10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN WORKING ON A VIDEO SHOOT

Apr 11, 2024 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

DOCUMENTS

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN WORKING ON A VIDEO SHOOT

Session stylist Laura Chadwick shares her top tips for success when styling onset of a music video.

Laura Chadwick

With a background in fashion, I never imagined myself working on music videos.

However, fate had other plans, leading me on a journey filled with unexpected opportunities and thrilling experiences.

It all began during the Covid pandemic when I was brought in by a make-up artist to provide haircuts and styling for a music video shoot for Inhaler in Dublin. Despite the challenging circumstances, my skills as a qualified barber impressed the production team, opening doors to a world I had never considered.

Working on that first music video was a turning point for me. It made me realise that there was so much more to my craft than just fashion. Music videos offered a whole new realm of creativity and expression.

With my foot in the door, my journey in the music video industry continued to unfold. A contact in Sony recognised my talent and offered me opportunities to work with various music artists, ranging from emerging talents to established names. These experiences working with smaller artists gave me a solid foundation and understanding of the industry. I learned to adapt to different styles and visions, honing my skills along the way.

Becky Hill’s music video for Outside of Love

It was a connection through a stylist named Kyle Devolle that would change the trajectory of my career. Through Kyle, I was introduced to Becky Hill, a chart-topping artist known for her powerhouse vocals and dynamic performances. Working with Becky was like stepping into a whole new world. The scale of the productions was immense, with elaborate sets and breath-taking locations. It was an exhilarating experience, and I felt privileged to be a part of it.

Despite my initial focus on fashion, I have found a new passion in music videos. Each project brings its own challenges and rewards, but there’s something special about seeing your work come to life alongside the music. As I continue to make my mark in the music video industry, I remain grateful for the opportunities that have come my way. I never could have imagined this journey when I started out, but I’m grateful for every twist and turn that has led me here. My story serves as a testament to the power of following unexpected paths and embracing new opportunities. With passion and determination, there’s no telling where my journey will lead next.

10 things you need to know when working on a video shoot

Creative collaboration: Working behind the scenes on a music video as a hairstylist involves collaborating closely with the creative director, stylist, make-up artist and artists to bring their vision to life through hair design. I usually receive a brief or a ‘feeling’ of what’s wanted, then I create a separate hair mood board to complement the theme. Ensuring we all know what the outcome is going to be reduces any changes or wasted time.
Versatility is key: Be prepared to create diverse hairstyles that match the concept and theme of the music video, ranging from edgy and avant-garde to classic and elegant. This is where all my years assisting on fashion shows really helped as I’ve learnt so many techniques that’s you’d never use in the salon that I can put to good use.
Time management: Music video shoots often have tight schedules, so being efficient with your time and able to work quickly under pressure is essential.
Attention to detail: Every strand of hair matters, as even the smallest details can make a big difference in the final look on camera. I am always right there behind the scenes, ready to jump in at any moment to keep the hair looking perfect. Of course, on video you’re going to get a certain amount of movement so it’s important to take that into consideration when choosing your style, especially when shooting on location and being open to the elements.

@hairbylaurachadwick

Adaptability: Conditions on set can change rapidly, so you must be adaptable and able to adjust your hairstyling techniques accordingly. On my last video with Becky Hill there was a last-minute decision to shoot in the water next to some waterfalls, so I adapted the hairstyle by creating a wet look with some oil-based products, so it retained the texture and suited the environment.
Communication skills: Clear communication with the director, artists, and other crew members is crucial to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding the desired hairstyles.
Product knowledge: Familiarise yourself with a wide range of hair products and tools to achieve different textures, volumes, and styles as needed for the shoot. Over the years I’ve collected a large collection of products to suit every hair type and environment.
Continuity: Pay attention to continuity throughout the shoot to ensure that hairstyles remain consistent across different scenes and takes. I always take pictures of the screen to look back on so the styles can be matched down to the smallest detail.
Problem solving: Be prepared to troubleshoot any hair-related issues that may arise during the shoot, such as frizz, flyways, or unexpected changes in weather conditions.
Professionalism: Always maintain a professional demeanour, as working on a music video set requires teamwork, reliability, and a positive attitude to deliver the best results. They are usually very long days and keeping positive and upbeat always keeps the team and artist on a positive vibe.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIGH PROFILE CLIENTELE

Jay Birmingham brings us backstage at Fashion Week to share his advice for handling a packed calendar of clients.

