3 Tips to Set Your Instagram Profile Up For Success
We’re excited to have industry expert, Shana Dee, back at Beyond the Technique to share more Instagram secrets! Curating a successful Instagram account can be overwhelming since there seems to be endless amounts of information, tips, and tricks to implement. We understand the struggle, so Shana Dee is here to share the basics to set your profile up for success. If you implement these three easy steps, you’ll find that Instagram success is easier than you thought!
Hint: it’s best if you have your phone nearby, so you can follow along with our tips and tricks!
1. Public Profile
Let’s start with putting ourselves in the shoes of a prospective client on Instagram. This client has searched #dchairsalon and is scrolling through tons of pictures on Instagram. She sees your hair picture, loves it, and taps on your profile to see more. The client is halfway to booking an appointment with you—this is terrific, right? Except when she reaches your profile, it’s private. Total bummer. There are no more pictures for her to fall in love with! This client will lose interest immediately, and you’ve suddenly lost a prospective client. To avoid this disappointment, you need to make your Instagram profile public!
You will not attract new clients if your page is private, guaranteed! Shana explains that some stylists hesitate to make their page public because they don’t want people to see their personal photos. Well, you need to go into your profile, and clean it up. Delete pictures of you partying at the bar, pictures with a ton of words on it, and pictures that simply don’t represent your brand. Your profile needs to be consistent with the photo that made this client click to your page in the first place! If your page is private, follow this link for simple directions to make it public.
2. Instagram Bio
Okay, your page is set to public and a prospective client has landed on your account. Now, the customer wants to know who you are which is why your bio is so important! For instance, Shana Dee works at Izzy Salon in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. When you click on Izzy’s Instagram, their bio reads: “Proudly Serving D.C.’s Elite. Balayage, Lived-In Color, Beachy Blondes, French Styling and Haircuts, Hair Extensions, Makeup, Waxing, Facials.” When a new client looks at Izzy’s bio, they know right away what type of work is done at their salon. This makes it easy for a new client to decide if this salon is a good fit—this is what you want!
Your bio as a stylist should be similar to the one for your salon and include two key components: location information and your personal vibe. First, clients need to know where you are located. If you visit Shana Dee’s Instagram, you will see right away that she works at Izzy Salon in Georgetown, D.C. If a client doesn’t know where you are located, she will move on without further research. Remember, your goal is to make it quick and easy for a client to know the basics about you!
Second, you need to give some information about your personal brand and the type of client you want to attract. Right now, Shana’s bio reads: “DC’s Extension Specialist. IZZY SALON, Georgetown DC. LA Trained DC Living. NBR CERTIFIED Hair Extensions. Babylights/Balayage/Color Correction. Appt: Email.” Shana Dee’s bio explains all the key components: where she lives, what type of services she specializes in, and how to get in contact with her. So, take a look at your Instagram bio and review what it is saying about you. If you need to make some updates, follow this link for easy instructions to make those changes.
3. Business Account
Shana Dee’s last piece of advice is to take advantage of Instagram’s new feature that allows you to change your personal account to a business account. What’s the difference? Great question! A business account doesn’t cost you anything to set up, but it provides you with priceless information! The first perk: a business account allows you to add a link with directions to your salon and a direct link to your email. Again, this makes it super easy for a client to contact you and visit your salon!
The other priceless perk is that a business account allows you to easily track statistics. You’ve probably noticed that there are times of the day when your Instagram posts receive more likes than at other times. With a business account, you can actually view the times of the day when most of your followers are online. If most of your followers are on Instagram at 6:00pm, then you will want to post your pictures at 6:00pm when there will be a lot of activity. This is a huge bonus!
There are even more perks that come with a business account such as easily promoting your pictures, viewing the reach and impressions of your posts, and reviewing the age and gender of your followers. If you’re ready to step up your Instagram account by turning it into a business account, follow this link for directions!
To recap, there are three basic elements for a successful Instagram: public profile, straightforward bio, and setting up a business account. Shana shared with us that by implementing these three basics, she attracts one to three new clients a week, and you can have these same results! If you have any more Instagram tips and tricks, share them on our private Facebook group. We can’t wait to learn from you!