fashion marketing: how to use Instagram to grow your fashion business

Each day there are 20 billion pictures shared on Instagram and 1.6 billion pictures are "liked." (instagram) By the numbers alone it's clear that Instagram is a great place for businesses to have a presence but specifically, its a great platform for fashion businesses to grow. Instagram can be a powerful visual marketing tool for fashion businesses because it allows you to promote your product and your brand without coming off like an annoying salesman/saleswoman.

Here are a few tips  to growing your business using Instagram.

Only post pictures that fit your brand. What are 4 words that describe your business? How do you want people to perceive your business and what feelings do you want to evoke? Once you've answered these questions, ask yourself "does this picture fit the 4 words I used to describe my business?" "Does this picture fit my brand?" If the answer is no, don't post it. Branding can only build trust and familiarity with your audience if you are consistent and stay true to the brand you developed. A local brand who I think really understands this concept is @reifhaus.

Use relevant hastags to expand your reach. Though it's fun to create random hashtags, make sure to also use popular hashtags that people heavily search. In Portland, some good hashtags to use are: #portland #pdx #pdxfashion #portlandfashion #fashion #supportland.

Be strategically creative with the pictures you post. Fashion marketing is all about the visual presentation. Try to find a creative way to show your product and display your message. Here are some examples of photos I've posted to my Instagram: 

Integrate your Instagram with your Twitter and Facebook page. This is just another way to expand your reach and to save time. One stone, three birds. 

Be consistent and post regularly. Brands who do not maintain a consistent presence on their media channels struggle to create and build communities around their brand.

Engage with your community. Communicate with your audience. Respond, repost and engage often. It's called social media for a reason.

Go #BTS (behind the scenes). People love behind the scenes photos. They enjoy seeing the ends and outs of what makes a business tick and feeling like they've got the inside access. Take your audience through a day in the life of your business and give them exclusive access to your brand. 

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Instagram can take a lot of time and effort to perfect, but it is one of my favorite marketing tools because the opportunities are endless. Instagram is a great place to spotlight your brand and show the world (through visuals) why your brand is so cool. 

If you have more questions about Instagram or fashion marketing in general, feel free to visit my website Arreis PR + Marketing or send me an email. I'd be happy to chat.