A lot of nail techs question the importance of social media. While many understand that it can help increase clientele, some are not sure what to post or what the added benefits of a strong social following are. For those who are considering entering our Next Top Nail Artist competition, they know that the popular vote factors in, so getting more fans is a matter of strategy. As the editor in charge of NAILS’ social media, I wanted to offer you my tips for boosting your following.
> Post as close to real-time as possible. If you’re taking a constant stream of photos, then hold onto some for later, but don’t sit on all of your photos. If you’re at a timely event like a tradeshow or NYFW, then you want people searching to find your posts while a hashtag is current and relevant.
Another look at the #nails by Ashley Craig from last night's #BeautyChangesLives event
A photo posted by Nails Magazine (@nailsmagazine) on
> Don’t over tag. It’s perfectly fine to tag us in a picture or tweet, but tagging everyone in the nail industry in a photo or in the hashtags is exhausting and interferes with the quality of content. Likewise, a caption should be short and sweet, not mired with fine print and novel-length explanation.
> Get engaged. If someone interacts with something you post, check out their account and share the love. Sure, you won’t always be able to respond to every question and comment, but make an honest effort to reply as much as possible to prove you’re a real person and not a bot.
> Have at least one public profile. It’s a good idea to separate your accounts (one for business, one for personal), but make sure your business one can be seen so people can interact with you and see your work. Otherwise all those hashtags are for not.
> Keep your account professional. Don’t fill it with a bunch of random memes, rants, pictures of yourself, or any other drama. Save all those things for your personal account so potential clients and coworkers only see the professional side of you.
> Proofread. Check spelling and that your picture is a quality picture or video before pressing the send button.
> Get a real website and link to it. A Facebook page is not a website, nor is an Instagram account the same as a professional portfolio. A website establishes credibility and is the place all your social accounts should link to in the bio so clients can book an appointment and the editors at NAILS can potentially look you up. Social media is great for sharing work, but the benefits of having a website are far greater.
> Give credit where it’s due. If your design is inspired by another tech or company, tag them in the caption.
> There are a lot of perks to having a large number of followers: you can get free stuff, do cross promotion, and have the chance to be an influencer. But in all honesty, it’s OK to not have the biggest following. Don’t become too obsessed with the numbers behind your account. Buying followers is never worth your money. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Post quality content first and foremost and the followers will come over time. You don’t have to have millions of followers or be a household name to get published in NAILS, have us follow you, or compete in our Next Top Nail Artist competition. To make sure we see you on social media, make sure to include your social media and website links in your signature when sending us e-mails. You can also engage us professionally at @nailsmag on Twitter, @nailsmagazine on Instagram, NAILS Magazine on YouTube, NAILS Magazine on Google Plus, or e-mailing us (editor@nailsmag.com) a link to your Pinterest profile so we can invite you to Pin with us. You can also join our nails-only social network, Nail Art Gallery.
For articles related to specific social media platforms, go to www.nailsmag.com/socialmedia.
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