These hot tips from Phorest could make all the difference to your content, engagement, and bookings.

Promotion – Phorest

Avril Kealy, ​Phorest’s digital content strategist, knows a thing or two about stellar social media marketing. Creative HEAD asks her to ​shares her tips on nailing content and engagement…

Despite most of us scrolling on social media every day, harnessing its power for your business can be a daunting challenge. Did you know that a massive 93 per cent of small business owners report that they struggle with social media marketing? As a salon owner, embracing the power of social media can help you attract new clients, connect with your audience, grow your brand, and fill empty spaces in your appointment book. Who doesn’t want that for their business? 

Below are a few practical tips on social media marketing ideas to help your business stand out from the crowd. Oh, and guess what? You can use salon software like Phorest, to help with lots of them! 

TIP! High-Quality Visuals Form the Basis of Great Social Media Marketing 

​​When creating social media content, remember that your posts will live on feeds that are simultaneously filled with high-budget, high-quality content from other companies. Don’t fall behind just because you’re not focusing on your visuals! While you don’t need a camera crew and professional studio to make your social posts look great, you should adhere to certain quality guidelines. ​     ​​ 

Pay attention to the lighting, backgrounds, and positioning you use; whether posting photos or videos. Similarly, try to showcase the vibe of your business through your visual content. For example, use relaxing music in the background of videos if you want to communicate your space as a sanctuary of serenity, or more upbeat and vibrant music if your salon fits that vibe. Perhaps place products in front of lush foliage and greenery if you want to show that your business is a place where nature meets self-care. 

TIP! Lift the Curtain: Go Behind the Scenes & Show Your Brand’s Personality 

With many businesses attempting to curate the perfect, polished image of themselves on social media, many consumers feel their social media feeds are full of dull, homogenous content. Because of this, audiences are increasingly more interested in seeing the unique, authentic personalities of the brands they love.  

What makes your brand unique? Is it your people? The services you provide​?​​ ​The outstanding experience that clients have once they enter your doors​?​ Post content that shows this. Allow your audience to “meet the team” through funny videos. Capture clips showing the “behind the scenes” of running a successful salon or bring people through your daily routine in photo or video logs.  

Creating personable content like this helps ​humanise ​your brand, making clients feel more comfortable, especially when they can see the personalities and expertise of the individuals providing the services. This creates a stronger connection between you and your audience, ​boosting ​client loyalty and​ increasing​ positive reviews.

TIP! Advertise last-minute availability on your Stories with a Link to Book 

By announcing last-minute openings on social media, you can quickly fill empty slots in your schedule and maximise your daily bookings and revenue. While this is great for your business, it’s also great for your guests! Some clients prefer spontaneous decisions. They might see that you have a last-minute cancellation for a treatment and blow-dry and decide to treat themselves, later associating your business as one that helped them relax and engage in self-care, even at short notice.  

Broadcasting last-minute availability and making it easy to book with a link straight to your online booking system, ensures your appointment book stays full all day. 

TIP! Run Social Media Promotions to Turn Followers into Clients 

One of the major struggles many businesses face with social media is that it can be difficult to convert followers into clients. While this is not always the goal in social media marketing, running social-specific promotions can be a great way to get those followers in your door and trying treatments in real life. Run social media competitions ​offering ​discounts, package deals, or early access to new treatments as prizes to social media followers who like, share, and follow your posts. 

Or​,​ to boost product sales on your online store, why not set up a discount code and share it online across your socials,

allowing your followers to get more “bang for their buck” on professional products? By blending online and in-salon promotions, you can start seeing your booking numbers increase alongside your online following.  

TIP! Social Media Ads can help Supercharge your Marketing Efforts 

​​If you’re ready to go the extra mile to make your social media marketing efforts really stand out and get the love they deserve, why not invest in social media ads? Social media ads are paid ads that can be used to target existing or potential clients according to their gender, location, interests, and other demographics. While organic posts are free and will be seen by a certain number of people, paid ads can target a larger audience, allowing you to significantly increase your reach and build hype around your brand.​​​ 

​​Social media ads can be created and run in the back end of Meta, or in an integrated tool, such as Phorest’s Ads Manager.​ 

Ready to become a social marketing pro? Whether you’re ready to up your photography game, knuckle down and focus on gathering reviews, or start partnering with influencers, hopefully you now feel ready to take on the challenge! And remember that Phorest looks after the management of your salon, leaving you more time to do the things you love!  

