ColumnistsAug 17, 2021
Creative Connecting: How to Handle Disclosures ColumnistsSep 08, 2021
The Smart Lab: 5 Reasons Why You Need a Digital Marketing Strategy
Here’s how the new mediums can help grow a jewelry business, according to Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb.
Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. With nearly 18 years’ digital marketing and e-commerce experience, Raheb is passionate about helping and strategically growing national jewelry brands and local retailers alike. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com.
Every good marketing strategy starts with who, what, where, when, why, and how.
It doesn’t matter if it’s traditional or digital media, you need to be able to answer these questions:
-- Who is your audience?
-- What is your message?
-- Where does your audience live?
-- When should you run your campaigns?
-- Why should your audience choose you?
-- How will you know your advertising is working?
These questions have always been the bedrock of traditional marketing and still apply even today with digital marketing.
Remember, there’s more to digital marketing than social media—pay-per-click, display ads, re-targeting, SEO, and content marketing are also critical components of the digital marketing mix.
Here are five reasons why you need a well-planned digital marketing strategy.
1. It’s how your jewelry store gets noticed.
Everything today is digital. With the average person spending three to four hours a day online (and that’s just during their leisure time), we live in a digital-first world.
The time spent online is even greater when you consider working hours.
Your audience isn’t flipping through magazines or watching traditional television anymore—it’s all about scrolling through social media feeds and binge-watching streaming shows (without advertising).
If you’re jewelry store isn’t in front of your audience where they “live” every day, then you don’t exist. You must break through!
2. It’s measurable and easily tracked.
Traditional media (due to lack of measurement) has always struggled to answer basic marketing questions.
As newspapers, magazines, and even billboards crumble and go out of business, gone are the old ways of advertising. Their power has eroded significantly.
But digital marketing—with real-time results and accessible analytics—easily outperforms even the most aggressive traditional marketing campaign. Knowing your numbers is critical to your success.
It doesn’t matter if it’s traditional or digital media, you need to be able to answer these questions:
-- Who is your audience?
-- What is your message?
-- Where does your audience live?
-- When should you run your campaigns?
-- Why should your audience choose you?
-- How will you know your advertising is working?
These questions have always been the bedrock of traditional marketing and still apply even today with digital marketing.
Remember, there’s more to digital marketing than social media—pay-per-click, display ads, re-targeting, SEO, and content marketing are also critical components of the digital marketing mix.
Here are five reasons why you need a well-planned digital marketing strategy.
1. It’s how your jewelry store gets noticed.
Everything today is digital. With the average person spending three to four hours a day online (and that’s just during their leisure time), we live in a digital-first world.
The time spent online is even greater when you consider working hours.
Your audience isn’t flipping through magazines or watching traditional television anymore—it’s all about scrolling through social media feeds and binge-watching streaming shows (without advertising).
If you’re jewelry store isn’t in front of your audience where they “live” every day, then you don’t exist. You must break through!
2. It’s measurable and easily tracked.
Traditional media (due to lack of measurement) has always struggled to answer basic marketing questions.
As newspapers, magazines, and even billboards crumble and go out of business, gone are the old ways of advertising. Their power has eroded significantly.
But digital marketing—with real-time results and accessible analytics—easily outperforms even the most aggressive traditional marketing campaign. Knowing your numbers is critical to your success.
3. It’s how relationships are built with the “new” jewelry consumer.
Digital marketing is a two-way medium: it’s conversational, especially on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. You can get feedback from your customers and instantly answer any jewelry questions they might have.
You’re also no longer shouting your message at them. You’re helping them choose styles that match their taste or helping them shop for a gift for a loved-one, and you’re able to fully understand the latest jewelry trends and what your audience likes.
You get to intimately know them just as they get to know you! You build trust and relationships.
4. It builds your jewelry store’s brand identity.
When you grow your digital marketing, you’re growing your jewelry store’s brand. The more times you can get in front of your audience, the more they’ll remember your name, especially when it comes time to buy an engagement ring or even for a self-purchase to reward oneself.
Half the battle in sales is name recognition. If someone visits your jewelry website, you can easily re-target them with digital billboards, always keeping your name front and center.
You want to be top of mind when someone thinks of buying jewelry.
5. It’s scalable and can grow as big as your dreams.
Digital marketing is infinitely scalable to whatever your business goals are. The only limitations are your knowledge and your budget; both can be easily solved.
You have to invest in your marketing, and you have to invest in the right experts who know how to get the results that you’re looking for.
If you don’t have a lot of money to begin with, you can start small and grow your digital marketing campaigns as you increase sales. Really, the only limit to your success is your own desire. Your marketing should pay for itself.
Even if you think you know digital marketing and have dabbled a bit online, chances are you’re just skimming the surface.
Yes, most people intuitively know how to use Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to learn how to run effective ads on these platforms or keep your costs low. And you surely don’t want to overpay.
Remember, every dollar saved is a dollar earned, which you didn’t have to go out and replace.
No matter what stage you’re in—from beginner marketer to digital marketing expert—there’s always more to learn. Your digital strategy should be the driving force of your business.
Digital marketing has come a long way over the past 20 years, and it’s not done yet. As younger generations come of age, it will only grow to become even more prominent and critical to your jewelry store’s success.
More on Columnists
The Latest
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
CBG Brings Its Curated Designer Project to Las Vegas ShowThe Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.
Events & AwardsMay 26, 2026
12 JCK Talks Sessions to Add to Your Las Vegas ScheduleThe trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.
TrendsMay 26, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: A Cooldown Is ComingBring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2026
JA, MJSA To Sponsor Roundtable at TJSThe discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.
SourcingMay 15, 2026
State of Diamonds: The Way Forward for Natural DiamondsThe jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.
