The Business of Blogging: The Influence Cultural Entrepreneurs have on Products Sales - Specifically Fashion Bloggers

## **Why Fashion Blogging and Why It Matters?**

   Can

you imagine turning an online hobby into a lucrative career? The business of
fashion blogging has gained popularity in the recent years due to the
introduction of user generating content platforms such as- Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, WordPress, and YouTube. Online blogging resources have become the main
source of income for many creative individuals around the world. Chiara
Ferragni, the pioneer of fashion blogging has turned her blog ‘The Blonde
Salad’ into a global business. Ferragini is projected to generate revenues of 6
million euros in the upcoming year. Out of the projected revenue million will
be generated from her blog alone (Harris, 2014). Ferragini is not the only
blogger making a seven figure salary off her online presence. There are
currently over 152 million blogs on the World Wide Web generating unique
content  that “serve to bridge the gap
between the demand for information and the rate at which information is
supplied” ( Eger,2014). We are currently living in the information era where
the consumers have become the producers, and in a society where we are in
constant search for new information. The blogosphere serves as a creative
platform that fosters a participatory culture, through peer to peer
collaboration.

The
creation of new applications, and web base platforms serve as agents between
brands, bloggers and their target audience. Our society is exposed to product
advertisements on a daily bases, ironically we are shifting away from the
traditional ad campaigns we once use to see. Brands are now collaborating with
bloggers as part of their business strategy. A blogger can now charge brands
anywhere between $100.00 to over $5000.00 for a single blog post, in exchange
for online exposure. The business of fashion blogging has become an economical
phenomenon that has introduced a new form of selling and marketing products to
the public.

## Research Question and Hypothesis

A
further analysis of the contributors of the blogosphere will help validate the hypothesis
that influencers are highly important for fashion brands in the 21 century. Our
research question aims to understand how cultural entrepreneurs influence products
sales - specifically fashion bloggers.

## Methods

   Methods for this

theoretical research will consist of quantitative generalize results from a
larger sample population derived from the art discipline. An in-depth
literature review will be required to further understanding what the current
trends are relating to the topic of blogging. As suggested, a short case study
on Chaiara Ferragni will be conducted to understand how this blogger has turned
her presence on the internet into a world renowned name generating millions in
product sales .As part of the research methods a series of five question will
be prepared for a local fashion boutiques who is currently collaborating with
bloggers to promote their products. Receiving industry insight combined with
the other research methods will be extremely helpful in the validation of the
research hypotheses.

**Engagement**
Questions:

1. Why does
your brand want to collaborate with fashion bloggers?

2. What are
the pros and cons of collaborating with fashion \]blogger?

**Exploration**
Questions:

3. Do you
think people are more prone to buying a product if a fashion blogger is
promoting it ?

4. Have you
seen an increase in sales since beginning to collaborate with local bloggers?

**Exit**
Questions:

5. Is there anything else you would like to say about
the influence a fashion blogger has on the marketing and selling of products?

**Type of**
Research Question

**1 .Engagement questions**: presented the participant *(Boutique Owner )* to the topic and
establish a sense of comfort to the topic of discussion

**2. Exploration questio**ns: will be used to gain a deeper
understanding of the point of view of the participant and reach the focal point
of the discussion.

**3. Exit question:** Will be used as a method to evaluate
if any important topics where missed throughout the discussion.

The questions will be
carefully structure and worded in a way that avoided a yes or no responds. The
questions will be open-ended and focused on the specific topic in order to
avoid confusion. Asking the right questions will be crucial to the success of
the research.

## **Key Topics to Consider**

·       Consumerism

·       Participatory Culture

·       Social Media Influencers

·       Fashion Blogs and Product Collaborations in
Digital Networks

·       Cultural Inversion

·       Cultural and Creative Entrepreneurs

·       Peer to Peer Production

== **Potential**
Research Resources **==**
**For Mini Case Study**

Dunn, Carey,. (2014)
How one fashion blogger is on track to earn almost 8 million a year. Retrieved
from http://www.fastcodesign.com/3035472/fast-feed/how-one-fashion-blogger-is-on-track-to-earn-almost-8-million-a-year

Strugatz, Rachel (2014). The Business of
Blogging. Retrieved from http://wwd.com/business-news/digital/bloggers-to-business-8032726/

CBC NEW (2015). Chiara Ferragni
Fashion Blogger Becomes 8 million dollar business. Retrieved form http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chiara-ferragni-fashion-blogger-became-8-million-dollar-business/

Keinan, Anat., Maslauskaite, Kristina., Crener, Sandrine and Dessai, Vincent. The Blonde Salad. Retrieved from http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=48520

**For Theoretical Research**

Adam Hyde et al.,
2012. ‘What is collaboration anyway?’, in Michael Mandiberg, The social media
reader. New York: NYU Press, pp. 53-67 - http://bit .ly/1MoPLfc

Harris, Aleesha.,
(August 2,2014). Cashing in on style: The business of fashion blogging. Retrieved
from http://www.vancouversun.com/life/fashion-beauty/Cashing+style+business+fashion+blogging/10083989/story.html

Khan, Humayun ( 2015).
4 Creative ways to promote your product through an influential fashion blogger.
Retrieved from

Michel Bauwens, 2005.
‘The political economy of peer production’, CTheory, 1 -

http://bit
.ly/1UsdiBH

Matthew, Krtistem (
January, 21, 2014). How are Fashion Brands Working With Bloggers? - The
Outreach Marketer. Retrieved form http://theoutreachmarketer.com/how-are-fashion-brands-working-with-bloggers/

Marwick, A. (2013).
They’re really profound women, they’re entrepreneurs”: Conceptions of
authenticity in fashion blogging. In 7th International AIII Conference on
Weblogs and Social Media, July (Vol. 8).