Should you start a blog for your fashion/lifestyle business?

Social media, email marketing, and blogging?

I know, I know — it sounds like a lot. If you’re a fashion or lifestyle business owner, you’ve probably already got a lot on your plate. You may be wondering if starting a blog for your business is worth it, or if you should stick to other forms of marketing.

Obviously I’m going to be a bit biased as a fashion and lifestyle content writer, but I promise the information that I share below is simply here for you to absorb and consider. Once you’ve pondered it for a little while, you can make a decision based on your needs and wishes.

If you’ve been debating whether or not to start a blog for your fashion or lifestyle business, this post is for you. I’ll be outlining the key benefits of blogging and sharing some tips to make it work for you if it’s something you want to pursue. So without further ado, let’s get to the juicy stuff!

The benefits of starting a blog for your fashion/lifestyle business

I’ll start off by saying that there are definitely upsides to blogging, otherwise it wouldn’t be such a big marketing strategy. It might not be for you, but consider the following benefits …

Blogging boosts SEO & increases website traffic

This is probably the number one benefit to blogging. As a business owner, you want more people to be able to find your brand (and website), and blogging is a great way to do so.

While there are other ways to boost SEO and increase web traffic, blogging is a fairly simple continuous solution.

Sure, you can optimize all of the pages on your website, but search engines are always on the lookout for fresh content. So you can update your website copy on the regular (which isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but might not be super sustainable), or you can create a steady stream of content with your blog.

In addition, blogging gives you an infinite amount of opportunities to add relevant keywords to your website. Each post is a new opportunity! There are only so many times you can include keywords on website copy without it sounding unnatural (no one likes keyword stuffing), but blog posts allow you to really elaborate on certain ideas and keywords.

It also allows people to find you in unexpected ways. Let’s say you’re a cashmere brand that posts an amazing, thorough blog about the material and its origins. Google loves it and it’s on the first page. Now even more people that are curious about cashmere can find your brand, because that blog post might contain keywords that don’t make sense with the rest of your website copy.

All in all, blogging provides more options, which is never a bad thing when it comes to visibility.

Blogging builds authority & trust

You know the old marketing adage — people don’t buy from brands, they buy from people. Especially people they trust.

Blogging is a great way to show your expertise and provide your audience with value. You can use your blog to share styling advice, care tips, material/textile information, industry trends … you name it! It’s also a great way to show off your own values and interests, which can make your customers feel closer to you.

Plus, since blogging and long-form content go hand-in-hand, you’ll really have the space to show your knowledge. If you feel restricted by social media or emails, blogging is the perfect platform for letting your wisdom flow.

Blogging supports social media & email marketing

Don’t think of blogging as one more thing you have to do — think of it as a complement to your existing marketing efforts.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. You’re absolutely allowed to compound and repurpose content between all of your marketing channels.

What my clients and I like to do is work with monthly themes that we use in blogs, emails, and social media content. It’s nice to start with a blog (which will likely be your beefiest form of content), then condense that information for emails and social media. It really doesn’t have to be a lot of extra work if you don’t want it to be!

What to keep in mind when starting a fashion/lifestyle blog for your business

Ok, so now you know that blogging can be a pretty great tool for your business. But it’s important to understand that it isn’t a magical marketing solution.

Blogging and SEO are very much long-game strategies. Don’t expect overnight results. This is because it can take a while for blogs to rank — anywhere from a few months to a year or more. It’s just the way that search engines work, unfortunately.

Plus, consistency is key. Search engines like active websites, and that includes an active blog page. You might luck out with one blog post that strikes gold, but your best bet will be to continually post valuable content that can rank.

You’ll also want to remember that blogging does not equal instant conversion (like any form of marketing, really). These days, people are taking more time than ever to make purchasing decisions. Some people might immediately buy things from a gift guide blog, but others might need some time to build trust and eventually purchase. Still, blogging is a great way to establish that trust and keep your brand top of mind when the customer eventually is ready to make a purchase.

However, the silver lining is that your patience can pay off big time. Some businesses get the majority of their web traffic from SEO blogs!

How to make blogging work for your fashion or lifestyle brand

Think you’re ready to blog? It’s always smart to have a plan that works for your business. Before you get started on your editorial calendar, here are some tips for instilling sustainable blogging practices:

• Set a realistic posting schedule. As I mentioned above, consistency is key. Don’t get overly ambitious with 8 blogs a month if you don’t think you can actually handle posting that much. Take a look at your schedule and try to gauge how much time you have for maintaining a blog. If one is all you can handle for now, so be it. It’s always good to keep yourself accountable by creating a set schedule (ie. the 1st and 15th of every month).
• Choose quality over quantity. With that in mind, opt for quality over quantity — something that makes sense for so many aspects of life, don’t you think? Consistency is important, but it’s better to publish a few high quality blogs than a bunch of mediocre ones. Now, what exactly does quality mean when it comes to a blog? You’ll want content that’s engaging, informative, and easy to read. Make sure it covers all the bases of your topic, provides value, is written well, and is formatted in a way that makes it aesthetically pleasing and easy to digest.
• Target your ideal customer. Make sure you’re choosing topics that your customers are interested in, and think about any problems you can solve for them. If you’re struggling to figure out topics, you can research what competitors are writing about, or go directly to the source. If you have a physical storefront, pay attention to the questions and concerns your customers have. If not, you can pull topics from your FAQ, poll your followers on social media, or use discussion-based platforms like Reddit or Threads to find out what your customers’ most burning questions are.

When a blog might not be the right fit

Despite all of the benefits that blogging can provide a fashion or lifestyle business, it might not be for you. And that’s okay. I’m just here to provide insight.

Shelf it for now if you feel that you don’t have the time or resources for it. If I haven’t hammered in the importance of consistency and quality by now, I’ll mention it again. It’s better to wait until you can really give blogging your all.

Also, you know your customers better than anyone. Maybe they’re very into visuals and short-form content, so social media is your bread and butter. If your existing marketing efforts are doing everything they need to do, then you’ll probably be good without a blog. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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