Orji-Oko Uzor- Introduction
- How do I promote my hair salon on Instagram?
- Ways to market a hair salon on social media
- Rules of using Instagram for hair salons
- Ideas for beautiful Instagram photos for your salon
- What to post to grow your hair salon business
Introduction
What if I told you that with hair salon Instagram marketing your salon business will witness rapid growth. If your answer is yes! Then come with us…
Recently, we asked salon owners their favorite platform to interact with potential clients and get bookings? The answer they gave is more often than not: Instagram. But when we asked them what is their biggest marketing challenge? Also Instagram! Many of us understand how important this social media platform is. And yet we still struggle with how to use it effectively to grow our business.
A lot of beauty businesses have built a business empire with social media. Calm down and think of Glossier cosmetics, who sells 100% online (not in stores) and have found many of their customers through Instagram: The founder, Emily Weiss, established and built a billion dollar brand centred around just one place: Instagram. This woman knew that her ideal customers were there. And she knew that by creating a perfect Instagram feed, posting beautiful, educational content. As well as creating a community on the platform, Glossier would grow. And definitely it did!
So, we all understand how powerful it is, but why is it that such a simple app can be overwhelming? Simply because there are many options on how you can use it. Many of us have questions like:
- What do I put in my bio?
- Kinds of things do I post, and how often?
- Which hashtags are right for me to use?
- How do I get more followers?
- Do people care what I’m posting?
Whether you’re a total beginner on Instagram, or you’ve been on it for a while. This article should be able to help you to know how do hair salon Instagram marketing
How do I promote my hair salon using hair salon Instagram marketing?
Switch to an Instagram business profile (It’s Free!)
Switching from your regular salon Instagram profile to an Instagram business profile will you just take few minutes of your time. This will provide your clients with a direct contact method within the app to reach you. You switching to a business profile, this will make a few contact buttons to appear on your profile. Giving your customers the opportunity to get your business address, call your salon number, email you or even book an appointment with you. Additionally, you will be able to get analytics on your profile! What’s not to want?
Post consistently, but make sure it’s quality
To get traction on Instagram won’t happen overnight. But when you don’t disappear every 3-4 weeks and then reappear suddenly to flood users’ feeds. You will see gradual growth in your engagement and followers. That is, of course, when you post beautifully curated photos – they will certainly get higher engagement.
Interact withith other users and respond to comments
The more you are able to engage with other people’s profiles and respond to comments that are left on your salon posts. Te more you’ll see your engagement build.
Advertise and use relevant hashtags
It has proven that ashtags one of the most valuable tools you can use to reach new clients and raise your brand awareness. The common ways to use them is for you to put them in your posts and stories. And hope people are able to find your content by researching those topics. Another way to go about hashtags is to initiate contact with potential new followers. You do this by liking and commenting on other people’s posts. By this you send out notifications to users. Which ultimately will make them likely to check out your profile and probably engage with you as well.
Post during opportune times
On Instagram, there is a thing as posting at the right time. When you’ve switched to a business profile, it means you have access to see at what times your followers are more active on the platform. That’s on a day-by-day basis. When your followers aren’t online in the morning, maybe try posting at a time when your followers are most active. It requires planning. But understand that there are many platforms out there to help you schedule posts in advance.
Tag brands and customers
When you are posting content on your hair salon Instagram profile. Always tag people or brands, which will send a notification to the user you’ve tagged. This might equally lead to increased engagement… but again, don’t just start tagging everyone and anyone just for fun!
Show off your customers
Recent research show that images that shows real customers using products and pictures with faces get a whopper 30% and 38% more engagement. These stats alone say it all. You don’t need more
Use Instagram stories to drive engagement
It’s very easy to access and quick to use, Instagram stories will help you give customers and potential clients or followers a taste of your brand. The feature will equally give you a good insight of what content resonates with your Instagram followers without clogging up your page’s feed. The beauty of this functionality is that you may equally tag other profiles and locations, also the same as you would for a post!
