Bring your salon's Instagram page to life!

One of the most common questions salon owners ask about their Instagram page is: “how do I get more engagement?" You work hard, constantly adding pictures and sharing live Insta Stories from the salon, and yet you struggle to reel in new followers. So what can you do to bring life into your salon profile? For starters - unless you have superstar status, your number of followers will not grow to a few thousand overnight - for this to occur, patience is key. Make sure you stay dedicated - the first few days and even weeks may bring a dismal amount of activity to your page, so do not let that bring you down! Before you jump right into your Instagram account, take into consideration what it is you would like to gain from your Instagram page - simply more followers, new clients, or perhaps to establish your presence on social media? No matter which you choose, if you are set on bringing in new activity to your page, then try these tips!

1. Your type of Instagram profile

Yes, Instagram allows you to categorize your page, either as a local business, brand & product, company & organisation, etc. As a local business, your potential clients do not have to look hard to find you. Make sure that your profile is public as well - a personal profile keeps Instagram users from seeing your content, unless they are allowed access by you, which may dissuade users from wanting to follow you. Once users find your page, like a few pictures and give you a follow, chances are they will leave. To keep users regularly visiting your profile, link your online booking system to it. If one of your pictures catches a potential client’s attention, they'll just need to click on the Book Now button to schedule a session. Your Booksy online booking system also houses authentic client reviews, workplace photos, opening times, and much more.

2. Staying social is key!

Sure, posting pictures is important for your salon’s Instagram page to stay afloat, but being an active Instagrammer in your community is even more so! As a hair or beauty specialist, it is important to like fellow specialists’ work, comment with friendly suggestions and follow your favourite brands. Making a name for yourself takes time, but all of that effort is worth it in the long run.

3. What should you post and when?

You take pride in your work and what you do, but you may also be tempted to post content from your personal life - such as your Pomeranian dressed up as an elf. Though this may bring a smile to your Instagram followers’ faces, it brings down your professionalism. Your Instagram business page should be all about your salon, treatments offered, staff bios, events and any upcoming promotions.

Labelling your posts correctly is also crucial to bringing Instagrammers to your page. If you have added a photo of one of your products, treatments, or the interior of your salon, use the right hashtags to pique the interest of your target audience. To reach people in your area, make sure to tag your city! As far as when you should post - make sure to maintain consistency. A post every other day should be enough to feed the attention of your avid followers, but doing so too often will not only take away much of your time, but may make your profile seem more concerned with the quantity of posts, instead of their quality.

4. Contests and giveaways

Who does not like to win freebies? By hosting giveaways and contests via Instagram, you can expect to draw in crowds to your page! Before you begin, however, you may want to consider hosting this to a more localised audience, so make sure to address this in the description! Come up with a prize that will tie attendees to your salon - offer a gift voucher, a number of treatment sessions or a gift bag, composed of your more popular products. The winner will not only be joyful of their reward, but they will also associate your business with good vibes and will most likely start promoting it among their family and friends.

5. Let customers do the talking

Did you know that satisfied clients make for the perfect brand promoters? This calls for the perfect opportunity to truly spice up your Instagram page - ask clients to take pictures of their new transformation and share it on their Instagram pages. Make sure to mention that they should tag your business! Soon, their friends and followers will take notice of their post, and will be tempted to visit your salon as well! Also, consider storing client before & after pictures in your Booksy client database for future reference at the salon - click here to read more on client records!

6. Your most powerful tool for the job - Instagram ads

For most salon owners, this term may sound frightening, but there is nothing to be scared of. Setting up Instagram ads is by far one of the most effective means of promoting your Instagram page and your salon and getting your name out into the world. Best of all, you do not need a degree in order to run and understand its functioning. So what exactly are Instagram ads? They are your salon adverts which appear to your specific target audience. Via Facebook, specify your audience using criteria such as age, gender, location and interests. By doing so, your salon ads will reach a more precise group of people, who will be more than happy to give your page a follow and visit your salon. What information should be included in your hair salon ads? Anything that would encourage potential clients to follow your page or visit your business - so promote your latest offer, a new treatment, or add a picture of your salon to really catch viewers’ attention. The key is to provide a value proposition in your ad that gives Instagram users a reason to choose your business over another.

A lively Instagram page says much about your business approach - it shows that you care about being present in your clients’ day-to-day and that you take pride in what you do. Bring life to your Instagram page with these tips and watch your business grow with Booksy!