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Shoreham, N.Y.--A longtime industry journalist recently announced the launch of a syndicated blog service designed to take some of the communications pressure off jewelers today.

Howard Cohen, a former National Jeweler editor and now owner of Shoreham, N.Y.-based HSC Communications, serves as both ghost writer and publisher for his service.

He said he writes and publishes a total of five blogs a week using hosting platform Tumblr for his independent jeweler clients.

The blogs, such as Wednesday’s posting on “Teodora,” the 57,000-carat emerald to be auctioned next week in Canada, are, obviously, jewelry-related and written from the perspective of a retailer.

Retailers who want to participate simply select a template from the many available on Tumblr. Cohen then provides the blog content and links it to the retailer’s website and, if applicable, their Facebook page.

He said he also embeds the blog with a Facebook “like” button so the retailer can tell if their customers are enjoying the blog and provides recommended Facebook and Twitter teasers, giving jewelers ready-made social media content.

Another option for retailers is to connect the Tumblr blog with an RSS feed on their Facebook page so that new blogs post automatically to the social networking site, an option employed by Albany, N.Y. jeweler Harold Finkle.

Cohen said he gives each client exclusivity within a 15-mile radius of their store. He uses Google Maps-powered Pinmaps, an online service that allows users to insert virtual push pins all over the United States, to keep track of his clients.

“I think 15 miles is fair in a trading area,” he said. “In some places they might need a little more but, so far, I haven’t gotten a push back on that.”

Cohen said he has about 40 clients so far and is hoping the service is useful for jewelers, many of whom find it difficult to carve out time to blog or share information on social networks.

“Maybe this will solve some of their communications, blogging and social networking challenges,” he said.

The cost is $50 per month. For more information, contact Cohen by email at hscohen60@gmail.com or by phone at (631) 821-8867.