5 Ways to Take your Fashion Blog to the Next Level

So, you’ve set a blogging goal and achieved it. Now what? Don’t stop there…once you reach one milestone, keep working towards the next! Whether you think you’ve reached the pinnacle of your success, or you’re just starting out, there’s always something more you can do to take you blog to the next level:

Photography/Images

Now: You’re taking your outfit pictures in front of the mirror, or inside your house. Your photos get the point across, but are un-interesting (this is where I am right now!).
Next Level: find a photographer who will work with you for exposure (maybe trade social media consulting for photographing your outfits?), get a tripod and set it up outside, or in an interesting location, create a studio (with lighting and a backdrop) in your office. Work with Photoshop (or Pixelmator for a cheaper alternative) on brightening and sharpening your photos. Take a photography class or invest in a new camera to make your photos even better.

Now: You just use basic product images on shopping posts
Next Level: Create collages of product images using graphics software and add design elements. Make your images pin-worth and get more exposure by making them visually appealing and fun. Side note: Vertical images look better on Pinterest, so maybe start creating separate images just for pinning if you use wide images on your blog mostly. I’ve started doing this.

Design

Now: You’re still on Blogger!
Next Level: Take the plunge and move over to self-hosted WordPress. It’s much easier than it used to be, and you’ll be in complete control over design, monetization, everything, really.

Now: You use a basic theme and don’t know how to tweak it
Next Level: learn html and/or css so you can make your blog truly your own and a reflection of your design aesthetic.

Community

Now: You’re getting some comments and have a growing number of regular readers
Next Level: Reward your readers and attract new ones with an enticing giveaway. Make sure you’re always interacting with readers in the comments; try to reply to every meaningful comment. Ask questions in your posts to inspire even more conversation.

Now: You keep the conversation always on your blog
Next Level: Branch out in to social media. See below

Social

Now: You mostly stick to Facebook, or just one social media platform
Next Level: Try sharing your posts on twitter, or google – create a goal for your social media shares and participation. Stick to it for a month or so, then analyze your stats, etc., to determine where your time is best spent. Figure out where your readers spend most of their social media time, and go there to interact with them.

Monetization

Now: You’re only using affiliate links in your posts
Next Level: Reach out to potential partners and brands you’d like to work with. Send your media kit along with ideas on how you can work together.

Now: You monetize only with advertising and/or affiliate links
Next Level: Start freelancing for other blogs/websites and looking for other sources of income. Do you have a product or service you can sell? Diversification is key if you want to stay in it for the long haul; advertising/affiliate income won’t be able to sustain you. Start collaborating with brands on posts or projects or join a group for access to sponsored post opportunities.

What are some ways you’ve taken your blog to the next level?

(Image credit: Shutterstock.com)