EditorsNov 22, 2024
Out & About: Inside the CD Peacock MansionStep inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
TechnologyApr 21, 2020
Instagram Live: Avoid These 3 Pitfalls to Ensure Success
In a special guest column, Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams talk timing, content and brand visibility on the platform.
Duvall O’Steen, left, and Jen Cullen Williams are independent communications strategists and senior consultants for the Luxury Brand Group. They can be reached at DuvallOsteenNYC@gmail.com or Jen@JenCullenWilliams.com.
Instagram Live is rapidly gaining ground.
Online publication Business of Fashion recently noted the many fashion houses and celebrities who are going “Live” on Instagram to keep the conversations flowing with their fans.
Everyone from amateurs to professionals can easily use this tool to keep connected.
If you plan to use Instagram Live to build brand awareness and grow your engagement with your followers, be sure to avoid making these three pitfalls.
1. Bad Timing
—Be considerate of your timing. Instagram Insights can help you figure out which day of the week will be ideal to get the most engagement from your particular followers.
Quick online searches can also provide valuable data about the timing of posts, as social media gurus at Hootsuite, Hubspot, Sproutsocial and Agorapulse, as well as media outlets like Mashable and TechCrunch, often publish articles with recent research confirming the latest information on the best timing for Instagram activity.
—Be sure to plan for time-zone differences. If you plan ongoing or recurring segments, set a time and stick with it, so that people know when to tune in. Once you develop the schedule, promote it with Stories and mentions in posts.
—“Announce your live one day before on [Instagram] Stories and post a Q+A with a specific topic,” says Persephone Maglaya, founder of digital marketing agency The Media Socialites. “Keep the discussion focused … this helps you control the subject and the content. Then, an hour beforehand, announce again you are about to go live and invite your audience to join. Right now, use the ‘stay home’ widget on every single story as it’s getting extra views!”
—If in doubt regarding timing, use the Story feature to ask your followers ahead of time when is best for them.
2. The Wrong Content
—Avoid lengthy content on Instagram Live. For more detailed and lengthy posts, consider breaking it up into serial IG Live segments.
—Short-form content is key, as shorter sessions get better results. Avoid lengthy introductions. Get to the point right away and keep the session flowing.
—Be sure to include the “wow” factor up front to capture attention. Your audience will fade away quickly, so pack the first three minutes with a powerful punch. Maglaya offers this expert tip: “Be direct, to the point and jump in. Attention is fleeting, so prep with the person you are jumping on IG Live with or if it’s a solo live, just go!”
Online publication Business of Fashion recently noted the many fashion houses and celebrities who are going “Live” on Instagram to keep the conversations flowing with their fans.
Everyone from amateurs to professionals can easily use this tool to keep connected.
If you plan to use Instagram Live to build brand awareness and grow your engagement with your followers, be sure to avoid making these three pitfalls.
1. Bad Timing
—Be considerate of your timing. Instagram Insights can help you figure out which day of the week will be ideal to get the most engagement from your particular followers.
Quick online searches can also provide valuable data about the timing of posts, as social media gurus at Hootsuite, Hubspot, Sproutsocial and Agorapulse, as well as media outlets like Mashable and TechCrunch, often publish articles with recent research confirming the latest information on the best timing for Instagram activity.
—Be sure to plan for time-zone differences. If you plan ongoing or recurring segments, set a time and stick with it, so that people know when to tune in. Once you develop the schedule, promote it with Stories and mentions in posts.
—“Announce your live one day before on [Instagram] Stories and post a Q+A with a specific topic,” says Persephone Maglaya, founder of digital marketing agency The Media Socialites. “Keep the discussion focused … this helps you control the subject and the content. Then, an hour beforehand, announce again you are about to go live and invite your audience to join. Right now, use the ‘stay home’ widget on every single story as it’s getting extra views!”
—If in doubt regarding timing, use the Story feature to ask your followers ahead of time when is best for them.
2. The Wrong Content
—Avoid lengthy content on Instagram Live. For more detailed and lengthy posts, consider breaking it up into serial IG Live segments.
—Short-form content is key, as shorter sessions get better results. Avoid lengthy introductions. Get to the point right away and keep the session flowing.
—Be sure to include the “wow” factor up front to capture attention. Your audience will fade away quickly, so pack the first three minutes with a powerful punch. Maglaya offers this expert tip: “Be direct, to the point and jump in. Attention is fleeting, so prep with the person you are jumping on IG Live with or if it’s a solo live, just go!”
—Steer away from vanity content. Instead, opt for helpful or useful information for your specific audience. How-to videos are popular, as well as humor and branded content like behind-the-scenes, design inspiration, etc.
—If you keep the content short and to the point, you will have time for an interactive Q&A at the end. The questions asked can also inspire topics for future Instagram Live segments.
