Hector Diaz, founder of men’s fashion blog, Geek Q, shares how he found the encouragement to build his own online identity and how exciting opportunities have come to him as a result.
What inspired you to start your blog?
I really like writing but never knew what to write about. I thought about making a snowboarding blog but without videos it would get boring. When I moved from Mexico to Seattle, a coworker showed me her fashion blog and I thought that was something I could do! I researched what men’s fashion bloggers were doing and saw that there weren’t many. I decided to just see how it goes. I had my roommate take photos and I wrote my first post. When my friends saw it they said it was cool so I started posting weekly.
Why do you care about fashion?
I love it! It’s my hobby. I invest so much time in it that it’s like my second job.
What did you learn when you were new to blogging?
The most important step is to start and see how it goes. You hear a lot of feedback (both positive and negative) when you start, so you have to be confident and have a clear idea of your goals for the blog. I’ve been posting since 2014 and it takes a lot of time; photos, writing, editing, translating, gathering links to products. In the first 3 months there was no growth for me. A friend of mine suggested I read a great book, Blog Inc, which tells you how to make a profitable blog.
How do you promote Geek Q?
I use Instagram and Twitter, and I include links to the products I'm wearing. That has helped me gain visibility with corporate brands. Brands like to use bloggers. I’ve been lucky to work with Express, Ya Joe, and French brand Polette Eyewear. They offered discount codes to my readers. I only work with brands I care about. I need to feel that the collaboration makes sense for my brand. Also, my friends and family in Mexico wanted to read a Spanish version of the blog so I started writing bilingual posts. That has really helped grow readership by opening the blog up to the Latin market. It’s been fun to see how something small has grown so much!
Why do you believe that Geek Q readers return to the blog?
I do everything but the photography. It feels authentic. If I suggest a product then they know I actually like it. Some bloggers only feature designer brands that not everyone can afford, so I feel that my readers relate better to me because I post street styles made with affordable brands.
How do you stay motivated to continue posting each week?
I like to be out there for people and I like to dress well. It’s another way to show people who I am. If people want to know how to dress nicely without wearing a suit my blog can help.
What goals do you have for the future?
I’d like to help new menswear bloggers with social media, choosing their target market, and picking the right camera (you need good photos to look like a serious blogger). It would be a weekend workshop for starting a blog. I’d like to grow the blogger community because it helps everyone. The more engaged the fashion community becomes with bloggers the more opportunities they will find with consumers.
What role do the #SeattleGents have in your future plans?
The Seattle Gents is a group of about 10. We connected through Instagram and met in person this year for Seattle Fashion Week. We had a brunch so we could brainstorm ideas about how to grow the fashion community in Seattle. Maybe we will host conferences about blogging or fashion? Maybe we can do a campaign across all of our blogs to offer discounts at local stores? We will work to attract more brands to Seattle.
What’s missing in men’s fashion?
I feel that real menswear design has been ignored for a while. People think there’s not room for creativity with men’s fashion – that’s false. they think they can only design a shirt and pants. But they seem to ignore variables like shape, fit, textiles, proportions. Accessories means so much more than just a watch or hat. But that’s changing with more androgynous and unisex looks. It encourages people to be more creative.
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