In today’s world, it is vital for any retail jewellery business to have a website and a social media presence. A website is your virtual storefront. Social media is your marketing platform. The link that connects them is a blog. Every time you add an article to you blog, post a teaser with a link to it on all of your social media sites. Encourage viewers to read the full article and leave comments on the blog and social media. This back and forth cross-marketing keeps your store at top of mind and promotes interaction.
Types of blog posts
A High-Value Post is an article that has a lot of well-researched content. This should take a few hours to write. Here is where you can let your knowledge and expertise shine through. Its purpose is to educate and inform your readers. Try to make it between 500-1500 words in length. Sample topics:
●Diamond grading: The “4 C´s”
●What your business does to give back to the community
●The custom design process from idea to finished jewellery
A Feature Post can be compared to a regular column in a newspaper. It is a consistent topic and is delivered on the same day every week. Sample topics:
●Ask the jeweller or gemmologist. (Show your expertise by answering questions.)
●Fashion Friday (Share or write a fashion related article)
●Birthstone lore (once a month)
A Filler Post is a short, sweet point of interest. The purpose of a Filler is to keep your name and brand out there on a regular basis. It needs to be at least 200 words, 300 is better. Sample topics:
●Hottest trends in jewelry
●5 reasons why or repair dept is best
●Any quick special sales or deals you are offering
Consistency
For a blog to be successful there needs to be a consistent stream of new content. A good beginning schedule is 2-3 High-Value Posts and 4-8 filler or feature posts every month. Rather than worrying about constantly sitting down every few days to write a post, most blogging platforms – like WordPress – have plug-ins that will automatically upload your blog posts for you on a set schedule. You can write several posts at one sitting and let the software keep the schedule for you. Other plug-ins will post teaser links to your social media for you. Keep it as easy as possible and you are more likely to stick with the program.
Outsourcing your blog
The top two excuses for not blogging is the lack of time and a lack of writing skills. Consider outsourcing your blog.
Finding the right blogger is difficult. You need someone who understands the jewellery industry and any skills you want to feature. Avoid using online outsourcing sites such as elance. All you’ll get is cut and paste information with a little tweaking to avoid copyright issues.
There are companies that run a subscription service to provide you with fresh daily content specific to the jewellery industry. Some will manage uploads for you, however, you receive the same content as everyone else. This can be cost effective, often less than $100 per month and it is better than nothing.
Hiring someone to write original content for you can be more expensive. A good blogger will discuss your marketing plans and goals, your personal “voice”, and tailor the articles to suit your needs. They should be familiar with keyword placement. Look at as many successful jewellery blogs as possible. If you find someone with a style and voice that you like, contact them. Most professional bloggers are freelance and are happy to take on a new client or refer you to someone that may be a better fit.
Blogging with social media sharing is one of the fastest ways to build your brand and drive traffic to your website and your store. Get started now.