We invited Julia Dale, a blogger behind The Russian Fashion Blog to write a post explaining the steps a designer needs to take to be noticed and featured by a popular blog. Below is Part I of the post on this subject.

Julia provides us with some useful insights from the perspective of a successful blogger.

 

 

There are two types of bloggers you might be interested in as a designer: critics who discuss collections and analyze trends and style bloggers. Sometimes it is both types combined like Susie Bubble or Leandra Medine aka The Man Repeller.

 

While it would definitely feel great to be in each and every blog, I would recommend building a list of blogs your brand can relate to (not necessarily the most popular!) and developing relationships with them. To find a right fit for your brand, try answering these questions: what is the theme of this blog? how many readers does it have? Who are they? Does it have lots of reader interaction?

 

Personal style blogger phenomena

 

Let’s face it: editorials are incredibly beautiful and inspirational works of art but it is all made up. It is not real. Next to street style pictures it looks like a painting next to a photograph: which one would you believe?

 

I can’t relate to models because they are so perfect. I want to see a girl just like me who would show me how to wear all the hot trends in natural environment, under natural light, without weird posing. Of course, the interaction part is important, too, because it is fun! I don’t go shopping with friends as often as I visit my favorite blogs and in terms of creating positive emotions the latter have similar effect.

 

If a blogger is popular enough, why not letting her borrow your designs to feature on her blog? Again, make sure she is a good fit for your brand and discuss all the terms and conditions.

 

First step

 

Bloggers LOVE press releases and introduction emails. It makes us feel important, just like any other form of feedback: the better our blog is, the more PR pitches we receive! So, it is absolutely ok to pitch bloggers, and it will work for you if…

…your message is relevant. I really cannot stress it enough because I receive so much interesting information that doesn’t belong to my blog and therefore I can’t write about it. By sending me something relevant you are showing care that goes beyond words about “wonderful blog” and would be a good start to our relationship.

When you write an introduction letter to bloggers please let them know why you are interested in their particular blog. If you don’t get a response right away, write a follow-up, some people need to be reminded.

 

When you have established a relationship

 

To reach your goals you have to set them first. What are you looking to get from our relationship? Is it just coverage to gain recognition or more defined goals like increasing sales in a certain store during a certain period of time? Setting clear goals and measuring results will be beneficial to both of us.

Bloggers work hard to promote themselves and need to post increasingly more interesting content to grow their audience. Give them something special that will add value to their blog – an interview, exclusive pictures, some sort of collaboration… An opportunity to get unique content is hard to resist. And don’t forget to invite bloggers to your runway shows and other events!

 

When to compensate a blogger

 

  1. For publishing content that’s clearly promotional, not editorial.
  2. For providing photos you will use in your promotional materials.
  3. For providing materials or work that will be sold by you or you otherwise would have paid for.
  4. When you absolutely, 100% need a blogger who wouldn’t budge otherwise to write something very nice about you.

 

Usually bloggers have to disclose sponsored posts and gifts received for editorial coverage, so don’t be surprised when it happens. Where it is not a law like in the U.S. it is just good ethics.

 

More information:

 

http://fashionablymarketing.me/2011/08/relationships-fashion-bloggers-brands/

http://heartifb.com/2009/06/29/brands-bloggers/

http://heartifb.com/2011/08/01/2010/07/23/the-ifb-fair-compensation-manifesto/

… to be continued…

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