Easy-to-use Instagram marketing strategies for Salon Businesses

When it comes to content creation or running a salon brand, standing out can be challenging. But it’s not all about racking up views and likes—while going viral doesn’t hurt, it won’t make or break your Instagram strategy.

From bombastic balayages to perfecting pixies, cutting hair is just the beginning. Salon owners know they need to be finance experts, team managers, HR leaders, and more. And on top of that, handling marketing and social media takes things to a whole new level of busy.

This guide offers quick, actionable tips to help you get seen, be consistent, and attract the right clients—all in the name of seeing your bookings soar through your Instagram channel

Salons 🤝 Instagram: A match made in heaven

Fresh hair, flawless nails, perfectly shaped brows—what do they all have in common? They’re a treat for the eyes. Instagram is the ideal platform for flaunting your unique style and highlighting your best work 💅. Your audience and potential clients see what you can do, boosting your brand presence on social media.

With over 2 billion users on Instagram, there is plenty of opportunity to reach new customers. But, standing out from the millions of other salons and finding the right customers for your business takes a bit of strategic thinking.

Think local – how can you stand out in your geographical area? Sure, connecting with a global audience helps grow your following, but being a local legend trumps trending. Being the go-to salon in your area and creating content that resonates ensures that the right audience finds you. 

Give the people what they want – Deliver content on styles, and promotions, share trend-setting looks, and spark conversations online. Pay attention to content that performs well—more engagement means more eyes on your account, which can mean more bookings. 

Here’s why Instagram is such a powerful tool for salon owners:

• Visual platform.
• Connects you with a wide audience.
• Booking-friendly.

For inspiration on hair salon Instagram accounts that just work 💁‍♀️, click here.

More than brand names and pics—Setting up your Instagram

Naturally, once you create your Instagram, you’ll want to dive right into posting photos, tutorials, and maybe some behind-the-scenes footage. But, setting up your profile for success should be priority number one. That way, all the content you create will help convert, not just attract.

1. Make it a business profile: 

Ensure your brand makes the most of Instagram’s business features. By switching to a business account, you gain access to insights, can promote your brand using ads, and can add a ‘Book now’ button to your profile.

The insights give you data on post performance, audience demographics, and activity patterns. This key information helps you determine who to target, what they like, and when to create a post to take advantage of a sale or particular event

2. Optimize your bio

Your brand name should be clear in your profile—clients need to know they’re in the right place. Including keywords and a concise description makes your profile more discoverable and helps visitors understand what you offer or specialize in. Finally, adding a booking link allows people to go from interested browsers to confirmed appointments without leaving the app.

3. Use highlights

This feature helps you showcase your offerings at the top of your profile, making it easy for visitors to browse instantly. Highlight prices, key testimonials, and seasonal promotions. Since you can edit these anytime, keeping them up to date ensures every visitor has the most relevant information.

81% of people use Instagram to research a service. Your profile should attract new clientswhile also providing all the details they need to make a booking. You only get one first impression—make it count.

Sleek, stylish, outlandish, iconic – this is your content strategy

Let’s be honest: Most salon owners reading this have probably already set up an Instagram account. Moving beyond the basics, you want to know how to make your content pop while standing head and shoulders above the rest. It has to be you, you, and—oh yeah—YOU!

2 in 3 people say that Instagram lets them interact with a brand. If this is how clients reach out to you, why not start the conversation on the right note? Your content should resonate with your desired demographic. Your brand was created to attract like-minded people, and based on the profiles you’ve developed, your posts should get in the first word.

Examples of content that works for other salons and stylists:

• Before and after transformations: We’re talking smooth transitions, in-the-chair consultations, miracle cuts, and special occasion heartwarmers. Whatever the occasion, your style, or the story you want to tell, ensure you’re doing it in the style and medium that best suits you—whether that’s posts, reels, or videos.
  
• Client testimonial and user-generated content: Who better to talk about your brand than the clients who love it? 72% of people trust a business more after a customer testimonial. Plus, you get to show off some of your best cuts. If people post a selfie online post-cut or an influencer comes in for a blowdry, ask them to tag your salon and give you a shoutout.
  
• Education and value-driven content: Create short video content showing how you perform your best styles. Offering these tips not only helps your clients maintain their hair at home but also highlights to visitors what you can do. Behind-the-scenes shots also help people see how you create unique layers or colorful balayages.

A well-rounded strategy includes a mix of this type of content. However, the key aspect is finding your voice. A million different accounts could implement the same strategy, but what separates you is delivering in your brand voice. 

It won’t happen overnight, but the more you put out there, the more you’ll craft and perfect your sound. Add splashes of humor, fails, hot takes, personal opinions, and anything you feel gets your personality front and center.

It’s a two-way street

Remember how it was mentioned earlier that most people connect and interact with brands on Instagram? Well, make sure that communication flows both ways.

Posting? Great. Getting likes? Perfect. People commenting? Even better. But not engaging back? That’s where it falls short. Your clients want to be heard—and when you reply to their comments, share their stories that tag you, or even comment on their posts, you’re building a genuine sense of brand community.

Comment on other salons, share unique stylists and stay active online. The more you engage, the more the algorithm will love you. 

Make it bookable

While growing your Instagram following and engaging with your audience are great for building your brand reputation, increasing your bookings has a direct impact on your bottom line. By capitalizing on Instagram’s features, you can create multiple opportunities for your audience to be directed to your Booking Page

• Book now button: Add a ‘Book now’ button to the top of your profile so people can easily book their next hair appointment.
• Stories: Creating captivating stories is just the beginning. When you share your best work, you can also include a link that directs viewers to book an appointment. 
• Paid ads: Target specific clients, expand your reach, and attach a booking link to attract a whole new wave of clients.

It’s all about what works for your salon. Just starting out? Ads might be your best bet. Fully established? A ‘Book now’ button on your profile could be all you need. A clear call to action (CTA) can boost sales by 161% and tailoring your social media strategy to converting leads will turn your salon into a thriving business.

Stick to your roots, thread in new ideas

Your brand voice is who you are as a salon—it’s your identity and what sets you apart from the competition. Sticking to that is essential to reinforcing your brand in the minds of your clients. However, tracking the performance of posts, A/B testing, using Instagram Insights, discovering which posts drive bookings, and adjusting your strategy accordingly will uplift your business exponentially.

Stick to what’s working, but don’t be afraid to try something new—you could start a new salon trend.

Blowout your bookings

Adding a simple booking route not only enhances the client experience but also keeps people in your chair and helps your business thrive.

Get started with Setmore for FREE and add booking to your Instagram now. Want to switch scheduling software? Book a demo with one of our experts, and they’ll guide you.

Balance. Connect. Grow.

by Lee

Share it Tweet it