We first got in touch with the fabulous studio ARROJO for our runway show last month. We fell in love with their edgy looks, their hair care products, and their enthusiasm for working with bloggers.

As we’ve interviewed mostly fashion brands for our Ask the Brand series, we thought it would be interesting to bring you a new perspective. Enjoy!

Tell us ARROJO’s overall thoughts on social media in the fashion industry.

We’ve always believed trends are influenced by the street. One great thing about social media is that it is ubiquitous –– anyone can do it. It’s actually giving even more power to the street. The communication of bloggers and influencers –– with new looks and new ideas posted every day –– creates a dialogue between communities and individuals that pushes out new trends. More and more, fashion designers are looking at this movement and using it as inspiration for the runway. User-generated content is leading us into a world where the woman or man on the street influences the direction of fashion. We think it is brilliant because we see ARROJO as part of this movement. For example, in early 2011, we instigated a new drive to bring bloggers into the salon. Many opted for ombre hair color –– for which we were one of the pioneers –– and then we saw the trend take off. It gave us an elevated sense of connection to the fashion industry.

At what point in your marketing strategy do you incorporate Social Media – is it considered from the beginning, or do you find ways to fit it in later?

It is part of the big picture of building the ARROJO brand. Everything we do –– from promoting salon appointments to announcing a new product launch to working fashion & trade shows to connecting with fellow professionals –– is pushed out through our social media channels.

How big is your social media team?

In-house we have one full-time social media employee. However, as part of the brand strategy, the whole creative team is involved in developing our presence and success online. We also work with Socialyte, a social media consultant.

What are the daily activities of the ARROJO’s social media team?

Updating our social networks with the most relevant news. Tracking & growing influence. Maintaining and growing our hair inspiration blog, Stylenoted.com. Working on bringing fashion and beauty bloggers and social influencers into our ARROJO studio salon. Organizing events with bloggers and social influencers.

In what capacity do you work with bloggers?

We invite bloggers into the salon for hair services. Depending on the bloggers’ level of influence and/or commitment to talking about the brand, we offer complimentary and discounted appointments to them. It’s all about creating a mutually beneficial relationship. They want to look great, and coming to us guarantees great hair. We want to expand our brand recognition, and working with bloggers guarantees quick and direct exposure to a hip young crowd.

We have used top bloggers like Trop Rouge as models for our fashion shows. This helps to promote the events as the bloggers talk about it online.

We also gift product to bloggers. Again, this instigates online conversations about our product line. We hold events with bloggers to strengthen relationships and bring new people into our space. For example, last Christmas Holiday we hosted a Woman In Need Charity event which was managed by Keiko Lynn. Sponsors like Coach got involved and we had a trendy young crowd spending the day in our facility, while taking part in a good deed.

How do you select bloggers to work with?

We base it on their level of influence and the commitment to the ARROJO brand.

What value do you think blogger collaborations have to a brand, as compared to traditional marketing?

In our work with Socialyte.Co we’ve discovered that bloggers are better aligned as media properties with large followings. Their influence is measurable and the return on investment is quickly apparent. Building relationships with these influencers has given ARROJO a better understanding of the market, where social media is heading, and how to really be a step ahead of the competition.

Bloggers are the epicenter of social. They are the key individuals who influence the tastes and preferences of millions of individuals, who in turn influence the taste and preferences of millions of less connected individuals. In the past brands would dictate trends, spending millions pushing these (hopeful) trends on the masses. Blogging truly puts the consumer in the driver seat, and allows them to clearly state ‘this is what we want’.

In the end it basically mitigates risk of launching a multi-million dollar initiative that may fall flat. It is the ultimate combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, advertising, near real-time data mining, and even POS marketing if integrated properly with a brands e-commerce.

How do you measure the overall value of bloggers and social media?

There is no set value of an influencer. A blogger who speaks to a niche market can be of much higher value to ‘X’ brand that in may be for ‘Y’ brand.

Through Socialyte.Co, we have access to bloggers who are selected using a proprietary algorithm that blends art and technology. Using a combination of several third party analytical tools, outward facing numbers (facebook, tumblr, twitter, bloglovin, lookbook, etc), and analyzing engagement on those mediums, we are able to create a comprehensive snapshot of visitors, demographics, location of readers, and engagement, and how they fit in with the brands goals and objectives.

