- What Is a Fashion Blog?<\/a><\/li>
- What It Is Not\u2026<\/a><\/li>
- Should You Even Start A Fashion Blog?<\/a><\/li>
- What Are Some Successful Examples Already Out There?<\/a><\/li>
- What Do You Need To Get Started?<\/a><\/li>
- Can You Start a Fashion Blog for Free?<\/a><\/li>
- Niching Down: Fashion Blog Ideas<\/a><\/li>
- How To Pick A Name (and Domain Name)<\/a><\/li>
- How To Create a Logo For Your Blog<\/a><\/li>
- How To Make Money With a Fashion Blog<\/a><\/li>
- How To Start Getting Traffic to Your Blog<\/a><\/li>
- What About Instagram and YouTube?<\/a><\/li>
- When to Go Full Time<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Now, there are many guides floating around the internet about how to start a blog. I’ve even seen a few that focus specifically on starting a fashion blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s the problem with 99% of these guides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They’re not written by actual full time bloggers, let alone full time fashion bloggers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, most of these guides are published by people trying to make a quick dollar off of web hosting commissions (we’ll talk about hosting later on).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide is different. It’s written by someone who runs a profitable six figure fashion blog (me), and it’s the last guide you’ll ever need to read before starting your own blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is a Fashion Blog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A fashion blog is – you guessed it – a blog about fashion. Specifically, it\u2019s a website that\u2019s typically run by an individual person who\u2019s passionate about all things fashion and style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Extra](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Extra-Petite-blog.jpeg\")
Extra Petite is one of the most popular women’s fashion blogs out there.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Of course, many larger blogs have a team of employees and operate more like an online magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The content could include style advice, clothing reviews, outfit ideas, sale round ups, celebrity style breakdowns and any other fashion-related content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most fashion blogs are geared toward a certain type of person, and this is usually based off who the founder\/blogger is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some are very niche (e.g., style for shorter men), and others target more of a broader audience (e.g., women who like to shop).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll talk more about choosing a good niche later on. Either way, a fashion blog publishes content in the form of \u201cblog posts\u201d which are just articles full of text, images and links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What It Is Not\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A fashion blog is not a shop. While many online clothing retailers have blogs on their website, most fashion blogs aren\u2019t selling any physical products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Ecommrce-site-example.png\")
While some e-commerce brands have a blog on their site, they wouldn’t be categorized as a blog. They’re usually just using a blog to drive traffic to their store.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n You might be wondering how fashion bloggers make money without selling anything. I\u2019ll cover that in detail below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just remember: a blog is sort of like a casual online magazine or newspaper, although most blogs only publish 1-5x per week (while many online newspapers publish several times a day).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should You Even Start A Fashion Blog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It depends. Blogging is very rewarding in many different ways. First of all, it\u2019s an excellent creative outlet. Most fashion bloggers are super passionate about their own personal style, and they want to share what they know with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can be very rewarding to teach others how to improve their appearance, and to put yourself out there as an enthusiast or even an expert in your field.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Second, you can make a lot of money with a fashion blog. The top fashion bloggers are making 6 and even 7 figures per year, and they\u2019re doing it on their own terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a full time blogger myself, I can honestly say that this job isn\u2019t easy, but it\u2019s extremely fulfilling, and it provides a sense of freedom and flexibility that most people will never experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least, being a blogger – especially a fashion blogger – often comes with a bit of \u201cfame\u201d (for lack of a better word).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Brock-and-Jun-small-819x1024.jpg\")
Once you build an audience, you may even run into readers out in real life, which is a very cool experience!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not saying you\u2019ll turn into an A list celebrity overnight, but many fashion bloggers garner a bit of internet celebrity over time, especially since more and more time and money is being spent on \u201cinfluencer\u201d marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This isn\u2019t the case with some types of blogs. For example, if you have a website about pest control, you could make a lot of money, but you probably won\u2019t be in the spotlight very often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a fashion blogger, you will likely be the subject of most of your photos, and you\u2019ll have social media accounts tied to your name and face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This \u201ccelebrity\u201d factor will lead to many opportunities, including lots of free products and experiences. Here\u2019s one small example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through my own men\u2019s style blog, I\u2019ve built a relationship with a marketing agency specializing in the auto industry. So I can get free rental cars in most major cities, in exchange for featuring the car on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These kinds of perks are very cool, but it\u2019s not necessarily something everyone is interested in. Just something to keep in mind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Are Some Successful Examples Already Out There?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are SO many successful fashion bloggers out there, which is a great sign. That means that this niche is very lucrative, albeit competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s better to have lots of competition than to have no competition. If no one else is doing it, it\u2019s probably not a great way to make a living.Here are 5 examples of highly successful fashion blogs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Dappered<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This site is sort of a \u201cconsumer reports\u201d for men\u2019s fashion. Joe, its anonymous founder, has grown Dappered<\/a> into one of the most popular resources on the internet for guys who want to dress well and find the best deals on clothing and accessories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Dappered-blog-homepage-1024x740.jpeg\")
