Brand marketing is so important in the fashion industry, especially when it comes to your online presence. The fashion industry itself is estimated to grow to $672 billion by 2023, and online sales will be about 30 percent of that.

That's a lot of potential revenue for boutique clothing stores to spar over, and having a great social media presence will ensure you get your piece. Here are some tips to make it work. 

Diversify Your Models

The first thing you will want to do to grow your social media presence, outside of website design, is to focus on how your clothing is represented. Today, diversity is key.

We don't just mean diversity in the sense of different ethnic groups and races either, though that's certainly important. No, for full inclusion, you want diversity of body type as well.

Body positivity is good for culture, and it's good for business. After all, 69 percent of people do not fall within what is considered traditionally "normal" BMI. You're leaving a lot of customers out in the cold if you don't make them feel included.

Choose Good Backgrounds 

Talk with any marketing agency about how to stand out online, especially as clothing is concerned, and backgrounds will come up. The backgrounds you choose are important for helping to bring out the color schemes and design patterns of your clothes.

Choose colors that contrast well with the colors of your clothing (i.e., darker backgrounds for lighter clothes, or vice versa). Posts with striking imagery do better than those that are purely textual. And your business is built on the visuals. 

Respond

You'll get all kinds of responses to your content as you start putting yourself out there on social media. If you've built a following that's supportive of your brand, the comments will be largely positive. 

However, sometimes an order doesn't go right or someone takes issue with something your company did. They might even make those feelings known in the comments thread.

Don't panic. Make a point of responding to the feedback. A simple "Thank you, we're glad you love the clothes!" can do the trick for the positive. For negative, you might have to get more involved.

Create a strong social media presence by responding with professionalism and a fix-it attitude. Showing professionalism can even win over detractors and create new fans in the process.

Test Different Post Types 

There are many different social networks, and each one has a specific format that does better. Facebook can get traction through text, images/memes, or video. TikTok is purely video.

Instagram is primarily images and video. Study the networks you plan to be the most active on, and create content that is tailored to those platforms. 

Be Instaready

Instagram is a platform you cannot afford to ignore if you're in fashion. The network has been a goldmine for influencers and brands of all distinctions, but especially in the world of fashion. 

Elle magazine recently shared almost two dozen that are killing it on Instagram. You could easily be added to the list if you bring your A-game. 

Study each one. See what their most popular posts are. Use those as inspiration for developing your own.

Partner With Fashion Influencers 

Beyond fashion brands, Instagram is also a haven for influencers. Just one of these individuals wearing your clothes or giving you a mention can explode sales. 

You'll have to figure out an approach to attracting these influencers. Offer them free clothing, approach them through their agent or preferred outreach channel. 

Show them you're ready to create value for them without expecting anything in return. Then, see what happens.

Run Giveaways

Other ways to grow your social media presence include the tried-and-true giveaway. Envision a value box with your clothes and some other goodies. 

Encourage your followers to share or sign up for your newsletter to be considered in a drawing. Treat the giveaway as a "loss leader." That is, expect to give away enough to where people cannot resist taking that next step that you want them to take.

Offer Special Discounts to Followers 

Running Facebook ads or other forms of paid advertising targeted directly at your followers can be an effective way of making your brand grow. Particularly, think about deals that incentivize referrals.

Special discounts are great for doing this. Play with the numbers, and don't be afraid to sell at a loss or below your normal profit margins to get word-of-mouth going. 

Weigh In On Current Trends

TikTok trends have helped a number of brands and influencers pick up thousands of followers in a relatively short amount of time. By jumping on the trends, you can get seen by many in a matter of minutes.

That said, you'll want to study what does well on TikTok and put forth a serious effort. Otherwise, you'll just get buried by the rest of the content there. Featuring the uniqueness of your brand in those trends is a good start.

Avoid Divisive Topics Unless Specific To Market 

Only fools discuss religion and politics or so goes the old saying. Social media has only proven this to be true. (Especially with politics.) 

You are a clothing boutique, and the smart money says you have little to gain by inserting yourself into these discussions without purpose. Of course, there are exceptions. 

Nike's decision to partner with Colin Kaepernick had short-term negative effects, but they ultimately won out with a welcoming surge. That's because they drew the line in the sand and decided that's what their brand would be about, and that's the type of audience they hoped to attract.

It was an example of the riches in the niches. Risk alienating some to pick up a lot more. If you're not experienced walking that line, however, it can be disastrous. 

Partner With Ancillary Brands

Finally, think about brands in your market that do not compete directly with you. Maybe a shoe manufacturer, just as an example.

Working out partnerships with these types of brands can help you both grow thanks to the other. You'll have to make sure the value proposition is clear, or else they'll see it as a waste of time.

Brand Marketing Can Take Your Boutique to the Next Level

Brand marketing is vital if you hope to take your clothing company beyond its current standing. It's not easy to do on your own, however. 

Partnering with a marketing agency that has experience growing brands from the ground up is essential. That's where BitBranding can help. Learn more about our core values and expertise, or contact us now to see what we can help you accomplish.