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Social media platforms can offer you so much more than just a way to stay in touch with friends and family. People use it for a great deal of other things as well, from discovering new brands and trends to growing their businesses.
Frankly, you can’t afford not to have a social media presence for your salon. But then there is a question: how can you manage and do salon social media marketing while still having enough time to devote to other vital tasks in your business?
While salon social media marketing may seem overwhelming, with the right salon marketing tools, fresh ideas, and strategy in place, you’ll be able to grow your salon on social media and attract new customers. With the right approach, staying on top of all your other business obligations will be much more manageable.
How to Market Beauty & Hair Salons on Social Media?
Right social media marketing for salons doesn’t mean opening an account and posting randomly. It actually requires getting prior knowledge of your audience and crafting the right strategy to reach them.
Understanding your target market
Which market do you serve? What are the demographics of your current customers? Can you spot what they all have in common?
Talk to your customers and learn more about them and why they chose your salon. Is it the customer experience, quality of service, or something else that drove them to that decision?
Then, talk to your employees and ask them what they think. Can they spot similarities? How would they describe the customers? At the end of the day, they spend most of their time with them.
You have to do thorough research to identify your ideal client. Demographic factors, such as age, gender, location, income level, interests, education, and lifestyle, play an important role. But you should also research their habits, preferences, aspirations, and motivations related to the services your salon offers.
Another important thing to do is to study your competitor’s social media presence and salon industry trends. Keep an eye out for what’s popular and what’s resonating with your target market, and look for opportunities to differentiate your salon and offer a fresh perspective.
Pro tip: Engage in social listening by monitoring the conversations and pain points of your customers. You can do it by researching salon hashtags, mentions, relevant communities (e.g. Reddit), and Facebook groups.
Crafting an appropriate strategy
Getting a deeper understanding of who your ideal audience is is just the first step in creating the perfect salon social media marketing strategy. Other steps include finding your salon’s unique selling point (USP) and setting the budget for all the social media channels. Your USP is what sets you apart from other salons offering similar services.
When budgeting, allocate funds for each social media channel based on its potential impact and relevance to your target audience. Invest in platforms that will most effectively reach and engage your audience, and consider expenses for content creation, advertising, and analytics tools.
There are many steps to creating a perfect marketing approach beyond just social media so if you need help with covering the basics, here’s our guide for creating a salon marketing strategy.
What is the best social media for salons?
The best social media for salons are the ones that are highly visual – Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok. Depending on how many resources you have at your disposal as well as your salon’s social media marketing goals, you can create content for one or more social media platforms.
Instagram is awesome if you want to reach millennials and Gen Z users who are the majority on this social media platform. This doesn’t mean Instagram is not for you if you target older customers – 8.4% of users are 45 and older. Instagram’s emphasis on visual experiences offers you a wealth of opportunities to showcase your work. Share your before-and-after transformations, different hairstyles, nail art, and makeup looks. Don’t forget behind-the-scenes photos or videos.
Facebook is awesome for salon social media marketing because it’s one of the most diverse platforms. You can post different content on Facebook and promote events at your salon. Provide your clients with detailed information such as working hours, link to your online booking page, and business updates. Make sure to engage with your audience in DMs and comments.
You can use Pinterest for salon social media marketing in two ways. The first is to get inspiration from relevant content other people post there. The second is to promote your salon. Sharing styling tips, nail trends, different hairstyles, and makeup tricks are all great ways to build a strong presence on Pinterest.
TikTok
TikTok has gained tremendous popularity for a reason. It’s not true that only young people with no money spend time on TikTok. Recent statistics show that ages 20-29 are 22.4% of users, 30-39 are 21.7% of users and ages 40-49 are 20.3% of users.
Your best bet is to post short-form video content to promote your salon. Leverage quick hairstyling tutorials and before and after transformations in fun and engaging ways.
