Part of the reason people respond well to certain video content on social media is that they relate to it. Being relatable is high on the list when it comes to building a community on social media. Having an online community with which you’ve made meaningful connections will fuel you to consistently create relatable, authentic, and inspiring content. Be yourself and show your best work on social media. If you’re passionate about what you do, then your followers will be passionate, too.
“Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal”
Do you recall that old saying, “good artists copy, great artists steal?” The meaning behind it is relatively straightforward. Everyone is influenced by something, whether it’s nature, other artists, beauty influencers, or life. The difference between copycats and artists who steal the show is that the artists who copy are less memorable than artists who have taken an idea that isn’t original and executed it so well that those artists are remembered for that idea. You reimagined a concept so exquisitely that it becomes what you’re known for. So, don’t feel discouraged if you feel like you can’t create original content. Creating original content, even for seasoned professionals, is very hard. Having to produce it consistently on social media to keep your followers captivated or even interested is a lot of work. The process of making content for social media takes forethought, some camera skills, and a fun idea.
The good news is that there is a formula for each social media platform. YouTube is great for long-form content, while Twitter is ideal for short, fun announcements or engaging in timely conversations. Instagram is famous for images and videos that cast a wide net regarding many different interests, whether beauty, wellness, fitness, art, travel, or culinary pursuits.
Look at some of your favorite beauty influencers and note what you like and what works. Being yourself and having your own identity is very important, but it’s okay to learn and be inspired by the best. In fact, you should learn from the best. You’ll never be as good as you can be if you’re the best student in the class. The most important thing is to take the first step and start creating video content; take what inspires you and make it your own.
Holly Seidel is great at what she does. Young, beautiful people all over LA flock to her for her signature razor-cut shag. The shag cut is certainly not Seidel’s original creation, but she definitely owns her reinvented rendition of the shag. Check out her video on Instagram, where she shares a peek into her razor-cut process.
Attribution: @hollygirldoeshair
Setting Up the Shot
Lighting is everything. Some of the best photos on the gram are of people bathing in the golden Californian sunlight. Natural daylight is your friend if you’re a hairstylist or beauty professional. If your styling chair resides in a poorly-lit corner of the salon, then take your client outside to document a before-and-after video. If going outdoors isn’t an ideal option at the time, then use ring lighting.
Know your audience. If you’re creating a long video tutorial on a hairstyle or makeup look, then post the long version to YouTube. You can always edit another shorter version for Instagram.
The Left Brain Group shares a video of a well-lit demonstration of styling curls. You can see in the model’s face the lighting reflecting off of her complexion. It’s well-lit and professional looking.
Attribution: @leftbraingroup._
Making the Video
Kristen Lumiere is good at selling her services. In this example, she intermingles video snippets of the before, the process, and the after with image stills of her workshops and a full body picture of herself.
Attribution: @kristen.lumiere
Lumiere also includes a long caption describing her boutique classes, punctuated by bullet points of what the class will cover. The video has catchy pop music, a line of hashtags, and there’s always a CTA pointing her audience to the link in her bio.
Her videos showcase beautiful final hairstyles, but they also feel very market-y, which is fine. She’s trying to provide you with all of the information. If you would rather try a more subtle approach, then you can post a similar video showcasing the before, in-progress, and after sans all marketing copy. Your work alone can sell the client, but it’s helpful to tag the stylist and have all of the relevant information in your bio.
Everyone Wants Approval!
Once you post your video, it’s time to formulate a short caption that relates to your content and encourages people to hit the like or heart button. You can ask people to show love to your images in indirect ways. Instead of asking your followers to double-tap or like your post, invite them to save by including helpful information that they may want to save. Tell them they’ll get a 5% discount on their next visit if they like, share, and tag friends in your post.
Visit Ogle School’s Beautiful Stories Series to see some video content that authentically represents our students.
