This is totally a different topic than my regular posts. As you may already know OCS is a blog site and I am running this site for 5 years. Based on my observation I feel something is missing in garment industry. Garment and apparel business have not yet considered blogging platform as a marketing tool. In this post I will walk you through few things about blogging and business blogging. You will learn about blogging, benefits of business blogging, content development, internet marketing, and why garment industry need blogging.
An industry that makes apparel products and fulfills consumers apparel needs. All kind of businesses such as suppliers or service providers to apparel supply chain are part of garment industry. This industry also named as fashion industry and textile industry. To name a few, garment manufacturers, garment retailers, online garment retailers, e-commerce businesses, raw material manufacturers and suppliers, service providers (textile testing labs) to the garment industry, technology solution providers for garment manufacturing and other part of the apparel supply chain, and many other businesses, those are in business due to garment industry.
In the digital age ‘Blogging’ is one kind of internet marketing.
'Blogging' might be a new thing to you like many other individuals belong in the garment and textile industry. Though you are very much familiar with the internet and you love internet more than others do. Even we feel our day is incomplete if we don’t open internet or do some activities in the internet. Activities like mailing, social networking, chatting, doing online shopping, banking and searching things on the net when you need answer for something and don't know whom to ask etc. We read blogs. But many of us don't know about blogging. This is the fact.
In this article I am not going to explain much what blogging is and how to do blogging. Instead I will tell you why garment businesses and an individual should do blogging (if they are not yet doing it)? You can start it either as hobby or as a professional blogging.
We are living in the digital age. Secondly our customers are not only living in our locality but they are located worldwide. So you must have online presence to reach them. For an example, instead of looking at end consumers, just look at other businesses as your customer (B2B). All businesses need suppliers, service providers, partners, solution providers and experts advises. So your business can meet the requirement of others.
Today, first thing everyone does is search their requirement on the internet. The potential customers find suppliers from online search and make a list to be contacted. You can be in their suppliers’ list if they found you in net searching. They will read about your products, services, benefits and features of the products.
If you have online presence then only you have a chance to get noticed by those potential customers. Secondly just having website with few static pages would not help you much to get noticed online. If you are not found in Google search, you do not exist for them (to your prospects). What will happen, someone else will get that business.
Again you need to improve your online presence. Blogging does it very well.
As per my observation, I would say garment industry organizations are not using ‘blogging’ for their businesses growth (marketing purpose). Most of them still believe in print media and words of mouth marketing. This is not true, it is just a myth. While other industries prefer blogging as a marketing tool, and for other purpose, people in garment industry is indifferent about blogging platform. Many businesses (in other industries) prefer to promote and market their products though others blogs than traditional print media.
A website is designed with few web pages and those are static. Websites tells about company’s business profile, mission and vision, quality promises, client list, capabilities and contact page.
Example of few business website: Check websites of any garment export houses (those have website).
A business blog publish content (article) answering frequently asked question related to their business filed. Blog is updated regularly (might be everyday, once in a week or any regular interval – there is no rule at all) with more contents, images, video, with solutions for the industry problems. Blog content is normally filled with keywords related to industry and search words/phrases. By blogging business tries to drive traffic to their blog and generate business leads.
A personal blog is run by an individual. The blogger of the blog site is responsible for content creation, content ideas (topic to write) and handling other things associated with publishing blogs and keeping the blog up. For example I have a blog (onlineclothingstudy.com) and I am doing everything to keep my blog upto date. In personal blog author shared his/her personal views, opinion on a particular subject, and trends.
When a blog is written for the company and blogs are published in company’s official website or authorized website(s) is called as business blog. In business blog, organization can share original blog author's name or but. Company may share news and press release in the form of blog post. It may also publish blog related to its subjects and enrich knowledge of the users.
Though there are many businesses those don’t have any websites, I assume that a garment business have a website. More than the website if they start blogging, they will get benefits on following areas.
Reaching to your potential customers - To get more businesses you need more people to know existence of your business, to know about your products and services. As explained above, potential customers search for service providers and product suppliers in the internet. Blog will help you to be found on the internet. This will increase business leads.