Creating a content plan
With so many social media channels staying consistent can be a great challenge. That’s why you need to first differentiate which you should use and which to skip. As mentioned this will greatly depend on the audience you are trying to reach. But even after selecting only a few platforms, we suggest you try using Google Calendar or some other platform and create a detailed calendar of all the upcoming posts. This strategy will ensure you stay on top of posting even during busy salon seasons.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to post on every social media platform every day. Instead, create a schedule you can comfortably follow while still engaging with your audience. Some platforms drive more traffic and engagement, so you should aim to stay as active as possible on those ones.
Developing a strong brand identity
If you want to step up your salon’s social media marketing, building a strong brand identity is a must. It will help you differentiate your salon from competitors, establish trust with your target market and create a recognizable online presence.
You should start with defining your brand personality by thinking about what would it be like if it were a person. Start from obvious things such as gender and move on to more complex personality traits, values, and unique selling points that set your salon apart. Does your salon offer a luxurious experience, creativity, and eco-friendly products? How much attention do you pay to personalizing the customer experience?
A great part of your brand is visual identity. The key is to choose a cohesive color palette, typography, and visual style. It’s also a great idea to create posts and story templates that align with your brand’s visual identity and make social media marketing for the salon easier.
Pro tip: Keep your messaging and tone consistent across all channels of communication with your target market. You should adjust content to fit the platform, but not at the expense of inconsistency.
Driving engagement
Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik
Social media marketing for your salon is an awesome way to build a community and offers you a chance to communicate with your audience in an interactive environment. By actively engaging, listening, responding, and asking the right questions, you’ll drive engagement and build an audience that loves to interact with your content.
Sharing valuable tips and advice, as well as educating your audience about the latest trends, product recommendations, and hairstyling techniques, can help you position your salon as a trusted source and build credibility.
To make the most out of this engagement, be sure to link your booking page or website as much as possible. These calls to action can help you encourage people to try out your services.
Influencer partnerships
Social media is great because there are influencers who have raving fans and can help you promote your salon’s services and products. They can create content and provide tutorials to their audience which can significantly expand your reach and authority in the beauty industry. Consider collaborating with micro-influencers who have engaged audiences rather than only paying attention to a high follower count.
Tracking and analyzing results
Social media marketing for beauty salons will not only boost your visibility but also offer you invaluable insights into your target market by tracking different metrics and analyzing results. Once you start paying attention to numbers and analyze the performance of your salon’s social media marketing efforts, you’ll be able to tailor your salon’s social media strategy to respond to customers’ needs even more effectively.
Salon Marketing Ideas for Social Media
Image by Freepik
Before-and-after pictures
Definitely, the number one salon marketing idea for social media that does wonders is before-and-after transformations. What better way to demonstrate your skills and expertise than to share tangible proof of the quality of your services? Everyone wants to feel better and prettier when they leave a beauty salon, and this type of content proves customers will look & feel amazing.
Deals & special offers
Announce and promote special offers to grow your beauty salon’s social media presence & attract new customers. Everything from discounts to limited-time promotions is great if you want to consistently capture new customers through social media. Salon social media marketing is also great for promoting last-minute slots and filling your calendar with appointments.
Events
If you host events, social media is a great way to promote them and reach a wider audience. Events also allow you to create user-generated content because attendees are likely going to share their experiences and tag your salon in their posts which boosts your social proof. It’s also a convenient way to drive attendance by creating a buzz around your salon, and event and sharing details.
How to use products
If you want potential customers to view your salon as an expert in the industry, you need to show them. Social media is excellent for educating your audience about products you use at the salon and how they can use them effectively themselves. This will also boost retail sales and add another revenue stream to your business.
Employee spotlights
Introduce your employees to a wider audience by sharing posts and short videos about each one of them. Highlight their unique skills, expertise, certifications, and any specialized services they provide. Don’t forget to humanize your brand and add some interesting facts about each employee to deepen the connection between customers and employees.