Dappered is an established and trusted blog that helps guys look great without breaking the bank.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Dappered is monetized mostly through affiliate programs and display advertising. They don\u2019t do sponsored content, and they\u2019re not very big into social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dappered also has a small but active forum where men can post questions and discuss style-related topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is an example of a blogger who stuck to his guns and consistently published helpful content, year after year, slowly building up revenue each month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s hard to say how much revenue a site like Dappered generates, but it\u2019s likely a healthy 5 figures per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Who What Wear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s a simple fashion blog that turned into an online magazine and (eventually) into a media company that has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Raised $13m from major venture funds, including Amazon<\/li>
- Secured a retail partnership with Target<\/li>
- Acquired additional blogs like The Thirty and Collegefashionista<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Who-What-Wear-homepage-1024x896.jpeg\")
Who What Wear<\/a> is way more than a “blog” at this point, which is a testament to just how lucrative the blogging business can be.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n This is an example of just how far you can take a blog. Most bloggers won\u2019t (or don\u2019t want to) take things to this level, but it\u2019s definitely possible, and a blog is an excellent starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Effortless Gent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Barron Cuadro, founder, teaches guys how to dress well while keeping their wardrobe lean (and without spending a ton of money).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s one of the OG\u2019s of menswear blogging, and his site has stood the test of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Effortless-Gent-blog-1024x478.jpeg\")
Effortless Gent is another men’s fashion blog that has built a loyal audience over time and provides a nice living for its founder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Effortless Gent<\/a> monetizes with display ads, affiliate marketing, paid brand partnerships and digital products (courses and e-guides).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike the other bloggers on this list, Barron has also experimented with 1-on-1 coaching (i.e., image consulting) and premium digital products (i.e., membership sites).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barron has been a full time blogger for many years now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Gentleman\u2019s Gazette<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sven Raphael Schneider, founder of Gentleman\u2019s Gazette<\/a>, is often referred to as a living menswear encyclopedia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Gentlemans-Gazette-blog-1024x714.jpeg\")
Gentleman’s Gazette has mastered the art of producing high quality content that gets tons of search traffic from Google.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Put simply, the man knows his stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And he\u2019s built one of the most popular independent men\u2019s fashion resources on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like many successful blogs, GG has expanded to include an online shop. They now sell their own line of men\u2019s accessories, including ties, gloves, socks and pocket squares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is now a seven figure business with multiple revenue streams and multiple contributors on staff, and it started out as a simple fashion blog for men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. The Modest Man<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Founded by yours truly, this site has provided me with a \u201cfull time\u201d income for over 3 years now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/The-Modest-Man-homepage-1024x855.jpeg\")
While TMM started as a fashion blog geared toward shorter men, it covers a wider variety of topics around both height and fashion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n At the time of writing, it generates 5 figures revenue each month and 6 figures profit each year. I take a monthly draw from the business each month to pay my rent and other living expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like Effortless Gent and most other fashion blogs, The Modest Man<\/a> (TMM) earns revenue from ads, affiliate programs, sponsorships and – to a lesser degree – digital products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TMM is an example of a niche fashion blog, as the main topic is style for shorter men. Now that the site has plenty of domain authority, I cover lots of different topics that aren\u2019t so specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I think it\u2019s important to niche down at the beginning, when you first start blogging (more on that later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost all of the traffic to The Modest Man is organic (from Google search). That\u2019s why so much of my content here at Full Time Blog is about SEO. I\u2019ve seen the power of organic traffic at work on my own websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Do You Need To Get Started?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Domain Name<\/strong> – Use Namecheap<\/a> or buy it through your host (Siteground<\/a> is my favorite for beginners) <\/li>
- Hosting<\/strong> – Go with Siteground<\/a>, my top pick for beginner bloggers. You can always upgrade later on once you start raking in the traffic! <\/li>
- CMS<\/strong> – There\u2019s really only one option here, and that\u2019s WordPress.org<\/a>. Every serious fashion blogger uses WordPress, not Squarespace, Wix, Weebly or anything else. <\/li>
