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40 www.thejewelrybook.com S T R E N G T H E N Y O U R S O C I A L E X P E R I E N C E S O C I A L S T U D I E S BENJAMIN GUTTERY Have you ever noticed that tweets and Facebook posts that are shared directly from Instagram don't seem to get the same amount of engagement and leads as ones that you specifi cally create for those platforms? It's because each app's community craves content that has been tailored just to them. Jewelry retailers and designers should use the same image multiple times across platforms, but curating content for specifi c apps can be the difference between gaining or losing a lead. Here are a few tips and general guidelines I've discovered that work for me and my clients. Twitter Tips Twitter is great for name recognition, getting involved in what's of the moment, and raising your search engine rankings. To capitalize on it, remember to crop your images wide so the focus is clearly visible. Widen images in Twitter by pressing the paint brush tool and then the two overlapping squares button. Engage! Twitter is known as a reciprocal platform, mean- ing that the more you follow accounts you fi nd interest- ing, like the posts of others, and retweet them, the more engagement you will get on your own content. Facebook Fan Club You can get wordier in this app, but don't get too long- winded! Also, avoid hashtags on this platform since they can't be used for discovery as on Instagram or Twitter. Also know that the Facebook audience trends older, so ensure copy and imagery are geared toward them. Bonus: Facebook is a good medium for video and live-streaming. Tighten up your targets on sponsored and boosted posts. Bigger is not always better when it comes to marketing on Facebook. Focus on a niche audience that will buy from your brand as opposed to casting a wide net. Instagram Game Add a link in your bio and stories and know that stories and videos perform better on this app than others. Remember that followers can't click or copy links in posts and comments. Plus, your account must be a business one, verifi ed, or have more than 10,000 followers for swipe-up links to work in stories. And though 30 hashtags are permitted in posts, consider using just 10 or 20. Too many can seem spammy in the eyes of the algorithm and can hurt your positioning in feeds. Ensure hashtags are relevant to your brand and de- velop company-specifi c ones. The news feed lifetime of posts—24 hours for photos and 48 hours for videos—is longer than you might think, so don't make every post shoppable or boosted. Doing so can backfi re by way of buried posts in feeds. Another tip: shoppable posts over $2,000 don't do as well as showing lower-price items. Do be active and follow brands you carry, industry orga- nizations, trade publications, favorite bloggers and infl u- encers, and even some of your best clients. Like and com- ment on their posts often, and don't forget to heart (like) and comment back to every comment on your feed. Fans like to know that they are being heard. All of this can seem daunting but remember that the power of social media is that you get to tell your story the way you want. No other form of marketing lets you have that much control. The extra time you put into social me- dia will pay off in brand recognition and sales. About Benjamin Guttery, GIA G.G., A.J.P. Ben is an advocate for jewelry designers, a storyteller, and a self-proclaimed gem nerd from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He spent several years selling fi ne jewelry behind the counter of an independently owned jewelry store in Texas before debuting his @ThirdCoastGems account on Instagram. To date, the account has amassed 116,000 followers—including some celeb- rities like Debra Messing. In addition to sharing gorgeous snaps of jewels on the medium, he also teaches retailers how to master it for maximum sales. Reach him at Benjamin.Guttery@gmail.com. B Y BENJAMIN GUTTERY Strengthen Your Social Experience Targeted Tips to Better Use the Top Platforms Today

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