3 Steps to Getting Started with Social Media as a Beauty Pro

In today's digital world, social media is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have, for beauty professional’s building a visible brand. As an independent beauty pro and salon owner, social media presents so many great opportunities to showcase your talent and expand your reach.  

If you're a beauty professional wondering how to navigate the social media landscape, this guide is designed specifically for you. Follow these 3 steps to get started with social media mastery:  

1. Assess your Strengths 

Before diving into specific platforms, it's important to determine your individual strengths as a hairstylist and salon owner. Are you a whiz at creating eye-catching visuals? Perhaps you are a great storyteller, or excel at providing valuable tips and advice. Identifying your unique skills will guide you in choosing the most appropriate platforms to showcase your talent and promote your services.  

2. Choose 1-3 Social Media Platforms 

The key to effective social media marketing isn't being everywhere; it's about being where it matters most. Spreading yourself too thin across multiple platforms can be counterproductive. Instead, choose 1-3 platforms that best align with your strengths and target audience.  

Consider these major platforms and choose 1-3 to focus on:  

• Instagram: A visual platform perfect for showcasing your creative work, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and client transformations. Instagram is best suited for hairstylists with strong visual skills and an eye for aesthetics.  
• Facebook: Ideal for community-building and engagement, Facebook allows you to create a business page, connect with clients, and share updates, promotions, and helpful content. 
• Pinterest: As a visual search engine, Pinterest drives traffic to your website and showcases your expertise through informative content. Ideal for those with a knack for creating visually appealing content and informative graphics.  
• TikTok: TikTok is a great platform to show off your work through short form video, which is fairly easy to use compared to other video platforms. Showcase your expertise on TikTok while reaching a younger and more global audience; followers can accumulate fast on this popular and speedy platform.  
• Lemon8: A newer platform that is a blend between Instagram and Pinterest, Lemon8 is an influencer-inspired app that is seriously on the rise for Gen Z users – this is another great app for reaching a younger audience.  

Here is a platform comparison chart to aid in your decision making process:  

3. Plan Your Content 

Before posting, it is helpful to create a content plan in the form of an editorial calendar. That way, you have an end goal in mind when you start creating content, helping you to get there faster. Here are 10 tips to inspire engaging content that resonates with your audience: 

• Before & After Transformations: These are a staple in the beauty industry – and for good reason! They visually demonstrate your skills and the power of a great makeover. Think about creating both photos and short-form videos to showcase these hair transformations. For videos, consider capturing the process in a TikTok style, with fast edits, jump cuts and music, then repost it to Instagram and Facebook to spread your reach.  
• Educational Videos: Your expertise is your biggest asset. Share it with your followers through educational videos. These could be tutorials on how to maintain a specific hairstyle, tips on hair care, or advice on selecting the right products.  
• Blogging: If you enjoy writing, consider creating educational blog posts. These could cover topics like the science behind hair health, a guide to different types of haircuts, your favorite products reviewed, or advice on choosing the right hair color for different skin tones. Share snippets of these posts on social media and direct followers to your website to read the full content. This provides a jump in your search engine optimization rankings, which is great for your website.  
• Color Stories: Hair color is an art form. Create content that showcases your mastery in this area. You could create a series of posts that delve into different color techniques like balayage, highlights, or color corrections, and share the process, result, and tips for maintenance.You could even do a series on decoding hairstyling jargon, helping your followers to better understand the services they receive, describing the differences between highlights vs. babylights, balayage vs. foilyage, toner vs. color, etc. 
• Styling Spotlights: Showcase a range of hairstyles, from everyday looks to special occasion styles. You could create themed content series like " Quick Hairstyles for Busy Mornings" or "Wedding Season Inspiration." Include step-by-step guides, product recommendations, and pro tips to make the posts extra engaging. 
• Cutting Edge Cuts: Keep your followers up-to-date with the latest updates in haircuts and styling trends. This could be a monthly feature where you discuss and demonstrate a trending haircut, a weekly video showcasing a styling technique, or simply regular re-posts of your favorite hairstylists' cutting edge looks. This will help you stay up to date, and help your clients with inspiration for their next ‘do.  
• Behind-the-Scenes: For better engagement, invite your followers to peek behind the curtain once in a while. This could include a tour of your salon, a day in the life of a hairstylist, or the process of learning and mastering a new technique. This type of content humanizes your brand and helps build a connection with your followers. 
• Client Testimonials: Nothing builds trust like hearing from happy clients. With their permission, share your clients' testimonials, photos and stories on your social media channels. You might want to put quotes into branded posts, or perhaps you’d like to post photos with their testimonial in the caption. However you choose to do it, letting your clients tell your story for you is an authentic way to build your reputation.  
• Seasonal and Event-based Content: Create content based on the season, holidays, or local events. This could be Halloween-inspired hairdos, summer hair care tips, holiday hairstyles, or hairstyles for your local prom. Get in the spirit of the season for a natural bump in your posts’ organic reach – this is a well known algorithm hack!  
• Product Reviews: Share your favorite hair products with your followers. Why do you love them? How do you use them? This provides valuable information to your followers and builds your authority in the field. This is an especially good idea for those of you that have built out your salon store.  

Don't stress about diving into the social media world – it can actually be pretty fun! Just take it step by step, and you'll be able to show off your salon in a cool and creative way. Share your talents, connect with your clients and other beauty pros, and keep it real – social media is all about being yourself and having a good time. 

Remember to tag us @solasalons and tag your local Sola page, so that we can repost your content too! Happy posting, Solapreneurs 💙 

Interested in salon suites for rent? We’d love to welcome you into the Sola family!