Getting more traffic in your website (SEO) – Business websites are made to features product and services. To get business you need to bring as many potential customers and online/social marketer as possible to your website. Only by visiting and reading your website they will know what you can do for them. A blog will attract traffic to your site via blog posts. More traffic means chance of getting more leads and business conversion.
Improved social marketing – Having a Facebook page is common for all businesses. But you must have something new and attractive content to share on the Facebook page. Your blog can fill that gap. Same goes to other social sites like – Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Alternate of paid search (paid marketing) – Many businesses do paid online advertisement. Paid search is done to get appeared on the search pages when visitors are searching for related things. Blogging is free (You may need to pay for hosting and space). If you write some good articles on your niche, your company name (with article) will appear in the search result without paying anything to Google.
Many of us don’t own any business. Would you like to know how blogging can be used in your personal brand?
To me blogging is a platform. By regular blogging you can achieve your dream. Some of the benefits for individual blogging are listed here.
Sharing your knowledge and ideas to the world – Among us all have expertise in some areas. You have good ideas to change the industry. Many have written good articles and research papers but don't know how to share those with others. They mostly try to get published through some journals and magazines. For that they need to go through many approval processes. Many experts just wait for to be picked up by others. Why to wait for others’ permission. Share your knowledge through blogging.
It is Fun - It is not that you have to write only serious article. Start writing as hobby and share what you like to do. If you write something and people like it and write positive comments on it that is a big fun.
Building authority in the industry – We all want to get recognized, want to get credits for the work we do. For that you need to prove yourself by showing your authority in that field. By regular blogging on your subject you can build your authority. If you are a consultant or planning to work as consultant there is no other way to build your brand but blogging. Blogging will bring more business to you and promote your brand as well.
Supplement income - We all want to make more money. But most of us don't know what can be done other than the day job we do (fixed salary)? (May be you are doing some kind of services or maybe you have a business). Being in the day job, few fortunate fellows are getting chance to work overtime and earn extra money. By blogging you can supplement your income. My blog is earning dollar by showing advertisement on it.
Improving your knowledge and skill - When you start writing blogs and do it regularly, you will love to write more. You will eventually start reading and exploring things in you favorite subjects. This process will improve your writing skill as well as improve your subject knowledge.
There are few blogs that publish article covering topics on garment and textile industry. But this number is very low compared to blogs belong to other industries (like IT industry, mobile, technology, gadget, photography, fashion industry etc). Through blogging and knowledge sharing bloggers are helping many individuals and businesses to learn more and in business growth. You can also take part in the knowledge sharing.
As you are reading this post you might be interested in starting a blog with your exiting company website. Good news for you that it is possible.
For this you have to develop a team within your organization (though it is difficult for manufacturing companies) for content creation. Ask your employees to write articles (voluntarily) and submit it to the blog publishing team. Your blog publishing team can edit and publish those articles in the form of blog post. In the previous company we followed this method for writing articles. This team can curate good and related article from the various websites and publish a curate list post.
You can take services from a company who will do content marketing for your company and publish blog post in your blog. They may provide you content marketing services different ways other than just blogging.
You can hire freelance content writer and publish content in your blog. Give your ideas and content topics and your content writer will write article accordingly. Today’s e-commerce sites are following this strategy.
Those who are doing some kind of business online or off-line, they must think of starting blogging. Instead of spending time on social network do some creative works and share it. Improve your visibility not only to them who you know but to people who need your help in the world. In the world many people need advice from you. Because you have expertise in something that others don’t have.
I see many individuals (field experts) write articles for print magazines. Getting published in print media has many benefits. Still I will recommend them to start publishing article on the internet through blogging or online magazines.
Individuals who have Linkedin account can start writing article (blog) and publish it on Linkedin. Those who are interested but don’t have clue, can find thousands of articles on blogging topic in the internet. You can learn writing, blogging, and publishing and even you can learn online marketing through content writing.
Interested in knowing more about business blogging and its benefit? Read the benefits of business blogging published by Hubspot.
I have made a list of few blogs and websites related to garment and textile industry (not business blog) those mostly publish tutorials. For your reference you can check those blogs.
Start your new journey of blogging and enjoy.
What is the Garment industry?
