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Manage Your Salon's Social Media in 10 Minutes a Day
Posted on May 7, 2014
Erica Bail
With all the social media outlets available, keeping them up-to-date can feel like a full-time job! But when you have a full day of clients in your chair, there’s only so much time to spend online. The good news is that 10 minutes a day is all you really need. In this post, we are going to focus on 3 social media platforms – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. These three social media outlets are a great combination of photo, information and status sharing. With a bit of pre-planning throughout a normal day at the salon, social media can become a whole lot easier.
For example, you can take photos of your work to save for future Instagram posts. Or, keep a list of interesting things you’ve read or seen online. When it comes time to sit down and manage your social media, you’ll already have a wealth of content to choose from. One important thing to remember is that your content should be different across each platform. It’s easy to have all your social media accounts linked to share the same content across the board, but that gets boring for your followers. Tailor your content to each platform, and you’ll keep your followers wanting more. Now let’s get started!
MINUTES 1-3 – INSTAGRAM
SCAN – Browse your feed and “like” the photos that speak to you. As always with social media, it’s a good rule of thumb to acknowledge other people’s posts in addition to sharing your own. Now’s also a great time to browse hashtags you’re interested in and discover new people to follow.
SHARE – You could spend hours preparing elaborate photo-shoots, and lots of users do that. However, it’s not necessary to go through all that effort in order to have a beautiful and well-curated feed. When you take photos, be sure to pay attention to lighting and backgrounds. It’s helpful to use a real camera, but a smart phone camera gets the job done, too. Take a few seconds to clear off cluttered counter-tops or move full coat racks. Those small touches make a big difference. Use filters and effects with discretion. There’s beauty in simplicity.
MINUTES 4-7 – FACEBOOK
PLAN – Start out by reading recent fans’ comments or posts on your salon’s profile. Then scan your newsfeed. Decide what you want to accomplish on Facebook that day. Are you promoting a sale on products? Do you have an unexpected opening in the afternoon you want to fill? Do you have photos from a recent hair show you’d like to share? Whatever you decide here dictates what you do for the rest of your time on Facebook.
RESPOND –It’s important that your Facebook page is a two-way conversation between you and your fans. It only takes a minute to “like” some interesting updates, comment on photos, or respond to questions. The more you respond to your fans, the more likely they are to remain engaged in your salon.
SHARE – Facebook is great for sharing bigger chunks of information. If you have an upcoming event or some other pertinent information you want to share, do it here. Then you can use Twitter to point your fans back to your Facebook page for more information. You don’t have to add photos, create events and write status updates all in one day. Tackle one thing that you decided was important during the planning phase.
MINUTES 8-10 – TWITTER
SCAN – Quickly browse your newsfeed, and read any direct messages or comments that mention you.
RESPOND – Be sure to respond to feedback from fans or questions regarding hours, prices or sales. If someone mentions you in a Tweet, be sure to Favorite or Re-tweet that mention. It’s important to engage and create conversation on Twitter.
SHARE – Twitter is a great place to share updates about your salon and links to upcoming events and sales. You can also use Twitter to promote content from your Facebook and Instagram pages. Don’t share everything from the other two platforms, but don’t be shy about sharing an Instagram picture you are proud of or an upcoming Facebook event that your Twitter followers should know about. You can also share links to interesting articles or re-tweet updates from other people.
Twitter also benefits from regular updates. Check out a program like HootSuite to schedule multiple tweets at once. Keep in mind that you don’t need to focus on more than one social media platform if you don’t want to! Or, if Pinterest and Facebook seem like a better fit than the above for your salon, that works too. Choose what’s right for you and invite your friends, family and clients to follow you for the latest and greatest from your boutique salon.