The Truth Behind Fashion Blogging Income

It’s probably no secret that fashion bloggers are able to make money off commissions of clothing that we suggest. Although maybe to the non-blogger, it is a secret, and I want you to know the full transparency behind it because it helps us survive. If you are not interested in shopping, outfitting, or buying current retail items, I still need your help! Why? Because just like any job, it takes support to help a business survive.

We earn a few different ways, from affiliate links and from sponsored posts. Truthfully sometimes our sponsored posts aren’t always our absolute passion (ie for me: clothes, so it’s a win when they are) but those posts allow us to do the ones that are not sponsored. That we basically share our passion, help inspire, write, connect with others… all for free. Paying jobs come and go, and it’s always up and down. This is why today, I wanted to talk to you about helping me with a certain aspect of my job, the passionate side.

Bloggers are able to earn commission through a company called RewardStyle that gives us a percentage on anything we sell through our suggested links. So when I am giving outfit advice or doing a seasonal outfit round up, or just a basic outfit post, if you purchase those items, I earn a commission. It usually ranges from 10-25% of the item, and as I find budget friendly ways to wear things and live, we are not talking about a lot people! But if the support is there from each and every reader, it can be really helpful to me as the fashion blogger. Right now I am trying to build my RewardStyle/LikeToKnowit audience and I need your help. All you have to do is download the app here (special code, click this link: hyperurl.co/egt784 ) and follow me in it. If you don’t use the app or never will, you might want to check it out anyway! It’s actually fun to get inspo on it, AND if you are a blog reader here, easy to shop my outfits. Above all, I need you to! ha!

Believe it or not over the years I have heard a lot of pushback on commission linking within the business of blogging. The way I look at blogging for commission to be useful for both parties, is that it is literally no skin off your back or anything at all for you to use someone’s links. For me, it supports the creative from so many angles. First of all, clicks and interest are always a good measure on how my content is being received and if it’s successful.

Yet, affiliate links are not always sustainable. Personally, it’s hard for me to rely on outfit commissions because I cannot predict buying practices. I know for the most part what the majority of people like, but as I’ve said before, I can’t base my blog off of everyone else’s style. It has to be my own, and that is not always mainstream. I can post an outfit you might like to look at but wouldn’t wear yourself, or post something you love but aren’t committed to buying it… yet. And then you could click on another blogger’s commission links of something else completely but same retailer, and that cancels out my potential sale to you. Even if you end up buying the same item I told you about! I also spend a lot of time online shopping for either clients or even friends that ask me to outfit them or find something specific for them. At this point, any time I spend doing anything is precious to me and can take away from quality family, children, or even work time. The ability to earn a commission off of that work is simply a business practice. You get compensated for any work that you do, so why shouldn’t a blogger? This is all new to so many people as well as business practices in general as the influencer marketing is growing, changing, and defining the retail world. There are also links called affiliate links that bloggers imbed into their sites that can help bring in commissions. At the moment I do not utilize others except for RewardStyle, but people that do give full disclosure in some area of their site. This is the same thing as when you google an item and at the first couple of results, you will see [AD]. Your clicks and purchases are going to someone (large corporations) that you don’t even know! Or when Facebook is listening to you talk has the side bars of any of your interests or search results, those are affiliate links as well. And either Fb or third party companies are making money off your surfing or purchases, so I as a blogger, am asking you to support your favorite blogger instead!

I have chosen to focus on what I am absolutely most passionate about, which is clothes and outfitting, making people feel their best. So much work goes into this passion with little return. I ask you to help support my business as I am happy to support yours. I have literally had friends tell me about their online purchases or what they found… which is why I wanted to write this post! Because I have been like, wait what, you know I survive off my blog and especially when we talk outfitting, AND you know I use commission links. Literally all you have to do is text or send me an email of the link of ANYTHING you are shopping for. I can immediately send you back my personal link. It takes 2 seconds. I can do it in the grocery store, the playground, I’ll do it at 3am! Hey, you will most likely get free advice or outfitting… if you want it. I don’t ever want to pressure my readers (I WILL pressure my friends because they are grandfathered into my life and supporting me whether it was drive bys in college to using my links now… but I digress), I ask that as I educate you on this little snippet of the fashion blogger world, that you in turn will bring me along on your shopping adventures.

How can you help support bloggers and at the same time, have fun scrolling for outfits or cute things from the comfort of your own bed? RewardStyle has since launched an app that lets you follow any influencer on LikeToKnowit. You don’t have to do anything with signing up for emails, or checking an email every time you see something you like. All you have to do is go follow, and every outfit item they link will show up under their picture. As someone who actually didn’t like the LTK feature before, I never signed up for emails, etc, I am loving the app. It’s so easy and I use it all the time myself! Not only to shop, but to scroll and be inspired. Today I’m asking you to follow me, also because if I can get a certain amount of follows this week, I can earn beneficial features within blogger world. This would mean so much to me! If you don’t have the app, just go sign up, it’s free. If you use it a lot, it will be fun. And if you don’t, you’ll be helping out your girl!

Below is a great outfit for spring with shoes absolutely worth checking out, you can shop them all (ON THE LTK APP people!) or below in the ‘shop the post’ widget that scrolls beneath my photos! I appreciate every one of you, especially those that come here and read, you have no idea how much it means to me that you support what I have to say and my style eye!