This week Jimmy Choo became the latest fashion company to launch a microsite in hopes of building brand buzz, and it promises to hold special appeal for the Pinterest-loving, Instagram-obsessed, style blogging set. Called Jimmy Choo 24:7 Stylemakers, the site features user-submitted images of women posing in cities around the world and at different times of day tiled in a continuously scrolling grid a la Pinterest.
The company describes the project as “an interactive photo gallery of streetstyle images celebrating Jimmy Choo style across time zones, day to evening, 24:7.” At the moment, the images range from top-quality shots of the sort you’d spot on the most popular fashion blogs to candid and occasionally grainy shots with far less aspirational style appeal. That said, it’s definitely fun fashion eye candy. But beyond the fun, why should you try this site and how could it benefit you, your blog or your social media presence?
Here are three ways:
1. Instagram awareness: Perhaps the coolest feature of this site is the constantly refreshing Instagram feed, populated by Instagram pics tagged with #Choo247 (though #JimmyChoo also seems to be landing people there at the moment). Click a pic in the line-up, and you see the username and status update accompanying the pic. While you can’t click the username (after all, you’d need integration with an Instagram web-viewer to make that feasible), there’s still the potential for other Instagram users to seek your feed out and follow you. Consider one method to try for getting your images in front of a large, fashion-minded audience.
2. Gauge your style appeal: Other users can comment and like uploaded pics, and that means you can garner feedback on your latest ensembles from a new audience. While overall engagement is currently on the less-engaged side (there are few comments and likes on many pics), top-notch shots are already receiving feedback from other site viewers. Feedback can help you determine what looks work for you and what catches others’ attention – both important things to keep in mind while you’re growing a personal style blog audience.
3. Get your images out there: Images can be shared on social media networks, including Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+. If you’re promoting your personal style, it’s yet one more way to get your images in front of new eyeballs.
And then of course, there’s the contest associated with the site itself. Those who submit images by June 6 will be entered to win a “wardrobe” from the Jimmy Choo 24:7 collection that includes six pairs of shoes and a handbag.
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