An industry that makes apparel products and fulfills consumers apparel needs. All kind of businesses such as suppliers or service providers to apparel supply chain are part of garment industry. This industry also named as fashion industry and textile industry. To name a few, garment manufacturers, garment retailers, online garment retailers, e-commerce businesses, raw material manufacturers and suppliers, service providers (textile testing labs) to the garment industry, technology solution providers for garment manufacturing and other part of the apparel supply chain, and many other businesses, those are in business due to garment industry.
What is Blogging?
The activity on a blog is known as blogging. Like writing articles and publishing the content (articles), photos and videos in the internet. A blog is web log or a web journal where a blogger or a team of bloggers writes on something and publish it on web. In a blog, articles are stored date wise and new posts are published on regular basis.In the digital age ‘Blogging’ is one kind of internet marketing.
'Blogging' might be a new thing to you like many other individuals belong in the garment and textile industry. Though you are very much familiar with the internet and you love internet more than others do. Even we feel our day is incomplete if we don’t open internet or do some activities in the internet. Activities like mailing, social networking, chatting, doing online shopping, banking and searching things on the net when you need answer for something and don't know whom to ask etc. We read blogs. But many of us don't know about blogging. This is the fact.
In this article I am not going to explain much what blogging is and how to do blogging. Instead I will tell you why garment businesses and an individual should do blogging (if they are not yet doing it)? You can start it either as hobby or as a professional blogging.
Why Blogging for the Business?
We are living in the digital age. Secondly our customers are not only living in our locality but they are located worldwide. So you must have online presence to reach them. For an example, instead of looking at end consumers, just look at other businesses as your customer (B2B). All businesses need suppliers, service providers, partners, solution providers and experts advises. So your business can meet the requirement of others.
Today, first thing everyone does is search their requirement on the internet. The potential customers find suppliers from online search and make a list to be contacted. You can be in their suppliers’ list if they found you in net searching. They will read about your products, services, benefits and features of the products.
If you have online presence then only you have a chance to get noticed by those potential customers. Secondly just having website with few static pages would not help you much to get noticed online. If you are not found in Google search, you do not exist for them (to your prospects). What will happen, someone else will get that business.
Again you need to improve your online presence. Blogging does it very well.
As per my observation, I would say garment industry organizations are not using ‘blogging’ for their businesses growth (marketing purpose). Most of them still believe in print media and words of mouth marketing. This is not true, it is just a myth. While other industries prefer blogging as a marketing tool, and for other purpose, people in garment industry is indifferent about blogging platform. Many businesses (in other industries) prefer to promote and market their products though others blogs than traditional print media.
Difference between a business website and a business blog
A website is designed with few web pages and those are static. Websites tells about company’s business profile, mission and vision, quality promises, client list, capabilities and contact page.
Example of few business website: Check websites of any garment export houses (those have website).
A business blog publish content (article) answering frequently asked question related to their business filed. Blog is updated regularly (might be everyday, once in a week or any regular interval – there is no rule at all) with more contents, images, video, with solutions for the industry problems. Blog content is normally filled with keywords related to industry and search words/phrases. By blogging business tries to drive traffic to their blog and generate business leads.
Difference between a personal blog and a business blog
A personal blog is run by an individual. The blogger of the blog site is responsible for content creation, content ideas (topic to write) and handling other things associated with publishing blogs and keeping the blog up. For example I have a blog (onlineclothingstudy.com) and I am doing everything to keep my blog upto date. In personal blog author shared his/her personal views, opinion on a particular subject, and trends.
When a blog is written for the company and blogs are published in company’s official website or authorized website(s) is called as business blog. In business blog, organization can share original blog author's name or but. Company may share news and press release in the form of blog post. It may also publish blog related to its subjects and enrich knowledge of the users.
How a blog can help garment business?
Though there are many businesses those don’t have any websites, I assume that a garment business have a website. More than the website if they start blogging, they will get benefits on following areas.
Reaching to your potential customers - To get more businesses you need more people to know existence of your business, to know about your products and services. As explained above, potential customers search for service providers and product suppliers in the internet. Blog will help you to be found on the internet. This will increase business leads.
