Most fashion and style bloggers are familiar with the online world and social media–after all, we’re posting our looks and our lives on the web on a regular basis. One way to complement your main blog is to use microblogging service Twitter, which offers an easy way to connect with online friends, network with people who have similar interests, broadcast to your audience, and keep up with events happening around the world–all in real time.

So how do you get people to actually follow you on Twitter?

The most important way is by engaging with other people and organizations using the service. If you’re new to the game or just want to increase the number of people following you, try a few of the following techniques:

1. Follow more people

This sounds simple, but when I first started using Twitter a few years ago, I just posted random stuff and wasn’t really following anyone. That’s not the point of the service. Making connections is a two-way street, so go forth and follow! Research shows that most people have a roughly equal number of follows and followers.

If you’re not sure who to follow, try these fashion lists:

• Twibes
• Listorious
• Mashable

You should also check out who other people are following–it takes a bit of time, but it’s a great way to find less well-known individuals who have a fun and interesting perspective.

2. Connect and respond

One of the great things about Twitter is the fact that two-way (and often three- and four-way) communication is so easy. If you see a tweet asking a question relevant to you, respond. Ask for help and give help when asked. Use Search.Twitter.com to find people talking about the subjects that interest you, and respond to them. Interaction is the most genuine, organic way to grow your following.

3. Be visible

Make sure your Twitter profile is part of your email address, your message board signature, on your business cards, linked to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts, and prominent on your blog’s homepage. Include your Twitter handle (ie @StyleSample) so people can immediately see what you’re called, and link it to your Twitter page so people can easily find and follow you.

Add yourself to Twitter directories so people who are interested in similar topics can find you. Try:

• WeFollow
• Twellow
• Just Tweet It
• TweetFind
• TwitDir
• GeoFollow

4. Re-tweet

Use Search.Twitter.com or an application like HootSuite to see which of your tweets are the most popular, and then re-tweet them at various times during the day. This increases the possibility that different people–and new people, see your best tweets. Those people will then either re-tweet those posts, or start to follow you.

and, last yet most important:

5. Create and post good content

Even though it’s limited to 140 characters, Twitter is still considered blogging. Do what you do to keep your long-form blog fresh–create and post interesting content. Share article links, retweet quality posts, ask insightful questions, and don’t be afraid to include a bit of humor!

A media release (or press release, as they’ve been called since ye olden times) is an announcement issued to the news media and other targeted publications in order to let the public know about news and developments.

Many enterprising fashion and style bloggers are starting their own independent ventures–from online shops, to personal styling services, to marketing consultancies–and everyone deserves a shot at success. Part of that includes treating your small side business like…well, a business, and letting your target audience know what you have to offer.

When might you need a media release?

If you’re opening a new shop, offering a new service, partnering with another blogger or company on a project, or engaging in any other newsworthy activities, a media release might be just the thing to help spread the word.

Traditional media release format

A traditional press release usually includes background information about your company or blog, the announcement about your new product or service, quotes from the people in charge, boilerplate text, and contact information.

The basic template is shown below. Obviously, you’d want to replace the text in capitals with information that applies to you and your product or service, and the tips in brackets would not be included!

Headline with keywords people looking for your product/service might search for
Interesting sub headline further describing your news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CITY — Month Day, 2010 — YOUR NAME, of COMPANY OR BLOG that DOES THIS STUFF, is proud to announce NEWS. NEWS will become effective as of DATE.

The release of PRODUCT/SERVICE is intended to PURPOSE OF YOUR VENTURE.

[Now you'll explain a bit about your history and include relevant facts/statistics]

YOUR NAME, a YOUR PROFESSION, created COMPANY OR BLOG after seeing an opportunity for HOW CUSTOMERS WILL USE YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE [it helps if you can relate this to a well-known current event/news item]. Today, the COMPANY OR BLOG has FACT, FACT, STATISTIC [include 3-4 facts and statistics regarding traffic, readers, buyers, clients, etc. about your blog or service.]

“QUOTE FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE,” says YOUR NAME.

