It’s been a few weeks since Instagram shared that they were ‘no longer just a video sharing app’ and the hundreds of reels of gurus dancing around talking about how video is king has slowly but surely died down. Thank goodness, if you ask me, I don’t think I could handle another rendition of “Cover Me In Sunshine”!
If you’re not quite up to speed, here’s the gist: Instagram has spilled the beans that they’ll be prioritising video, in all its wonderful forms, on Instagram over still imagery.
So, what does this mean if you’re one of the many that absolutely hate being in front of the camera?
Many social media experts would say something along the lines of “well, you just have to do it!” but as an introvert, I know that’s a lot easier said than done. The reality is, yes, putting yourself out there on social media is going to humanise your brand and create emotional connections much quicker but respecting your own energy levels is just as important.
Like many things in life, it’s all about finding the balance that works for you. Today, I’m going to share some ways to maximise the likes of reels, stories, and general video content online in a way that doesn’t leave you wanting to throw your phone off a bridge.
If you’re someone that has said, “I hate seeing videos of myself”, “I know I need to put myself out there more” or “I know, I know”, in response to being told videos perform really well on social media, then this one’s for you.
Remember, you don’t always need to be the star of the show
Increasing the number of videos on your social media platforms doesn’t always mean that you need to be the one in front of the camera. When I think of the most seamless way a beauty business could up their video game, my mind instantly goes to treatment footage.
You want your customers to experience your difference before they even step through your doors and showcasing the treatments they can experience with the click of a ‘book now’ button is most effectively conveyed through video.
Next time you’re performing a staff treatment, a treatment on a loved one or even during a training session, whip out your phone and start filming. From here, you could speed it up if needed, add some music and even captions of what’s happening in the treatment. Suddenly something that would normally be an in-use treatment photo with a caption is considerably more immersive, informative, and gives off all the FOMO vibes.
If you’re not sure which treatment to film first, put a question box up on your Instagram Stories and ask your audience if they could watch one treatment being performed, what would it be? Voila, content inspo right in your app.
Focus on the solution you’re offering your customers
I find that when I’m talking about a topic I know a lot about, I speak with much more conviction. As we know, energy is everything and your audience can really pick up on when someone is feelin’ themselves in a video.
When you’re feeling nervous about filming sit down video content, focus on the solution you’re offering your customers. Why? Because this is where your expertise shines. You are first and foremost, an expert in transforming skin, brows, lashes, you name it, and when you settle into your groove of talking about the topic, you often forget the camera is even rolling.
Video content on social media is best served short, sharp, and snappy so pick a topic and 3-4 solutions it offers (for example, a Vitamin A serum or a body contouring treatment) and tell the camera.
If you can’t quite get your words together, point to different parts of the screen and add the solutions in as text. You’ve likely seen these videos on social media a lot and I find them very effective for sharing quick snippets of key information.
Add your favourite music to the reel, pair it with a strong call to action and post! This not only creates an engaging educational video with you as the star, but it saves you from having to remember what to say.
Maximise voiceovers in video content
Voiceovers are an introvert’s best mate because they allow you to showcase your passion and knowledge in a video without necessarily having to show your face or put on makeup. I’ve maximised many voiceovers in content where I’ve wanted to focus more on the visual content rather than myself and they’ve worked well to bring a personal touch!
Voiceovers play a significant role in the likes of day-in-the-life video content and tutorial content – two forms of video that any beauty business owner can benefit from. For example, you or a team member could film themselves applying their evening skincare routine and then during the editing process, record a voiceover of what each step is and its benefits.
Additionally, a voiceover could come into play during those in-treatment videos I mentioned earlier as an extra layer of value-packed information. Hearing someone’s voice as they share a value-adding piece of content adds a major human touch to the content and allows it to build trust quicker.
Make content creation a team effort
Something I regularly recommend to salon owners is that if you have a team, get them involved in your content creation! Not only does this take some weight off your shoulders but it opens your social media accounts up to fresh and amazing new ideas.
There are so many scenarios in life where we ask for a second- or third-person’s opinion on something and suddenly we have all these new perspectives that open our eyes and way of thinking. I believe that social media is no different and if you asked your team, right now, each for a content idea, you’d be welcomed with some exciting new possibilities!
In your next team planning session, meeting or zoom catch-up, consider dedicating 30-minutes to brainstorming new ways to add video to your social media platforms. From there, assign content creation tasks to the team and build up that glorious bank of content.
For my friends in lockdown, this is an awesome activity to engage with your clients that may need to stock up on skincare, support their maskne or even treat themselves to some much-needed self-care. Building up a collection of video content during these quieter times is also something that your future selves will thank you for when you’re inundated with those post-lockdown bookings.
Happy filming!