Following hers about is new (5)
I believe the answer is:
fresh
'new' is the definition.
(associated in meaning)
'following hers about' is the wordplay.
'following' becomes 'f' (used when citing page numbers etc).
'about' is an anagram indicator.
'hers' anagrammed gives 'resh'.
'f'+'resh'='FRESH'
'is' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for fresh that I've seen before include "Recently made, produced, or harvested" , "New, different" , "Informally impudent, not stale" , "(Of water) not salty" , "Cheeky - novel" .)