Savvy social media marketing leads to organic growth and increased brand recognition
Inspiring your team and making clients feel good should be top priorities for any salon owner. Yet in an increasingly digital world, it’s critical to have a curated online presence that fits your brand and makes it easy for potential clients to see what you’re all about. This is where salon social media marketing comes in.
Social media success takes much more than simply going online and sending out content. To avoid being drowned out by competitors and influencers in the self-care space, you’ll need a smart strategy — and tools to help you enact it. Here’s how to win the salon social media marketing game and grow your brand organically.
5 steps to create a winning salon social media marketing strategy
Step 1: Develop an authentic brand identity
Who are you? What’s your mission? What are your values? What can employees and clients expect when they walk into your salon? These are all questions to answer before you create or reinvigorate a social media profile. While you’re answering those questions, be as authentic and conversational as possible; clients can see right through disingenuous claims and overly sales-forward jargon.
If you’re not sure about your brand identity, think about your ideal client base. Salons in wealthy suburbs with elite clientele are going to need different marketing strategies than those that cater to city-dwelling Gen Z members. Imagine yourself telling your would-be clients how your salon meets their needs, then use that as a jumping-off point for your brand story.
Step 2: Create your profiles and update your website
Next, it’s time to think about the social media outlets that are right for your brand. Instagram is a popular choice given its focus on visuals — what better place to show off your latest cuts and styles?
TikTok is the platform of choice for the 18-34 crowd, so if that’s your target demographic, you need to be there. Facebook is still the world's most popular social media site, with over three billion monthly users, but its audience is getting older.
Consider the content format and demographics of each social media outlet to determine how it fits into your brand identity, and be aware of emerging platforms — you never know how far away the next disruptor is.
If you’ve been in business for a while, you likely already have a website, but how well does it match your brand identity and social media voice? It’s important to create a single cohesive experience across every potential point of contact to build brand recognition. Use winning salon website ideas to give your homepage a brand-right makeover that tells clients exactly who you are and what you can do for them.
Step 3: Brainstorm salon social media ideas
Now that you’ve got your social media profiles, how are you going to fill them out? There’s no one-size-fits-all method that applies to every outlet, so you’ll have to tailor your content strategically. Here are a few ideas for hair salon social media posts to get you started:
Different posts for different folks: Because different social media platforms have different audience expectations, you can’t simply blast a single post across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook and expect growth. Thankfully, there are so many approaches to take, from text-based announcements to before-and-after photos to behind-the-scenes videos and hot takes on trending styles. Speaking of which…
Know your trends: TikTok is a self-care trend machine, but not all of its advice is created equal. Use hashtags to see what’s currently making an impact and see if any of the current trends align with your brand. If you see bad hair advice, you can warn others and offer alternatives, establishing your expertise.
Encourage interactivity: Replying to and interacting with followers is a great way to grow your presence and show clients who you really are. Be sure to respond to questions and highlight positive impressions of your salon from customers.
Inspire your clients: Social media is full of teaching moments, and you can use your own education and experience to inspire others. Provide tips for maintaining hairstyles between appointments, give advice to those wary of making big changes, and share your own hair care journey, including highlights and misfortunes — there’s a good chance clients will find it relatable.
Step 4: Enable intuitive booking to remove friction
You’ve created your online presence. You’ve garnered a following. Now what? Directing followers away from your social media posts to book appointments creates unnecessary extra steps, and each step is an opportunity for a potential client to lose interest or get distracted. For a seamless self-booking experience, enable booking directly from your social media pages.
To avoid confusion, you’ll want an on-brand booking overlay that’s consistent across your website and social media pages. Look for software that lets you use your brand’s aesthetic elements, turn visibility off and on for certain services, encourage upsells and add-ons, and enable gift card purchases.
Think of it from the client’s perspective: Ideally, after seeing a number of your social media posts, they’ll want to click “Book Now” and start making an appointment ASAP.
Step 5: Analyze the results of your social media marketing strategy
Once your strategy has been in effect for a few months, it’s time to study the results. Is your follower count growing? Are your posts getting engagement? Which posts, specifically, garner the most comments and likes? Is that engagement translating to in-person appointments and sales?
Most social media outlets offer at least basic metrics, so use the tools at your disposal to review the results. You can also leverage your reporting software to see which posts are connecting with clients. For example, if you spent the summer promoting a deep conditioning treatment to repair damaged hair, you can see how that correlates with bookings of that service and sales of the product at retail.
Not seeing all the results you want straight away? Don’t get discouraged. Think of your first analysis as a roadmap that shows you where to go next. It may take some trial and error, but once you find your voice — and your clients find you — you’ll establish your salon as a must-visit destination for self-care aficionados. Remember, social media plays a crucial role in building awareness. While it might not feel like your posts are directly getting you bookings, potential clients are always vetting businesses on platforms like Instagram and Yelp. Consistent and engaging content can significantly enhance your credibility and attract more clients over time.
