The Ultimate Salon Social Media Strategy for 2024

Why Social Media is Non-Negotiable for Salons

In 2024, your social media presence is your storefront. Before booking, 78% of clients check a salon's Instagram. What they see determines whether they book or scroll past.

Platform Priority for Salons

1. Instagram (Essential)

The most visual platform, perfect for showcasing transformations. Focus here first.

2. TikTok (Growing)

Short-form video is exploding. Salons that embrace it are seeing massive growth.

3. Facebook (Supplementary)

Great for local community engagement and older demographics.

4. Pinterest (Long-term)

Excellent for SEO and inspiration boards.

The Content Mix That Works

40% - Transformations

Before and after content is your bread and butter. Make these irresistible:

• Good lighting (natural when possible)
• Consistent positioning
• Clear detail shots
• Client permission always

25% - Behind the Scenes

Humanize your brand:

• Team moments
• Product unboxing
• Salon tour snippets
• "Day in the life" content

20% - Educational

Position yourself as an expert:

• Hair care tips
• Styling tutorials
• Product recommendations
• Trend explanations

10% - Promotional

Announce offers, but don't overdo it:

• New service launches
• Limited-time offers
• Special events

5% - User-Generated Content

Reshare client posts (with permission):

• Tagged photos
• Reviews
• Stories mentions

Posting Schedule by Platform

Instagram

• Feed posts: 4-5 per week
• Stories: Daily (multiple)
• Reels: 3-5 per week

TikTok

• Videos: At least daily
• Lives: Weekly if possible

Facebook

• Posts: 3-4 per week
• Stories: Daily

Content Ideas for Every Day

Monday Motivation

Fresh week, fresh styles. Showcase your boldest work.

Tutorial Tuesday

Quick styling tips or product tutorials.

Transformation Wednesday

Your best before/after of the week.

Throwback Thursday

Revisit client favorites or team memories.

Feature Friday

Spotlight a team member or loyal client.

Self-Care Saturday

Relaxation-focused content, spa, treatments.

Style Sunday

Trend inspiration and lookbooks.

Engagement Strategies That Drive Bookings

The Reply Rule

Respond to every comment within 1 hour during business hours. This signals to the algorithm AND builds relationships.

The DM Strategy

Don't just wait for DMs—initiate:

"Love your natural texture! Have you thought about a curly cut? I'd love to work with you."

The Story Poll Technique

Use polls to engage AND gather insights:

"Which look should I create next? A or B?"

The Comment Pod

Partner with local non-competing businesses. Support each other's content.

Hashtag Strategy

Local Hashtags (Essential)

#[City]Salon, #[City]Hair, #[Neighborhood]Beauty

Niche Hashtags (Discovery)

#BridalHair, #CurlyHairSpecialist, #BalayageExpert

Trending Hashtags (Reach)

Monitor trending beauty tags and jump on relevant ones.

Branded Hashtag (Tracking)

Create one unique to your salon. Encourage clients to use it.

Measuring Success

Key Metrics:

• Reach: Are more people seeing your content?
• Engagement rate: Are they interacting?
• Profile visits: Are they curious?
• Link clicks: Are they taking action?
• Bookings attributed: The ultimate metric

Tools for Tracking:

• Instagram Insights (free)
• Later or Planoly (scheduling + analytics)
• Google Analytics (website traffic)

Common Mistakes

• Inconsistent posting
• Poor image quality
• Over-filtered photos
• Ignoring comments
• Never going on camera
• Only promotional content

Conclusion

Social media success doesn't happen overnight. Consistency beats perfection. Start with one platform, master it, then expand.

Your next client is scrolling right now. Make sure they find you.