Testimonials
If you want people to trust you, testimonials are the best social proof you need. They are basically word-of-mouth marketing but with superpowers. Once you share positive experiences other customers had at your salon, you’ll gain popularity and credibility from your target market. It’s also important to incorporate visually appealing elements into client testimonials to boost your impact.
Story Q&A
You should also experiment with interactive content, and if you aren’t ready to go Instagram live, you can start with story Q&A. You’ll gain valuable insights about your customer’s pain points and interact with them in a way that facilitates a stronger bond. You can also try polls, and quizzes to engage your audience and encourage them to participate.
Promote your booking form
Besides linking to your booking form in your bio, you should also promote it in other ways. By promoting the booking form on social media, you make it easier for potential customers to see available appointments and schedule one for themselves. It enhances communication and saves both you and your customers time. By actively promoting your booking form in your content, from posts to stories, you’ll encourage your followers to take immediate action and secure an appointment. This will increase the number of customers and your salon’s revenue, making it one of the most important content pieces.
Polls and surveys
Another great way to actively engage with your audience while getting to know them is by introducing polls and surveys. These tools provide valuable insights into your clients’ preferences, interests, and feedback, allowing you to tailor your services and content more effectively. Polls can be used for quick questions, such as choosing the next promotional offer or determining which beauty trend your audience is most excited about. Surveys, on the other hand, can delve deeper into customer satisfaction, service improvement, and overall experience.
Giveaways
Giveaways are an awesome way to boost your exposure and expand your reach. They are a powerful tool you can use to increase brand awareness and gain new followers for your salon’s social media accounts. Use them carefully to incentivize people to engage with your content by commenting, liking, and sharing it. You don’t want to overdo it, as it can attract too many followers who only want free stuff from you and have no actual intention of booking an appointment.
User-generated content
User-generated content is the way to go if you want to step up the social media marketing game for your salon. Encourage clients to share their experiences, tag you in their posts, or use specific branded hashtags. Reshare customer posts to showcase real-life salon experiences and build a sense of community.
Group deals
Everybody loves a good deal, and offering group deals can be a fantastic way to attract more clients to your salon. By providing discounts or special offers for multiple bookings, you not only encourage groups to visit together but also increase the overall number of appointments.
Group deals can include packages for friends, family, or special events like bridal parties. This approach boosts client base but also enhances customer satisfaction by offering a fun, social experience. It’s a great way to build loyalty and encourage word-of-mouth referrals.
Last-minute slots
No-shows or last-minute cancellations can have a severe impact on any salon. But the good news is that with a little help from your social media accounts, you can easily fill these slots up. All you need to do is share on the platform your audience is most active on and wait for someone to respond. To minimize back-and-forth messaging, be sure to include all the info such as time, service, and the employee that has an opening.
To further incentivize quick bookings, consider offering a discount on the services for those filling these last-minute slots. This approach will help you keep your schedule full and attract new clients who might become regulars.
Product posts and sales
In case you have any special products you are selling in your salon, make sure to highlight them through targeted product posts and sales promotions. Showcase these products on your social media platforms with high-quality images and engaging descriptions to attract attention. Include details about their benefits and show your customers how they can use them at home.
Consider running limited-time sales or exclusive offers to create a sense of urgency and drive purchases. This way you can establish your salon’s role as a go-to destination for top-quality beauty and wellness products.
Offer Seamless Booking Experience with Trafft
Now that you’ve mastered your salon’s social media marketing, it’s time to offer your customers the seamless booking experience they deserve. With beautiful pre-made booking websites for salons you can further customize, you’ll amaze your customers. They can book appointments in a few clicks and choose their favorite services and providers, while you’ll manage the whole salon from one simple app. From appointment reminders to advanced features such as a business dashboard, Trafft will help you put your salon under the spotlight and stay there.
Check for yourself and sign up for Trafft – it’s free.
