More Than Just a Pretty Picture: The Importance of Social Media for Fashion Research & How it Effects your Business.
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If you are in the business of Fashion and Runway is where you have gone to see what hot trends would walk off the Catwalk an onto the streets. Though it’s always been a bit of a guessing game as to what would really stick and trickle down to mainstream. Normally there would be a thread that carried through the shows that stood out. A color or a specific theme if we were lucky and the industry would jump. Keeping in mind that by the time we interpreted what is seen on Runway to get it to the consumer would be anywhere from 6 months to a year.
If you are still doing that than this is your wake up call. Today’s consumer does not want to wait. They have front row online seats to all the Shows, express there opinions on social media platforms as its happening and are not willing to wait a year to wear it. They are even showing there followers visuals on how to wear it. So we need to move at warp speed and try to catch up .
There is no longer time to be waiting and asking “whats’s next?”. The real question is with all the information coming in from all around us, Who do we Take our Clue from?
As a Creative Director in Product Design and a SM Marketing Creator, I get this question asked of me all the time. Here’s the thing, the answer is going to be based on understanding who your customer is and what you want to sell them.
I get fashion information and inspiration from many resources. Influencers, bloggers ( that’s a whole other list that I will share with you later in the season) but some of the best information comes from these six SM platforms. The key is knowing what makes them different and which corresponds best to your consumer. So let’s take a look.
Instagram – With over 130 million users interacting with shopping-related posts each month, fashion brands small and large go here first. So keeping eyes here on a daily bases will allow you to pick up quickly on fashions trending to the fashion masses. I feel this is one of the best places to watch to stay on top of main stream fashion. But if you want to be a trend setter you need to keep moving.
Facebook – Because of 2.85 Billion users it is one of the largest in fashion marketing so a must to keep eyes on. This is still the most popular SM platform and an excellent place to keep track for true mass market consumers. Just keep in mind it is aimed at a more traditional style market of an older age bracket.
TikTok – Explosive growth and popularity among younger audiences makes it prime for fashion brands aiming to connect with Gen Z Consumers. The short-form video format allows them to showcase personality, trends and creative styling tips in a fun and engaging way. For a budding fashion brand its perfect. It allows them to participate in viral challenges and use popular music that can boost visibility and engage more with the community. Some of these creators have already seen such success they have been hired by designer Luxe brands like Gucci looking to reach a much younger consumer. So what is interesting here is while it is directed to a younger consumer its point of view can be anything from DYI to real Luxe. You will see a lot on TikTok that you will not see in other places. It can be very entertaining as well.
You Tube – Stays in the mix with a vast user base of 2.29 Billion and is a great place to get more of a global audience point of view. Thanks to its versatility in sharing engaging video content in its tutorials, look books, and behind-the-scenes footage of fashions brands.
Pintrest – Is a wonderful place for Fashion Lovers seeking inspiration. As a visual discovery platform, Pintrest allows fashion brands to curate and share inspiring content. When researching, focus on styling that would be appealing and resonate with your consumers aspirations.
Snapchat – Unique features, such as disappearing content and augmented reality (AR) filters, provide fashion brands with exciting opportunities for engagement and creativity. What you will find are brands sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes content as well as sneek peeks of new collections. Remember they are here-today-gone-tomorrow so screen capture and take notes. This is another great spot for younger consumer research.
So In Conclusion – the fashion industry is all about trends and staying on top of these trends is crucial for your brands success. But how can you keep your finger on the pulse of the ever-changing fashion world? The answer lies in Continuous Competitor Research. Two of the most important things I learned working with Vince Camuto for over 20 years, 1) make sure you know how your competitors businesses were succeeding or failing 2) Stay close to your consumer by engageing with the people you want to sell. If you do this and pay attention to the hashtags, topics, and discussions gaining traction, the real-time data can provide valuable insights into what’s capturing your audiences attention. So the real question will be, how will your business react to it?
Reach out to Deborah if you would like to learn more about if your brand is on the right fashion track for your consumer audience.