WANT TO WORK WITH INFLUENCERS? THIS IS HOW YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM

Here’s the skinny on influencer etiquette so you don’t get burned, from Thomas Walters of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

WORK FOR FREE? GET REAL!

When session stylist Joe Mills raised the issue of pay transparency in the session world, it caused an
uproar.

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SHOOT TOO PRICEY? GRAB YOUR PHONE!

Apr 10, 2024 | CREATIVE PROJECTS, EXPLORE

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > CREATIVE PROJECTS

SHOOT TOO PRICEY? GRAB YOUR PHONE!

Roman Sys from Brooks & Brooks talks about his Paradigm collection which, due to rising costs, he shot on his iPhone.

Stylist, image maker and visionary, Roman Sys is a stylist at the iconic London salon, Brooks & Brooks. Always keen to push boundaries and create new visually striking collections, Roman was forced to get creative with his latest collection Paradigm. Due to shoots becoming just too expensive, he reached for his iPhone instead… and got busy with his collage skills!

The process

Some people have a fixed process; they know the motions they need to go through to produce the results. For others, it’s different altogether. My creative process is not fixed at all! I’m inspired by everything and nothing at the same time. If I’m harvesting references from outside sources such as literature, art, nature, or music, my approach is very neutral. I will overlap images and text and sounds to fit my own mindset. More often than not there is an internal feeling I express subconsciously or consciously in my work. That excites me most – the idea of leaving the work open for interpretation and not being so literal.

Roman Sys

The moodboards

My boards work like mind maps. Sometimes it’s hard to explain ideas when you’re in the thick of it and your mind is in creative overdrive. Creating a board that makes sense can take anytime between a week and a month. I find that when I overlap images, there is often more than just one feeling I’m conveying, it’s never singular. I can read between the lines of the imagery that I have collected; this helps me to find my perspective and ground the ideas that are flowing in my head.

I don’t necessarily create the boards directly for a project or collection. I will just create a board to understand where I am and then it goes in the cupboard! I might decide to work with it for a project, or it will be reworked into something else. A cool thing happened when Sally and Jamie Brooks asked if I would contribute to the salon art for our new Brooks & Brooks home at Great Queen Street. I created an A1 board of collage, ink and paint with gentle textures that was an exploration of ‘familiar feelings and potential’.

The vision

My vision extends beyond what I produce creatively but is interwoven into the work I create and how I choose to capture it. I want to promote accessibility and cultivate a starter-friendly industry. Therefore, what I frequently create is artistry without excess. Image making is how I would describe my process; I street cast my models, and I’m inspired by them. This is my starting point and they influence the project. Everything I’ve done is based on collaboration. There is something about creating in the moment and then capturing it on an iPhone that allows me to have full creative control on the project. This bridges the gaps of high standard imagery, affordability, and accessibility.

Mini-series – Paradigm

The definition of paradigm is the current example of a system or idea. With this collection I wanted to shift our mindsets away from what we have seen before. I wanted to combine my hair work, my photographic style and collage together for something that feels totally DIY, yet with moments of interest and curiosity. I wanted the process to be the result, it was a last-minute urge to just do something. It was quite amazing to me how the clippings I had collected and the photos of textures and colours I had taken (that I would later go onto rip up and use in the collage) had this relationship with the hair work I had created.

