people you’ve chosen to work with.
Find out how they can add a creative touch to your plans and get started!
#3 Keep up With Social Media
Many companies find social media daunting, but it’s becoming more and more important with each day.
It’s essential to stay up to date on the latest social media trends, especially as you connect with more people.
Also keeping up with social media is necessary for those working with influencers. By knowing what’s going on, you know what methods the influencers plan on using for your campaign.
Keeping up with social media is similar to keeping up with the Kardashians, you don’t need to know every move but want to know just enough to stay up to date and in the know!
#4 Use Your Marketing Skills
Marketing skills are essential when working with influencers.
Many influencers get approached about campaigns all the time. You’ll need to have skills in marketing to persuade influencers to work with you.
It’ll show that you care about your brand and have a desire to create and expand. You’ll also need to know why that particular influencer is a good fit for your brand, which you’ll only know by having great marketing skills.
#5 Build a Campaign
Once you’ve chosen an influencer to partner with, you have a couple of choices.
You can allow your digital to create whatever they want, or you can provide some guidance. The route you take depends on the influencer you choose.
Some influencers enjoy freedom while others enjoy advice from the brand. Influencers create many different types of content including honest reviews or simple lifestyle images. The entire point is that you and the influencer work together to build a campaign.
After the content is created, you want to approve the material before it is published. Setting some guidelines might make the approval process quicker and smoother.
Of course, it’s important to make sure you and the influencer are happy with whats’ created for a successful campaign.
#6 Agree on Compensation
Influencers don’t promote fashion brands for free unless they like your brand.
Even then, it’s important to compensate influencers for their work. It’s important to think about how much you can offer before approaching an influencer.
Compensation varies depending on your brand’s financial resources and the influencer’s expectations. You can agree to compensate in many different ways, such as a cash payment for each post. The compensation you provide also depends on what you’re asking for from the influencer.
If you’re asking for a simple review, you might not need to offer much, but if you need something more, you’ll need to provide more.
Remember This!
Influencer marketing offers real results from real people.
There’s no reason to question it! As a fashion brand, you’ll need to be connected with influencers that can share your brand message well.
Luckily for you, BeautyClout has influencers ready to create stellar content for you. Our influencers don’t just work in beauty but also dabble in the world of fashion. Beauty and fashion fall hand in hand.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions! We’re always happy to help!