Instagram has a billion monthly active users on its platform, and over 80% reportedly follow a business account. This alone makes the visual-led social medium a great choice for those wanting to market their brands and improve their reach.

But did you know that there are numerous ways salon owners such as yourself can utilise the platform to reach more audiences, gain more followers, and ultimately grow your business? Marketing your salon on Instagram should be a cinch with the right know-how.

The team at Instasize rounded out six of the best ways to do so.

Create graphics to share upcoming deals and events

If your Salon is running promotions, offering a deal, or hosting an event, you’ll definitely want to share the details with your followers on Instagram.

In such situations, sharing information through your caption isn’t enough. You’ll want to catch your viewers’ attention as they’re casually scrolling through their feed or browsing their explore page. To do this, you have to create graphic or stylised posts that feature all the details you want to share.

To make your own graphic text post, try using Instagram Stories tools. Just upload the photo you want to use as background and add your copy using the text tool. You can even jazz it up with some stickers if you like! And once you’re happy with the image, save it instead of uploading it, and share it as content on your feed. Of course, you can also share the image on your Stories to increase your chances of getting views.

Now if you find the layout and font options of Instagram Stories too limiting, you can also just easily download a photo-editing app from your app store. Try out Instasize; the app has stylised fonts to choose from and other creative layout options.

Don’t always be all business

Whatever you do on Instagram, remember that the space is a social medium. People don’t like perpetually being bombarded with ads or hard-sell posts. So if you want to maintain or improve engagement with your audience, you have to find ways to keep your part of the conversation interesting.

As a salon owner, you have the opportunity to show off your expertise by creating content that provides helpful and insightful tips and tidbits that’s about all things hair.

Instead of just advertising your salon, why not share some behind-the-scenes videos that show how certain haircuts are achieved? Instead of simply promoting your products, why not create engaging how-to posts that show your audience how they can use your products to style or care for their hair?

Creating engaging content will allow you to promote your products and services in a way that helps you keep your current followers interested and keen on continuing their patronage. Highlighting your expertise, on the other hand, can help you reach new audiences who can, in turn, become potential new customers.

Collaborate with your customers

Did you know that 85% of customers say that user-generated content is more trustworthy than branded content? This means that if you want to improve your social media presence and day-to-day business, you have to find ways to get other people posting about your salon.

One tip is to create an artsy, Instagrammable corner in your salon for your customers to take photos with their new hairstyle. This will help them have amazing photos to share online, so they are more likely to post and tag your salon on Instagram.

Remember it doesn’t hurt to ask your customers if you can also post their pictures on your account as well. Your Instagram will have more authenticity if you feature real photos of real customers rather than photoshoots with models.

Tag your stylists

Stylists often have their own Instagram profile where they share their work. By sharing their photos on your page, it will encourage your team to improve their craft and post their best. Tagging them also helps potential customers identify specific stylists that they want to work with in the future.

Engage with your followers

Responding to your customers in a timely manner shows them that you care about their experience. So make Instagram a place where people know that they can interact with you.

If you can’t reply to all comments, liking them will do. If someone tags you in a post, show your love by liking that as well.

See an interesting post from a customer that’s worth sharing? Share it on your feed or on your Instagram Stories. This motivates users to post about you and receive recognition for their business with you.

Make it easy to set up an appointment

Nothing will make a potential customer lose interest faster than being unable to contact you.

Make sure you have all your possible contact details on your Instagram page. If you have a website, include the link in your bio. You can also include your phone number, email address, and shop address in there as well.

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