This collection was shot completely on my iPhone, to inspire and encourage other people to create for the love of it. I decided to collage over the images after I had taken the photos. I hadn’t planned the collage around the photographs in advance. I like to leave some things down to instinct, which allowed for the process to feel authentic.
No apps or Photoshop were used to produce the collage/artwork. I created the collage around the image then scanned it to create a digital copy. It was important for me to bring the contrast of the instant digital element of iPhone photography with the tactile physical application of collaging over the printed images, and then using ink and paint to produce variation in the texture.

Hair, creative concept, collage and photography: Roman Sys at Brooks & Brooks.
Make-up: Ivory Raine 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIGH PROFILE CLIENTELE

Jay Birmingham brings us backstage at Fashion Week to share his advice for handling a packed calendar of clients.

WANT TO WORK WITH INFLUENCERS? THIS IS HOW YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM

Here’s the skinny on influencer etiquette so you don’t get burned, from Thomas Walters of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

WORK FOR FREE? GET REAL!

When session stylist Joe Mills raised the issue of pay transparency in the session world, it caused an
uproar.

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LAUREN BELL – A PASSION FOR INDIVIDUALITY

Apr 2, 2024 | EXPLORE, PORTFOLIOS

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > PORTFOLIOS

LAUREN BELL – A PASSION FOR INDIVIDUALITY

The session stylist on pay transparency and proving a point

Lauren Bell

London-based Lauren Bell spent years honing her craft before going freelance in January 2020; she is self-represented and her published highlights include prestigious publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle.

Artistic by nature, Lauren immersed herself in the beauty industry at a very young age. Her introduction to the fashion world in 2015 led her to work backstage at runway shows with some of the biggest names in the industry. This experience sparked a passion for individualism as expressed through fashion and beauty.

Lauren’s natural talent in hairstyling has allowed her to build an extensive portfolio and clientele, working with all hair types and capable of achieving any desired look. “Building relationships with muses, artists, and brands to bring their vision to life is the most fulfilling part of my job,” she says

Lauren Bell

What would you say are your strongest points as a hair artist?

My strongest points are my eye and my fearlessness towards styling hair. I’ve always had the courage to try out different approaches to applying products and techniques. It’s my art, an opportunity for me not to think and just do, go with the feeling, and it’s one of the few times I actually allow myself to get out my head. I also believe my communication skills and being at ease around other people allow me to create a rapport with models and build the trust that’s needed for me to create.

What is important to you, as a hair professional? In other words, what do you want to offer your clients?

Comfort, safety, hair integrity, an opportunity to express themselves, enhance themselves, build trust, not worry about how they look so they can speak their truth or tell their story. It’s become very important for me to work with people who have something to say so I can support them to do this.

The last three months: where have you been, who have you worked with, and what have you been planning?

Since the beginning of the year I’ve been working in Europe for hair brands. I’ve been to Berlin for fashion week and worked fashion week in London with Bimini. I’ve been to fancy hotels with clients, location shoots with Self Esteem, the Brits and worked in London studios with brands like Sephora and Juicy Couture. I’ve also created content and collaborated on editorials, so there’s been a real variety.

Looking back, who/what has got you to this point in your career?

My determination to prove a point! I recently gave a talk at college for Careers Week and it reminded me how determined I had to be to prove that I CHOSE this path to become a hairdresser, that it wasn’t a last resort. I think my need to prove that has definitely played a part in how successful I am now. Also, it goes without saying that I’m here because of my love for this craft and the amazing people I get to work with and the mentors that have helped me direct my path and encourage my growth as a stylist and as a human being.

Your ultimate creative collaboration – what would that look like? Who would be in it?

Oh, wow… Somewhere hot, at dusk, with warm sea air blowing through the hair, all the supermodels, activists and iconic actresses of the past and present on set… It’s really hard for me to answer who would actually be as there are too many people I admire. I see it being a day shoot by the pool and then taking to the coast for the celebration runway. Err, do you think I need a holiday? Lol.

What excites you about hairdressing right now?

