According to a 2009 study by Technorati, blogs have exceeded all other Internet applications in the number of users. By 2011, the total number of blogs reached 152 million. The popularity of blogs has shifted the nature in which fashion brands communicate with their audience, as blogs today are considered the new electronic form of word-of-mouth or e-Wom (Sedeke, 2013). A few features and functions of online communications through blogging platforms include (Okonkwo, 2010): Transparency – people must know ‘face’ of blog, blogger must be open to all dicussions, even negative ones Informality – the more informal: the better – if writing is ‘too smooth’ readers may not trust voice and see blog as ‘corporate ghost’ Objectivity – bloggers must be unbiased and fair, readers are quick to point out when blogger is being influenced by certain brand/company Trust – consumers trust eachother more than press and companies, without trust, community is gone Most fashion brands have only just caught up with bloggers. Much scepticism has been placed around the credibility of bloggers, with established brands and designers resisting to incorporate them into their corporate communication (Okonkwo, 2010).
Source: Fashion Brands are Finally Catching Up with the Power of the Blogger | eren gencler