Want to know more about how Phorest can fuel your salon’s success? Visit www.phorest.com.

Aoife Connell, Creative HEAD’s content creator, works through the formula.

The key to creating more engaging video for Reels and TikTok can be distilled in one word… FASTER! Let me explain…

F – Frame

My biggest piece of advice is “look at your frame, not at your subject!” What’s in the frame? Are we seeing everything we need? Are we seeing more than what we need? Avoid distractions surrounding the subject to keep your viewers engaged.

T – Time

Your first three seconds are the most important. Open with something catchy, a hook or a question. Now, we’ve all got things to do…but we’re partial to a scroll, so for maximum engagement, show or say what you need to say and get to the point.

R – Response and Research

The answers are all inside your phone! You can measure and monitor how any of your content is performing right inside the apps themselves whenever you have the time. See what people seem to be responding to, which Reels and TikTok styles are getting more likes, saved, shares? Your audience is literally telling you what content they like you to create. If you start noticing a pattern, you could be onto something…

London Road Hair’s Vishali Visavadia knows that people invest in people.

No-one else is YOU, and that’s why staying authentic on social media is crucial. The online world is massive with communities for everyone. That’s why your ideal client is out there, by sharing what you love and being yourself you can attract your dream clientele. People invest in people; when they catch your vibe online, they either want more or move on.

I’m naturally bubbly and energetic and I love to convey that in my videos through voiceovers and multiple clips. it’s almost like I’m creating a safe space with my own online community. New clients often come to the salon already feeling like they know me, which is the best feeling ever! It breaks the ice and makes them comfortable. It’s like my service began the moment they first saw my social media, even before they stepped into the salon. If you’re unsure where to start, don’t overthink it. When filming content I often ignore the camera and just let it roll.

Avoid having someone film for you as the pressure can make it harder to relax and be yourself. Try placing your phone on your tripod and letting it record; sometimes the viral clip is hidden in a longer video and you don’t realise it until you’re editing. Capturing raw unedited moments often creates the best content, especially on TikTok where people are more likely to scroll faster. My highest-performing videos are just me being myself with little to no editing and a voiceover which feels like me.

There are many trends, sounds, and voiceovers that come and go on all platforms. These apps encourage people to use them to push their content, but if your formula of being YOU is consistent, you can make any viral trend or sound work to your advantage. Being authentic + trending sounds = higher engagement. Keep in mind that we’re all imperfect beings; aiming for flawlessness isn’t necessary because everyone perceives beauty differently. Avoid being overly critical of yourself and allow room for growth and improvement. Most of all, have fun!

Not Another’s Sophia Hilton and Zeba Hairdressing’s Mike DeCanter on making UGC your go-to.

Mike DeCanter, Zeba Hairdressing

In today’s digital age, user-generated content (UGC) has become a powerful tool for hair salons to connect with their audience and attract new clients. Here are five essential tips to nail UGC for your salon…

Capture Everything: Stay True to Your Brand
From showcasing a day in the life of your salon to documenting stunning colour transformations and conducting staff interviews, filming UGC can be both enjoyable and beneficial for your business. Don’t overlook the influence of TikTok trends – they can significantly boost your profile views. Just ensure that your content aligns with your salon brand identity to maintain consistency.

Maximise Your Content: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Every piece of content holds value, so don’t hesitate to repurpose old videos. When filming a service, such as a full transformation, think creatively about how you can maximize its potential. One video can serve multiple purposes, from step-by-step tutorials to product showcases. By maximising your content, you’ll save time and effort while reaching a wider audience.

Embrace Natural Light and Authenticity
In the world of UGC, authenticity reigns supreme. Say goodbye to ring lights and overly filtered photos – opt for natural light and genuine moments instead. TikTok thrives on authentic content that resonates with viewers. Focus on creating engaging videos that showcase the reality of your salon experience, rather than overly staged shots.