There are so many new paths in this industry for people to explore and find out what works for them. I love that about my own journey. My career has been very explorative and full of variation; I don’t know if hairdressing can be beaten in this sense. As someone who has an innate curiosity for people and places, I sometimes have to take a minute to celebrate all the different locations I have had the opportunity to travel to for work and all the different kinds of people I get to meet along the way. The variation and freedom really excite me.

I love this image from a Juicy Couture campaign. The model, Vix, had beautiful hair and I really like the shine I created with product.

Instagram

View on Instagram

This was a super-fun shoot with stylist @izzymoriartythompson and photographer @ulas_merve. I love how we captured movement through the braids I created and embellished with wooden beads.

This is a look I created for [performer and drag artist] Bimini at LFW. I got creative and made a pony out of gaffer tape. It’s always exciting using different materials in place of hair.

I love this look I created using a coloured wax in place of a root – it works so well with the rest of the texture. I’d smashed a pot of the same colour that morning, which gave me the initial inspiration. It’s similar to [ceramics process] kintsugi and techniques used by Cyndia Harvey at Diesel. This was shot in my flat by my friend and make-up artist, Aimee Twist.

Shot by Morgan Roberts, with make-up by Aimee Twist. I love the simplicity of this beauty shot, and how I used small details of hair to complement the make-up.

I love this BTS image from a shoot I worked on. I used so much gel to create the high-shine effect, the hair looks unreal – like it’s set in resin.

What frustrates you about hairdressing right now?

As a self-represented freelance stylist, I find myself getting frustrated with the rates and budget dance that I have to do. I have noticed a big shift in how I am approached for work and how ‘shopping around’ for the cheapest rate has become very noticeable in discussions – I’d hardly call them negotiations. It concerns me that we don’t know how much we should be charging (it isn’t easy to find out, either, believe me) and with clients being able to reach out directly to people via social media platforms, it’s creating so much variation in rates that it has the potential to devalue everyone. I think there needs to be more education on the fee aspect of our job, more honest communication around it. Maybe even a union? A dedicated, pre-scripted rate education platform? While I respect that there is a journey to be had with regards to experience, skill base and our own personal worth, I worry that we are very vulnerable to being taken advantage of, especially compared to other creative fields in the fashion industry.

What’s your opinion on why so many hair pros work for free backstage and on set, and how do you think hair pros can establish more value for the work they do?

I think assisting for free has a value if you know what you want and choose a stylist that you admire – then it’s like a free education course. Do I think it should be totally free? No, it shouldn’t come at a cost to the individual, as it so often does. But when you’re starting out, it’s vital to learn on-set etiquette and how to create hair in that field, and assisting for free is often ‘sold’ as an opportunity to network, which it can be. I was lucky enough to work with people who cared about my career, so I was encouraged to network with the photographer’s assistants, to collaborate with them and build my own portfolio. However, it’s important to manage expectations.

Working for free was a huge part of the beginning of my career. Coming from a working class family, I did not have the resources to sign up for bootcamps or education programmes, and nor could I afford to work solely for free. This meant I had to work triple time so I could eventually afford to go self-employed. I have no regrets, because it takes time to learn, reflect, explore, educate yourself and find your style/ethos. However, I can’t help but wonder whether my career could have gone faster, and I would have had more energy for my creativity if those early financial barriers hadn’t been there.

It’s a shame that some of the most creative aspects of our industry are considered low- to no-pay. Should there be a small fee to make it more affordable? It’s a difficult one to get your head around when the stylist you’re assisting isn’t get paid either. And that’s a problem, especially when the other people on set are getting paid. I don’t have the answers for how things will change, but in an ideal world none of us should be working for free in the first place.

This was a super-cool creative look that we worked on for the episode of Drag Race where musician Self Esteem was a judge. It includes a nod to Betty Boop as our reference for glamour.

This was a BTS shot that Aimee took on her digital camera. I love the hair details into the model’s face.

This is a wig that I have which worked perfectly with some wax to create the texture I wanted.

A campaign for a jewellery brand. I love how clean this look is. It was so cool seeing it on posters plastered on walls all around Berlin!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIGH PROFILE CLIENTELE

DOCUMENTS

Jay Birmingham brings us backstage at Fashion Week to share his advice for handling a packed calendar of clients.

