Networking is a must for all blogs - no matter what type of blog you run! Especially for beginners. Once you've established a fan-base, you can lighten up on networking a little bit, but in the beginning you really need to focus on this as one of your top priorities.
For the fashion blogger, the biggest networking tools you can use are online fashion communities, like we've discussed. Be sure to keep your online profiles up to date to show you are constantly active. You don't have to update everyday, but don't let weeks go by! Your fans or readers will start to forget about you and you'll have to make up for lost time.
Be sure to use social networking! Read our topic on Twitter and Facebook more closely for tips on how to use social networking to your benefit. Be sure to keep any social networking profile or online fashion community profile personal along with business! You don't want to constantly spam readers on these sites… you need to add a personal touch! Share things you're excited about.. even if they don't have anything to do with your theme or niche. Show readers you are real! They'll appreciate it.
So find someone out there who you can be friends with! Not someone that wants to ride on your coat-tails of success but will promote and support you as you do them! It has to be a fun, mutual friendship! If you have a "friend" that is constantly asking you to link them, do them favors, etc… you might want to rethink why they want to be friends. It's easy to pick them out, so keep your eyes peeled.
Comment on other blogs! If you receive 30 comments on your post, try to set aside a half hour of your time to comment on their blogs! Readers know it's not possible to always comment back on the comments you receive, but if you're just starting out, you should make an effort. It means a lot to someone to receive a comment on their blog (I read every single one and try to comment back to as many as possible!) Comment on your favorite blogs, network with girls who are similar to you and put yourself out there! It's all about making connections.
1. Using your twitter account, make sure you respond to all @ mentions! If you get #FF @ mentions, you should thank them! You should also do your own #FF! It's also nice to shout out someone on Twitter saying how much you really liked their outfit. Start a conversation!
2. Promote others! If you find someone that you really love their style and feel like they deserve the spotlight, promote them! Talk about them on Twitter, Facebook, in a blog post. They'll appreciate it and spread the word!
3. Create a "favorite blogs" section in your sidebar or on a separate page in your blog. It's a great way to show you have classy taste and a way to promote your favorites.
4. Create a little button for your blog to put inside a widget on your sidebar! That way readers can grab your button, paste it on their blogs and draw traffic to you!
5. Do a feature on a blogger or an interview! Every season, I do a "featured blogger" where I interview one of my favorite bloggers at the moment. They'll talk about it, other bloggers will see you promote and they'll appreciate it!