Getting more traffic in your website (SEO) – Business websites are made to features product and services. To get business you need to bring as many potential customers and online/social marketer as possible to your website. Only by visiting and reading your website they will know what you can do for them. A blog will attract traffic to your site via blog posts. More traffic means chance of getting more leads and business conversion.
Improved social marketing – Having a Facebook page is common for all businesses. But you must have something new and attractive content to share on the Facebook page. Your blog can fill that gap. Same goes to other social sites like – Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Alternate of paid search (paid marketing) – Many businesses do paid online advertisement. Paid search is done to get appeared on the search pages when visitors are searching for related things. Blogging is free (You may need to pay for hosting and space). If you write some good articles on your niche, your company name (with article) will appear in the search result without paying anything to Google.
Benefit of blogging for a garment industry professional:
Many of us don’t own any business. Would you like to know how blogging can be used in your personal brand?
To me blogging is a platform. By regular blogging you can achieve your dream. Some of the benefits for individual blogging are listed here.
Sharing your knowledge and ideas to the world – Among us all have expertise in some areas. You have good ideas to change the industry. Many have written good articles and research papers but don't know how to share those with others. They mostly try to get published through some journals and magazines. For that they need to go through many approval processes. Many experts just wait for to be picked up by others. Why to wait for others’ permission. Share your knowledge through blogging.
It is Fun - It is not that you have to write only serious article. Start writing as hobby and share what you like to do. If you write something and people like it and write positive comments on it that is a big fun.
Building authority in the industry – We all want to get recognized, want to get credits for the work we do. For that you need to prove yourself by showing your authority in that field. By regular blogging on your subject you can build your authority. If you are a consultant or planning to work as consultant there is no other way to build your brand but blogging. Blogging will bring more business to you and promote your brand as well.
Supplement income - We all want to make more money. But most of us don't know what can be done other than the day job we do (fixed salary)? (May be you are doing some kind of services or maybe you have a business). Being in the day job, few fortunate fellows are getting chance to work overtime and earn extra money. By blogging you can supplement your income. My blog is earning dollar by showing advertisement on it.
Improving your knowledge and skill - When you start writing blogs and do it regularly, you will love to write more. You will eventually start reading and exploring things in you favorite subjects. This process will improve your writing skill as well as improve your subject knowledge.
There are few blogs that publish article covering topics on garment and textile industry. But this number is very low compared to blogs belong to other industries (like IT industry, mobile, technology, gadget, photography, fashion industry etc). Through blogging and knowledge sharing bloggers are helping many individuals and businesses to learn more and in business growth. You can also take part in the knowledge sharing.
How to start blogging as an organization?
As you are reading this post you might be interested in starting a blog with your exiting company website. Good news for you that it is possible.
For this you have to develop a team within your organization (though it is difficult for manufacturing companies) for content creation. Ask your employees to write articles (voluntarily) and submit it to the blog publishing team. Your blog publishing team can edit and publish those articles in the form of blog post. In the previous company we followed this method for writing articles. This team can curate good and related article from the various websites and publish a curate list post.
You can take services from a company who will do content marketing for your company and publish blog post in your blog. They may provide you content marketing services different ways other than just blogging.
You can hire freelance content writer and publish content in your blog. Give your ideas and content topics and your content writer will write article accordingly. Today’s e-commerce sites are following this strategy.
Conclusion:
Those who are doing some kind of business online or off-line, they must think of starting blogging. Instead of spending time on social network do some creative works and share it. Improve your visibility not only to them who you know but to people who need your help in the world. In the world many people need advice from you. Because you have expertise in something that others don’t have.
I see many individuals (field experts) write articles for print magazines. Getting published in print media has many benefits. Still I will recommend them to start publishing article on the internet through blogging or online magazines.
Individuals who have Linkedin account can start writing article (blog) and publish it on Linkedin. Those who are interested but don’t have clue, can find thousands of articles on blogging topic in the internet. You can learn writing, blogging, and publishing and even you can learn online marketing through content writing.
Interested in knowing more about business blogging and its benefit? Read the benefits of business blogging published by Hubspot.
I have made a list of few blogs and websites related to garment and textile industry (not business blog) those mostly publish tutorials. For your reference you can check those blogs.
Start your new journey of blogging and enjoy.