Instagram for Your Beauty Business
The Top 6 Tips You Need to Know ASAP
Once upon a time, if you wanted to boost your beauty business, you’d probably reach out to an ad agency, a PR rep, or a publicist, and, with their help, you’d figure out the best way to get your name (and your salon’s name) out into the world.
We know, we know—seems a little crazy, right?
Our 2020 world—and the last few years leading up to this moment—have been 1000% revolved around digital technology. AKA, our advertising and marketing strategies have all been online and, in our industry, mostly self-made and self-taught. Seriously—think about it, when was the last time you worked with an ad agency, took out an ad in a magazine, or consulted with a PR firm for print advertising?
In other words, now the control is all in your hands—probably just the way you like it (we sure do).
If you’ve been doing any of your own advertising or marketing, you know the biggest cornerstone piece is your social media—and if you understand social media, then you absolutely know that Instagram is the heaviest hitter in the marketing world.
With a reported count of over 1 billion users in 2019 (and only rising) and many of those users following their preferred brands, there’s no doubt that Instagram is a table you absolutely want your business to be seated at.
But as a beauty pro, you’re not automatically a social media marketing or Instagram whiz—it’s not like they teach that in cosmetology school, right (well, they should—and some schools are starting).
Don’t fret, beauty pro.
Even if you’ve got next to no Insta experience, you can still run a kickass social media campaign and become an Insta expert in a flash. And we’re here to help by giving you a rundown of the basics.
So, sit back, relax, and set up that Instagram account—with these tips, you’ll be bringing in the new clients courtesy of your online presence in no time.
Switch to a Business Profile NOW
This is a short and sweet tip, but one that’s definitely worth mentioning.
If you have your Insta profile set up as a personal account, switch that ish over to a business profile ASAP! Doing this is easy—it just takes a quick jaunt through your settings (hint: click on “switch to business profile”) to get started.
A business profile is going to give you infinitely more benefits than a personal account—you can view analytics through Instagram’s insight tool, understand stats, create and publish Instagram ads, and get a better understanding of what you’re doing right (and how to fix what you could be doing wrong).
Post Consistently—Seriously
Don’t just post once in a blue moon and then expect the Insta follows and engagement to keep coming in. You must (and we say this with some tough love) must post on Instagram regularly if you want any type of social media success.
This tip is an oldie but a goodie because it’s never going to change. Why? Because it has very little to do with Instagram and everything to do with being a present, attentive business.
No one is going to want to follow your feed if you don’t show up on it regularly. Just like no one is going to want to walk into your salon to see you if you’re only there every few months. People expect you to be present, active, and there—Instagram is no different.
But Keep a Cohesive Feed
Consistency is key—but not just in the frequency of your posting.
If you’re a business, people want to click on your page and see a cohesive feed. Aesthetics and branding matter, even on your Instagram—the ideal concept is that someone would click on your profile and be satisfied scrolling through.
When you don’t keep a cohesive feed, scrolling through can be an unpleasant experience.
Instagram Stories Are Your New Best Friend
Remember what we just said about consistency? It matters, like, a lot, and Instagram stories feature is a new-ish addition that can really help you boost your presence without forcing you to post to your feed every second of the day.
Look, we understand the pressure of finding the balance between needing to post often to remain active and also keeping your feed cohesive, clean, and aesthetic—Instagram stories are like that middle-winner that can help you satisfy both of those necessities.
Instagram stories are casual. They appear for 24 hours and then are gone forever (unless you save them to your highlights reel on your Insta profile).
You can be way more informal, worry less about aesthetics and branding, and be a constant presence on Instagram without bogging down your feed.
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Don’t Just Post—Engage, Engage, Engage
Posting consistently is the primary goal here, but you can’t just post and then disappear from Instagram. You need to do more than just put content out there—you need to be a resource for your followers.
Engage as often as possible! Comment, like, answer DMs, post Instagram stories, and react to others Instagram stories.
The more you engage with your users (and just on Instagram in general), the better off your account will be.
Don’t Be Afraid of Third-Party Tools (They Can Help)
Because you set your profile up as a business account, you will have access to Instagram’s free Insight tool to give you a better idea of your post’s performance, your follower demographic, what performs well, active hours, and more.
But, there’s an entire world full of info and data out there that you can have access to (not to mention tons of automation tools to make your marketing strategy easy as can be) when you invest in third-party tools.
Yes, there are some free tools out there that can work wonders, but don’t be afraid to pay for something that could put your marketing strategy over the edge (so long as it’s in your budget).
Instagram doesn’t have to be a big, scary world that you feel totally unprepared to enter. You don’t need to be a pro to start running an Insta like a pro.
With these tips, you should be able to kickstart a kickass strategy in no time.
Have a few Insta tips you’d like to share with your fellow beauty pros? Do it! Our reply section is open for a reason. Drop your fave Insta tips, tricks, advice, and insight below to throw your beauty community a bone!
Looking for even more social media marketing tips? Check out our FREE eBook right here to help you get a handle on your social media anxiety and create a stellar social media marketing plan in a snap!
