Build your following: Maria Dowling’s top tips for running a successful salon Instagram page
Any trendworthy salon in the region will already have its own Instagram page. Showstopping images of fabulous hair and great tips are a sure fire way of getting new clients through the door, and giving your
existing c lients a good excuse to book that overdue appointment!
When done well, Instagram can build your salon’s brand image, purely through the power of great imagery, the right amount of copy and those all important hashtags. I’m always interested in what those in the know recommend so, while I’m not exactly an expert, I’ve collated these top tips for Instagram success to guide you.
Photography basics
When taking your own photos, make sure the background is clean, with no mess behind the model, ideally with a pure white wall and great lighting (see my next point). Ultimately you want that “like” button to be pressed so make sure you ask yourself “Is this good enough to post?”
Lighting is king
As we are a colour salon, the lighting on any photo is crucial. However, the lighting in our salon isn’t great for photography so we always try to shoot outside the salon, as natural lighting is often better. The most important thing for hair colour is to have as much true colour represented as possible. If you have bad lighting, look out for those handy image filters!
Research your hashtags
For any one who doesn’t know, a hashtag is a type of label that enables people to search for specific themes or content. For example, if I want to search for #dubaihairsalon, then any brand that has tagged this will come up on the search. With Instagram you can have up to 30 hashtags and I tend to use commonly recognised hashtags such as #hair #haircolour #colourist, but also adding more personalised hashtags such as #awardwinningsalon #dubaihairsalon. I keep my hashtags in a Notes app so I can quickly copy and paste, depending on the photo. Using the right hashtags may mean that your work gets shared by other salons or online magazines, which is great for your profile.
Experiment with video
Our videos always get so many more views than our images, whether we are uploading a time lapse of a new style, or a hair “how to”. Have some fun with videos, teach yourself how to edit and experiment. There are also many companies out there who will shoot and edit a professional 15-20 second video specifically for Instagram, depending on your budget.
Strategic browsing
I tend to search for widely used hashtags in the UAE and then making comments on the top posts. When the user sees the comment it often means that she will check our page, like it and sometimes become a new client.
Respond to messages quickly
With all social media we need to respond quickly, and that means always checking your inbox for messages, even if you don’t have a notification. Also, you should always reply if someone makes a positive comment about your work.
Encourage comments
Instagram determines what people see on their feed, and the more likes and comments you have, the better likelihood it has of being seen by the maximum number of followers. Encourage comments by asking followers what they think of something or which one they like the best. This leads to better engagement and therefore better visibility.
Never stop!
Plan ahead. Create content plans and never, ever stop posting! You may be incredibly busy and even if you feel that it’s the last thing on your mind, make sure you never let those creative juices dry up. The more consistent you are with your Instagram posting, the quicker you’ll build up your followers, your engagement and hopefully the number of new clients through the door.
Maria Dowling is creative director at mariadowling salon and has been a colourist for more than 20 years. For more information call: +971 4 345 4225
Any trendworthy salon in the region will already have its own Instagram page. Showstopping images of fabulous hair and great tips are a sure fire way of getting new clients through the door, and giving your
existing c lients a good excuse to book that overdue appointment!
When done well, Instagram can build your salon’s brand image, purely through the power of great imagery, the right amount of copy and those all important hashtags. I’m always interested in what those in the know recommend so, while I’m not exactly an expert, I’ve collated these top tips for Instagram success to guide you.
Photography basics
When taking your own photos, make sure the background is clean, with no mess behind the model, ideally with a pure white wall and great lighting (see my next point). Ultimately you want that “like” button to be pressed so make sure you ask yourself “Is this good enough to post?”
Lighting is king
As we are a colour salon, the lighting on any photo is crucial. However, the lighting in our salon isn’t great for photography so we always try to shoot outside the salon, as natural lighting is often better. The most important thing for hair colour is to have as much true colour represented as possible. If you have bad lighting, look out for those handy image filters!
Research your hashtags
For any one who doesn’t know, a hashtag is a type of label that enables people to search for specific themes or content. For example, if I want to search for #dubaihairsalon, then any brand that has tagged this will come up on the search. With Instagram you can have up to 30 hashtags and I tend to use commonly recognised hashtags such as #hair #haircolour #colourist, but also adding more personalised hashtags such as #awardwinningsalon #dubaihairsalon. I keep my hashtags in a Notes app so I can quickly copy and paste, depending on the photo. Using the right hashtags may mean that your work gets shared by other salons or online magazines, which is great for your profile.
Experiment with video
Our videos always get so many more views than our images, whether we are uploading a time lapse of a new style, or a hair “how to”. Have some fun with videos, teach yourself how to edit and experiment. There are also many companies out there who will shoot and edit a professional 15-20 second video specifically for Instagram, depending on your budget.
Strategic browsing
I tend to search for widely used hashtags in the UAE and then making comments on the top posts. When the user sees the comment it often means that she will check our page, like it and sometimes become a new client.
Respond to messages quickly
With all social media we need to respond quickly, and that means always checking your inbox for messages, even if you don’t have a notification. Also, you should always reply if someone makes a positive comment about your work.
Encourage comments
Instagram determines what people see on their feed, and the more likes and comments you have, the better likelihood it has of being seen by the maximum number of followers. Encourage comments by asking followers what they think of something or which one they like the best. This leads to better engagement and therefore better visibility.
Never stop!
Plan ahead. Create content plans and never, ever stop posting! You may be incredibly busy and even if you feel that it’s the last thing on your mind, make sure you never let those creative juices dry up. The more consistent you are with your Instagram posting, the quicker you’ll build up your followers, your engagement and hopefully the number of new clients through the door.
Maria Dowling is creative director at mariadowling salon and has been a colourist for more than 20 years. For more information call: +971 4 345 4225
