Digital PR in the jewellery industry

There are few shopping trips that can compare to the unique experience of shopping for fine jewellery. Conversing with a knowledgeable jeweller to find the piece most perfect for you, witnessing first-hand how the diamonds glisten beneath the spotlight and leaving proudly with your precious jewel all wrapped up. In-person shopping for jewellery is something that will always take precedence; however, 63% of shopping begins online and, with lockdown restrictions continuing to take place, it is finalised there too. Digital PR has, thus, become an important tool for jewellers in recreating a similarly enjoyable shopping experience, except virtually.

An online shopping experience is one that can often be too simplistic and misses out on all the added extras that make jewellery shopping so unique. However, many brands have utilised their online shopping platforms to create unique experiences in which the customer still feels valued.

With the use of well-thought out designs, images and videos, brands can create unique immersive experiences for their customers that are exclusive to online. One brand that has fully embraced their e-commerce platform is Van Cleef & Arpels. For their ‘Quatre contes de Grimm’ collection, the luxury maison created an interactive which showcased the Brothers Grimm-inspired jewels in their signature luxury style. Customers were able to click through many different areas and explore the jewellery in a way that they wouldn’t be able to elsewhere, evoking a feeling of exclusivity.

This feeling of exclusivity from an online experience is also offered to the customer by the inclusion of ‘behind the scenes’ information. Luxury brands, particularly with special collections, include drawings and sketches of the jewellery as well as short videos of the creation process – such as with Van Cleef & Arpels’ whimsical ‘Romeo and Juliet’ collection.

By providing the customer with an insight into the inspiration behind the jewels and their creation creates a greater sentimental bond between the two parties. The customer gains a more intimate understanding of what went into the creation process and adopts a feeling as though the jewels were crafted especially for them.

If a brand’s e-commerce website is the virtual shop floor, then social media is their shop window.

Just like how an interesting window display can draw customers into the store, an engaging and attractive social media appearance will draw potential customers to the website.

Sites such as Instagram, allow jewellers the opportunity to create highly engaging content which demonstrates the brand’s personality whilst also showing off their jewels. Often highly jewellery collections are created around a theme, such as Harry Winston’s ‘Winston Candy’ collection, which can then be the focal point across all social media.

Debuted in a series of ultra-sweet images, the Harry Winston Instagram page offers an engaging insight at the collection, accompanied by ‘#WinstonCandy’ for maximum exposure.

Digital Marketing Institute also praises social media for providing the opportunity to “converse and communicate with your target audience in a way that never could have been done using traditional PR.” By replying directly to comments and messages, brands can continue to provide expert advice which is a valued aspect when shopping for jewellery.

We are used to seeing Social media also brings along a new form of celebrity endorsement which Guided PR dub the “digital culture”. Instead of seeing celebrities showing off luxury jewellery at red carpets, social media provides a much more intimate and personable Guided PR note that consumers “rely on the guidance of influencers and our peers” when choosing when to shop, which makes social media celebrity endorsements appear more as a virtual ‘word-of-mouth’ promotion.

London DE offer a wide range of diamond and coloured gemstone jewellery, can handcraft any bespoke piece to order. Get in touch with them today to arrange a free consultation and to find your perfect bespoke piece.

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By Holly Johnson