SOCIAL MEDIA'S KNIFE LEADER

Instagram is Nº 1 in the genre for custom knives-here's why

It's been around a while now long enough for an update on its relevance and impact on the knife industry. Meanwhile, social media in some ways remains a new frontier for both knifemakers and the market.

It isn't unusual for those interested in buying an existing knife or commissioning one from a pro to use social media such as Instagram, Facebook and other windows into the lives and work of custom makers. The media provide outreach and information on an unprecedented scale, and custom makers who take advantage of the opportunity to put themselves in front of the buying public take different approaches.

Some use video, others still photos. Some use music, others narration of what the viewer is seeing. Some allow the hum and whir of machines or the ring of the hammer to set the tone and convey the message. The answers to the questions of where and how to apply social media in their work lives vary among makers, but the involvement of social media in their marketing and sales efforts has become a regular part of their routine.

"Instagram broadens the customer base, and if you aren't using it you are missing out on that client base," related knifemaker/5th Special Forces veteran/BLADE™ field editor Kim Breed (@kimbreed1911 on Instagram). "I was dead set against it, but my son Keith got me going and said that it was something I needed to do. You can target your audience with a hashtag, and then when someone searches for something in particular it will come up."