Fashion blogs are nothing short of a cult and the major players know this. They know that audiences will follow them blindly, believing their every post is gospel. The truth is, some fashion bloggers are actually paid to exist on these sites as well as constantly promote each other’s work behind the scenes — all of which makes readers complicit in such an eye-opening practice. Philadelphia fashion blogs are usually well attended, have a solid audience base and well-established writers, but that doesn’t mean they don’t fool everyone constantly with their “fabulous” posts.
1. Fashion blogs are not what they seem
The major players all have something in common: paid advertisements in their content. It’s not new, either. Many fashion bloggers, however, will try to deny it and say they work with brands because they like their products or because of a genuine passion for the brand. You know what’s better than a fashion blog? A fashion magazine or website that has no bias, an editor and one opinion that is unbiased and free of monetary motivations.
2. “Letting” your followers choose an outfit is kind of sketchy
On average, one of the most popular ways bloggers gain readership is through “letting” the audience choose their outfits for them via polls on Facebook and Twitter. It’s a great way to get that instant feedback from a large audience, but it’s less impressive when you consider the fact that the bloggers have already chosen their outfits prior to the poll being conducted. It’s also just as boring since they’ve done this hundreds of times before on various other fashion blogs.
3. Don’t listen to every post you read
“Professional” fashion bloggers are not only promoting each other behind the scenes and getting paid for it, they’re also “giving advice” based on nothing and launching brands off of that simple review. Don’t be fooled by word of mouth from bloggers that everyone “loves” and can’t go wrong with.
4. Bloggers are ruthless about getting the exact look for their site through contests
The fact is, fashion bloggers know that no matter what the cause you’re launching a clothing line or a new brand, they’re going to use your company in some way to promote it. Sure, they tell you that they’re seeking an ingredient like cotton or bamboo , but they also want you to win these specific looks — which means they want you to produce exactly what they told you to create in the first place and stick with it until the rules get shorter and shorter.
5. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to fashion blogs
There’s a reason why you hear about the same local brands on your favorite fashion blogs — they want you to hear them out more than anyone else. Sure, it seems like they’re just promoting someone local, but the truth is that bloggers are trying to get you to believe that this brand is the next big thing in hopes that you’ll pay for their products now. The truth? It never works and most people know a bad brand/designer when they see one.
6. Fashion bloggers actually don’t care about the clothing
One thing that all fashion bloggers seem to have in common is a bias toward certain designers. If it’s from a certain store or brand, bloggers want to let you know about it. You can’t ever look at their content and not see them trying to promote their “favorite” designers. The truth is, they don’t actually like the products they promote, but as long as they’re being published, they’re not going to say anything. They’ll sell you on the idea that you have to have this specific type of garment because fashion bloggers say so.
7. Fashion bloggers are actually pretty ruthless
You know what’s more powerful than a fashion blog? A few fashion blogs. Fashion bloggers don’t care about the products you’re selling, they’re going to spend the same amount of time covering your brand as someone else’s — which means you’ll only get the same amount of exposure and nothing more. If you decide to cut a fashion blogger off from your company, though, they will literally blacklist you and ruin your reputation on their site and others. It’s not ethical, but it’s also what they have to do in order to keep their jobs — whether that’s giving in or not giving in to brands.
8. Fashion bloggers get paid a monthly stipend
The big fashion bloggers get paid a pretty penny to have a website and post on it, but the small fashion blogs are actually getting paid to run these sites — some up to $1,000 a month.
9. Fashion bloggers may change their reviews at any point
Brands tend to tell their clients that they will never make any changes to their products or garment fittings, but that’s all short-term thinking and doesn’t work in the long term.