Create Instagram ads through Facebook
For this, you’ll need a Facebook page and a Facebook ad account as you will be making use of the same tools you use to create Facebook ads. Your promotion will always appear in people’s feed amongst regular posts and will have a “sponsored” mention. These posts will not just appear as a post on your hair salon’s profile feed. The ad may display a call-to-action which appears after a person hovers over it for at least 3 seconds. Slick and efficient, this technique will always generate brand awareness and get you more followers.
Ways to market a hair salon on social media using hair salon Instagram marketing
We will focus on Instagram as a social media platform. From all indications, Instagram is the newest member of the core social media family and perfect platform to so your hair salon Instagram marketing. Pictures as we all know, are an effective way to market your salon and showcase a wide variety of your work as well as fun, quirky images that follow your brand’s theme.
Stay on trend
Use trending hashtags to draw more followers to your Instagram profile and to find out more about your salon. An instance would be to make use of #ohhappyday as one hashtag that will gain more views while showing an image of a holiday themed manicure and highlighting the salon’s services.
Use geography to your advantage
Hashtags can be used to point out your location. That way propective customers looking for a hair salon nearby may stumble upon your picture and your salon.
Use before and after pictures to highlight your stylists’ talent
Your reviews and testimonials don’t have to just be a text post when it comes to Instagram. Use the platform to show results in your salon. Before and after pictures will show transformation and might grab users’ attention.
Be fun and quirky
Instagram users tend to be young and on trend, and love to enjoy fun, quirky posts in relation to your product or service related posts. Sometimes a feel good post might engage your customers and you use use particular quotes or pictures that you feel defines your brand.
Do exclusive Instagram contest
One great thing about Instagram is that you can decide to have contests that will involve user-generated content. Hold picture contests among your followers, like “Post a picture of your new winter manicure with the hashtag #Ontrendhairsalon and enter to win your next manicure for free!” Trust me, these engage customers and are very easy for customers to participate by simply uploading a picture and include the proper hashtag.
Post promotions on Instagram
Always post promotional photos on Instagram so that customers will always be aware of new things going on at your salon. This will inform your customers about the promotion and also acts as a reminder to those who may have heard about it in the past. You can equally make the promotion Instagram exclusive by telling customers that for them to get promotion discount. They need to show the picture at the salon.
Provide incentives for Instagram word-of-mouth
Providing incentives for your customers to upload a picture of what they had done at your salon. Word-of-mouth is important in the hair salon business as trust is a major key factor when it comes to hair and beauty. Therefore having your friends share pictures with their own Instagram network will be a great way to stretch your brand awareness.
Rules of using Instagram for hair salons
Understand how Instagram works
You should take your time to understand the platform before you begin. Make a habit to follow best practice, watch and learn from industry peers and be updated with the Instagram rules and regulations.
Use your best salon images
Instagram is a platform thaf offers inspiration for stylists and clients. So think about your image quality and make the most of filters and cropping tools when necessary. Whilst suppliers that you work with will be excited to provide professional model images your clients will equally expect to see.
Reflect your Salon brand and personality
Whilst Instagram should certainly be a platform to showcase your work and products. Do remember not to bombard and bore your followers with advertising material. There is need for you to mix.
Be informative & educational
Enhance your followers experience and build your reputation as an “expert”. This will make see you as a ‘hair doctor’.
Be #hashtag savvy
Be savvy with your hashtags. Hashtags are an effective social tool that will allow you to become part of global communities. It is very important that you don’t over use them and make sure your hashtags are relevant.
Understand your audience
Your Instagram page must tell a visual story that will leave a positive & lasting impression of your hair salon. See your Instagram page as important as your hair salon frontage, after all this is where your new clients will discover and judge you.
Have fun
Always post good quality images and engage with your network by liking and commenting and make sure you don’t saturate their feeds. From all indications, Instagram is the more relaxed cousin of Facebook & Twitter. If we could offer you one piece of Instagram advice it would be to ask yourself : if your perfect client were to go through your Instagram pictures, would they feel that your hair salon is a place that they would enjoy. With personalities that they would feel comfortable with, using products that they desire? ’
Embrace the Instagram culture
Video clips and collages are two excellent ways to tell your story and capture the imagination. Remember it’s about quantity BUT quality!
