Anne Hathaway was seen wearing the toggle necklace three times while filming scenes for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
6 Insights Into Standing Out on Social Media
Research firm Gartner analyzed the most digitally savvy brands to discover what works. Here’s what it found.

New York—Despite ever-evolving algorithms and slowing organic engagements, it’s clear brands and companies still turn to social media for marketing.
Social channels are, after all, key for product research and finding consumers early on in their path to purchase.
But knowing what they’re looking for and what they best respond to plays a huge part in how a brand structures its messaging and posts across channels.
Research firm Gartner took insights gleaned from its Digital IQ Index—its annual report ranking the online effectiveness of the world’s most well-known brands—and put them together in the “Watches & Jewelry Global: Optimizing Social Media Content” report, outlining how digitally savvy brands maximize engagement.
Here are six findings and takeaways from which jewelry retailers and brands can learn.
Finding: Watch brands garner higher interactions from posts featuring flat-lay product images.
Product flat-lays and on-model shots comprised 95 percent of the posts Gartner analyzed, making them the two prevalent content types on jewelry and watch accounts alike.
But for watches, engagement is higher when it comes to static product images, Gartner said, noting that consumers tend to be most receptive to product details on timepieces, with tight, close-up shots of watch faces seeing 15 percent higher engagement than other flat-lays.
It’s also worth noting posts about watch production, including design, brought the largest dip in engagement, decreasing it by 23 percent compared product shots.
Takeaway: Watch brands should prioritize close-up and full-display flat-lay shots over shots of product on models to see incremental increases in engagement, Gartner said. Production content should be saved for short video posts or Instagram and Facebook Stories.
Finding: When it comes to ring posts in general, customers engage most with product images displayed as tight close-ups on a model’s hand, as opposed to product flat-lays.
Across other jewelry categories, though, flat-lay product shots outperformed other image types.
Interestingly, bracelets drive the second-highest engagement overall, Gartner said. For bracelets, a flat product shot achieved a 12 percent engagement lift relative to close-ups on a model.
Takeaway: Focus on close-up model shots with rings, but don’t forget that bracelets provide brands with a “white-space opportunity” to differentiate themselves on Instagram as ring shot competition increases.
Finding: Gartner said bridal jewelry is one of the few categories that shows similar levels of success across different image types—on-model close-up shots and product flat-lay shots receive similar engagement rates.
The examples the
David Yurman adds another dimension to its posts by giving detailed ring product descriptions in the caption.
Takeaway: Bridal shoppers, especially when it comes to rings, appreciate detailed product information, and respond to both on-model close-up shots and flat-lay product shots. Consider supplementing product-focused imagery with a product’s details in captions to stand out in the crowd.
Finding: Watch and jewelry brands trail their luxury fashion counterparts in followers and interactions on Instagram, Gartner found.
Using ambassadors and sponsored events can provide opportunities to increase reach and engagement.
Legacy brands, for example, often focus on sponsorships with high-profile users, while those considered digital leaders find ways to translate events and sponsorships into “social media earnings.”
Chopard maximized its celebrity ambassador partnerships using hashtags during Cannes 2018, flooding its accounts with posts of stars on the red carpet, tagging their handles and using #Cannes2018 in post captions.
This resulted in the Chopard Instagram account gaining more than 54,000 followers during the two-week film festival.
Takeaway: Brands should be strategic with the timing of their posts to align with offline events, tag influencers and events in posts, and create content across their own handles and influencer handles to capitalize on partnerships.
RELATED CONTENT: How Simon G. Used Local Influencers to Support its RetailersThey also must understand that content that performs well on an influencer’s handle may not see the same engagement numbers on brand-owned handles, or vice versa.
Finding: Luxury consumers are increasingly demanding ethically sourced and manufactured products, with Google searches for “sustainable jewelry” quintupling over the last three years, Gartner said.
Many brands are now trying to make it a part of their DNA by launching sustainable lines and embedding it into the conversation on their social channels.
The number of Digital IQ Index brand Instagram posts about sustainability and ethical sourcing rose 620 percent throughout 2018, accounting for 3.6 percent of all analyzed jewelry posts in December 2018, compared with 0.5 percent in January 2018.
But Gartner said messaging about these efforts has mixed results as it takes time for them to resonate with consumers and become an authentic part of brand identities.
Takeaway: To see success in this area, Gartner said brands must be ready to play the long game—be consistent with messaging efforts across digital properties, including owned sites and social channels.
Finding: Forty-two percent of consumers use social media to conduct product research, making the channels second only to search engines.
Reddit and YouTube reign in this arena, according to Gartner, with users looking to these two platforms for crowd-sourced product recommendations and reviews.
Watch enthusiasts, for example, engage on Reddit more than any other social platform, using the website to find buying guides and consult with other watch buyers.
Mentions of Rolex on the Reddit /r/watches thread center on comparing product types and discussing product details and price.
Rolex carries this type of information over to Instagram by including product model, watch dial and bracelet details in post captions.
Jewelry consumers, meanwhile, are more likely to turn to YouTube for research at the top of the purchasing funnel, Gartner found, especially in bridal.
Many of the search terms on the video site related to engagement rings in 2018 were education based, such as “how to buy an engagement ring.”
James Allen is an example of a brand that has acted to meet consumer needs—not only does it promote educational content through Google search and display advertising but also works with YouTube influencers for sponsored content related to bridal education to capture shoppers early in their journey.
Takeaway: Brands should monitor these two channels closely to better understand what types of content consumers are seeking out and craft their strategy accordingly.
Additionally, brands should think about what a partnership with an influencer or celebrity can offer, not only to boost content visibility but also to guide consumers further down their path to purchase.
After all, consumers conducting product research on social media prefer posts from other consumers over brand-created content, finding them more authentic and trustworthy.
The Latest

Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong is scheduled for Sept. 15 to 21, and buyer pre-registration will be available until Sept. 7.

Renovations at Tiffany & Co. stores ate into profits in the company’s watch and jewelry division.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Mark and Candy Udell of London Jewelers will receive the honor at the 24th annual Gem Awards next March.


While struggles continue at the mining and trading end of the pipeline, consumer demand for diamond jewelry is holding steady.

The “Fantasia” jewelry collection turns the intaglio animals from her “Close Encounters” collection into 3D characters.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The special Classic Avi Chronograph 42 with an Eagles-green dial is limited to 59 pieces, a nod to the Super Bowl Philadelphia just won.

JSA has received reports of mobs swarming jewelry stores, driving cars into the storefront or smashing through the windows.

The “Kashmir” collection features centuries-old craft techniques made in collaboration with the region’s master papier-mâché artisans.

Creative Director Erica Bianchini shared why the jeweler is looking to expand into the U.S. and how it’s putting Canadian craftsmanship on the map.

Two Los Angeles Fire Department stations plan to use the donations to upgrade their equipment and tools.

Next week, the auction house will kick off a selling exhibition of jewelry by British artist Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman.

“Stolen: Heist of the Century” is based on “Flawless,” the book about the middle-of-the-night theft, and will debut on Netflix in August.

Emmanuel Raheb shares the top five gifting moments outside of major holidays that jewelers should build marketing campaigns around.

The wholesale trade show’s Luxury Lifestyle section will showcase established and emerging jewelry designers.

As demand for custom jewelry grows, the company is expanding its services to support retailers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers is slated for Aug. 9 to 10 on Zoom.

Graduated stones make for elevated tennis-style pieces and dramatic statement necklaces.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

He retired last month after 28 years traveling the world to source the very best gemstones for his family’s jewelry business, Oscar Heyman.

The charm necklace features six nautical charms of shells and coral that founder Christina Puchi collected on Florida’s beaches.

The organization elected its youngest vice president as it looks to draw in fresh talent.

The medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the Games’ first time being hosted by two cities and the athletes’ journeys.

Sponsored by The INSTORE Jewelry Show 2025

Globally, travel and transportation brands reigned, while in the U.S., alcoholic beverage companies and a lingerie brand took the top spots.