Inject Personality into Your Content
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your videos. Whether it’s through voice-overs, on-screen appearances, or behind-the-scenes glimpses, infusing your content with personality helps viewers connect on a deeper level. People are drawn to authenticity, so let your unique voice and style set your salon apart.

Follow the Viral Formula

• Hook viewers in the first three seconds.
• Tell a story or narrative that keeps your audience hooked.
• Ensure your audio is clear.
• Stay responsive to current trends and incorporate them into
  your content.

By following these tips, you can create compelling content that resonates with your audience and drives new business to your salon.

Sophia Hilton, Not Another

What’s the big mistake hairdressers are making on their Insta? A never-ending parade of the back of heads.

It gets boring because it’s all the same – no personality, just selling hair. We do a lot more than just hair, but you’d never know it from scrolling. The second mistake is over-selling – it’s all, “Hey, I’m great, get your hair done by me”. Spoiler: that doesn’t work. The game’s changed big time, but it seems like the beauty service industry hasn’t caught on. Beauty product brands are all over this, though. They now use real people and influencers to sell their products. But here in the hair service industry we are still selling ourselves.

Why’s everyone buzzing about user-generated content for salons? It’s all about that third-party seal of approval. When your clients are the ones raving about their experience, it builds way more trust –  let your clients do the talking.

Have I got any hot tips for nailing user-generated content? Sure do…

• Write a script that’s short and sweet, showing off your brand through your customer’s eyes.
• Find a client who’s game and ask them to read it out and send you the audio.
• Collect shots around your salon and four shots from their perspective.
• Make that video snappy and keep it under 30 seconds.
• End with a call to action – tell them what to do next.

Want More?

Check out the Hilton Hundred membership with Not Another’s Sophia Hilton. It’s kicking off a new group this September, promising  to be the best one yet because so much is changing! 

Rachel Valentine isn’t afraid of repeating what works – and you shouldn’t be either.

Know your audience

It sounds simple, but people still post without really knowing who they’re talking to. I go into detail, imagining that person seeing my content. You imagine your potential client, and then you create the content around that person. I’m studying trichology, so I’m talking to people who are potentially trying to improve their hair growth, which is pretty much everybody, because who doesn’t want better hair? It’s about imagining that person, thinking about the questions they would ask, whether that’s you talking about myths, or common questions around hair growth… and then really focusing your content on that.

Repeat what works

I’ll try new things but the reason my page looks quite similar is because it works, for example the lighting and speaking to the camera. It’s about people knowing what they’re going to get when they come to you and creating that kind of consistency. So, when people think: ‘I need to find some products for my holiday’, they then think: ‘I’m going to Rachel, because I know she always posts that’. When I started getting clients contacting me on Instagram or saying they found me on TikTok, that’s when I knew it was working. Or if a video has a lot of saves and forwards, I know that that’s performing well so that’s something I’ll copy, whether it be the format or that content. In terms of content, ideas will come from comments, DMs but also speaking to family, friends and clients.

Remember, Instagram and TikTok are different platforms.

Instagram is more community, with TikTok you’re trying to grab people’s attention who are scrolling past. Because of time constraints, I’ll make it snappy and attention-grabbing for TikTok first, and then repurpose it for Instagram, I’ll do the caption quite differently, go into a bit more detail. What you see on TikTok you’re seeing on Reels a week later. On TikTok it’s about strong hooks, it’s great for awareness if you’re new. Once you do get engagement on TikTok, they’re very loyal and I find you grow quicker.

Be quick to jump on trends

Mob Wife aesthetic was massive, but it’s kind of been done now. You don’t want to be old news. Equally, I won’t do something if it doesn’t feel authentic to me – and the Mob Wife thing was not authentic to me! But the rosemary oil trend, for example, I would speak about that, because that is very much what I would talk to my clients about. It’s much more authentic.

Respond to comments and DMs in the first half an hour after you post

The more engagement that the algorithm sees, the more likely your post will get pushed out, especially on TikTok. Then the next time I post, I go back to the previous video and respond to both at the same time.