Social media can be a tough place to exist right now, for many reasons. And when you’re trying to use it as part of your company’s marketing plan, it can feel even more daunting. It’s crowded. New “experts” emerge daily to tell you what you should and shouldn’t be doing. You’re doomscrolling. It’s…a lot.
For jewelers—many of whom rely heavily on social platforms—abandoning Instagram or TikTok is not realistic. But there is a growing nostalgia for the simpler days of blogging, when content lived in one place rather than being fragmented across platforms and filtered through algorithms. Enter Substack, a newsletter platform that functions as a blog, a light social feed, and an email list all at once.
With ever-changing algorithms, even your most loyal Instagram followers may not see the IG posts that matter most. If you also use Substack, you can think of Instagram as the window into your brand. Substack is the private viewing, by appointment.
Substack isn’t anti–social media—there is a definitely a social component to the platform—but it allows for less pressure, less trend-chasing, less performing. It gives brands control over their audience relationships. Once someone subscribes, your content lands directly in their inbox; you just need to click send. There’s little risk of it disappearing into an algorithmic void.
“I think Substack is going to help bring us back to our roots and give us a more permanent place to share what our clients appreciate hearing from me, and even allow me another creative, less corporate outlet to be able to share with our clientele, followers, and friends,” Nicole Mann, founder of the Garland Collection jewelry brand, tells JCK.
“We used to have a beloved blog way back in the day where I shared all of these details, but as that format seemed to disappear, that kind of conversation with our clients and followers was moved to Instagram stories and more finely crafted newsletters,” she says. “My brand’s Instagram stories give glimpses into my daily life, family, and inspiration behind the brand, and our clients always say how much they appreciate that they they can reach out to me and I will message back.
“I was a writer before a jewelry designer, focusing on lifestyle and personal essays and also market editing,” Mann explains. “Substack brings us back to that blog-like format, which is more friend-to-friend, relaxed and intimate.”
Some industry members outside of independent designers and retailers have also adopted the platform. Gem + Jewel, the publication of Jewelers Mutual insurance group, recently migrated its online editorial presence to Substack.
“We moved Gem + Jewel to Substack for the richer, more thoughtful conversations around fashion, art, and culture that are happening there,” says Emili Vesilind, editor-in-chief of Gem + Jewel (and onetime JCKer). “I had been following several jewelry Substacks, including The Adventurine—which moved there last year—and felt like Gem + Jewel’s content would fit right in with those, and with the many incredible fashion Substacks there that collectively represent the most thoughtful discourse on fashion and style in the world.
“Also, we wanted to be more discoverable, which is all about meeting people where they are. In 2026, it’s hard to ask people to visit a stand-alone website for content. Even 100-year-old media companies are struggling with this fact. People live on social sites, and Substack is a long-form content social media site.”
While many brands keep their content free, Substack offers paid subscription tiers, which can create revenue. Some Substack users build toward tiered models as trust and authority are established. But this only works with commitment and thoughtful content—you must be willing to show up consistently to see the desired results.
If Instagram is small talk, Substack is an actual conversation—one that could turn acquaintances into loyal clients. There is significant opportunity here for jewelers, especially those already sending monthly newsletters or considering starting one.
“The platform is incredibly easy to use,” says Vesilind. “You build the content and hit send to slide into your list’s email boxes. It’s very plug-and-play, and it can also handle large databases of emails.
“If I were a retailer, I might cancel my Hubspot or Hootsuite subscription and move the newsletter over to Substack,” she adds. “That said, it is getting crowded there, and it takes work and consistency to get likes and be noticed. But if you need an easy, good-looking newsletter tool, this is it.”
(Photo via Substack)
