Selling fashion online isn’t for the weak of heart. Fashion, by nature, is a form of self-expression. And without the chance to see and touch clothing items, prospective buyers will be hesitant to spend their money.
Although challenging, selling clothing online is a promising venture. According to Statista, the fashion industry garnered almost 30% of eCommerce revenue in 2021. Sales include clothing and accessories, both of which remain high in demand. The study also projects that the industry will only continue to enjoy exponential growth, as it could reach over 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025.
These figures alone can get anyone excited. But in a highly saturated market, it’s important to learn how to cut through the noise and stand out among fashion brands.
You must learn to catch and guide your target audience into the buyer’s journey. From there, you can encourage them to “Add to Cart”—and eventually checkout!
What’s the secret? Excellent, engaging content for your clothing advertisements. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look.
Brands must create ads simply because they’re regarded as the backbones of business. For those in the fashion side of the eCommerce business, investing in clothing ads can make or break your bottom line.
But to dig a little deeper, here are some reasons you need to start investing in marketing and advertising today:
Clothing ads help increase awareness of a particular brand or product. Through advertising, companies can reach a wider audience and inform them about the latest styles, trends, and collections.
Clothing ads help drive sales by promoting specific products or collections. Ads can showcase the benefits of a particular garment, such as its quality, durability, and comfort, and persuade consumers to make a purchase.
Clothing ads can help shape a brand's image and perception in the market. By showcasing their values, style, and identity through advertising, clothing companies can create a unique brand image that resonates with their target audience.
In a crowded marketplace, clothing ads can help companies stand out from the competition. By creating memorable, eye-catching ads, companies can differentiate themselves and attract new customers.
Before anything else, it’s paramount to emphasize one critical thing: creating clothing ads shouldn’t be done at random. While creativity and innovation are welcome in the fashion business, throwing concepts into your marketing plan should have solid foundations.
Since the digital world has become a third space for many, it’s important to remain top of mind. When users log in, they should see you—and look you up when needed.
There’s no time for trial and error. You’ll want to back your big ideas up with tried-and-tested ads, including the following.
Unboxing videos have taken the digital world by storm. Incorporating this content into your marketing campaigns makes your brand look relatable. You allow prospective buyers to envision themselves doing the unboxing, even with new products.
These videos are an excellent way to create awareness and the FOMO (fear of missing out factor). By making your products trend, you spread the word about your clothing pieces like wildfire!
Loewe recently announced a collaboration with Studio Ghibli, showcasing an accessory and clothing line featuring beloved characters and stories.
And while a high-end brand focused more on relatability and nostalgia, it played well into its partner’s target market. In doing so, it expands their reach.
The video below features a quick unboxing of a bag. This video highlights not just their products' aesthetics but the story and exclusivity behind them.
The best way to get people to flock to your business is to offer sales and discounts! Before dropping new clothing lines, allow buyers to purchase pieces from your old lines. Remember that most are likely lurkers, just waiting for price drops, red tags, and other special offers, especially if you’re running an online store.
You can advertise through graphics, images, and even newsletters to communicate sales and discounts.
Zara is a well-known fast fashion retail brand. Offering trendy pieces, their model works best when it quickly changes collections per season. This means more chances of offering their customers discounts and special prices.
Zara announced the sale through a poster featuring a model wearing their piece. The text overlay, combined with the text color choice, makes for a minimal yet impactful ad. All it needs to see is the word “SALE,” after all.
If you want to focus more on word-of-mouth advertising, you can take it up a notch with influencer marketing. This is a simple yet effective way to build credibility.
You essentially allow fashion influencers with huge social media following to vouch for you. You can send them clothes to try on, and in exchange, they talk about and recommend them.
It’s also the best way to break through an even niche side of digital fashion that influencers command, such as trends and styles. Doing so increases your brand’s reach, boosts recall, and builds trust. As a result, you increase brand awareness and enjoy more sales.
Realisation Par offers silky, flowy dresses, skirts, and other unique items. It can get on the pricier side, which is precisely why it works with influencers. Most ads feature models, actresses, and other digital creators wearing their items.
In the ad below, the brand uploads a Carousel Ad featuring eight influencers called “Dreamgirls.” This message is undeniably powerful, as it posits that by purchasing the same dress, they look just as good, too.
Although it’s paramount to focus on the products when featuring fashion, modern consumers expect more from customers. Simply put, it’s important to figure out where your brand stands in the realm of social responsibility.
Sustainability has become an essential part of branding, as it humanizes your brand and makes it relatable and socially aware. Conscious consumers want to see environmental-friendly policies, recycling, and other efforts that signal that you care.
Patagonia is an outdoor clothing brand, and most of its marketing activities involve nature. It’s also known for its green activism, so it puts ads directly onto its website. While known for visually appealing gear, they’ve learned to capture existing customers with their love for nature.
The image below shows its activism page, which urges audiences to take action. It’s simple yet effective. By making it a part of its website, it reassures customers one thing—that they’re supporting a brand that cares.
Styling makes fashion fun, and most fashion consumers understand this. Rather than just selling pieces in minimal boring backgrounds, why not sell them through styling videos?
You can show customers how they can play around with pieces, perhaps mixing and matching two or more pieces from a new collection Showing them how the clothes look when styled fosters an emotional connection, urging them to purchase.
In turn, you put your brand in the best light, as your customers never have to wonder about particular products anymore. You simply show them how to style!
Net-A-Porter is a fashion eCommerce platform carrying clothing items from various brands. The example below is an interesting one. Apart from being a styling video, it also features Emma Chamberlain, a fashion icon among younger consumers.
In the video, she’s given specific scenarios that call for different outfits. She then chooses from pre-selected pieces available on Net-A-Porter, showing viewers how to style each properly.
You may just be starting as a fashion brand, but the potential to reach millions remains limitless. You can reach fashionistas, stylists, celebrities, influencers, and other clothing enthusiasts.
The only way to do that is to begin today, so get out there! Build social media presence—promote all your fabulous pieces. So long as you offer good items and supplement them with carefully chosen ads, you’ll be well on your way to making a name in the fashion industry.
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