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DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

Here’s the skinny on influencer etiquette so you don’t get burned, from Thomas Walters of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

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DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

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YOLANDA COOPER – THE WOMAN BEHIND THE SUPERNOVAPRO

Mar 28, 2024 | CONVERSATIONS, EXPLORE

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > CONVERSATIONS

BRIGHT STAR

Yolanda Cooper is changing the game of electrical styling with her revolutionary SupernovaPRO hair tool.

Yolanda Cooper

It was when she was at an airport in 2016 that Yolanda Cooper had her idea for her electrical tool, the SupernovaPRO. She was checking in for a flight with overweight baggage, mainly because of the number of different hair tools she was travelling with. ‘There’s got to be an answer for this’, she thought. It turned out there was. And it’s a game-changer.

The SupernovaPRO is the world’s first three-in-one hair styler combining a fully functioning straightening iron, curling tong and wave wand in one ultra-sleek, beautiful-to-behold tool. It comes with a whole host of first-to-market patented features, including revolutionary SmartSwitch technology that makes it the only hot styling tool with three independently powered functions; premium grade ceramic plates infused with Trionic technology that softens, smooths and hydrates the hair; and a patent-pending ergonomic DoublePivot system, which relieves pressure on the median nerve to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome – a condition especially prevalent in pro stylists.

The SupernovaPRO tool

Not bad for a young female entrepreneur from Belfast designing her first electrical tool! “I think going in blind to something allows you to be completely free of fear,” says Yolanda. “If you knew what you were getting into before you did these crazy things, half the time you wouldn’t do it because you’ve no idea how complex it is, how long these things take and how many reasons there are for it to fail. Some of the best entrepreneurs are the ones who just have no clue what they’re doing, they just go into it and commit to figuring it out later.”

Armed only with a sketch of what she felt the tool could look like, Yolanda set about hiring industry-leading industrial designers and engineers to turn her concept into a reality. It took five years to refine the tool mechanically and aesthetically as she constantly challenged her team to come up with the technology to match her ideas.

“Going in blind to something allows you to be completely free of fear.”

Yolanda Cooper

“Very early on we realised that if this is going to be a professional tool, then three-in-one is brilliant but it can’t be a compromised experience – we have to make each of those tools incrementally better than what’s on the market,” says Yolanda. And I think I think that’s what we’ve done. So, straighteners have always been symmetrical and rectangular, but what if you need to get right into the baby hairs at the root? We made our straightener narrower at the tip, so that it allows you – for example – to detail short fringes and work with Type 3 and 4 hair. Ceramic technology provides great negative ions into the hair, but how do we take that even further? I’m a trichologist, so that’s why I came up with the idea of taking a heat protection formula and infusing it into the plates to give superior shine. When it came to the tong, we changed the tip to a rubber material so that you can literally hold onto it, even when the temperature is set at 200˚C. And we spent a long time perfecting the exact torsion of the spring and the double-pivot system to make the tool more comfortable to use. Consumers might not notice that benefit, because they’re only going to use the tool for 20 minutes at a time, but hair pros, who are styling nine hours a day – they’re really going to see the difference.”

“We realised that we had to make each of those tools incrementally better than what’s on the market. And I think I think that’s what we’ve done.”

Yolanda Cooper

Proud that the SupernovaPRO is designed, engineered and manufactured in Great Britain, and fully aware that she is competing against some industry heavyweights, Yolanda is putting her experience as a former marketing director to good use. “Core to our communication and marketing strategy is a grassroots approach,” she says. “We have a programme called The Salon Spotlight, where we send our film crew into a salon to shoot collaborative content, including interviews with the stylists and footage of them styling their client’s hair in different ways. We can also create an event in the salon, where I and our head of engineering will come along and talk to guests. And the content we create can be used for a salon’s own social media campaign to drive awareness. We may not have the budgets that some of the big brands have, but what we do have is passion and agility and the desire to go and partner with salons on a one-to-one basis.”