The big question is how valuable is a blogger with 500,000 unique visitors and low engagement vs a blogger with 10,000 unique visitors and high engagement, and how that individual influencer fits in with the portfolio of bloggers we are working with for said campaign to maximize impressions, clicks, and conversions.

Those types of influencers are most valuable to the ARROJO brand and we actively pursue opportunities to connect and work with them.

Do you have any tips for bloggers looking to engage with brands? How can they make themselves more attractive to brands?

Work with professionals, and be professional. Respond to e-mail, don’t make excuses, and try new things. Use common sense and don’t step on any toes.

As we a forge a path in this new and exciting industry, the core values of high integrity, professionalism, and business ethics should be in the forefront of everyone’s minds. Brands are taking a chance in a new space by working with you. The harder you work to support and achieve the goals and objectives of that brand, the more likely they will be to contact you for future campaigns, and your reputation will grow within the industry.

When working with professionals, professionalism is attractive.

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As a blogger, do you ever wonder to yourself how a certain post (either yours or someone else’s) got so popular? There’s no universal secret to why certain posts are more successful than others. It often has to do with timeliness, but sometimes people just like things; they have a gut reaction that causes them to share, to comment and to talk.

The most popular post of all time on my personal blog (I’ve been posting for 3 years) was this post on a DIY project I did one weekend. It wasn’t especially good, but it was picked up and reposted by my ad network, The Huffington Post / Stylelist. Same goes for the second and third most read. So my reason is pretty obvious, but not everyone has a network that pulls their content that way. Sometimes all it takes is the right retweet, a properly shared link or a very timely topic to help a post shoot to the top of your rankings or go viral.

I wanted to know what the most popular posts from some of our favorite bloggers were, and if their authors could pinpoint a reason. Below you’ll see five very different experiences from five very different blogs. You’ll notice that spikes in traffic happen for many different reasons, non of which are out of your reach!

Jessie Thorpe, Denimology

Anna Derkin, See Jane

Once it was announced that I was a finalist in Refinery29′s ‘Next Big Style Blogger Contest,’ in 2011, I received a ton of unexpected traffic to my site. It definitely was a wake-up call for my blog (and me) and it was definitely unnerving coming to the realization that it wasn’t just my family reading it anymore!  Of course, they were the original readers and they’re a tough crowd, so I still aim to please them with every post. The exposure that came from taking a chance and entering that contest inspires me  

Victoria McGinley, Vmac + Cheese

I can think of two examples of posts that got serious traffic. The first was actually a series of posts I put together before attending the Altitude Summit this past January. I dubbed it ‘Mini Alt Week’ and designed infographics using quotes from lots of bloggers that I reached out to ahead of time. The series offered tips, insights, and best practices into the world of blogging. I think it was successful for lots of reasons: 1. It provided major value to other bloggers (and even potential bloggers), 2. It was pleasing to look at (if I do say so myself!), not just huge blocks of text with no color or images, and 3. it had sharing power. So many people ended up linking to the series that week, both on Twitter, Facebook, or their own blogs! The other recent post I can think of was discussing my honest views of diving into the world of wedding planning. I never DREAMED the post would get the response it did (in fact, I worried it might even alienate people). But it was real. It was ME. Sometimes, I think putting yourself out there and being vulnerable can resonate with your community. It shows that you’re just like them, and can make you as relatable as you are in real life!

Jess Estrada, Fresh Jess

I did a post back in 2010 on feather hair extensions, right before they really took off and became a big trend. To this day, it’s seen over 400% more traffic than my second-highest traffic-driving post. I’m pretty sure that when you Google “featherlocks” my blog pops up in the top search results. It was my first time getting on the press page of a brand’s site (the salon & the feather extensions both included me) and seeing my blog next to Vogue & InStyle made me so happy! That post really kicked off a slough of fun brand campaigns and sponsorships for me.

