If you could hack my Google history you would see “how to collab with fashion bloggers” pop up frequently. The reason being is that so many of those blogging how-to posts on the internet encourage you to work with bloggers and brands but then don’t tell you how to do it. What the heck does that look like?!
Today I put on my blogging thinking cap and crafted up a whole list of ideas of how to get connected with other creative people of the internet.
Work With Bloggers
- Play stylists for each other in a blog post. Virtually flip through their closet and pull together a look for them to model in a blog post. You can see an example here.
- Host a giveaway together. (You could also reach out to a brand to help sponsor a more elaborate prize.)
- Create a link-up. This will not only allow you two to work together but give you a chance to reach out to even more bloggers. It’s a win-win!
- Re-create an outfit from the other persons blog. Tell your readers about your inspiration and what you did to make it your own.
- Create a handy guide in two parts. Post one half on your blog and the other half on your friend’s blog. You can get really creative coming up with something to entertain your readers! (Could also be used in more than two parts to include even more bloggers.)
- Recreate the look of a celebrity/other inspiration. Instead of picking an outfit from the other blogger, decide on a celebrity or other source to be inspired by. Share with your readers your take on the look.
- Use a quote from another blogger. If you have conflicting schedules and can’t work out a post together, even using a quote from another blogger is a small gesture and a way of getting their name on your blog.
- Swap something using snail mail. So many amazing groups have created blogs using this concept. Swap clothes, jewelry, or beauty products with one another to share in a post.
- Host a fashion face-off. Pick a piece of clothing that you both have and style it on your blogs. This is double the dose of inspiration for your readers.
- Interview one another. This is a great way to get to know each other and ask ridiculous questions like “Which candy bar describes your approach to blogging?”
- Share a post on social media. Did you read something amazing from a blogger and just have to share it? Do it! Maybe the blogger will even return the kind gesture. Boom, you just made a connection!
- Host a live web chat. Spend some time with your readers and a new friend by chatting live on the internet. This is great for epic Q&A sessions!
Work With Brands
You’ve been contacted by a brand that wants to work with you but you have no idea what to do. Take it easy, I got you covered!
- Create a day-to-night look. Showcase the longevity of a product by sharing with your readers how they can wear it now and later.
- Style a product multiple ways. Show off the versatility of a single item by styling it for more than one outfit.
- Write a review. You can’t go wrong with a good ol’ review post. Either ask for a physical product to review, talk about your first impression of the website, or some other creative post. If you’re especially outgoing, you could also make a video review. Here’s an example using a cute scarf.
- Host a giveaway. Contact the company and ask if they would sponsor a giveaway. This is better if you already have a good relationship with the PR person.
- Ask for a discount code. Some brands look down on small bloggers but I’ve had great success in asking for a discount code to share with my readers. Plus, it gets your foot in the door by exchanging some e-mails. You have to start somewhere!
- Conduct an interview. Forget asking for products, get down to the nitty gritty of a website and ask for an interview. Talk to the owner (great for Etsy crafters!), web designers, or other people of importance. Really get to know their job!
- Create a shopping guide. It cost you nothing at all to use a product image (except a link back) in a shopping guide or other round-up style post. Be sure to clue the company in to what you do. They may even want to sponsor an entire post for you if they like what they see!
- Create a haul video. If you’re good with video making, create a haul video for a brand. This doesn’t even have to be sponsored as you may already be a big shopper at one particular store and have a lot to share from them.
- Create a look book video. Break out your camera again and use your styling magic to put together a video of different outfits.
Work In Real Life
Do you live in an area populated with bloggers? Here’s some IRL collab ideas.
- Host an event. Devote an entire afternoon to catching up with your favorite bloggers by hosting a swap party, a lunch outing, a workshop, or other type of get together.
- Meet up for outfit photos. Give your tripods/S.O. a break and meet up with a blogger to take outfit photos. Bonus: They know the best lighting and are pros at getting the look from strangers.