And finally, why the name Supernova? “I’ve always been fascinated with astrology and stargazing,” says Yolanda. “And with SupernovaPRO we’re trying to create the biggest shining star in the industry. In space, a supernova is a cataclysmic explosion. And so I thought that was a cool name, because we are aiming to be the biggest thing in the industry. It’s quite fitting.”

Retailing at £299, SupernovaPRO is exclusive to salons across the UK and Ireland. To become a stockist or purchase at the wholesale price of £199 plus VAT, visit supernovahairtools.com/pages/creativehead

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIGH PROFILE CLIENTELE

Jay Birmingham brings us backstage at Fashion Week to share his advice for handling a packed calendar of clients.

WANT TO WORK WITH INFLUENCERS? THIS IS HOW YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM

Here’s the skinny on influencer etiquette so you don’t get burned, from Thomas Walters of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

WORK FOR FREE? GET REAL!

When session stylist Joe Mills raised the issue of pay transparency in the session world, it caused an
uproar.

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THE 3 BIGGEST BLONDE MISTAKES THAT COLOURISTS MAKE

Mar 27, 2024 | EXPLORE, TECHNIQUES

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > TECHNIQUES

THE 3 BIGGEST BLONDE MISTAKES THAT COLOURISTS MAKE

Tia Lambourn – founder of Bay Studios in Derby and both Tia Lambourn Education and The Blonding Bible online platform AND a Redken Advocate – knows what NOT to do when blonding a client! These are the mistakes to avoid

Tia Lambourn

MISTAKE 1 – Rinsing too early

The bleach is on and you’re panicking: ‘I’m using a blue bleach, and it looks like it’s ready to come off’. What ends up happening is that the hair’s quite yellow underneath. What I usually recommend in my education and Blonding Bible classes is to take out a tiny strand of hair from the foil and do an elasticity test, instead of just judging it visually. You can then feel if it’s ready to come off. If it has started to feel a bit stringy, then that can also save you from breakage. That has saved me in the past, when I’ve thought: ‘this needs another 20 minutes’.

I’ve been in the middle of a colour correction where the hair looks orange, and I’ve pulled on it, I’ve felt that it’s got a little bit of give, and I know I need to take it off now.

MISTAKE 2 – Ignoring the clear

When it comes to glossing, not everyone utilises the clear. The most used ‘colour’ in my salon is the clear! Sometimes the hair lifts so perfectly that what you’re going to end up doing is almost making it look slightly muddy, or a bit heavy, or when there’s a lot of pigment in the hair, it makes it appear darker. So, if you do have a client who wants to be mega blonde, and you’ve managed to lift them to a really nice level 11, you want to gloss with your chosen shade and the same amount of clear – go half and half. In some scenarios, I’ll even do three-quarters clear, one-quarter of the chosen shade.

MISTAKE 3 – Using ash toners for a bright finish

Ash was a big trend, everyone wanted to be an icy blonde or platinum, but for really bright blondes, I’m always reaching for the warmer shades. A lot of the time you have a client who wants to be mega blonde, but they want to be ashy, so colourists will mix up an ash toner. But if you think of a white cloud compared to a grey cloud, the grey cloud has more ash in it… and it looks darker. With a blonde tone that’s more ashy, it’s going to appear slightly more dull. It’s not actually dull, it’s just got a heavy amount of pigment in there, so it’s going to appear that way because it’s not going to reflect the light so much. You can do a mix of warm and ash so that it is not golden, but it’s not super ashy. It’s more of a creamy milky blonde, then you get the best of both worlds.

DOMESTIC ABUSE: THE WARNING SIGNS AT WORK YOU NEED TO KNOW

Concerned for the welfare of your colleague or client? Celebrity hairstylist Sam Kerswell shares his first-hand experience, so you know how best to help.

