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Social media has revolutionized the fashion industry. Today, an influencer with a large following can transform fashion with a strategic outfit choice singlehandedly. High social media use also means fashion trends move much faster. People adopt and drop trends more quickly than any time in the past–increasing the popularity of fast fashion brands. How can fashion brands succeed in a fast-paced social environment with consumers that constantly change their buying behaviors? Explore some of the campaigns from the best fashion brands on social media and what you can learn from their strategies to succeed in the world of social media fashion.
The question you should ask isn’t whether you should join social media but what platform you should join.Most brands agree that being on social media is the only way to succeed in 2022 as a fashion brand because it is where today’s fashion trends originate and take off. Influencer marketing is leading the way in setting new fashion trends, with fashion leaders promoting through celebrities and micro-influencers. When you embrace this change in fashion, you will see tremendous growth.About 43% of consumers find new brands on social media. Positioning yourself strategically on the right platform gets you in front of your ideal audience to increase your exposure as a brand. Your presence also allows you to collect valuable data on consumers to guide your future marketing strategies.The best platforms for fashion brands to tap into include:
Because fashion brands rely heavily on visuals, multimedia platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are best for posting your social media content for fashion brands and creating an immersive experience.
Social media in the fashion industry isn’t just a platform for promoting your brand. It is also a place for buyers to purchase your products. Social commerce is ecommerce that occurs directly on social media. In social commerce, buyers will click a link to your website where they can buy the product.About half of Gen Z social media users have purchased a product via social media. Facebook is the leading social commerce platform with 56.1 million buyers, followed by Instagram with 32.4 million buyers.
Fast fashion brands are dominating most of social media. They appeal to younger users because they are inexpensive while mimicking the looks of more expensive lines. Because fast fashion doesn’t cost as much as luxury brands, social media buyers prefer these brands. The lower cost means consumers can switch their wardrobes easier and without losing much of an investment when social media trends shift.Here are some examples of the most popular fast fashion brands on social media and the strategies they used to get ahead of their competition:
Zara has 51.59 million followers on Instagram and 30.5 million on Facebook. The secret to their success is that they remain several steps ahead of fashion. Instead of waiting to see what style is trending on social media, they set their own trends.When they design new clothes, they retain very little stock of that item because of how fast-paced today’s fashion industry is. When they restock, they add new designs instead of restocking old designs, which keep their looks fresh.What is most surprising about Zara’s social media strategy is how little paid advertising they use to promote their brand and products. Instead, their promotion is mainly done through influencer marketing, using popular Instagram personalities to wear and share their products.The heart of Zara’s strategy is keeping their content and brand customer-centric. They listen to customers' feedback and use those insights to adjust their brands, products, and content. That is the secret to staying on top of the fashion industry and being a trendsetter in fast fashion.
Image from Instagram
Fashion Nova may have entered the social media game later than its competition, but it quickly gained ground and surpassed other brands. They currently have over 21 million followers on Instagram and three million followers on Facebook.Most of their clothing follows the same style as other fast fashion brands. Fast fashion is known for copying more expensive brands in appearance. However, they have one big difference in their marketing strategy. They market to a demographic of women with curves that other fast fashion brands often overlook.When they began social media marketing for fashion, they focused on their Instagram presence with hundreds of new posts each week. One of the most significant parts of their strategy was getting social media influencers involved in marketing.Some of their biggest influencers included Kylie and Kris Jenner. However, they don’t restrict their marketing to the big names. Instead, they want everyone to become a brand ambassador. Consumers who wear Fashion Nova clothing are encouraged to share images and hashtag #NovaBabes. Most of their influencers today are micro-influencers, with followings between 50,000 and 250,000 but higher engagement rates.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn more about building a unique and successful social media strategy:
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Not all consumers are thrilled with the fast fashion industry. Many see the harmful business practices and waste that come with the products. Sustainable fashion was born from this group of environmentally conscious social media shoppers.Here are a few examples of sustainable brands that are excelling on social media:
One of the most appealing features of social media is how it allows consumers to build communities of like-minded people. This is what Rothy’s used to build their brand on social media. They have 389 thousand followers on Instagram and 348 thousand on Facebook.Rothy’s is a sustainable shoe company that manufactures shoes from recycled plastic bottles. Their primary marketing technique is word of mouth. However, they eventually also moved on to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.The brand has built a very loyal following on social media that does most of their marketing through recommendations to others. Many loyal Rothy’s customers will even recognize the shoe in public and acknowledge each other with a nod because of how close-knit the community is.
MUD Jeans shows a new way to approach fast fashion. They are pioneering a “Lease A Jeans” shopping model. In this program, buyers pay a monthly fee to borrow a pair of jeans. Then, when consumers want to try a different pair, they simply return their jeans for a new pair.The returned jeans are recycled and ready for new consumers to lease. This circular model keeps their consumers engaged and loyal while minimizing waste in a fast-changing fashion world.Because their customers are active and loyal, they often become brand advocates on social media. For example, MUD Jeans focuses on telling the stories of their jeans and who wore them before they were passed on as a way to recognize their customers and share their values. Today they have over 52 thousand followers on Instagram and over 17 thousand followers on Facebook.[caption id="attachment_3889" align="aligncenter" width="1183"]
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Even with the saturation of fast fashion brands, luxury brands are still making their mark on social media and seeing great success. Here are a few of the most notable examples:
Burberry’s social media strategy is one of its main marketing efforts. As a result, they are now one of the top luxury brands on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They have over 19 million followers on Instagram and over 17 million followers on Facebook.Burberry’s social media strategy is unique because they aren’t afraid to try new things. They are always looking to be more innovative on social media and use the latest technology. For example, they used Snapchat for a short period, took advantage of live videos, and created hashtags like #ArtoftheTrench.One of their latest technological innovations is a store in Shenzhen, China, that combines social media engagement through WeChat with in-person shopping for a fully immersive experience.
Louis Vuitton understands their audience and the exclusivity factor of owning luxury fashion. Their strategy built their Instagram following to over 47 million and their Facebook following to over 24 million.Their strategy focuses on marketing their name, which is apparent from their recognizable branding across each channel. No matter which social media page you visit, whether Facebook or Instagram, the colors and style of their images are the same – it unifies their brand and makes it easy to recognize on a social media feed.They also stand out as an exclusive brand by being one of the first brands to try new social media strategies. Their latest venture is marketing in the metaverse. They are becoming innovators in this area by selling exclusive fashion NFTs and even creating a virtual metaverse ambassador.
Image from WWD
Let these success stories inspire your own fashion social media strategy. You have the potential also to see success using influencers, paid ads, strategic branding, and innovative approaches. Let our experts show you how to build a strategy unique to your brand.Contact us and learn more about our social media marketing for fashion brands.
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