Start simple
You don’t have to be completely across every social media channel – pick one and make it your focus. Think about what works for the people you’re trying to target and choose a platform accordingly. If they’re all Facebook addicts, that’s probably going to be the best place for you to start. If they all want to be Insta-famous, this is your chance to get snap-happy and help them achieve their goals.
Know the rules
Remember the days of posting a quirky video then sitting back and watching as it went viral? These days, it’s not so simple to get the world to pay attention; you need to know a bit about the dreaded A-word.
That’s right, social media algorithms dictate who sees your content – so even if you post your best work every day, it could go completely unnoticed.
To give your content a fighting chance, find out when your audience is online and time your posts accordingly. Incorporating video will give you an edge, as will investing in some promoted posts. Always pay close attention to what’s creating the most engagement, and build on this to build a social strategy that works.
Equip yourself
Putting your content together doesn’t have to be a slog. A quick search will reveal loads of free apps that will let you snap up a storm. Local Aussie tech-startup Canva lets you create gorgeous images in an instant, and Splice is a great app to help you put together mini-videos complete with captions, background music and special effects. Speaking of equipment, you won’t need much more than your phone – although investing in a decent camera and a tripod won’t hurt either.
Make the time
Believe it or not, good social media takes planning and time. That seemingly spur-of-the-moment post you liked yesterday was probably actually days or even weeks in the making. It might seem like a stretch, but creating a calendar of posts will help you ensure you’ve always got something on hand, ready to post. You can also use apps such as Hootsuite to schedule your social media ahead of time, so it will take care of itself when you get busy.
Show off
Now it’s finally time to start getting the creative juices flowing. You do some amazing work – show it off and let the world know how awesome you are. About to completely transform someone’s look? Take some before and after pics. Just finished the fade to end all fades? Show it off from every angle in a short video shot on your smartphone. Getting great feedback from clients? Share it automatically with a tool like Spotlight from Shortcuts.
Hook them in
A few of your posts have got some traction, what next? Now that you’ve convinced all of your followers how amazing you are, it’s time to hook them in. Make sure you include a link to your website on your social media page, so people can find out more about what you have to offer. Or go one better and let them make a booking straight from your Facebook page.
To find out more about the tools that will help you strengthen your business,
visit www.shortcuts.com.au/cutthroat.
Fleur Murphy is the Marketing Manager at Shortcuts, Australia’s leading software provider for the male grooming, hair and beauty industries. She leads Shortcuts’ marketing strategy across social media, print and digital, and gets a kick out of helping businesses get the most out of their technology solutions.
