You did what “they” say you should do for your business, creating pages on both Instagram and Facebook. But nobody seems to care! After a year, you have a whopping 37 followers, mostly suspiciously handsome dudes named Joe Jones, pictured with their dogs. Though Joe might like a facial, like any other guy, the truth is, neither Joe nor his friends are responding to your posts. What gives?
First Step
First of all, know that you aren’t alone. It takes time to build a brand on social media, but the results are highly worth it. In fact, Instagram and Facebook remain two of the most affordable and far-reaching ways to connect with customers. Whether you currently have 37 followers or 3,700—you need a P.L.A.N. in place, starting today, for how you’re going to grow.
P: Post!
You should post regularly and post religiously! Think about those you know with oodles of followers, both personally and professionally. It’s the folks who post every single day—at least once. You know as soon as you open your feed who’s going to pop up at the top, right? Be that person! I recommend posting twice daily on your story and about once a week on your regular feed.
Also, comment at least twice a week on your followers’ stories and feeds; people appreciate reciprocity.
L: Look
Look carefully at the quality of your photos, content and hashtag choices. Are your pictures crisp, clear and visually appealing? Is your content (however brief) something interesting? Does it educate the viewer or offer something they would like? Do your hashtags align with your brand, and will they help people interested in your services actually find you?
A: Aim
You should always aim for engagement. Ask questions, for example, “It’s fall and your skin’s needs are changing. What’s your all-time favorite moisturizer during drier months, and why?” You should also post contests or prizes. For example, “Tag 5 friends with this post and get a sample of our pumpkin enzyme wash." Don't forget to also keep checking your hashtags to see which ones get the most activity.
N: Newsworthy (Content)
If you read a newspaper (or check online news feeds), imagine how you’d feel if the content was the same or similar, every single day. You’d tune out very quickly and the same happens on social media. If all you offer is a call to book appointments, or a weekly special, your followers will get bored. Instead, mix up your content between educational posts, those that are fun/funny, those that include specials, and personal stories such as your hobbies, a recent vacation or why you got into the esthetics field, etc.
A Word on Usernames
I may sound like captain obvious, but does your username reflect your brand, and is it easy to find you? If you offer the most amazing anti-aging facial, a username like @lovestraininghorses is confusing. It’s fine to post your love for horses on your business page from time to time (in fact, followers may find it very interesting that horses are your side gig), but if you want your social media page to be all about your facials, stick to that.
Don’t Give Up
Many people start out strong on social media, yet fizzle out quickly when they don’t see immediate results. Set a goal for yourself and write it down. How many followers do you realistically want to have in three months? Six months? One year? How many influencers in the industry would you like following you and vice versa? And of course, always look at which types of posts tend to get the most engagement.
Louis “The Laser Guy’s” Top Three Tips for Smashing Social Media:
- Try not to post the same content as your competitors. If you see everyone else posting holiday specials, you could post something slightly different, such as "What’s special to YOU about the holidays? Answer for a 10% discount on our holiday services!"
- Give your posts an artistic flair; practice taking better photographs (arrangement, color, lighting, etc.) and always edit both pictures and content before posting to ensure accuracy.
- Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn on social media. If you’ve earned an award or glowing customer testimonial—share it with your followers.
Louis “The Laser Guy” Silberman is CEO of National Laser Institute, a national cosmetic laser and medical esthetic training center founded a decade ago, and owns medical spas in Scottsdale and Dallas. He’s the author of Make It Happen Online and a motivational marketing speaker. Silberman created the sixth most visited health/beauty website and was a semi-finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014. Contact him at [email protected].