3. An Invisible Brand
—Make sure your Instagram handle, and the handles of any guests you bring on, are clearly visible. The most common question in Instagram Live comments is viewers asking for the IG handle of the person/guest who is speaking. Remember that different devices have different views, so consider signage you can hold up or hang behind you.
—Avoid busy and distracting backgrounds. Instead, use backgrounds suggestive of your brand’s core values or prepare a single-color backdrop with your company logo and IG handle.
—Be sure to pin the Instagram Live video to your story and to your Facebook business page for a longer shelf life, allowing followers to see it later. And, again, brevity is key. Live viewers may hang with you for a while, but people watching a video later will not.
Most important of all: practice makes perfect.
Technology, as great as it is, can often be our biggest pitfall. Test everything out in advance, including your internet bandwidth! Make sure you know how to go live, how to bring on a guest, how to pin the video, etc., before you go live.
Good luck. Our email addresses are below should you have any questions on content, branding or social media in general.
—If you keep the content short and to the point, you will have time for an interactive Q&A at the end. The questions asked can also inspire topics for future Instagram Live segments.
3. An Invisible Brand
—Make sure your Instagram handle, and the handles of any guests you bring on, are clearly visible. The most common question in Instagram Live comments is viewers asking for the IG handle of the person/guest who is speaking. Remember that different devices have different views, so consider signage you can hold up or hang behind you.
—Avoid busy and distracting backgrounds. Instead, use backgrounds suggestive of your brand’s core values or prepare a single-color backdrop with your company logo and IG handle.
—Be sure to pin the Instagram Live video to your story and to your Facebook business page for a longer shelf life, allowing followers to see it later. And, again, brevity is key. Live viewers may hang with you for a while, but people watching a video later will not.
Most important of all: practice makes perfect.
Technology, as great as it is, can often be our biggest pitfall. Test everything out in advance, including your internet bandwidth! Make sure you know how to go live, how to bring on a guest, how to pin the video, etc., before you go live.
Good luck. Our email addresses are below should you have any questions on content, branding or social media in general.
More on Technology
The Latest
CollectionsNov 22, 2024
Piece of the Week: Xander Jane’s ‘Spiked’ Pearl StudsThese punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
SourcingNov 22, 2024
Facets of Fire Expands to Include Pear, Marquise DiamondsThe company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
Supplier BulletinNov 21, 2024
Tasha R Releases 2025 Labbelle Lab Diamond Jewelry CatalogSponsored by Tasha R
Weekly QuizNov 21, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsNov 21, 2024
Gold Watch Gifted to Titanic Rescue Ship Captain Sells for $2MThree Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Harris Jewelry Ordered to Reopen Claims Portal for Refund RequestsA federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
Brought to you by
Enhance Your Expertise with IGI’s In-Person Courses in NYCThis fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
CollectionsNov 21, 2024
Channel Elphaba in Muse’s ‘Have a Heart x Cynthia Erivo’ CollectionCynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
MajorsNov 21, 2024
Rocksbox Opens Pop-Up Store in San FranciscoThe new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
IndependentsNov 21, 2024
Mary Moses Kinney Is Now Part of The Edge’s Team Kinney, who spent nearly 30 years at IJO, has been hired to head Abbott Jewelry Systems’ new virtual marketplace.
CrimeNov 20, 2024
Sotheby’s to Pay $6.25M Settlement to NY State for Alleged Tax FraudThe auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
Kering Debuts New Jewelry Award With Sustainability FocusThe four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
CollectionsNov 20, 2024
Pamela Love Channels Surrealist Artists in New CollectionThe “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
Policies & IssuesNov 20, 2024
Columbia Gem House Raises $10K for Reforestation EffortsThe money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
Events & AwardsNov 20, 2024
The Jewelry Symposium Opens Registration, Scholarship ApplicationsThe event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
CrimeNov 19, 2024
Woman Killed in Armed Robbery of Sacramento Jewelry StoreLocal reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
AuctionsNov 19, 2024
‘A Tsar’s Treasure’ Fetches $2.9M at Sotheby’s Jewelry SaleA collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
MajorsNov 19, 2024
Trove Opens First US Flagship in NYCThe Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
CollectionsNov 19, 2024
Snoop Dogg’s New Jewelry Collection Is All About Love“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
EditorsNov 18, 2024
Q&A: Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton on the Jeweler’s RebrandHampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
Policies & IssuesNov 18, 2024
Reciprocity Jewels Returns to NYC Jewelry WeekThe group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
CollectionsNov 18, 2024
Dolly Parton Shines in Collaboration with Kendra ScottThe collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
Events & AwardsNov 18, 2024
IGI Jewelry Design Competition ReturnsThis year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
EditorsNov 15, 2024
Why Fine Jewelry Belongs at New York Comic ConSenior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
CollectionsNov 15, 2024
Marie Lichtenberg Battles Counterfeits with New ‘Raiz’in Scapular’ DesignsThe latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
WatchesNov 15, 2024
Piece of the Week: Citizen’s Commemorative Pocket WatchNo. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
