When the trend for blogshops began, young entrepreneurs used simple platforms like LiveJournal and Blogspot to offer their products. The trend’s rise, however, saw the evolution of these blogshops into fully-operational, dependent ecommerce websites. New players have started to look for ways on how to market a blogshop in Singapore.
Since the pandemic, the market volume for online shopping for this segment has exceeded SGD 430 million. And with an expected annual growth rate of 6.9%, now just might be the best time to put up your fashion blogshop.
The last decade saw the rise of blogshops in Singapore. In 2011, there were more than 50,000 blogshops in Singapore with eight average monthly transactions amounting to SGD 19. The same study found out that 50% of the 1.2 million online Singaporeans use LiveJournal everyday to visit these blogshops. With that volume of visitors, it’s no surprise that more retail stores ventured into offering blogshops too.
Blogshop vs eCommerce Site
But what is the difference between a blogshop and an eCommerce site? In essence, a blogshop is a cross between a blog site and an eCommerce site.
| Aspect | Blog | eCommerce Site |
| Purpose | To share information, experiences or knowledge | To sell products directly to consumers |
| Content | Regular posts or articles including images and video | Product listings with descriptions and pricings |
| Engagement | Comments and discussions on posts | Customer inquiries, lead gen and sales |
| Monetisation | Advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content | Product sales, partnerships |
| Maintenance | Consistent content posting and publishing | Inventory management, order fulfilment, customer service |
Data from Wix
Blogshops follow a personalised format through the blog. They can be the official online store of the brand, as they try to bring in more customers and sales through their own products. Meanwhile, a blog doesn’t earn through its own products. It earns from ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content.
Another key difference is that a blogshop is used to create and inspire change, whereas eCommerce sites focus on commercial transactions. The trick to running a blogshop in Singapore is all about how you connect with your audience and give them a personal experience when shopping for new clothes.
5 Ways to Market Your Blogshop in Singapore
While blogshops and eCommerce sites differ in many ways, their main goal stays the same: to sell their own products. One way that blogshop owners can boost their brand is to get out of the blogging mentality and think of their business as an eCommerce site.
Of course, this means that you have to employ certain strategies that will help boost your blogshop. The best strategies to use in 2024 include the following:
1. Build an Email List
Image Credit: Her Velvet Vase
Email marketing is important, even stores with a brick-and-mortar location use this strategy to connect with their customers. This has long been a practice even the days of online shopping and eCommerce sites became a norm.
Some important statistics on the importance of email marketing include:
- In 2021, there were an estimated 4 billion daily email users, which is expected to grow to 4.6 billion by 2025.
- Over 347 billion emails are sent and received each day.
- 64% of small businesses reach customers through email marketing.
- 87% of brands believe that email marketing contributed to their business success
These numbers prove just how important email marketing is. But how do you collect email addresses from your customers and prospects in the first place?
In the past, retail stores collect customers’ contact details by asking them to drop their business cards in a fish bowl in exchange for a freebie or a discount. These days, you can build your email list by converting your blogshop visits into subscribers by doing these:
- Include a CTA (Call-to-Action): Place a button on your blogshop to invite customers for exclusive perks. A good example as seen from the above-mentioned blogshops is Arcade’s The Arcade Club, an exclusive program that gives access to perks and freebies.
- Email Pop-ups: Before customers exit your blogshop, you can have a small email pop-up to ask for their email address in exchange for something like what Her Velvet Vase did.
- Create a Landing Page: A landing page on your website can also help inbuilding your email list. Instead of sending visitors to your homepage, you can direct them to a landing page where they can sign up to be notified of new products.
The best way to get sign-ups is to offer an exclusive gift, discount, or free shipping. In exchange, customers will be happy to give you their email addresses and you can connect with them periodically.
2. Optimise for Local SEO
Most of the best blogshops in Singapore don’t rely on an online presence to gain sales. They also have a retail location where customers can pick up their orders or try on new products. Businesses with a retail location should always optimise their business for local SEO so they can be more visible on local search results. This can be done by following these tips:
- Using identifiers in your keywords: Add your city name, district, or “near me” to the keywords you use to optimise your blogshop.
- Use local business directories/review sites: Having your business included in local business directories or review sites can help drive traffic to your blogshop when people search for you.
- Get published: You can also get your blogshop published on a local newspaper or blog for link building.
- Get listed on Google My Business: Now called Google Business Profile, this service allows business owners to reach their customers through Google Maps and Google Search.
In our example above, we searched for “blogshop near me” and got some of the brands we mentioned from above. These sites have optimised their blogshops by following the tips shared.
One of the best times to optimise your blogshop is when you are hosting an event and inviting influencers and vloggers. Doing this will help promote your physical location, especially if you are opening one for the first time. Inviting influencers to the launch event will also help boost awareness since it will be trending for a while.
3. Boost Your Organic Footprint on Social Media
Image Credit: Love, Bonito
Social Media is a great way to drive traffic to your blogshop. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways you can get people to take notice of your brand. Here are some important tips on how you can leverage social media for your blogshop:
- Use hashtags: Hashtags are an excellent way people can find you. Love, Bonito has created its branded hashtag, #lbcommunity, to feature some of its customers wearing their apparel.