- Go shopping. Do some mall walking, window shopping, try on prom dresses, or whatever you can think of when the two of you get together for shopping.
- Plan a reader meet-up. Get your readers involved by hosting an event for everyone to meet and greet. (If it gets too big, be sure to ask for permission for wherever you’re meeting. A lot places have their limits.)
Feel free to leave me your ideas in the comments & I’ll add them to the list with credit to you. Happy collab’ing!
These are all great ideas! I love when other bloggers collaborate with each other and I get to be exposed to other great blogs (and I love collaborating with other bloggers even more!)
Welp, this has been hands down the best post i’ve seen all week. There’s SO MUCH GOODNESS here! A lot of the things you listed I admittedly haven’t even thought of. I love the idea of recreating each others looks, or doing a two part guide, where the other half is on the other blogger’s page. Genius! This is such a great post to shake you out of a rut 🙂
xo marlen
Messages on a Napkin
I love this post Hannah. Honestly, sometimes I hesitate reaching out because I don’t exactly know what to do. This post helped a lot! Thank you for all the tips… I am going to really use them & get started on this soon!
with love,
Amna
Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger
http://www.theamnaali.com
This is such a great list! Creating relationships and collaborating with other bloggers is one of the best parts of having a blog. I found your post through Marlen tweeting this link- yay! 🙂
This is an AWESOME post. I am always wanting to especially collaborate with other bloggers, but I’m terrible at coming up with good ideas for what to do. Which reminds me, I keep forgetting to email and tell you I think it’d be fun to collaborate with you (like, the stylist idea, or celeb inspiration!). So, you know, if you want to. I’ve also been thinking how awesome it would be to start up my own item swap group for maybe… more “my” sized bloggers, and I even have a dress I wouldn’t mind sending off to a few people to style their own ways… but we’ll see. I’m slow to do that stuff.
Thank you SO much for sharing this post! It is a wealth of information all in one spot- major score. Bookmarking for later use. : ) Rebecca @ http://www.daisydisdain.com
Love the interview idea! I’m a journalist and I can’t believe I’ve never actually thought of that one.
Randi with an i
Just stumbled across your blog, and I have to stop and say what a great list this is! I am just starting to get more serious about the blog that I’ve been loitering about with for a couple years, and I love thinking about new ways to join the blogging community! I will definitely be saving this page to come back to for later reference. Thank you for the great ideas!
These are such good ideas! I would have never thought of half of these (now I feel super dumb) and I’m bookmarking this for future ideas!
http://www.theadoredlife.com
Love these ideas Hannah! Definitely going to implement some of these!
Thank you for sharing this round up, very useful. Finally came up with an idea for a brand collaboration 🙂
These are great tips, thanks for sharing! I’m actually been interviewing fellow bloggers and brand owners even fashion illustrators and people with fashion-related jobs on my blog 🙂 and right now I’m looking for bloggers to co-host a Git card giveaway and an instagram loop giveaway with me. If you’re interested you can contact me on my email alyssa[at]stylevanity[dot]com
http://stylevanity.com
Thank you for these tips! Very useful ideas!
Sara
Blueberry Style Blog
Thank you for sharing these useful tips!
XO
Sara
Blueberry Style Blog
Thankyou! http://www.leshionista.com
If any of you ladies want to collaborate let me know. http://www.izzopia.com
These are great tips and will surely help us ! Thank you ! 🙂
These tips are very helpful and gives new insight of what I’ve never thought about. I am a blogger, who mainly does reviews for fashion, beauty and recently, baby items. I would love to collaborate with brands. check out my blog, http://notjustanothersoutherngal.blogspot.com and email: jeni_fini@yahoo.com
Thanks for the great article!
Try fawour.com to collab and grow together! 😀
very helpful tips. thanks for sharing.
These tips are super helpful, thanks so much! I’m a fashion and lifestyle blogger, if any bloggers want to link up and work together I’d love to.
Great blog – thanks for sharing x