According to data found by DataReportal, Instagram has at least 1.628 billion users around the world, as of April 2023, suggesting that 25.9% of all people aged 13 and above around the world use Instagram today. The UK has, at least, 33.5 million active Instagram users.
So as one of the world’s top social media platforms, why are you not utilising it for your business, brand and services?
At North Professional Hair, we know how important it is to market your brand. Digital and social media marketing is the leading way to promote your business, and when your business grows, so does ours!
Along with our fantastic customer service team and post-training support, articles like these will help you develop your brand and drive custom, ensuring your tape extension services are continually growing in success.
In this article, you will learn about all the ways the Instagram platform and in-app features can support you in marketing your services and growing as a brand. By the end, you will feel confident that your business will become an Instagram-able sensation, bringing in new customers and increasing your profits.
Why should you use Instagram to promote your salon services?
As mentioned above, Instagram is one of the world’s leading social media platforms, with over 1.6 billion active users worldwide.
But why should you use Instagram to promote your salon services?
By utilising this platform to promote your services, you’re able to reach clients in their ‘downtime’. And if you finesse the app’s features and please the infamous algorithm, you’re sure to boost engagement and find new clients!
When you gain more attraction and clients, you can narrow down your services and increase your prices - all whilst still working the same hours (if not less). Instagram is the leading platform to make this happen.
Instagram verification: Is it worth it?
By following the rest of the advice in this article, Instagram verification is 100% worth it!
Since 2023, you now have the option to purchase a subscription that makes your Instagram account verified - you get the blue tick! This subscription costs £9.99 per calendar month.
Instagram verification presents you as a trusted account to the algorithm, and a trusted brand to viewers and potential new clients. Through this, you will notice more of your posts appearing on the Discover page, resulting in higher engagement and new followers.
Combined with producing strategic, quality content on your account, Instagram verification essentially shouts ‘Look at me!’ to any account with similar interests to what you promote.
How to use Instagram grid images
Posting pictures on Instagram is easy! But what are the different types of grid image posts you can do? And what can you do with them?
Instagram single images
Single images are a classic! These posts do the talking for themselves - whether it’s the most gorgeous hair you’ve ever done, promoting a specific service, advertising an offer or showing off your reviews.
Instagram carousel images
The Instagram algorithm loves carousel images. These are the ones where you upload multiple, swipeable images into one post. You could use this for roundups of your favourite transformations of the month, before and after images or alternating between images and information.
Whilst carousel posts give you the option to upload up to 10 images, we recommend only using around 4 (otherwise, the viewer may get bored of swiping through).
Tips and tricks for Instagram grid images
Did you know that with some free, simple editing software, like Canva, you can add more than one image into the space or add text to an image? This way, you can share more information and make your posts both aesthetically pleasing and engaging.
Instagram has also added a feature where you can add sounds or music to grid image posts. This gives the illusion that the post is a reel and will engage the viewer on your post for longer. Using trending sounds will also bring new people to this post.
How to use Instagram reels
Instagram reels are the hottest tool to use on the platform, mimicking TikTok videos. This allows you to post videos onto your page at full-screen size, whilst being able to add on engaging features such as sound, clickable buttons, text and video transitions.
Instagram reels should be one of these 4 things:
- Educational
- Entertaining
- Relatable
- Inspirational
Remember, you don’t need to specifically set up or plan filming this content. Get a tripod and just film the services and things you do day-to-day, to be edited and segmented into future Instagram reel content.
You can also use free video editing software, such as CapCut, to help break up your videos. We find this a lot easier to use than Instagram reels, whilst still being able to add reel features and sounds at a later date!
Ideas for Instagram reels:
- Tutorials
- Before and after transformations
- Day in the life content
- Behind-the-scenes footage
- ASMR sounds
- Close-ups of products and results
- Get ready with me (GRWM)
- Answering common questions
- Get to know me
Top 5 Instagram reel tips:
- Post 5 various reels a week to keep your profile engaging
- Add closed captions to your videos so that viewers can read the video, as well as listen
- Create a brand guideline for fonts, colours and filters you use, to keep an aesthetic
- Jump on trends quickly - you should be spending 10 minutes daily looking at what sounds and videos are gaining the most attention
- Have a call to action in your videos, so the viewer has something to do on your page before swiping off
How to use Instagram post captions and hashtags
Instagram post captions and hashtags are going to explain to your viewers what they are looking at and why. Hashtags are also going to help the algorithm notice your posts and share them with like-minded people on the Discover page.
Ways to get your viewers engaged with your Instagram captions
A great way to get your viewer to engage with your captions and hashtags is to add to your image or reels ‘read more in the caption’ - this way, you aren’t overwhelming the viewer when they’re engaged with the content.
Keep your captions short and catchy, with a call to action. Your viewer doesn’t want to read any essay - they want to know why the content is important to them!
If you want to add more information, use bullet points with emojis that match your brand’s aesthetic.
Add 5 to 8 hashtags to your posts to really please the Instagram algorithm. These should link to your services, location, brand and the viewers you’re hoping to reach through the Discover page.
How to use Instagram stories
Instagram stories are a way for you to interact with your followers, or anyone viewing your profile. These help really boost engagement and get you to know about what content your followers are looking for on your account. Instagram stories should be really interactive - a single image won’t go very far!
Things you can do with Instagram stories
- Reshare grid images and reels
- Add reaction buttons
- Add sliding scale ratings
- Create polls
- Have quizzes
- Allow your followers to ask you questions
- Add your salon location
- Tag your salon, colleagues and brands
- Add music
- Link to outside pages, such as your booking portal
- Have countdowns to special events
All these features on Instagram stories allow you to know exactly what your followers are thinking, what they’re wanting from you and keep them engaged with your content and ultimately your services.
Benefits of Instagram competitions
Hosting Instagram competitions really gets your viewers excited with your content and services - we all love a freebie! Not only will it engage your current followers and clients, but it will also draw in new ones.
To make people want to enter your competition, it needs to be appealing (otherwise, they won’t bother with the entry requirements). The prize needs to be something clients want to win!
Instagram competitions need the entree to do 4 tasks in order for it to be most successful in marketing your services: they need to like the post, comment on the post whilst tagging someone else, share the post to their own Instagram story and save it.
Why do Instagram competitions help your page grow?
- A follower liking a post encourages others to do it too, showing your popularity
- Commenting creates engagement with the post
- Tagging someone else brings more people to follow these actions
- Sharing the post also brings in more people to follow these actions
- Saving the post encourages the Instagram algorithm to promote your post (because clearly people are really interested in it)
Ready to go viral?
You came to this article wanting to learn about the best ways to market your tape extension services on Instagram. Since reading, you have learnt about the different features of Instagram and how you can use them to promote your services, plus how and why it will benefit you.
But what now?
At North, when you grow, we grow with you. We put so much emphasis on our customers accessing our training, resources, articles and dedicated customer service team, because we’re committed to helping you set up and continue to establish a successful tape extension service.
Marketing isn’t just limited to what you can do on Instagram though. If you found this article helpful, we suggest reading another on our ‘10 Tips For Marketing Your Tape Extension Service’ for even more advice. Or, why not head back to basics with our article on ‘How to Build a Successful Tape Extension Service’?
Along with marketing advice, we have a wide range of articles that cover everything from colouring to problem-solving, over on the North Blog!
Invest in your tape extension services
The best way to invest in your tape extension services is to join us on a North training day.
These training days are perfect for budding beginners and seasoned stylists alike! Learn everything in just one day, with advice on marketing, pricing and problem-solving, whilst also learning how to fit, remove, retape and refit North tape extensions from our expert professional educators.
