Think back two decades. 2002. No Facebook. No Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, selfies or hashtags – or iPhones! Today 1.4 billion people, about one fifth of the world’s population, use Facebook every day. We’re learning a new way of connecting with the world – including our customers. Have you really mastered social media? Here are some tips to levelUP! to the next level and beyond.
1. Choose your platform. Facebook and Instagram work best for most jewelers. Many retailers use Facebook to show their store, staff and events, connect with customers, do Facebook Live broadcasts, and run Facebook ads, promotions and contests. Instagram is great for telling your story through engaging videos and product photos.
Set up accounts on all the major platforms, including Pinterest (attractive photos to share rule here), YouTube (post videos of store events, the process of making your custom ring, how to care for your jewelry). Join Facebook groups such as Jewelers Helping Jewelers, with 25,000 jeweler members. $1 billion of business is being done internally amongst jewelers within this group! Establish a presence on Tik Tok, the “new kid on the block.” It’s easy to get more visibility here because it’s less crowded. Known for its catchy music and dance short videos, Tik Tok has a feature called Duet, which allow users to embed other videos in theirs, fostering viral videos. Its great success inspired Instagram’s heavily promoted Reels feature.
Each platform has its own culture. Absorb it by spending time there, posting, scrolling and commenting on other posts. Social media is interactive, a two-way street. To build a following, you have to look at others’ posts, Like and comment on them, and respond to comments on your posts. Pick your favorite platform and post there several times a week. You can post on the others less frequently.
2. Be yourself. Be real, fresh, authentic – you! Social media is not a sales pitch. Speak in your own voice, as you would to a customer, or even better, a friend. Influencers are those with a distinctive voice, interesting posts and an interesting life, presented in a catchy way. Your presentations don’t have to be the most beautiful, or the most expensive. Don’t copy others. Finding your unique voice can be a voyage in self-discovery.
3. Use posts that pop! Disrupt your streaming viewers with the stream stoppers – catchy short videos (5-15 seconds) are best. Post videos first as Reels for maximum exposure. Consider adding special effects with specialized software (a marketer can help you do this) to make them really pop!
For photos, show jewelry close-ups on everyday models, with nice manicures! The jewelry itself should be sharp, detailed, with good lighting. TIP: Stacks! Try stacking multiple rings or bracelets to capture attention.
Catchy tag lines grab interest. Tap into trends. “Mother’s Day Magic!” Use minimal text. You can embed great content you find elsewhere, such as funny animal videos (add your own flair) or beautiful scenery. Your content doesn’t have to be 100% original (give photo credits).
Try humor. “Are you in the doghouse? This beautiful necklace will put you back in good standing!”
Engage and start conversation threads. “Which ring is your favorite?” “Which outfit would you wear this necklace with?” (show a couple choices)
#Hashtags will get your posts wider exposure. The trick is to find ones that have a wide enough reach (#diamondandbluetopazdropearrings is too narrow), but not too wide (#jewelry). See what’s trending: #jewelryaddict #Septemberbirthstone #MothersDaygifts #luxurylifestyle
Tap into emotions. Reach out and touch your visitors with moving photos of couples proposing or tying the knot.
Once you’ve made your original post, cross post it to Stories and related Groups (join Groups with similar interests). DM (direct message) the post to targeted clients who may be interested. Especially on Facebook, you can repeat earlier effective posts. On Instagram, the grid layout is important. The overall look should be aesthetically pleasing. Cross post on both Facebook and Instagram. Ask customers to Like and Follow you.
4. Grow your network. Grow your network through regular engaging posts. But don’t get caught up in numbers. Your goal is not just to show a large number of followers. Keep expanding, but keep interacting. Reach wide and deep. Regularly convert your expanding customer pool to direct sales through live events, promotions, ads and sales funnels.
Have fun! What will next 20 years bring? What will be the new platforms? Will everything be more centralized, so individual platforms are not as important? Will we even be using cell phones? For here and now, be smart. Ride the wave. Catch currents as they’re trending, but project timeless value. Ride the social media wave to virtually unlimited exposure and sales. The sky’s the limit!