- Theme<\/strong> – I strongly recommend Astra<\/a> and StudioPress<\/a> themes, but you can find lots of great free themes too. Even the default WordPress themes are pretty good for beginners. Don\u2019t overthink the look and feel of your site right now. Focus on the content strategy and getting posts published. <\/li>
- Plugins<\/strong> – Assuming you go with WordPress, I recommend installing the Yoast SEO plugin<\/a> right away. Don’t worry about anything else for now.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Starting your own fashion blog doesn\u2019t have to be super complicated, but there are a few things you should think about before getting started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you put a little time and effort in at the beginning, you\u2019ll avoid some headaches down the road. It\u2019s no fun to change your web host or domain name after you\u2019ve already built up an established site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So let\u2019s talk first about the technical side of starting a fashion blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Technical Part<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Unless you\u2019re some sort of coder or computer programmer, you\u2019re probably wondering how to get an actual website up and running – and how much it\u2019s going to cost you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first question is: what is a website?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really just a bunch of files on a specific type of computer called a server. If your website is a house, the server is the pot of land your house sits on top of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Companies called \u201cweb hosts\u201d or \u201chosting companies\u201d basically rent you space on their servers for all of your website files. You pay them to \u201cserve\u201d your website to visitors from around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter how your website is built, it will be hosted somewhere. For example, if you used a service like Squarespace, your website files will be hosted on Squarespace computers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve tried many of the most popular hosts your money can buy, and I strongly recommend Siteground<\/a> for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Siteground-WordPress-hosting-1024x516.png\")
<\/a>For new fashion blogs, Siteground’s StartUp plan<\/a> is the best choice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Their entry level plan is just a few dollars per month, and their customer service is amazing. They\u2019ll even help you get your site up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you have your host, or plot of land, you need your foundation. For a house, this is the concrete base, wooden framing and utility hookups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a website, the \u201cfoundation\u201d is called a content management system (CMS). A good CMS handles all of the stuff that\u2019s invisible to visitors but crucial for your site to function properly (just like your home\u2019s plumbing is invisible, but vital).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By far, our favorite CMS is WordPress. Specifically, we like self-hosted websites built with WordPress.org (not WordPress.com, which is like a Wix or Squarespace).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve got a good foundation\/CMS, it\u2019s time to think about the look and feel of your site. This is usually determined by your site\u2019s theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you use WordPress, there are thousands of themes to choose from, including many great free options. There are also plenty of premium options that won\u2019t cost very much and that we think are worth investing in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Free-WordPress-themes-1024x949.png\")
A small selection of the thousands of free themes available for websites built on the WordPress framework.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Most themes let you change the aesthetic of your site without any coding. For example, if you want to change the color of your links, that\u2019s typically very easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some themes require custom development (i.e., coding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This site is built on the default WordPress theme. The Modest Man<\/a> is built on a custom Genesis theme<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re just getting started, it\u2019s totally okay to start with a free WordPress theme for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What About the Domain Name?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Your domain name is kind of like your house\u2019s address. It\u2019s how people find your site. If you want people to come over, you can\u2019t just say \u201cgo to my house\u201d. They need an actual address they can use to find your exact location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the internet, that address is your domain name. Well, technically, it\u2019s your IP address, and your domain name is more like your house\u2019s nickname, but don\u2019t worry too much about the technical side of things \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many places to buy a domain name, but I recommend buying it from your hosting company, if possible, for the sake of simplicity. So if you choose Siteground<\/a> as your host, just buy your domain there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll talk about choosing a name and domain name for your fashion blog in another section below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can You Start a Fashion Blog for Free?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You can<\/em> start a fashion blog for free, but I don\u2019t recommend it for a few reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- You won\u2019t be able to have your own domain name, so your site will live at fashionblog.wordpress.com instead of fashionblog.com.<\/li>
- You\u2019ll only save about $10\/month (or less).<\/li>
- When you decide to upgrade, it\u2019s going to be a total pain to migrate your site.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
