Boosting Your Salon’s TikTok Marketing
If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you know we’ve been on a social media marketing kick for the last few weeks (we’re very much on that “new year, new me” energy).
We’ve talked about some general digital marketing advice, as well as how you can revamp your Facebook marketing and Instagram marketing strategies. But that’s not the end of the conversation. It’s impossible to talk about social media marketing without hitting on one of the most popular platforms out there–TikTok.
Whether you’re totally new to TikTok, have dabbled a touch, or consider yourself a pro, we promise we’ve got tips and tricks here that are sure to take your TikTok game to new heights. So, what are you waitin’ for? Let’s dive into some top-notch TikTok marketing strategies.
(P.S., we’ve got an entire eBook filed with beauty pro tips for social media strategy–make sure you download that, too!)Why Beauty Pros Should Invest in a TikTok Marketing Strategy
TikTok is one of the newest social media platforms out there–it’s also one of the most popular. Unlike Facebook or Instagram, TikTok is entirely video-based. That means you won’t find long blocks of text on TikTok, photo carousels, or Instagram-style stories. What will you find? TikToks. If you’re totally unfamiliar with TikTok, think about this platform as if it was only Instagram Reels. TikTok specializes in short, trendy videos that users can create, share, and remix.
A video-only app might sound like you’re painting yourself into a corner, but honestly, TikTok is prime real estate for social media marketing. And you should absolutely invest in a marketing strategy to take advantage of this app. Why? Here are a few reasons:
Like most social media platforms, TikTok is free–that means your ROI has the potential to be through the roof if you do things right.
TikTok launched an effective program called TikTok Ads. While it’s not as nuanced and advanced as Facebook Ads yet, it’s still worthwhile to get your feet wet with this program because the payoff has the potential to be big.
Your audience is already on TikTok–you don’t need to go find them. Apparently, there are more than 1 billion active monthly users on TikTok.
TikTok is a medium for online expression, and it’s highly visual–that’s the perfect intersection for cosmetology. Beauty experts have found serious success posting on TikTok because of the nature of their work.
Tips for Taking Your TikTok Marketing to New Heights
Post Quality Content Your Users Want
Videos need to be quality. That doesn’t mean you need a whole video team to help you put together content, though. When we say quality, we don’t mean film-quality video–we mean quality posts that resonate with your audience.
What does your audience want to see?
What’s your goal with posting on TikTok? What are your content pillars?
Figure out what you want to post, what people respond to, and what quality looks like for your brand–then, prioritize posting to that standard.
Focus on User-Generated Content (UGC)
Just like other algorithms, the TikTok algorithm has the potential to be confusing and frustrating. It’s ever-changing, but recently, TikTok has prioritized views and visibility to those who opt for user-generated content (UGC) as part of their strategy.
Beyond just the algorithm's favor, UGC has a brand awareness and brand loyalty perk. People say they connect with brands that are more likely to share users’ content that’s unpolished and “real.”
Authenticity is a big deal in modern social media, especially for the younger crowd (did we mention TikTok is saturated with Gen Zs?). So using UGC to your advantage can give your content and your brand the social credibility your users are looking for.
Include TikTok Ads in Your Strategy
Don’t shy away from TikTok ads! Like other paid social ads, the idea is to get your content in front of your ideal audience in more streamlined ways.
Be conscientious of ads on TikTok–they’re a little more expensive than other social media ads. But if you play the game right, the payoff could be worth it. Do your research, figure out what kind of TikTok ads work for you, and see how much a little investment in ads can get you.
Monitor & Analyze What Works
It’s one thing to post content willy-nilly and hope for the best. Sometimes, this “throw anything up and see what sticks” strategy does work.
But you can’t see what works without analyzing your content. Use reporting tools (on TikTok and off-platform, too) to figure out what users are responding to, what they like, and what’s not landing when you post).
Keep Up With Trending Sounds
Just like with Instagram Reels, TikTok videos are all about trending sounds. Recent research suggests that nearly 70% of TikTok users want to see videos from brands that feature trending audio–and 68% of users also said that trending audio helps them remember brands better.
Not sure how to find trending audio? Click “discover” at the bottom of your screen, scroll around, and see how many plays a sound has to get a feel for if it’s popular or not.
Looking for more insight into social media marketing? You know we’ve got your back. Check out our posts about Facebook marketing and Instagram marketing, and don’t forget to download our social media eBook for beauty pros!
That’s a lot of resources, right? Well, good news–that’s just the start! Make sure you subscribe to the EBS blog ASAP to get a little nudge every time we update our site with something undeniably awesome.
Discounts? We’ll tell you about them. New resources to grow your salon or shop? You’ll be the first to know. The latest industry trends you need to keep up with? We’ve got your back! Subscribe now and check out our cosmetology liability insurance while you’re at it, too!
