Instagram has become an increasingly popular social media channel because of the ability to post great picture and video content fast and easily. As our lives get busier, we need quicker solutions to promote ourselves and our businesses, which is why Instagram is fantastic for barbers and hairdressers. You can snap a picture, make quick edits, and show off anything to a wide range of people within a few seconds. Because of how easy it is to maintain this social channel, it’s a must-use for anyone who owns a barbershop or salon since you have to set the clippers down for only a few seconds.
Instagram is definitely worth your time since its popularity is continuing to grow. According to Statista, the number of Instagram users has been increasing at an exponential rate since March 2014.
That’s roughly a year and a half when the number of users doubled to 400 million, so it’s safe to say this channel is hot right now.
Since it's easy to use and fun, this social channel will continue to grow among all people and professions. With more than 400 million active users and more than 80 million photos posted per day, it’s time for you to adopt Instagram to promote your salon. Assuming you aren’t booked solid every hour of every day (if you are, props for being awesome), then this free social channel has the potential to get more people in your chairs. Need more convincing and help understanding best practices? Read on:
Show Off Your Hair Art
Show off your art and skills to your followers! Not only will this showcase your abilities, but it will give people a reason to follow you for ideas of their own even if they don’t live near you. If you want to reach locals, keep your geotag turned on! Either way, a bigger following gives you more credibility and authority as a professional, so if locals search your business, they can see your portfolio right from their phones and realize, “Hey, this place has 13K followers… Must be legit.”
Show off a client's hair! Look at that clean line.
and some fun with colors!
Being that cutting hair is an art, have someone take photos of you shampooing hair, showing off your newest luxury salon chair in action, or close-ups of that skin fade you just executed beautifully. You’re an artist, so make Instagram your online portfolio for your skills and your business.
Research Hashtags
Anyone who takes Instagram seriously needs to research appropriate hashtags. You’re not going to get your work in front of anyone without using keywords people are searching for and using. Get your business in front of people who care the most about your industry and build your professional network. Try researching keywords regarding hair, barbershops, pedicures, or dryer chairs to see which hashtags people are using the most in your industry.
Additionally, don’t be afraid to use hashtags that do not receive a lot of traffic because less traffic means less competition when people are searching through keyword results. You can use up to 30 hashtags on a post, so hash away but make sure they make sense for who you are trying to reach so you don’t appear spammy to your followers. Hashtags are similar to posting something on a bulletin board: lots of people will see it, which increases the chances of someone following up with you.
Build & Maintain Relationships
You will be the most successful barber and hairdresser when you build and maintain relationships on Instagram (and real life, too!). Similar to business in real life, friends are more apt to wind up sitting in front of your styling station mirrors than a complete stranger, so make a positive impression, follow people back, touch the ❤ button on their photos to show you’re paying attention, and let them know you appreciate them as a follower and client.
This may seem obvious to some, but we sometimes forget that how we interact online is increasingly more important since it has become such a large part of our lives. If you're still not sure where to start, work with a reputable marketing consultant to create a plan that will help your shop grow. We know you have a great looking shop, so continuing to build your client list with Instagram can only benefit your business.
What are some Instagram tips that have helped your salon or barbershop succeed?
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