That said, if you really don\u2019t want to spend money at the beginning, I still recommend going with WordPress, but you need to go to WordPress.com instead of WordPress.org.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WordPress.com is kind of like Squarespace. They\u2019ll host your site for you, and they\u2019ll give you some easy-to-use tools to choose a name, build your site and start publishing content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, this isn\u2019t something I recommend unless you absolutely need to start your fashion blog for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Niching Down: Fashion Blog Ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not going to lie to you: blogging is competitive. There are many fashion blogs already out there, and more are popping up every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s not a bad thing, but it does make it harder for new bloggers to stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why I recommend niching down at the beginning. If you choose a specific niche – especially one that\u2019s not too crowded – you\u2019ll have an easier time getting traffic to your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you get a bit of authority, you can always expand the scope of your blog to cover broader topics that apply to more people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s an easy way to niche down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2 Qualifier Rule<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Most people who want to start a blog already have some idea about what kind of blog they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe you already have a very specific idea, which is great. But if you\u2019re just wanting to start a \u201cfashion blog\u201d and don\u2019t have a particular niche picked out, try this exercise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Start with your main topic, then add 2 unique qualifiers to it. Qualifiers can be anything from demographics to budget to geography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are 5 examples of the 2 Qualifier Rule in action:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Fashion > Fashion for men<\/strong> > Fashion for older men<\/strong> <\/li>
- Cooking > Cooking for moms<\/strong> > Cooking for single moms<\/strong> <\/li>
- Fitness > Fitness for women<\/strong> > Fitness for busy women<\/strong> <\/li>
- Travel > Solo<\/strong> travel > Solo<\/strong> travel on a budget<\/strong> <\/li>
- Gaming > iOS<\/strong> Gaming > Free iOS<\/strong> gaming <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
To come up with these qualifiers, think of attributes that make you unique. It could simple, obvious stuff like your age, gender, ethnicity or geography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or it could be less obvious stuff like your family or financial situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s the beauty of niching down based on these unique qualifiers: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are millions of other people around the world who share some or all of these attributes that make you unique, and they\u2019re all searching for information and advice online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re an older guy who wants to improve his appearance, you\u2019ll be much more attracted to a fashion blog run by a stylish older man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why? Because he knows what it\u2019s like to be your age. He\u2019s in the same stage of life and probably has similar taste, budget, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a busy single mom looking to prepare a quick meal, you\u2019ll feel more confident that you\u2019ll find the perfect recipe at singlemomcooking.com vs. genericfoodblog.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So before you pick a name for your fashion blog, spend some time playing around with qualifiers, and see if you can come up with a great niche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And note: it\u2019s okay if someone else is already in that same niche. That\u2019s a good sign!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Pick A Name (and Domain Name)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For a fashion blog, the domain name should be exactly the same as your blog\u2019s name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, my site is called The Modest Man, and my domain is themodestman.com (I also bought modestman.com just to strengthen the brand).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you already have a name picked out, go to Siteground and use their domain finder to see if it\u2019s available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A .com is still the best way to go, but it\u2019s okay to use a different ending if you really love the name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Otherwise, try to pick a blog name that has the .com available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re not set on a name yet, it\u2019s time to start brainstorming. The best blog names have a few things going for them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \nThe exact domain is available (preferably the .com)\n<\/li>
- \nThey\u2019re easy to remember\n<\/li>
- \nThey\u2019re short (2-3 words is the sweet spot)\n<\/li>
- \nThey\u2019re easy to spell\n<\/li>
- \nThey\u2019re descriptive\n<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
For point #4, imagine you\u2019re telling your grandma the blog of your blog over the phone. Could she type it into the browser on her iPad? Or would you have to spell it out for her?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ideally, people will know how to spell your blog\u2019s name if you say it out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For point #5, take this with a grain of salt. There are many popular blogs and websites that fantastic names that aren\u2019t descriptive (like Google and Amazon).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These names have a lot going for them – they\u2019re emotive and easy to remember – so it\u2019s okay that they\u2019re not descriptive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google is way better than greatsearchengine.com, and Amazon is way better than everythingstore.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, most fashion blogs have somewhat descriptive names. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Extra Petite<\/li>
- Real Men Real Style<\/li>
- The Curvy Fashionista<\/li>
- One Dapper Street<\/li>
- He Spoke Style<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You may not know exactly what these blogs are about, but you know the general topic, and oftentimes the name describes the target audience as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I first started my blog, I actually bought the domain name shortmanstyle.com. After some debate, I decided that it was too obvious and blunt, and I ended up brainstorming different ways to imply the idea of shorter stature without actually saying it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had used the phrase \u201cmen of modest height\u201d and ended up going with The Modest Man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily, themodestman.com was available, and I actually ended up buying modestman.com a couple years later, just to strengthen the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My point is, you don\u2019t have to pick something super obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just set a timer for 10 minutes, and start writing ideas down – no matter how dumb they seem – until the timer runs out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