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN WORKING ON A VIDEO SHOOT

Session stylist Laura Chadwick shares her top tips for success when styling onset of a music video.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKING WITH HIGH PROFILE CLIENTELE

Jay Birmingham brings us backstage at Fashion Week to share his advice for handling a packed calendar of clients.

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WANT TO WORK WITH INFLUENCERS? THIS IS HOW YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM

Mar 25, 2024 | DOCUMENTS, EXPLORE

CATEGORIES > EXPLORE > DOCUMENTS

Want to work with influencers? THIS is how you get the best out of them

Here’s the skinny on influencer etiquette so you don’t get burned, from Thomas Walters of influencer marketing agency Billion Dollar Boy.

George Pagan, Unsplash

Think local

You need to identify your objectives for an influencer marketing campaign. This will dictate the types of partnerships you should prioritise and how to execute them. Assuming it’s a campaign designed to grow awareness and drive consideration for SMEs working to a budget, you should explore collaborations with micro-influencers in a targeted, local campaign. This is cost-effective, generating on average $5.78 (£4.55) in earned media value (EMV) for every dollar (79p) spent. It can help to boost your content output, grow your audience, and increase credibility.

Focus on TikTok and Instagram

You’ll get best value for money on TikTok and Instagram, which are still the best-performing platforms when it comes to influencer partnerships because of the reach they can generate and the number of influencers available, especially in the beauty and personal care sectors. Knowing your core target audience will determine which platform is best suited for your influencer marketing campaign. For example, TikTok typically skews towards a younger demographic. Knowing the type of content you want to create – whether it’s long form or short form, or video or still imagery – is crucial. TikTok tends to generate better performance for short-form video content while Instagram is a more effective channel for still imagery.

Who are you targeting?

You need to identify your key target audience. Focus on demographic characteristics such as age, gender and location, which are key indicators of an individual’s interests and potential purchase motivations. This will help to whittle down the list of prospective influencer partners. You should also explore subcultures with an affinity to your brand and target audience. For example, participating with influencers active in the Hairtok conversation on TikTok in which consumers share hair related content.

Go micro

These subcultures are where you’re most likely to find ‘micro-influencers’, with smaller but often more loyal and more engaged audiences. It means that they often generate higher engagement rates, which means more impactful collaborations and better return-on- investment if you’re working to a budget.

To pay or to gift?

To further keep costs down, you might want to explore gifting instead of paid collaborations, offering free services and/or products in exchange for visibility on the influencer’s channel. This method may not work for influencers with large followings since their barrier to promotion can be much higher, but this approach can be highly effective for local micro- influencers who are effective in spreading positive word-of-mouth.

Take over a trend!

Consider ‘trend hijacking’ as an approach to influencer collaborations. TikTok has changed audience behaviours and the speed at which content is consumed, popularised and then dissipates. Businesses able to spot trends and react quickly to them can gain significant reach on a budget, using influencers to join the conversation more organically. Small businesses have the benefit of being agile, so can use this strategy to effect.

Trust is key

Effective influencer marketing relies on trust, which means authentic partnerships are crucial. This is built by creating genuine relationships with the influencer and the business and its services. You can do this through gifting so the influencer actually knows your offering well and genuinely endorses it as a user themselves. Longer-term partnerships, which are far more convincing than one-off collaborations, help too. Consider committing to more than one sponsored post with an influencer or within a niche community.

Thomas Walters

Love their content?

It could be a match Choosing the right influencer can be a challenge. It’s important that the look and feel of their content is aligned to your aesthetic, especially if you plan to amplify the content beyond their audience. Ensuring alignment leads to improved performance and engagement. You’ll need to do your due diligence and thoroughly assess an influencer’s track record to ensure they align with your values and to ensure there aren’t any contentious historic posts.

Track it all – and track the right stuff

Careful monitoring of performance to gauge effectiveness can be hard. You’ll need to work with the influencer closely to secure their first party data insights. Be wary of assessing performance against the right metrics. Beyond vanity metrics, such as engagements, you should also consider comments, saves and shares. They show deeper consumer intent.