- Share user-generated content: Sharing user-generated content (UGC) is an excellent way to engage with your followers. You can also ask questions, get feedback, and listen to your audience so you can get them to engage with your blogshop.
- Post high-quality images and videos: Love, Bonito has uploaded high-quality photos to its Instagram account and followed a certain theme.
- Build authentic relationships: The best way you can build an authentic relationship with your followers is to be proactive in responding to their comments, messages, and mentions. Go beyond the canned responses and get personal with your engagement strategy.
- Show credibility through customer testimonials: Testimonials or reviews are an excellent way to show potential customers the positive experience that your past customers had. Highlight their feedback on your social media page to encourage a this action from your followers.
- Host giveaways: Lastly, you can host giveaways to get more people to follow and interact with you. This allows you to show potential shoppers that you are dedicated to your customers and will reward them for their loyalty.
In the photo above, Love, Bonito has been active in building their organic social media accounts. They have built an exclusive community for their followers, #lbcommunity, and respond to their users in a timely manner.
4. Run Ads
Image Credit: Facebook Ads
You can also run ads so you can reach the people who are looking for a particular product that you offer. Here are some options to consider:
- Google Ads: Bid against other companies using a keyword that people use to search for your product. This will help you land on Google’s search results page.
- Facebook Ads: Run ads across Meta’s network (Instagram and Facebook) to reach people who fit your targeted demographic.
- TikTok Ads: Run ads on TikTok to reach your specific audience on the platform.
Set Up Your Shop on Social Media
Image Credit: Tagshop
Another option you can consider is to make it easier for potential customers to shop from you on social media through social shopping features that are available on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok, and Pinterest.
Social shopping is a game changer in the way blogshops in Singapore offer their products. With social media users anticipated to grow to over 5.8 billion by 2027, it’s high time to leverage on this strategy.
In the photo above, French Kande integrated a shoppable feed on their homepage. By doing this, they were able to grow their engagement and dwell time by three times. The shoppable tags also helped improve the purchase journey and reduced cart abandonment rate.
5. Work With Influencers
Image Credit: Meltwater
Influencer marketing in Singapore has been on the rise. Social media content creators have managed to build trust with their followers that have propelled them into influencer levels. The Singaporean Influencer Advertising market was projected to grow to SGD 123 million in 2023. As this number continues to grow, more brands leverage on this strategy to build awareness.
Working with the right influencer can increase your blogshop’s popularity as it places your product in front of potential customers. But how do you find the right influencer to work with?
How to Work With Influencers to Market Your Blogshop
Know who your target audience is and where they are
According to recent data, the social media site that has the most number of monthly users is Facebook followed by Instagram and TikTok. Identify which of these networks are used by your target audience and identify the influencers who reach them.
| Social media networks in Singapore | Monthly users in 2024 (%) |
| 72.7% | |
| 60.3% | |
| TikTok | 52.5% |
Data from Meltwater
Work with nano-influencers
Image Credit: INSG.co
The most important influencer tiers in Singapore are the nano-influencers since they have the highest engagement rates. These influencers have less than 10,000 followers. Some of the nano-influencers in Singapore that may be able to promote your blogshop include:
- @lydtham – 4,267 followers
- @aliciatadah – 3,645 followers
- @frncescalyn – 2,329 followers
Use an influencer marketing platform
Work with a social media marketing agency in Singapore to find the right influencers for your blogshop. You can also us these online tools to help you connect with potential influencers for your blogshop:
- Buzzsumo
- Klout
- Kred
- Followerwonk
Send out products in exchange of a review
Image Credit: Lemon8/@sunnyitian
One important thing to remember about working with influencers is that you need to build a relationship with them. After identifying the right people in your niche, you can follow them and start engaging with their content. When it’s time to connect with them, you can send them a friendly message introducing yourself and a potential collaboration between you and the blogshop.
You can then offer a product sample, like an item from your upcoming collection, which they can review on their platform. They can talk about what they like about your product and how they can pair it with other clothes.
Let’s Build Your Blogshop in Singapore Today!
As the online shopping trend continues to dominate, it is crucial for blogshops to keep evolving, ensuring they remain appealing through affordable pricing and an updated range of products. For businesses looking to venture into or expand within this market, tailoring strategies to meet the changing consumer needs and technological advancements will be essential.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about the strategies we use to help brands reach their target audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a blogshop in Singapore?
A blogshop is the combination of the words “blog” and “shop,” a trend from the early 2010s when bloggers used platforms like Livejournal, WordPress, and Blogger to promote their blogs. They later ventured into setting up their own retail shop for fashion.
Who owns Love, Bonito Singapore?
Love, Bonito is considered the original blogshop in Singapore. It was started by Rachel Lim and Dione Song in 2005, and has ventured into a global brand.
Does Singapore have a dress code?
There is no official dress code in Singapore. But because the weather can get humid, it is best to wear comfortable and loose clothing depending on the temperature.
What do most people wear in Singapore?
Generally speaking, people wear a lot of denim shorts and casual shirts in Singapore due to the hot and humid weather.