Ashe Robinson, {putting the} Ash in Fashion

My most popular post, in terms of traffic, was inspired by a post by lifestyle/finance blogger Fabulously Broke in the City.  It was calledFinance & the Fashion Blogger: Things I Won’t Give Up to Save Money, but I slanted it with a fashion & beauty twist.  It was quoted in a post at The Consumer — completely out of context. Then others began to link to the post, with their own commentary– again, out of context. That day I received 6700 page views (about 10x my daily traffic!).  I received comments calling me a bitch, shallow, claiming that I must own a $500 purse for every outfit– one person even accused me of having a job! LAWD HELP ME I HAVE A JOB.  People COMPLETELY missed the point that a) I run a niche blog and b) took a post idea and applied it to my niche.   That much traffic actually sucked when people were coming to my site for the wrong reason; defending myself was useless.  I learned a lot from that post, and it definitely helped me develop a thicker skin as a result. (And by the end of the day, I just kept telling myself– and the computer– hey! thanks for all the traffic!)

We would love to hear about the highest traffic post you ever had! Go into your Google Analytics (or the analytics of your platform) and see what post has the most views. If you feel comfortable, share a link and some ideas of why you think it was so popular!

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This week’s Ask the Brand come to you from Stacey Santo, the  Vice President of Marketing Communications at Rue La La. She is responsible for managing Rue La La’s consumer, digital, and corporate PR strategy!

At what point in your marketing strategy do you incorporate Social Media – is it considered from the beginning, or do you find ways to fit it in later?

From the very start, Rue La La has been built upon friends telling friends about us. Social media and word of mouth marketing have been at our core. So no matter what our marketing initiative, social media is integrated from the beginning. We view social media as more than marketing—it is one of the most important ways to gain feedback from our Members (and then incorporate that into our daily business). Our primary goal is to drive engagement and provide unique ways for our Members to connect with the brand.

How big is your social media team?

Our social media team consists of roughly 10 people from across the organization—including marketing and PR, UX, copy, and creative. We meet each morning to discuss our social topics for the day, and we’re constantly sharing social programs we admire with each other.

In what capacity does Rue La La work with bloggers?

Our team follows many bloggers we admire, and we’re always looking to create unique ways to leverage their voices in the Rue La La experience. We have partnered with bloggers in a variety of ways over the last few years, from offering a unique blogger affiliate network to creating boutiques curated by some of our favorite influencers, like Anh of 9 to 5 Chic, Mrs. Lilien, and Lauren David Peden of The Fashion Informer. We’ve also been featuring bloggers on our own blog, The (Style) Guide. Our members (and our team) always love to see the blogger’s unique style come through there.

How do you select bloggers to work with?

There are a lot of different factors we take into consideration. For our guest editor positions, we look at the blogger’s voice and point of view, and their use of imagery. We ask ourselves if their blog aligns with what our members are looking to discover. And, of course, we look at a blogger’s engagement to ensure the partnership is as successful (and we’ll work together to determine programs that will best engage their community and social channels as well as ours). Lastly—and most importantly—we align with bloggers that complement the Rue La La experience. It is critical to us that our blogger programs be authentic — this will always provide the biggest payoff to our members (and to the blogger’s own audience).

What value do you think blogger collaborations have, as compared to traditional marketing?

Bloggers are incredibly creative and talented, and the team is inspired by our favorite bloggers every single day. And since we are constantly striving to in turn inspire our members, blogger partnerships are an accessible and fun way to do that.

How do you measure the overall value of bloggers and social media?

Although standard web analytics and social tools track traffic and social engagement, we look at our measurement of value with bloggers slightly differently. For us, the value is in the authenticity and uniqueness of the partnership. We value working with bloggers to create highly engaging content that may introduce their followers to Rue La La. An authentic and high-quality post that ties back to our brand from an influential blogger is one of the absolute best ways to introduce Rue La La to an entirely new audience.

Do you have any tips for bloggers looking to engage with brands? How can they make themselves more attractive to brands?

First off, don’t be shy. Reach out to brands you want to work with. We always look at the emails from bloggers that come through our pr@ruelala.com inbox. When reaching out, outline a specific idea that you have in mind – it will help to get the conversation started. Know the team you are reaching out to. Make sure the brand is aligned with your blog and that your content is going to be the right fit both visually and in terms of content. Be mindful of the amount of giveaways on your blog as well. Giveaways are a great way to generate engagement (we also participate where it makes sense) but too many can dilute your personal brand and point of view.

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The Lacee Swan brand is art + fashion + blogging and digital strategy, and I’m doing a lot on all fronts! I just wrapped up an art exhibit at the Cutie Room in the Lower East Side in Manhattan. I am working on putting together another show and have some upcoming collaborations under my sleeve. And if you are at Coachella I’ll have some of my tees at the NMRKT pop-up shop.

