10 Instagram Tips For Beauty Professionals

You became a beauty professional because you love making others shine. But in order to grow your business to continue doing what you love, you also have to make yourself shine (aka market your business). In today's digital age, one of the most important places you can show off your work is social media, and even more specifically Instagram. But as a salon owner who already has a full-time job, who has time to master a second job as a social media manager too?! 

We know it can be overwhelming, and even downright uncomfortable at times. But allowing current and potential clients to explore what you have to offer is essential in building your clientele and establishing credibility for your salon.

So we broke it down for you with 10 Instagram tips for beauty professionals...

#1: Have A Business Account & Make Sure It's Public

By converting your Instagram account into a Business Profile, you will gain access to several features that are invaluable to business owners. First of all, Instagram will place buttons on your profile to allow visitors to get directions, call or email you, or even book online right from your profile! How cool is that?! To learn how to get your booking link on your Instagram profile, check out this step-by-step blog. You also get access to Insights, where you can view helpful stats about your posts and your followers. Last, you get the ability to create ads on Instagram. To convert your profile to a Business Profile, go to your profile settings, tap on the Switch to Business Profile section, and follow the prompts.

(@dosanddyes)

#2: Make Marketing Personal

Your clients want to feel a connection. As a stylist, you probably feel the relationships between you and your clients more like friendships rather than business relationships. Showing your skills while including personality on Instagram allows your clients to remember how great you are on both a personal and professional level!

(@kelseymorris18)

#3: Consistency Is Key!

Be attentive to where you are taking your clients’ photos. We know the work you’ve done is awesome, but having a consistent backdrop and lighting goes the extra mile in making your photos and Instagram page more aesthetically pleasing.

(@ashleylantzhair)

#4: Hashtags and Tagging

Hashtags might seem tedious at times, but they are so important for growing your business! Hashtags expand your posts to reach people who are looking for content about a specific topic. It’s smart to make some of them generic, yet local to where you live (#orangecounty, #ochairstylist). That way people can find your profile if they live in the area and are searching for a hairstylist. We also recommend making a personal, or brand-specific hashtag - for example #annietrangstylist.

(@annietrangstylist)

Tagging photos is also important in making your Instagram discoverable. Make sure to tag us @SolaSalons in your posts so we can like, comment, and re-post your awesome work! When you tag an account in the image or video, rather than just in the caption or comments, that post then lives on that account’s tagged image feed. Tag your client, @SolaSalons, your local Sola location and any other relevant accounts to broaden your audience and allow your post to be seen by exponentially more people!

#5: Promotion Motion

Everyone loves some freebees! Diana Antees (@dianaanteshair), owner of Diana Antees Studio has used this strategy to boost her business and grow her clientele. By having her followers tag three friends in the comments and follow her for an entry to win a $78 value product giveaway, she's using the power of referral to spread the word and get people visiting her page. She even added an extra entry for followers who posted the giveaway on their Instagram story giving her content she can simply share to her own page - how creative?! This allows each comment to drive clients’ friends to her page, get them following and exploring her work, and likely leading to new client bookings. Even though she's giving away some products for “free,” the new business awareness she's bringing to her salon will quickly more than pay for itself with just one new client in her chair. We like the way you think, Diana!

(@dianaanteshair)

#6: Before and Afters

We love a bomb photo of some freshly done hair - perfectly cut, colored, and curled. But what could make it better? Seeing what you started with! Before and after pictures show your talent in a whole new light. Everyone loves a head-turning transformation!

(@sarahdidmyhair)

(@hairxian)

#7: Engage, Engage, Engage!

Again, your clients want to feel a genuine connection. The key to building an authentic relationship is engaging with them, not just in the salon but also while they are away. The more you engage with your clients on social media, the more you’ll stay fresh in their minds and get them to not only engage back, but remind them to come see you in person again!  

#8: Claps For Apps! 👏

There are many tools you can use to assist you with all things Instagram. From graphic design to visual planners, to scheduled posts, we found the best apps to ease the pain that can come with staying on top of social media. For more info, check out 5 Apps to Make Your Social Media Pop.

#9: Get Creative & Show Faces

It might not be intuitive to get many pictures with your client’s face, but faces hold our attention and cause us to look at photos longer – it’s human nature! Snap a shot of your client cheesin’ hard over their new ‘do, or a side angle to show off that dimension (with their permission, of course!). Don’t be afraid to be playful with these photos and have fun! There’s no truer testament to your skill than a happy client.

(@houseofblondestudio)

#10: Test Out Your Testimonials

It’s great to advocate for yourself by sharing your work (aka your gorgeous client photos), but what else can you do to show your professionalism? Let your clients brag for you with reviews! Consider using a tool like SolaGenius to help them share their reviews, which you can then share on your social media profiles. We recommend making an Instagram highlight to share your killer reviews!

(@ashleywhitestudio)

(@ronabunchinc)

For more social media tips, check out these blogs:

Make Your Instagram Work For You

10 Instagram Tips for Estheticians

5 Apps To Make Your Social Pop

3 Tips To Take Your Instagram To The Next Level

Creating Awesome With Social Media