Social Media: A Trendsetter In Fashion
In the fashion world, trends dictate certain clothing demands, popular design aesthetics, and the ‘must-have’ look everyone wants. Various factors contribute to setting these trends, from the availability of supplies to innovation. One of the most influential players in developing and shaping trends is social media. It has created an exciting platform for community interaction, building connections, and sharing. With social media, trends spread and circulate faster than ever before. Digital trends challenge the fashion industry as designers and clothing markets strive to keep up with the constant changes in style preferences. Let’s take a closer look at how impact and influence the fashion industry.
The Impact Of Social Media On Fashion
Social media has tremendously impacted fashion trends, dramatically altering how we view, demand, and purchase clothing. From Instagram influencers to YouTube vloggers, individuals have a platform to showcase their unique style and inspire others. Today’s trends transition much faster than ever before, with users able to share, comment, purchase, and wear clothing within minutes. This rapid pace has shaped a new fashion landscape, where trends, styles, and designers must keep up with the pace set by social media for fashion.
Given the significant role of social media in driving fashion trends, it’s no wonder that many brands are prioritising investments in social media marketing. Strategies such as sponsored posts and orchestrated social media campaigns are being utilised to tap into the influential power of social media over fashion trends.
By leveraging various platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, fashion designers can now reach consumers faster and more economically to promote their collections. In addition, they can assess interest levels. As a result, fashion trends, which were once purely dictated by industry insiders, are now significantly influenced by the voices of social media users. This shift has led to a more democratic approach to the fashion industry, offering consumers greater choice and agency in their fashion decisions.
A Spotlight on the Premier Social Media Platform for Fashion
While fashion house shows once set the trend, TikTok and Instagram have now claimed the spotlight. Fashion brands seek influencers to champion their brand and boost product sales. Market research for ad campaigns now leans heavily on current Instagram trends and viral TikTok videos. Awareness of various brands, inspirations, and ethics has surged. Every detail, from everyday wear to luxury clothing, is now advertised for a wider audience to discover. To build on this, let’s now explore further why social media has such a huge impact on the fashion industry:
Wide outreach
The digital realm harbours a huge amount of data that individuals can tap into through their smartphones. The internet’s outreach is virtually boundless. Sharing and acquiring information happens in a blink. A good social media marketing company in Dubai takes advantage of technology’s large and wide outreach capabilities to share information and trends quickly. It spotlights particular fashion looks, providing them with a virtual catwalk.
Social media gives birth to trends as its algorithms favour posts that garner a high number of views. If a stylish outfit is posted and it catches attention, the platform promotes and circulates that post throughout the site or app, thereby setting a fashion trend that others eagerly replicate.
Influencer marketing
Social media has carved a brand new career avenue in the fashion sphere. When individuals use social platforms to offer a snapshot of their lives and curated content, it generates interest, attention, and views. The strong demand for videos, photos, and shared information has given rise to the profession of influencing.
With the power to share and circulate what they upload on the internet, influencers can set trends at the mere click of a button. Social media influencers market various garments and styled looks that generate clicks and revenue. A trend is sparked when their posts spread across the internet and inspire others to do the same.
Diversity
By offering a platform for people to express their unique style and connect with others with similar tastes, social media has facilitated representation and inclusivity in the fashion world for people of varied backgrounds and body types.
Furthermore, social media has enabled a wider range of voices and viewpoints to be heard within the fashion industry. Instead of solely depending on traditional fashion media to dictate what’s in vogue, social media has empowered individuals to showcase their distinct styles and contribute to steering the industry’s trajectory.
Social media trends for fashion brands
People don’t follow clothing brands on social media merely to learn about promotions or view branded content. They want to see how others like themselves wear the clothing. They seek inspiration for crafting their style and wish to keep abreast of what’s new. In social media marketing, the most effective content for clothing brands serves to unite people. It fosters a connection between you and your audience and within the audience themselves.
Find the Right Influencers and Bloggers
It may seem almost essential at this stage, particularly for clothing brands, but the importance of bloggers and influencers should not be underestimated. What’s equally important is conducting thorough research. Brands often become fixated on follower counts without delving deeper. An audience analysis will reveal whether a potential influencer’s followers align with the target demographic and how engaged their audience is.
In fact, selecting lifestyle bloggers rather than fashion bloggers might prove more beneficial. Understanding what people “do” while wearing the clothes, and finding those influencers, could be key. These influencers are also more likely to already use and appreciate the clothing.
Equip Your Social Profiles for Customer Service
When something goes wrong, social media is the first place customers will likely express their frustration. There’s no need to look far on any brand’s social media page to find complaints about sizing, quality, shipping, and any other issue one might think of. Don’t be the type that deletes negative comments; instead, you should address them. The social media manager should be equipped to function as a customer service representative, responding to comments, resolving problems, and replying to messages.
Create Style Guides and Collections in Stories
Stories hold immense value for clothing brands. Firstly, posting to Stories secures positioning at the top of followers’ feeds without the need to wrestle with algorithms or wait one’s turn to be found in a person’s feed. If a user views Stories, they will come across yours in due time. Moreover, with Instagram’s feature of saving Stories on one’s profile indefinitely, brands can craft Story highlights dedicated to each season’s collections or specific styles.
Build Excitement for Upcoming Product Releases
Social media followers typically include a brand’s most loyal fans. Keep in mind that people usually follow brands on social media that they really like rather than ones they only somewhat appreciate. Therefore, platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are ideal for generating excitement for upcoming product releases. Instagram Stories, TikTok, and Facebook Stories are particularly valuable as they elevate your content to the top of news feeds. Additionally, extra features such as music, Q&A, and polls can be added to enhance engagement.
Show Your Best Side
Not surprisingly, 71% of consumers state they’d prefer to spend their money with brands that align with their values, whatever they may be. Given the increasing focus on ethical production methods, fair labour practices, and sustainability, brands must stay true to their values. Rather than waiting for customers to delve into your brand’s ethics, showcase them proactively and prompt others to engage through social media content.
Every social media platform has tools for crafting engaging posts and connecting with new audiences. Here is a step-by-step guide to transforming your social media strategy. One of the common mistakes among brands, particularly in the field of social media marketing in Abu Dhabi, is the tendency to underestimate the importance of these tools.
Social media is more than targeted advertising and posting. Features like stories, reels, and hashtags help you reach people. Now that you know some of the tools that suit your brand and audience best, it’s time to put them into practice.