Avoid cross-platform posting
You may feel that to connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts to Instagram will save time. But remember each platform needs different content. Your loyal clients may possibly follow you on all platforms and will expect different kinds of content on each. Remember it is not just about posting but about engaging the community that you are trying to appeal to.
Encourage team engagement
Instagram is a good opportunity to motivate your team. When one of your stylists have created a stunning pixie crop or a to die for bronde colour. Share it on Instagram and make sure that you mention them personally and tag them in.
Encourage client sharing
Encourage your clients to snap in your salon, place it on their Instagram feed and then tag you in. This is the perfect way to grow the number of your followers within your local community. Think of incentives that will encourage this.
Ideas for beautiful Instagram photos for your salon
Understand your photo style and visual theme
Before you start to build up your beautiful Instagram feed, try to understand what your “theme” or aesthetic is. Your photos should not be posted randomly. They should all have a similar vibe that when they are put together will a unique and professional look to your account.
Partner with a local photographer and models
When you partner with a photographer, you will get lots of amazing photos and use them for months to come. When you work together with a photographer and a local model. Or probably Instagram influencer, your shots will look more professional. And they will get more reach when your photos are shared by the photographer and model/influencers.
Get your clients to tag you in their pictures
It’s understood that user-generated content is the best content! To get your clients to tag your salon in their pics is a big shot of greatness. It will help your clients to connect with your business on a more deeper level. They’re no longer just your paying customers, they’re now advocates who are spreading the word! It will help expand your reach by sharing your brand with new potential clients. That’s your clients’ friends and followers.
Post photos taken by your favorite brands
Does your hair salon use or sell beauty products? My guess is that you probably do! If so, photos directly from the beauty brands will be a perfect way to get professional pictures while equally promoting product sales.
Find pictures on Unsplash or Twenty20
Sometimes, you can’t find that perfect picture on your phone, and you really need something beautiful and simple to break up the images of your clients.
What do you do?
There are two amazing websites that will certy help you in a HUGE way. The first is Unsplash, a free stock photo website. Search anything and you will find lots of few super cute photos. Another great website is Twenty20. It’s a paid photo website with millions of beautiful Instagram photos ready to be used.
Find beautiful photos on Instagram
There are millions of amazing photos posted every day on Instagram, why not use some of them? If they are fit for your theme, your vibe, and are relevant to what you do, go ahead! But first, make sure that any user-generated content that you are sharing, you get due permission to use. And credit the photographer by tagging them and putting a link to their profile in the description of your photo.
Keep your feed fresh by taking and sharing varied photos
The most beautiful Instagram feeds do have tons of variety. They don’t just wake up and post client photo after client photo. They do mix up their feeds with a combination of all the categories.
What to post to grow your hair salon business using hair salon Instagram marketing
Let’s start with what to post to grow your hair salon on Instagram. Here are some of Urbizboost‘s ideas:
Before and after pictures
There’s no perfect place for before and after pictures than a hair salon. When your customer is going for a new color or a transformational cut. It’s an great opportunity to snap pictures and show your talents to your Instagram followers. Of course, you must make sure to ask your customer if he or she is okay with you taking the picture and posting it on Instagram. Once you have got permission, this is a great thing to share with your followers.
Cool updos
Whether you recently completed a bridal style or simply done a creative braid on a client. Bring out your phone and take a picture of it.
New products
When a new styling product or tool comes in to your shop, take a picture and share it on Instagram. You don’t have to advertise products too often, but once in a while is fine.
Always say thanks
Instagram is one of the great platforms to offer a public thank you. Always thank a new client for coming in, or a new vendor for teaming up with you.
Upcoming deals and events
Offer a promotion or a customer appreciation event? Share it on Instagram for your customers to engage with it. Take a picture of the in store poster that you are using to advertise the promotion or event and use that image for your Instagram account.
Timely posts
Make sure you post about timely topics. When you post shots of current holidays, you are showing your customers that your shop is relevant.
Welcome new employees
When a new stylist or makeup artist joins your business. Always share the news and a picture on Instagram.
Be fun and creative
It’s very okay to share a picture of yourself working, a quote, a shot of a rainbow outside of your shop. It’s good to show your audience that you’re equally a human. You need to make your Instagram site to be relatable.