In 2020, social media is no longer considered something that would be “nice to have” but rather an essential for modern day salon marketing. With endless advice available online as to why your business should be on social media, this won’t be another one.
We spoke with Rachel Medlock, Founder of do you even social? to provide clarity around some of the most common social media questions and misconceptions our community has been asking, and how you can navigate the online world with confidence.
Myth 1: “I need to be on every platform”
Social media is not a one-size-fits-all space. There is a common misconception that to be successful in social media marketing, you need to be on every platform. I completely disagree with this and instead, encourage quality over quantity.
For example, most of your clients aren’t scrolling the newsfeed of Twitter to learn about your LED treatments but would be keen to see a video of it in action on Instagram and Facebook. Pick the platforms that will be most valuable to you.
Myth 2: “I don’t have a lot of followers therefore; I have no influence”
I get it. Growing a following on social media from scratch can be time consuming but don’t let your number of followers be your only measurement of success.
Let’s switch our thinking for a moment. If your follower count is on the smaller side but is a mixture of existing clients, their friends, people in your local area and local businesses (aka all people interested in what you have to say) then do you really have no influence?
Set aside 15 minutes each day to engage with your audience and remind them about your business – follow likeminded pages, respond to your messages, comment back to your followers, like their posts and have fun!
Whatever social media success means to you, you need to plan to be in it for the long haul – showing up every day, sharing good quality content and engaging with your community.
Myth 3: “I need to be posting every day”
This is one of the biggest social media myths I’m excited to debunk. You do not need to be posting on social media every day! Posting consistency is more impactful than posting frequency.
Utilise your social media insights to identify what content is performing best for your brand, what days and times your followers are most engaged, plan a content calendar around this and stick to it. The best bit about this approach is that it can be changed at any time. Play around with your times and content to see what your audience engages with most.
One thing you can be aiming to post on every day is Instagram Stories. Stories allow your followers a sneak peek of your day-to-day #salonlife and don’t require the curation and planning of a post.
Posting regular stories keeps your business at the forefront of your follower’s minds as each time they open their app, your business’ story will be right there waiting for them to tap and enjoy!
Myth 4: “My customers aren’t on social media”
I can guarantee you that the majority of your customers are on social media – it’s just about finding where! 18 million Australians (aka over 70% of the population) are active social media users with each of them spending around 2 hours a day scrolling. It’s no surprise that Facebook is the leading app with Instagram not far behind.
If you’re not sure which social media platforms is most valuable for your business, why not survey your clients? Asking your clients how they’d like to hear about your promotions, what social media platforms they’re actively using and what else they’d like to learn about via business, points you in the right direction for a solid social media plan.
Myth 5: “All my content needs to be about my products and services”
Let’s face it. If every post you saw from a page was promotional, you’d lose interest pretty quickly, right? Whilst your products and services are key elements of your business, don’t forget about all the things that encompass your brand and your why.
From insights about your team, treatment results, quotes, aspirational images and even lifestyle tips, it’s easy for a beauty business’s social media strategy to have 8-10 content pillars.
By posting a variety of on-brand content, you’re not only letting your followers connect with your brand on a more personal level but you’re allowing those promotional posts to have the emphasis and value.
If your socials need some love, we recommend chatting to #beautepartner do you even social? about their range of social media support packages. Visit www.doyouevensocial.com or follow @doyouevensocial to learn more.