You can always get extra ideas from friends and family, and it\u2019s helpful to plug some of the words on your list into a thesaurus to see if anything good comes up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe there\u2019s a better way to describe a certain body type or budget you\u2019re targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you have your list narrowed down, head over to Siteground\u2019s domain finder, and see what\u2019s available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, try to find a .com, as it\u2019s still the most preferred type of domain from a user perspective (and possible an SEO perspective too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can You Get a Free Domain Name?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The only way to get a free domain name is by using a free website builder like WordPress.com, Weebly or Wix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem is, your domain name will be yoursite.wordpress.com, which looks very amateur and is horrible for search engine optimization (SEO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domains only cost about $10\/year, so I highly recommend staying away from free domains and website builders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Create a Logo For Your Blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let me just say this upfront: you don’t need a “brand” or logo to get started. The best branding in the world won’t get you any traffic, so don’t spend too much (if any) time on this part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The original version of The Modest Man site didn’t have any logo or customized colors. In fact, I didn’t hire a designer to make a logo until I had well over 50k monthly visitors to the blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Original-TMM-design-618x1024.png\")
This is the original (boring, ugly and slightly cringe-worthy) version of my blog’s homepage, built on a default free WordPress theme. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n So I would strongly advise spending your time on content, rather than trying to get the perfect logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, if you really want a logo, here’s how to get one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Ask a Friend<\/strong> – Everyone knows a graphic designer, and most designers love working on brand developrment and logos. Just don’t ask them to do it for free!<\/li>
- Use Fiverr<\/strong> – This is a budget-friendly option, and you’ll get budget-friendly results, but it’s something.<\/li>
- Use Upwork<\/strong> – Similar to Fiverr but with more premium options, Upwork is a freelance marketplace that’s used by designers of all levels. There are some gems on Upwork, but also many unskilled designers. Tread carefully…<\/li>
- Use 99 Designs<\/strong> – This will be more expensive than Fiverr and Upwork, but it will likely yield better results.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Just to re-emphasize my thoughts on fashion blog branding and logos: if I could start over from scratch, I would not worry about getting a logo at the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Get a Free Logo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you’re not ready to spend money hiring a logo designer, but you really don’t want to launch your fashion blog without any sort of branding, here’s what you can do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Use Canva<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
You can use a freemium design app called Canva<\/a> to make your own logo and\/or word mark (a typeface logo).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Canva-logo-templates-1024x442.jpeg\")
<\/a>Canva<\/a> has a whole library of logo templates you can use to create a logo for your fashion blog – for free.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Canva<\/a> actually has a whole library of logo templates you can start from. You just have to be mindful of choosing the right colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recommend using Adobe’s Color tool. You can start with a color you love (your primary brand color), then it will help you decide on a set of complimentary colors that can be used for your logo, social media graphics and anything else you end up creating for your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Make Money With a Fashion Blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Want to know one of the best parts about being a fashion blogger?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having multiple revenue streams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most fashion blogs have more than one revenue stream, some more passive than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three most popular revenue streams for fashion bloggers are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Advertising<\/li>
- Affiliate marketing<\/li>
- Sponsorships<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Let’s look at each one in a bit more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Advertising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ads have been around since the early days of the internet, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sure, some people use ad blocking browser extensions to avoid seeing any ads as they browse the web, but most people still allow ads, and most websites still make money from displaying them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Display-ads-examples-1024x859.jpeg\")
These are display ads served up by AdThrive, the ad network I use for my blog, themodestman.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n On websites (including fashion blogs), there are a few different kinds of ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Demand ads<\/strong> – sold and fulfilled by ad networks like Google, Mediavine and AdThrive<\/li>
- Direct ads<\/strong> – sold directly to brands and maintained by you (the website owner)<\/li>