NEW SERVICE/PRODUCT was created to fulfill the need for WHAT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE DOES and help YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE improve their WHAT YOU OFFER. FEATURE, BENEFIT, BENEFIT [include 3-4 features your product/service includes and the way in which those features help your target audience] make your PRODUCT/SERVICE an essential destination/opportunity for people in need of KEYWORDS.

[Include a bit about future plans:]
Additionally, the PRODUCT/SERVICE plans to include BENEFICIAL FEATURES in the future in order to further help people DO STUFF.

“QUOTE FROM YOU ABOUT HOW/WHY PEOPLE NEED YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE.”

PRODUCT/SERVICE is available at LOCATIONS [online or in real life].

–

[This is where your boilerplate information goes. A boilerplate includes basic information about your blog/company that answers the who, what, where, when, and why of its existence:]

COMPANY/BLOG is a fun and informative site focused on WHAT YOU BLOG ABOUT. Founded by YOUR NAME in MONTH YEAR, COMPANY/BLOG addresses the interests and desires of YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. Created as a platform to provide style inspiration, shopping tips, and a sense of community, COMPANY/BLOG fulfills THESE NEEDS. For more information, please visit YOUR SITE.

[This is how people that want to know more can get in touch with you or your agent:]

INQUIRIES
For more information, please contact:
NAME
PHONE
EMAIL

###

Make sure to:

• Write professionally. Spelling and grammar mistakes won’t cut it. Proofread, rewrite, and have someone else look it over for you. Then rewrite and proofread again.

• Include the full URL for links. Some services don’t allow embedded hyperlinks, so mentions of your blog or related sites should be followed by the full URL, for example: YourSite.com (http://www.YourSite.com)

• Identify the source of the information. People want to know who’s “talking” to them–if it’s you, include that information. It builds credibility.

• Tie your announcement to recent news, social issues, or trends if possible. Current events make it easier for the writer to find a hook.

• Show how your newsworthy product or service solves a problem. Don’t expect the reader to make the connection between what you’re doing and how it helps people, even if it seems obvious. Make it easy and tell them.

• Include the pound signs (###) at the end so the reader knows that’s the end of the release. Try to keep it to one page or less.

Adding media

Now that you have a basic media release (undoubtedly the most important part), you can choose to add additional types of media.

Social media releases allow you to add download-able images, logos, audio, or video related to your product or service. You might:

• Include a crisp, high-resolution image of your logo.

• Upload high-resolution images of your product, or of you hard at work.

• Create a video showing off your merchandise or explaining how your service works.

• Conduct an audio interview with a client or customer in which they endorse your product or service.

• Include a shortened URL and 2-3 Twitter-ready statements of 120 words of less to make it easy for people to re-tweet your news.

• Add social media sharing buttons so people can Digg, Stumble, share on Facebook, add to Technorati, and subscribe to your RSS feed.

It’s easier than ever to spread your news, it just comes down to taking the time to do it–and it does take time. Set aside 2-3 hours this week, try your hand at writing your own release, and let us know how it goes!

In Part II, we’ll go over some of the best ways to distribute your media release online and to publications and individuals who would most likely be interested in your news.

With one fashion week behind us, one underway, and two to go, fashion bloggers–and by association, blogging–are being discussed by new and traditional media alike. It’s up to all of us to keep up with the good and bad press, so here are a few links –just in case you missed something:

“The new celebrities are the fashion bloggers, who are courted, coddled and charmed like never before.”

from Fashion’s New Fever: Bloggers in Spotlight As They Aim for Fame

Social Media: The New Front Row of Fashion

Style Bloggers in the March issue of Vogue

Social networking pulls mask from fashion world

“Mary Katrantzou…said bloggers offered her useful input, but most critically, put her in direct touch with consumers.”

from Designers embrace power of fashion’s blogging crowd

Bloggers are snapping up front row seats at London Fashion Week

Fashion is Burning!

Highlight of The Week: IFB Fashion Blog Conference

New Digital Era Spells Trouble for Fashion Bloggers

What’s your take on the attention fashion blogs are getting? Is it a boon or a curse?

With over 300 million active users, most people have some sort of presence on Facebook. It’s one of the most popular social networking sites in the world, and can be used for everything from keeping up with your best friend from kindergarten to making business contacts.

