“YouTube Has Opened Doors For Me, Which I Didn’t Realise Could Open” – Paul Watts On Using Youtube To Grow Your Brand’s Online Engagement

Aug 5, 2024 | CONVERSATIONS, CONVERSATIONS HEADER, EXPLORE

“YouTube Has Opened Doors For Me, Which I Didn’t Realise Could Open” – Paul Watts On Using Youtube To Grow Your Brand’s Online Engagement

Weeding through social media trends and finding an engaged audience can be a challenge for businesses, shifting your efforts to Youtube can help.

By Caitlyn | Business, Profiles

In the bustling world of social media, where Instagram and TikTok reign supreme for many, hairdressers may find themselves pouring into social media content that doesn’t necessarily translate into clientele. Paul Watts, a YouTube hair educator, Joico artist, and hairdresser, sheds light on this phenomenon, highlighting a crucial yet often overlooked portion of the social media landscape, YouTube.

“For me, it’s crazy to see my fellow industry professionals devote their time to platforms that don’t give you a source of income. The amount of immense talent and effort that hairdressers feed into the social media game is unbelievable. They believe this is their opportunity to turn themselves into a business, but all that time they spend isn’t free – they’re sacrificing something.”

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok can indeed enhance visibility and help build a brand. However, Watts highlights a critical drawback: “when scrolling on Instagram and TikTok, my feed is swamped with creators copying one another and when you don’t get results that you want, that’s when anxiety starts to creep in. That’s the problem with trends – they’re a trend for a reason. Once everyone starts doing it, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of carbon copies.”

This is where YouTube presents a compelling alternative. Unlike its counterparts, YouTube thrives on delivering value through educational content rather than transient trends. “YouTube isn’t about showing off what you have – it’s all about what you can offer and how you can help others to grow and develop their skills,” Watts explains. This focus on high-quality, free education allows hairdressers to create content that builds and nurtures a community of engaged viewers.

“YouTube is the leading source of free high-quality education, which can help you to build and grow communities of like-minded individuals.”

“After joining the platform in 2020, I have amassed over 180k followers and over 28 million views. Having this audience has allowed me to share cutting and colouring tutorials, providing my subscribers with the highest quality education and industry secrets about cutting techniques, colouring, toning, bleaching, and styling. The monetisation of YouTube helped my business to recover from COVID quicker, and even helped to cover the costs of renovating my salon! YouTube has opened doors for me, which I didn’t realise could open.”

As an educator, Watts sees vast potential in YouTube’s format: “Whether you want to be a hair agony aunt, a trend reporter, a step-by-step stylist, or something else – the opportunities are endless.” YouTube offers a platform where content creators can establish themselves as authorities in their field without falling prey to the “follow for follow” culture prevalent on other social media sites.

Watts is candid about the challenges faced by those who feel obligated to participate in the overwhelming trend-forward culture of Instagram and TikTok. “I’m tired of hearing so many fellow industry professionals complaining about Instagram and TikTok and the toxic social media culture that has overcome our industry,” he says. “But they all say the same thing to me – ‘I have to do it for the brand.’ You absolutely do not!”

“YouTube is a complete safe space without the follow for follow merry go round. People subscribe to your channel because they are genuinely interested in what you do.”

YouTube offers a more relaxed approach to social media, with the added benefit of monetization opportunities. Watts himself has experienced significant benefits from his YouTube channel, including a global audience and lucrative collaborations with international brands.

If you’re considering making the leap from other social media platforms to YouTube, now is an opportune moment. Watts encourages hair professionals to take advantage of the platform’s potential: “You’re not behind if you begin your YouTube journey now. You’ll be ahead of the industry, as even the big corporates haven’t got it sussed out yet.”

If you are looking to make this shift, Watts’ channel is the perfect starting point. Dive into his content to learn the ins and outs of effectively building your presence on YouTube. With expert insights on launching and growing a successful YouTube channel, his content is tailored specifically for busy hair professionals looking to elevate their brand.

Check out Paul Watts on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/@PaulWattsHair

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What You Need to Know on… Branding

Aug 1, 2024 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

What You Need to Know on… Branding

Maintaining a good brand takes thought and work, as does repairing a damaged one

by Amanda | BUSINESS, FREELANCE

Unsplash/Austin Chan

What’s in a brand? Your business story as well as your reputation, for starters. Digital expert Harvey Morton offers some pearls of wisdom for getting going. “Conduct thorough market research to gain insights into your potential customers’ demographics, preferences, and behaviour patterns. Identify their pain points, needs, and aspirations.” Just don’t forget your competitors, he warns. “Explore their services, marketing techniques, pricing strategies and customer feedback,” he continues. “By understanding your target audience and competitors, you can position your brand effectively and create unique value.”

The early stages of brand building clearly require lots of research, but what about the more creative part? According to Hellen Ward, co-founder of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, the narrative matters. “When creating a new brand, you need to think about the story, the provenance. People need to quickly and easily identify what the brand values are, and what it stands for.” For growing an existing brand, Hellen advises to “identify the strengths, the core USP and go sniper with marketing, not scattergun.” Communicate what makes you stand out. “Market to your target customers and scream your points of difference, whether it’s the team, length of service, expertise, or luxury environment,” she adds.

Unsplash/ Vitaly Gariev

“Focus on building strong relationships with your customers through personalised experiences,” adds financial expert Garry Hemming. “Implement data-driven marketing strategies to better understand them and tailor the messaging and offerings to their needs. Leverage social media and content marketing to engage with your audience and showcase your brand’s personality and expertise.”

Partnerships and collaborations are another route as they “can help expand your brand’s reach”. This includes “complementary brands or influencers who align with your values and target audience”. This, he concludes, can help you “tap into new markets and build credibility for your brand”.

While it’s motivating to brainstorm and think about your goals, including the reasons for doing what you do, part of the brand journey is also about knowing how to respond when your brand is damaged. For Tom Skinner, managing director of digital marketing agency, Go Up, it’s important to apologise with sincerity, he advises. “Cut the business speak and imagine you’re talking to your own grandmother. So rather than ‘we’re sorry if some people misunderstood our Instagram post and were offended’, it should be ‘we’re sorry about our Instagram post’. Customers need to know you’re real. You’ll be surprised what can be rescued.”

Unsplash/Syahrir Maulana

However, simply saying sorry isn’t enough. “Prove you’ve changed,” Tom adds. “Demonstrate tangible improvement and a willingness to move past previous mistakes. Don’t just tell me you’ve fixed the car — take me for a drive.”

Sometimes, the extent of brand damage can mean that a rebrand is needed. Here, Garry has some pointers. “A fresh look and feel can symbolise a new beginning and signal a commitment to positive change. Be sure to involve your target audience in this process to gather their input and feedback.” However, a makeover on its own won’t guarantee customer support. “Consistency is key to regain trust,” he explains. “Ensure that all marketing materials and customer touchpoints are aligned with the renewed brand identity and messaging. Consider ongoing reputation management efforts to monitor and address negative sentiment and maintain a positive online presence.”