Fashion bloggers and their audience

A quick search of the term ‘fashion blogs’ on Google will return millions of results-389,000,000 to be specific, all of which revolves around the theme of fashion. The rise of the internet has enabled users to easily gain access to millions of blogs with free content, and all just a click away. So why do some fashion blogs attract a larger readership in comparison to other blogs? Is there a list of criteria to guide the audience into choosing their favourite fashion blogs just as we have a list of criteria when we buy magazines? This post attempts to look into the reasons behind how niche audiences of fashion blogs choose which blogs to read and follow up on, and why? I came across an article by Taylor Davies on the website: Independent Fashion Bloggers which looks at the popularity of fashion blogs from the perspective of blog readers. She does come up with quite a few valid points that would be great for our feature. 

1. When blog readers browse through a fashion blog, they are able to connect with the blogger on a more personal level in comparison with other types of fashion media. It's a more personalized experience. 

Generally, under these What I wore today outfit posts, the fashion blogger makes a list of where their clothes are from. The fashion blogger may shop at the same stores as their readers, enabling them to easily purchase elements of an outfit they like, and replicate their favourite blogger's look easily enough. 

Taylor Davis notes that: "the larger fashion media community has embraced fashion bloggers for their ability to relate to their audiences as well as translate that appreciation into monetization. From blogger networks like Fellt to editorial features, magazines and brands are scrambling to capitalize on bloggers' success-but within their standards."

 Credits to Melbourne Blogger Connie Cao of  K is for Kani 

Blogs have the ability to influence purchases. Like that pair of shoes the blogger is wearing? Simply click through on an embedded link and be led to the virtual location of those shoes. All that hassle of browsing through stores saved for you!  Online clothing giant ASOS may have chosen Connie to be their ambassador, but this is done after careful analysis to ensure that her blog readers' demographic fits in with their brand. 

2. What attracts blog readers to these top tier blogs are how good they are. The photography of the blog plays an important role in attracting blog readership. Just as readers are just as attracted to the content of a magazine, they are just as interested in curated images, and these top tier blogs have high quality photography. 

3. They also have a consistent posting schedule so readers can expect an update the next time they drop by the blog. Fashion blogs are able to provide their niche audience (the readers who pop by a few times a week to check in with their favourite blogger), with insight into the way they live, and the clothes they choose to wear happens to reflect a large part of that lifestyle.

Credits to Shine by Three

Add to the mix that blogging networks now host a number of fashion blogs on the same platform, so accessing blogs has never been easier.  

4. Readers want to be able to connect with their favourite fashion bloggers outside of the blog and not everybody has a blog to be able to leave a comment. Successful fashion bloggers are usually on other social media platforms as well such as twitter and facebook. Below is a video with the twitter accounts of successful fashion bloggers and how it has attracted them more readership. 

   

5. The layout of the blog has to be simple and functional enough for their blog readers to easily access blog content. For instance, the archive and tags of blog posts are arranged neatly so readers can click on a link and be led back to past entries. 

6. Comments are an integral part of blog readership. As Kristina Braly notes in her blog post on The Secrets to Successful fashion Blogging, comments are a two way process. She says, "I believe that comments are a measure of engagement...what better way to show that than to reply to your commenters?"

It allows readers to feel connected with the blogger on a personal level whilst providing bloggers with insight into what readers would like and not like to see on a blog.  

7. Great content where bloggers provide a fresh and unique voice. One thing that Taylor Davis notes in her article is something that the feature would like to explore. She says, "there needs to be a serious commitment to higher-quality content, as well as a more committed approach to fostering the growth from brands and larger publications.