Most of us have a personal Profile, but if you want to take promoting your blog a step further, you may also want to create a Fan Page for your site. Before you do that, though, think about the purpose of your page: Would it be to drive readers back to your blog? A place to post extra content? A way to reach friends/family who may not visit your blog regularly?

Setting up a fan page means you’ll need to regularly post content there in addition to your blog/MySpace/Twitter account/wherever else you may be, so think about what works best for you. If you’ve considered the pros and cons and are ready for a fan page, here’s what to do:

Setup Your Page

Log into Facebook and click on Advertising at the bottom of the page. Go to Pages> Create a Page, and start adding your information. Most blogs will fall under the category “Brand, Product, or Organization.”

Add Content

Add some applications: the most useful ones integrate your blog’s RSS feed and your Twitter feed into your page, like SocialRSS. It’s a good idea to link your online presences in order to cross-promote. Try adding extra tabs with Involver.

Now, based on the purpose of your page (which you determined above), add some introductory content so people will have something to look at when you invite them to become fans. Don’t send folks to a blank page!

Here are some ideas:

• Post your best photos or images and links to popular blog posts

• Post a summary of the comments on one of your blog posts if you’ve got a really juicy discussion going on. Encourage your fans to respond on Facebook or your blog.

• Create a contest where the winner will be determined based on a comment posted on your Page, or post a link to a contest taking place on your blog.

• Post some “behind-the-scenes” information or images from your blog. You know the pictures you like but didn’t have room for on the blog? Put ‘em here!

• Post a link to an interview or guest post on another site, or another blog/brand/item you like. Promoting others is good karma!

Try to add something to your Facebook page at least once per week.

Promote Your Page

Invite your personal contacts to be fans of your page. Since they already know you, they’re likely to become your first fans. Try to get some activity going on your page before inviting the general public. Then, you can:

• Embed a “Join our Facebook Page” widget in your sidebar

• Include a link to your Fan Page in your email signature

• Invite your Twitter followers to become Fans

Make sure people know what’s in it for them: Additional content, regular updates, special contests, whatever your purpose. Continue to promote your page to new contacts, readers, and followers on a regular basis to build your fan base.

Interact!

Encourage discussion by asking questions or sponsoring contests that require a comment. Remember, not everything has to be strictly business or blog-related all the time.

Note that setting up a Fan page requires additional work and may not be for everyone, so consider your needs and limitations before taking the plunge. However, it can be a great way to reach your readers where they are!

Keeping up with the latest goings on during New York Fashion Week can be exhausting, but uber-popular microblogging platform Twitter makes it easy to get the scoop on what’s happening in the streets and on the runways! Here are some of the best fashion insiders to follow for up-to-the-minute updates:

Styledotcom
Modelinia
Racked
Littley
Teen Vogue
FashionPulse
Fashionista_com
Lobese
The Moment
Village Voice
WendyBrandes
Colleen Nika
C0URTNEY L0VE
Harpers Bazaar US
Shoe York City
The Mad Fashionista
NY Thread
Paper Magazine
Everyone from Inside the Tents
Joe Zee

Those are some of our favorites…Post yours in the comments!

Teen Fashion Blogger to Design for Urban Outfitters
Jane of Sea of Shoes “recently designed a line of shoes, Sea of Shoes by Jane, for Urban Outfitters; three pairs are set to debut in July and three in December.”

FTC to go after bloggers for not disclosing freebies, payments
“Yuli Ziv is a fashion blogger and is working on one such effort at self-regulation, helping craft an ethics policy for about 15 websites as part of the Style Coalition started in January to help bloggers become more professional. “

Twit twit twitter
“UK Fashion Blogger Suzie Bubble was asked by designer Pam Hogg to take down photos of her collection from Suzie’s blog… Is all publicity good publicity? Not any more. Bloggers are the new tribal chiefs.”

Just tidying up a bit before tomorrow’s launch of Style Sample Magazine! As you can see, there are now (cute heart-shaped) icons in the sidebar that link to the site’s RSS feed, Twitter, Technorati favorites, and StumbleUpon. Give it a try!

Everything is in place, so subscribe by email or stop by tomorrow (around 9am Eastern US time) to see the premiere issue!