- Video ads<\/strong> – pre, mid and post roll ads shown in video players on your site<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When you first start your fashion blog, you won’t have much traffic, so you won’t have access to premium ad networks like AdThrive, which typically require at least 25k page views per month (if not more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means you’ll have to use Google Adsense or sell your own inventory directly to brand partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recommend using Google Adsense until you have at least 25k page views per month, but don’t expect to make any real money for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Display ads are usually purchased at a certain “cost per mille” (CPM) or cost per thousand impressions. For example, a company might pay a $10 CPM for an ad on your site, which means you get $10 for every thousand impressions that ad receives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An impression is a page view. So if your site is getting 10,000 page views per month, you’ll earn $100 per month from that ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Granted, you can have multiple ads on your site, and it is possible to have higher CPMs, but my point is that ads don’t generate meaningful revenue without lots of traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fear not, though! There are other ways to make money as a fashion blogger…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Affiliate Marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Affiliate marketing is another popular and lucrative revenue stream for fashion bloggers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You, the blogger, act as an affiliate for a brand by sending traffic to their online shop. When that traffic converts into customers, you get paid a commission for each purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Affiliate-links-1024x745.jpeg\")
On my blog, almost every post contains affiliate links; there’s also a sidebar “favorites” widgets with affiliate links.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n For example, if you’re part of Amazon Associates, which is Amazon.com’s affiliate program, and you show off a pair of jeans you got from Amazon in a look book post, you can link to those jeans on Amazon using an affiliate link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This affiliate link lets Amazon keep track of any purchases made by your readers who clicked through to buy the jeans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Amazon-affiliate-commissions-1024x90.png\")
An example of Amazon Associates affiliate program commissions; the column to the right is how much I earned on each transaction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Here’s the best part: you don’t just get credit if they buy the jeans. You get credit for any<\/em>thing they buy on Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s just like when a sales person is paid by commission for any sales they generate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most fashion and apparel affiliate programs pay their affiliates between 3-10% of the sale price. So if your reader clicks your affiliate link and buys a $100 pair of jeans, you’ll earn $3-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many brands have their own individual affiliate programs that are hosted on affiliate networks like ShareASale or Commission Junction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their are also a handful of aggregates like RewardStyle and Skimlinks that let you create affiliate links for thousands of brands from one convenient dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/RewardStyle-affiliate-commission-1024x681.png\")
An affiliate conversion for GREATS through RewardStyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n For fashion bloggers, the most popular affiliate network is RewardStyle, and for good reason: they work with all of the most popular fashion brands and have a variety of tools that make it easy to promote these brands as an affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Right now, RewardStyle is only available by invitation. If you already have an active blog that’s getting traffic and need an invite, feel free to get in touch with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re just getting started, don’t worry about joining any affiliate program until your site is up and running and you have a few posts published (at least 10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After that, sign up for Amazon Associates, and start adding affiliate links to your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sponsored Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sponsored content is one of the most lucrative ways for online publishers to make money from their websites and content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brockmcgoff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Sponsored-blog-post-example-528x1024.jpg\")
An example of a sponsored blog post on The Modest Man<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n From major online magazines to solo content creators, most publishers are working with brands on a paid basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m not saying you have to go this route. Some blogs don’t do any sponsored content, and readers generally appreciate this approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, The Wirecutter<\/a> took an aggressive stance against paid reviews, which helped it reach a $20 million valuation and sell to The New York Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of my favorite food blogs, Minimalist Baker<\/a>, doesn’t do any sponsored content. They make most of their money from advertising and affiliate programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the world of fashion blogging, sponsored content is very common, especially for small independent blogs, as these are often lumped into “influencer marketing” budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should you work with sponsors?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think that, done correctly, it’s one of the best ways to start earning a living as a fashion blogger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Start Getting Traffic to Your Blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I’m going to be brutally honest here: when you first start blogging, you’re not going to have any traffic for a while, and it’s not going to feel great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Direct ads<\/strong> – sold directly to brands and maintained by you (the website owner)<\/li>
- Demand ads<\/strong> – sold and fulfilled by ad networks like Google, Mediavine and AdThrive<\/li>
- Use Fiverr<\/strong> – This is a budget-friendly option, and you’ll get budget-friendly results, but it’s something.<\/li>
- Ask a Friend<\/strong> – Everyone knows a graphic designer, and most designers love working on brand developrment and logos. Just don’t ask them to do it for free!<\/li>
- Cooking > Cooking for moms<\/strong> > Cooking for single moms<\/strong> <\/li>
- Fashion > Fashion for men<\/strong> > Fashion for older men<\/strong> <\/li>
- Hosting<\/strong> – Go with Siteground<\/a>, my top pick for beginner bloggers. You can always upgrade later on once you start raking in the traffic! <\/li>
- Domain Name<\/strong> – Use Namecheap<\/a> or buy it through your host (Siteground<\/a> is my favorite for beginners) <\/li>
- What It Is Not\u2026<\/a><\/li>
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