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Social Media Overview

Social media is an incredibly important way to reach new, young clients. Studies from 2021 estimate that 72% of all American adults have accounts on at least one social media platform, and 84% of all adults from ages 18-29 use one or more social media platform. Social media and other forms of digital communication are growing in importance as the amount of time we spend on the internet is growing each year.

Social media is also a very cost-effective way to attract customers, showcase your brand, and engage with existing and potential clients regularly. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are all free to get started using, and the only upfront investment is your time. As your following grows, you may choose to invest some money into promoting your social media accounts to gain more engagement, but at no point do you have to sink a big chunk of cash into social media.

Social Media vs Traditional Media

Social media is not a traditional, one-way strategy; unlike paid advertising strategies (digital, radio, and TV ads; billboards, flyers, etc.), which are “set it and forget it” style. Social media is inherently about social interaction. Though each algorithm varies across different social media platforms, posts and accounts with meaningful and engaging interaction perform better. If you post once a week but never bother to follow other accounts, like or comment on posts, or engage with your followers, social media won’t help you grow your business.

Social media is a long-term strategy; you are unlikely to grow your followers by more than one or two per day for the first few months of operation. Over time, if you are consistent with your posts and intentional about engagement, you will start to see real payoff from your efforts.

Social Media Platforms

There are dozens of social media platforms out there. For the purposes of this guide, we’ve decided to cover the ones that are most likely to help you, as retail jewelers, to grow your customer base and find an engaged audience.

• Facebook: the social media platform with the largest reach across all demographics. Facebook also has the most versatility in terms of how and what you can do, from events to private groups.

• Instagram: a visual-oriented platform that’s great for showcasing your products and engaging with younger demographics. Instagram and Facebook are linked, so you only need one account to run both.

• Pinterest: used heavily by young women to create “mood boards” and “collections” of their favorite things. A high percentage of brides-to-be use Pinterest to create “wedding inspiration boards.”

• Youtube: as of 2019, the most-used social media platform. Though Youtube isn’t a traditional social media app, it functions in many similar ways.

• TikTok: the newest social media platform that has a broad reach across the youngest generations. It is only available as an app and does not have a web UI for use on the computer.

• Twitter: one of the first social media platforms, Twitter is primarily a text-based platform, which sets it apart from many other visual-first apps.

Listen to this episode of In the Loupe to help you understand more about each of the top social media platforms:

Digital Outreach Overview

Digital outreach strategies encompass things that are not necessarily social media but rely on digital strategies. Email newsletters and campaigns, free e-books and guides, and even mobile apps are all digital outreach strategies. These strategies can range from free to a few thousand dollars a month, depending on the complexity of each program and how you choose to implement your strategy.

Though there are many outreach strategies, we’ve chosen to focus on two within this guide: email campaigns and influencers.

Using this Guide

Each page in the social media and outreach section will provide you with a brief overview of the platform or strategy, its strengths, weaknesses, and ways you might use it to promote a retail jewelry store. For more information, we’ve also included several links to our podcast, In the Loupe, which often covers social media strategies and our perspective on how to best utilize your social media to grow your business. Get started by following any of the links below.

This episode of In the Loupe can help you understand the 15 most-used social media platforms: