We’ve assembled a roundup of social media news to help jewelers improve their marketing techniques:

• Don’t be a diva on Twitter. A new study from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan finds that “self-focused Twitter messages drove down follower growth.” Messages that were more outward-looking and information based grew followers at a rate 30 percent higher. Also, sending happier tweets attracts more followers.

• Using a Facebook contest to boost brand awareness, likes, or to drive traffic to your store? Here are nine tips on the best ways to write your contest’s rules.

• A good rule of thumb for brands and humans alike: “Stop trying to be awesome and start being helpful.” Jay Baer, a marketing consultant, says “the best way to know your customers is to ask them what they need.”

• Seventy-nine percent of Twitter users are more likely to recommend brands they follow, according to this infographic from the Search Engine People. Also, 37 percent will purchase from a brand they follow. How active is your store on Twitter and what incentives do you give customers to follow you?

For more social media news, check out:

• Is Laughter the Best Medicine for a Social Media Complaint?
• How Can Jewelers Make Their Pins as Sexy as…Kale?
• How Can Jewelers Tell If Their Social Media Plan Is Working?
• Are Negative Twitter Messages More Likely to Go Viral?
• Is Social Media Really a Bust for Small Businesses?
• What Can Jewelers Learn From Tiffany’s New Facebook Campaign?

JCK