Need some inspiration for your social media? Check out these ideas from Schwarzkopf Professional to grow your followers and your business!
First, make sure you’re always portraying you and your salon with a positive attitude. This can be done through inspirational, entertaining and educational content that tells your story.
1. Post before & after client photographs
Specifically the after shot; a back of the head shot works the best on the likes of Instagram and Facebook, and clients are likely to be more willing to let you take pictures if their face is not in shot! On Instagram, you could use the carousel option to show the after shot first, with a swipe to see the before; this keeps aspirational content up front, but also gives an opportunity for people to see the true transformation—i.e. your talent.
2. Offer discounts, gifts and incentives
In general, social media users following a business page like to feel that they are getting something in return. Make your community feel special by offering and posting incentives through your Facebook or Instagram pages. For example, one idea could be to ask clients to 'show this post for 10% off your next color service'. Or run a promotion where if your client purchases an OTC product after a service they receive a free gift (e.g. a nail polish, lipstick or a piece of jewelry).
3. Share user generated content (UGC)
For a lot of brands, posting UGC generates more engagement than owned content; simply because people trust other people more than they trust a business. Find ways to incorporate this into your editorial plan—just make sure to always ask permission and give appropriate credit where necessary.
You could also encourage clients to use your or your salon's hashtag and tag you when they share posts of their new hairdo (to give incentive, perhaps offer clients the chance to be entered into a draw where they could win a free haircut etc.), this will help your clients connect with you on a deeper level, expand your potential reach (think about your clients' followers) and you can also regram your favorites (creating more UGC content for your own page).
Ultimately it's time to stop seeing your clients as just paying-customers; everyone’s hair you touch could be an advocate–and real-life advertisement–for your salon and your expertise.
4. Promote your team
Hairdressers work so closely with their clients, why not allow your social media community to get to know your salon team better? Create content that introduces them; you could show behind-the-scenes shots of them working, or share personal details (favorite products, hairstyle, what’s trending in their world) to build more meaningful connections, whilst celebrating your staff at the same time (who may in turn repost the content that they’re featured in)!
5. Try using quotes and memes
If used in moderation, and with consideration, these content types can be a great way of communicating with your audience. They help to add a human side to your business page, breaking up the content with emotional, funny or uplifting messages. A quote or meme post can be sourced and created easily and audiences tend to relate to them (meaning more engagement, likes, comments etc.), plus they help to share your salon's ethos, beliefs and attitude in an approachable way.
6. Host product Q&As
7. Utilize your testimonials
Encourage clients to leave reviews on your Facebook business page–but don't just leave them there. Ask the reviewer if you can use their words to create a testimonial post. For example, you could beautifully style the text in your salon's branding to share on your Instagram page. Don't worry if you're not a graphic designer, there are plenty of good free tools online, (such as Canva's free plan) that can help you design inspiring social media content.
8. Think about lifestyle
If you've got a beautiful salon–show if off! Think about the aesthetics and accessories that are appealing to your client base. Create images and videos of the interior and exterior of your working space; carefully placed plants, candles, interesting art pieces, stylish salon tools, products and even lighting can all create attractive, aspirational content to post on social media channels. Taking a flatlay approach could work well here too. The key is to show a space that your clients will want to be in again and again.
9. Get local
Think beyond your salon! Your community lives in the real word too, so why not get involved in local events (and post about them on your salon's social media channels!) – is there a local charity you could support? Perhaps host a bake sale to raise money? Or maybe you always buy your coffee from that local barista down the road; give them a shout out and you may get one in return! Listen to what your clients are saying about the local area, get involved and post about it.
10. Remember the importance of business communication posts
Facebook and Instagram are great platforms to promote your salon services, support your clients and community with any queries and also fill up those appointment slots! If you have a few free slots available, try shouting about them on social media via an image post or story, you could even offer discounts or incentives to those who get there first.
Blog courtesy of Schwarzkopf Professional