How has blogging affected your career?

Blogging has helped me to take two things I love most, fashion and art, and merge them together.  I’ve never been one to stick to one thing – I am a “jack of all trades” kind of gal. And blogging allows me to combine my loves together in a way that makes sense. As an entrepreneur starting my own brand, you wear all kinds of hats and blogging has forced me to work with tools that end up being useful across the board. I couldn’t be more grateful for the path my career has taken!

What is the most important advice you could give to aspiring bloggers?

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Covering the shows is part of my job at IFB, so my take-aways on a professional level are a bit different than the average blogger. Even so, I know I can’t be alone in these feelings of gratitude and excitement when it comes to attending fashion shows. Last season I posted  a personal account, like a diary of sorts, of my experience day-to-day at NYFW, including who I saw, where I went and how I felt about everything. This post’s traffic and feedback far exceeded any of the (dozen or so) posts I did that talked about the actual collections.

This revelation brought up a discussion at the office: What is the value of covering NYFW shows for personal style bloggers? We all wondered if blog readers come to their favorite blogs for show reviews, or for personal accounts of the adventures each individual had throughout the week.

I asked a few of IFB’s favorite bloggers that we got to hang out with during the week to explain a little about how and why they cover fashion week.

Alicia Lund: Her personal blog is Cheetah Is The New Black, but she also covered the shows for The Glitter Guide as well as RealBeauty.com. Her coverage on each of these three channels was specific to which site she was invited through.

“I think my readers enjoyed seeing a few fashion week snippets on my blog but I feel as though if they’re interested in seeing the full collections they’re better off checking the photos on Style.com because my photos will never compare. It’s fun to provide some behind the scene photos or to give readers an insight into fashion week through your eyes that they couldn’t get on Style.com / anywhere else. As far as newbie bloggers, simply attending fashion week won’t necessarily help their traffic. It could however help their chances of getting more show invites in the future. But a great part about fashion week is the people you meet so I would highly suggest they go for the networking… which will help their traffic!”

Ann Colville Somma: Covered for Holier Than Now and Cult of Pretty (both her own sites).

For Holier than Now, I gave in to the fact that I have never been able to shoot good front of house (runway) images, so I decided to use Instagram while I was at the shows to share fun stuff while it happened. [...] On Holier, I only posted about collections when I had a little personal story to tell or an image I really liked.  I noticed these did way better than in previous seasons when I tried to “cover” the shows. On Cult of Pretty I did the exact opposite – I decided to try to cover backstage as comprehensively and quickly as I could – given the resources I had.  This meant hiring a photographer to ensure I had strong original content and could essentially be in two places at once, and carefully working out a schedule and turnaround time … then editing into the wee hours so I could get the images up before they felt like old news.  I learned as a went along and watched what people were responding to and reblogging, and I also asked my readers afterwards if they liked it all and did they want less or more next season.  [...] It was also worth it because I met so many people backstage and made long-term connections that have a value beyond the posts.  That’s a big part of fashion week for me – the opportunity to meet inspiring people.

Kiley Steinberg: Covered for her personal blog, A Sequin Dress At Breakfast

I sometimes debate when covering a show whether or not to use the collections photos off of style.com for a show I attended…no doubt they are more detailed and higher quality than my own photos, but I’ve decided that I think my readers appreciate seeing photos from my perspective – that I took myself.  Anyone can go to style.com or the designers site and see polished and professional photos, but from my own cameras pics my readers see much more than just the collection – they get a feel for where I was sitting, what the attendees look like, the set up of the show, etc.  I think my readers appreciate seeing that more ‘real’ side to attending shows.  Most of of my readers aren’t fashion bloggers, and so I’ve been trying to think of the things I was curious about before I had these experiences in attending NYFW – things I take for granted now – such as how do you get to attend a show, how does seating work inside a show, who else attends them, what do people wear to shows, things like that.  Those are things my readers aren’t reading about anywhere else, and that aren’t really discussed in magazines or other mass media. 

So I put the question to you, IFB community: What do you want out of NYFW coverage from your favorite bloggers?

[Images via Shut up, I love That Shirt On You, A Sequin Dress at Breakfast, Cheetah Is The New Black and Cult of Pretty.]

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