The world of social media is HUGE, and it’s the perfect place for beauty pros to show off their stuff because most popular platforms are highly visual. If you’re a beauty professional, or an aspiring beauty professional, this is the ideal space to put your work in the spotlight you cast. If you’re not already on Instagram, create your account now! Once you’ve setup your profile, filled out your bio with some cute emojis and a proper description, use these tips to post images that garner likes within minutes of posting.
The Strategy
Who are your favorite IG influencers? Take a look at their profile. You’re likely to see something that looks consistent in color, in backdrop and in content. This is their personal branding. Every successful account has stylized branding. This can be identified by the color of the posts, the background of the posts or even the posing. You can also brand in your post descriptions and hashtags.
Try your best not to feel random on your profile. This usually means you’ll want to refrain from posting personal pics on your business account. We know it’s tempting to show off your new car or apartment, but trust us, the more consistent you are in the types of things you post, the better off you are.
Your strategy is to create a profile that accurately reflects your brand and personality, your work and your client base.
Taking Photos That Are Worth Likes and Interactions
Step 1: Pick Your Backdrop and Stick to It
As mentioned before, branding can come from having a background in your snapshots that is easily recognizable. Think about it this way: as you’re scrolling through your crowded IG feed, you see a picture from your favorite famous hairstylist. You know it’s theirs because the backdrop looks similar to things you’ve seen from them before. BAM!
You didn’t even have to think about whose post you were looking at. You can have the same effect on your followers by creating a space where you can take photos regularly. This should have the same lighting and a consistent background.
Here’s an example of a pic with a good backdrop:
Step 2: Choose Your Subject
Now that you’ve determined where you will be taking the photograph, choose a subject. If you’re a colorist, stylist or other type of hair pro, you’ll need to take photos of your client’s hair, likely from behind so you can capture the whole thing. These types of photos usually don’t include the face, not only because you’re showing off their hair but because you don’t want to post pictures of someone’s face who you DO NOT have express permission to post a picture of.
Try to recreate the same few poses for each picture. A photo from behind, one at an angle and one with them moving their hair usually works well.
If you create photos that have a similar background, posing and as well as lighting, your audience will become more familiar with your style and they will be able to recognize your posts easily, like we talked about before.
Step 3: Light Your Way
Choose beautiful lighting. Harsh yellow indoor lighting isn’t flattering for anyone. Choose an area that’s well lit with natural, diffused light. Standing directly in the sun outside isn’t the right way to properly light your photos either, so don’t do that! A halo light is the perfect way to get the right type of white light that mimics outdoor lighting. These range in price on Amazon, but can cost less the $100.
Here’s an example of an IG post with great lighting:
Step 4: Don’t Be Fake
Filters are totally fun for your selfies, but if you put a filter over your work. It comes off as if the whole thing is photoshopped. How is someone supposed to know if you really created that amazing unicorn hair if you have a filter over the top? Filters can also alter colors, which can create unflattering shades on a person’s hair.
If you’re going to edit your photo, work with brightness, sharpness and saturation only in small amounts. Moderation is key!
Here’s an example of a post with nice lighting, no filter required!
Step 5: Be Mindful
Choose an area that that isn’t dirty or cluttered. Make sure that your subject is actually OK with being photographed, even if their face isn’t the focus of the photo. Try your best not to overdo it with location tags or other fun stuff that you can add onto the image.
Think before you post: Would I like to see this in my feed? Does this look professional? Is it something that another influencer would post? That should help you determine if your post is ready to go!
What Are Your Tips?
Do you have any tips for fellow beauty professionals trying to building their IG following? What would you add to our list? Make sure to give us a follow on IG to get inspiration from our feed!
If you’re interested in becoming a beauty pro in training, contact Douglas J Institute to learn more about our programs! Click here to call us!
