We conduct an interview with two of our previous Halstead Grant Winners to gain some insight on why video is important for jewellery businesses and the benefits they’ve seen from utilizing it in their operations.
We hope you enjoy this first installment of our series on utilizing video for marketing jewellery. In the following articles, we will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to create your own jewellery videos, as well as a variety of marketing video formats that you can experiment with.
But before we get into that, let’s discuss why videos are such a valuable addition to your marketing toolkit.
When it comes to making a sale of jewelry, everyone is aware of how essential photography is. However, the outbreak of a pandemic has hastened the transition to online shopping that many customers have been gradually making over the course of the last couple of decades.
Video is becoming an extremely valuable tool to show off your jewelry pieces that will last long after the pandemic has ended because so many people are confined to their homes and unable to physically see the products they are wanting to buy. This is why video is becoming so popular.
Why should you take the time and effort to begin making videos when you have so many other things that you need to worry about when making videos can be an intimidating and at times a labor intensive process?
In a nutshell, videos not only give your followers more information about your jewellery and business than a regular photo would, but they are also significantly more engaging and will make it much simpler for your followers to form a personal connection with you.
We conducted an interview with two of the incredible people who won the Halstead Grant: Christina Grace, owner of TIN HAUS, and Emma Elizabeth, owner of Emma Elizabeth Jewellery.
The purpose of the interview was to shed light on the significance of video by focusing on how the two women use video in their respective jewellery businesses.
1. What do you use video for?
Christina: The utilization of video has developed into an essential component of my marketing strategy for the promotion of my jewellery brand, TIN HAUS. In the beginning, I would produce the typical “meet the maker” content along with digital advertising campaigns for new collections once or twice per season.
However, because of the pandemic, I had more time while I was in quarantine to try out different things and have fun with the medium.
By posting random funny skits, DIYs, informational narratives, and even my production process, I was able to make my content creation a bit more casual and also make it more accessible to my audience.
My Instagram feed used to be a curated collection of photographs in the style of art galleries in the past.
However, I recently pivoted to having more flexibility with the intention of providing value, humor, and quality content rather than striving for perfection, and this has resulted in a more responsive audience.
Because it allowed my audience the space to get a sense of who I am as an artist and as a BIPOC creative who runs a small business, watching my engagement grow has shown me how important connection is. This is because my audience was able to get a sense of who I am.
Emma: The majority of my posts on social media platforms are videos. When Instagram added stories to their platform, it kind of pushed me to do so, and now I have a great way to splice my videos and put them together creatively with music thanks to Reels.
2. In what context do you typically employ it?
Christina: My website includes video, and visitors can access it through direct links to Vimeo and YouTube. I use a variety of social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn on occasion, to distribute video content.
Emma: I use videos primarily for Instagram, and then I either share a link to Facebook or download the video from Instagram so that I can then post it on Facebook; however, when you do either of those things, the music does not accompany the video.
3. Why/When did you decide to start using video?
Christina: I have over ten years of experience working in the film and television industry, both behind and in front of the camera, and as a result, I have been working with video since its inception.
My background includes both production and on-camera work. My experience in the entertainment industry equipped me with the foundational knowledge necessary to comprehend the significance that programming can have.
Emma: A while ago, I went to the Google Play Store and downloaded a video editing app. Using that app, I filmed the creation of a chrysoprase cuff, starting from the initial sketch and ending with the finished product.
The reason I went to all this trouble was so that I could upload it to my IGTV channel. I received a lot of positive feedback after publishing the post on IGTV, my Instagram feed, and Facebook, where it was also shared.
The process of how it was made was very interesting to watch. Once the people in my community had a solid understanding of how many steps there were throughout the entire process, I discovered that the value of my pieces increased significantly.
Now, I am attempting to find my voice through Instagram Reels by providing brief demonstrations of various methods and procedures that I make use of on a daily basis.
4. Do you film the video yourself or do you have someone else do it for you?
Christina: I either film the videos myself or hire someone else to do it for me. When I need to create content on a daily or weekly basis that can be turned around quickly, I shoot and edit the videos myself using either my phone or my laptop. On the other hand, when it comes to new collection campaigns or major events — such as being awarded the Halstead Grant — I hire outside help.
My circle of reliable filmmakers and cinematographers includes people like Benny Gomez, Charles J. Gray, and Angela Shin, all of whom are people I can approach with my ideas.
When they get an idea for a video that isn’t related to jewelry, they sometimes get in touch with me to see if we can work together on it. Naturally, I come up with creative ways to include my jewelry in their projects (laugh out loud)!
Emma: I have never before contracted outside help for a video project, but if the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn’t rule it out for the future. In most situations, I use my phone to record everything.
It is possible to film without using your hands thanks to the wide variety of tripods and mounts that are available on the market today.
5. Do you feel that the use of video has been beneficial to either your company or your clientele?
Christina: My company has definitely benefited from the use of video content in recent years. The customers now have a better understanding of the context of everything that goes on behind the scenes, which is something that traditional photography was unable to accomplish in the past.
Videos alleviated any reservations that customers might have had about contacting me or leaving comments on my posts by breaking down those barriers.
Videos have improved the overall authenticity, relatability, and approachability of my brand as a whole. My clients are always interested in witnessing me make jewelry, particularly if it is a piece of jewelry that they have purchased from me.
Ironically, many people were shocked when they discovered that I was the one who made the jewelry. People have, for some reason, had the misconception that jewelry designers just create, and that another party is responsible for making the items. They were unaware that jewelry designers might also be the creators of the pieces they design.
Emma: My existing clients are able to keep track of the progress of their orders by following along on my Instagram stories, where I post a variety of short videos and audio clips during the course of my workday.
When a customer receives their newly commissioned piece of wearable art, one of the most common things they say to me is that it was fascinating to see me work on their pieces, and that they cherished the opportunity to get a window into the creation process. It is something that truly does add to the worth of their piece, and now they can tell the tale of how it came to be to their other pals.
6. What are your long-term goals for implementing video into your company’s operations?
Christina: In the years to come, I intend to keep using video content as a component of my overall marketing strategy. I intend to produce other films that are not only entertaining but also informative, amusing, and significant. Videos that are characteristically TIN HAUS in nature.
Emma: The next step in my plan is to create additional Instagram Reels. My natural inclination is to attempt to fit an entire project, from beginning to end, into a single film, but I am making an effort to switch to providing glimpses instead.
It’s possible that I’ll develop a list of the tools and methods that I use on a daily basis, and then I’ll create a film for each of them. I just want to continue educating the art jewelry enthusiasts in my neighborhood since they have made it abundantly obvious that they like learning about the process that goes into creating my artwork.