Seamless Shopping!

Introducing Instagram’s new shopping feature: Instagram has always been a go to platform to study the latest trends in the fashion industry, lifestyle topics, travel tips, sports updates and so much more. Those super cute white sneakers, that stunning bag or chic sunglasses. Perfectly combined and worn by your favorite blogger; Instagram has always been a great place for inspiration but now Instagram has also made it so much easier to buy products we love directly through the app!

On March 19, 2019 Instagram launched “Checkout on Instagram.”

Welcoming a new way to digitally shop worldwide, Instagram users no longer just have to admire the pieces in the Influencers feed; simply click and add the featured item into the digital shopping bag. 

Typically, customers interested in purchasing an item would be directed to a Instagram profile of a brand which there in the biography they would find the website or online shop; then the desired item would have to be found on the page. This new Instagram function makes shopping so much symplier for the business and the consumer. You can mark these products just like you can mark a location or tag a person. The shopping bag articles are marked with a shopping bag symbol. With a tap, the price tags with pop up and important information like the price is displayed. This pop up also brings up a link to transfer the customer via a link to the product which can be simply placed in the shopping bag. 

This shopping feature is one of the most important updates in a long time. It’s a seamless shopping experience that caters directly to the customer; while also helping the business track and find out which items are selling well. 

Have you tried the shopping feature on Instagram? Tell me about your experience below. 

The Life of an Influencer

Many people want to live the lavish life of a successful Influencer. Receiving PR samples from brands they love, dressing in the latest fashion trends, attending beautiful events and visiting luxurious hotels. These are all the perks that come with this incredible job title when you end up on top. The question is, how does one get there?

The way to success isn’t easy and takes a long time. Most influencers must work extremely hard before they even see success and some don’t even make it that far. It is very possible to make a living as an influencer. The key is quality content and choosing the right partnerships and sponsors that reflect your brand. To live the life of a favorable influencer you must be willing to set small goals and work all the time. It’s good to keep in mind you don’t receive a regular income; as some people you work with may have different conditions in terms of salary. The step into self-employment isn’t easy nor stable so the safest way to start the journey of becoming an influencer is to first build up your profile in your free time. That is how many successful Influencers started!

This is Joanna Venditti; In 2015 her blog Nesting Story really took off. Joanna was documenting real, detailed accounts of her struggles and joys being a busy mom of four. After one of her posts went viral, she dedicated herself even more to Nesting Story. Doing so has landed her crazy success; her blog helped her transfer into the Youtube world, where she now has 58k subscribers over 400 videos and nearly 7M total views. Joanna is proof that truth, love, hardwork and determination are key traits to becoming a successful influencer. 

The Influencer business began when people started to use social media to spread their opinion about products or a certain subject. For businesses and social media coordinators this quickly became a new way to market and sell products. This type of storytelling is the core of the Influencer business; to publish authentic content combined with real opinions and stories. Influencers use social media tools such as Blogs, Instagram Post and Youtube videos to reach their many followers. 

Product launches with Influencer appearances are also another way to grow a following and get face to face with followers. These kinds of events are growing very popular. Customers feel that they can relate to these people because of who they are on their pages. Participating in launches like these gives the Influencer’s fan base a chance to get on a closer level. 

As each day processes the term “Influencer” turns into an accepted profession but it also isn’t easy to become one. Remember to stay consistent, set daily goals and team up with brands you trust. It won’t be easy but once you’ve made it though, you could get to live the life of a celebrity.

If you had the chance to become an influencer; What would you want to be famous for?

#Hashtags are Everything!

How in the world did a hashtag become so popular? How can a number symbol change so much on a social media platform. Today, in this article, this is the question that will be answered!

Years ago hashtags seemed to be randomly picked and only used to “fill in” captions or tweets. Then one hashtag and amazing cause in 2014 changed them forever. The #ALSIceBucketChallenge quickly took the world by storm. Turning a hashtag into a world wide search engine and raising over $115 million dollars in donations. To this day if you would like to see who participated in the famous challenge, just type in the hashtag and you will find thousands of results. Special occasions and even a number of brands have picked up their own hashtag. Some examples are baby announcements, weddings and clothing promotion. This makes it easy for all the online users to track changes, exchange photos and stay updated. This potential is slowly being discovered and has become very important in consumer marketing. Nowadays, campaigns are not defined only by their content or slogan but more by their hashtags.

Take the #MyCalvins campaign for example. By asking their customers to use their hashtag. The brand has been able to catch the eye of men and women, all over the world while also using the hashtag to link each featured photo to the website. Developing more website traffic while also being able to track sales and keeping in touch with consumers.

There is even the possibility to follow hashtags on Instagram. The feature makes it easy to push branded hashtags or slogans. When choosing a hashtag, it is advisable to pick specific words and avoid general terms or word combinations. Take the hashtag #Beauty for a night cream campaign, this is not going to convince your audience as much as #OverNightBeauty might. One of the most beneficial ways to use the hashtag feature is by creatively integrating the brand name into it. This can be very beneficial for small businesses promoting niche products reaching a very specific customer or group. 

Hashtags are more than just decorative, randomly placed words. With the help of one very smart campaign, the world found out hashtags are very beneficial to online marketing and promotions. Hashtags have also been picked up by small town events and special occasions, campaigns have begun to use hashtags for promotional purposes. You can even follow hashtags, making it easier to connect you to what you may be looking for. Just remember when coming up with a hashtag to captivate the reader or customer. 

If you had to come up with a hashtag, based on your personal brand. What would it be and why? 

A New Kind of Runway

There is a new way of showcasing fashion that is very different from the typical fashion runway. With the power of social media this incredible virtual show will take your business to a new level. If you are a business owner, listen up! Showcasing a new product line is about to get a whole lot easier!

This new type of runway that has recently hit social media platforms, is referred to as a Fashion Haul. A fashion haul is a creative, interactive, and innovative method of product promotion and brand staging. The latest fashion pieces and accessories are presented using Instagram stories, Live-Streams and/or videos. An influencer will present an article of clothing and explain what they like particularly. They recommend different sizes and show how the fashion pieces can be combined. Through these posts, followers receive a real-life comparison and updates on the latest fashion trends. They will also learn what is currently available in various stores and how these pieces look in real life. In turn, creating a new way to showcase fashion through virtual catwalks.

UK based Fashion Influencer – Freddy My Love has taken the world by storm by partnering with some of the world’s leading fashion brands.  Freddy has quickly built a huge following by doing fashion hauls and giving out promo codes. 

Many brands have now discovered that fashion hauls are successful forms of advertising. Brands choose to work with select Influencers to promote their current line. Personalized promo codes are issued to the Influencers, and Influencers then promote these codes giving followers a discount on their next online purchase. This way of marketing creates an additional incentive to visit the online shop and purchase items they see in the fashion haul. For the companies; it is an easy way to measure how many orders are received by an Influencer and customers feel automatically addressed and connected to the brand. 

As you can now see, the typical fashion runway is no longer the only way to showcase a new line. Fashion Hauls are trending and is now a great way to introduce and promote a brand to a broader population of people. Freddy My Love is a great example of an influencer that has used this method of promoting brands and connecting them to her followers. Brands are now recognizing that fashion hauls are very beneficial to the company. Most have even started to budget for more online marketing collaborations in the future.

Would you invest in fashion hauls as a marketing tool for your brand? Why or Why Not?