Fashion is beautiful, artsy, and fiercely competitive, so if you’re going into fashion and building a site, you need ways to stand out from all of the other fashion websites out there. According to How Many Are There Online, there are four million websites online as of 2012, and roughly half of them feature some type of fashion related product. Some of these stand out and some don’t, but if you want your site to stand out from the crowd, you can follow a few simple tips to make that happen.
Build Your Website with Shopping In Mind
When you build your website, keep traditional shopping in mind. Don’t just focus on making your outfits and accessories look great because many consumers will get confused if your site isn’t easy to navigate. While fashion is always best when you can show put-together looks, shopping is best when things are organized. There are ways to do both, though. Allow your customers the option to click a link that shows the pieces they are considering styled with whole outfits, including accessories. While this means more links and work for you, it also means giving the clients what they need as far as function and aesthetics. Additionally, you can allow consumers to dress virtual mannequins with the styles they enjoy in order to make the your website more fun.
Make It Easy to Use
Make your site easy to use by checking out already tried and true fashion website templates that you can get for free on many online sites. You don’t have to use these on your site, but they will give you an idea of how your site should flow. Another way to decide how to organize your site is by thinking of how people dress themselves. Most start with undergarments, then move on to pants, shirts, shoes, and other accessories. When you think of it this way you know which way to organize the links for people to find the garments they want. A fashion site doesn’t need lots of flashing lights, animation, and sound because these things can take away from the fashionable pieces you’re selling.
Promote Yourself
To really make yourself stand out in the fashion world, you need to promote yourself, and this includes promoting your site. First, start by wearing some of your pieces out and about. If someone stops you to ask about your clothing, hand them a business card with a URL to your site. Next, post photos on Facebook and leave them open to discussion so people can feel involved in the fashion process. By opening yourself up to consumers, you are engaging them and making them want to shop with you.
Fashion is fun, and your fashion website should be, too. Make it easy to use, simple to view, and fun for consumers to mix and match looks. Finally, promote yourself in unconventional ways and allow your potential customers to feel connected to you by engaging them. All of these things will help you stand out in the fashion-ridden internet world.
