Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/168588
Know The Digital Lingo Like a funny YouTube video or witty meme, hashtags can go viral. We're in the early era of "nail-stagraming," and some of the most trafficked hashtags in the online nail community already have over a million posts. Once a hashtag gains traction, it becomes a popular destination for social media users, and a way for them to see and be seen, according to Jaqueleen Larson, interactive media manager for OPI. Prevalent nail hashtags right now include #nailart, #nailartaddict, #nailswag, #NOTD (nail of the day), #nailporn, #nailgasm, and #ilovenails. Using trending hashtags ultimately leads to a greater chance that nail fanatics will stumble upon that post. "Salons or nail techs can easily establish themselves as an authority in the space as a destination for quality nail art," Larson says. Even using more basic yet popular descriptive tags like #glitter, #neon, and #holographic, can help categorize information and drive traffic to the right audience. Just as it's important to be relevant on social media, it's equally as important to stay aware of what's trending in order to study how the population at large is taking to certain styles and products. Create Your Own Hashtags Some manufacturers, nail techs, and salons are successful at creating their own hashtags. If done correctly, it can increase brand ownership and searchability, but doing so requires a bit of research. Use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook's search features to find out which tags are already in existence. Once you get a feel for the market, work with your observations and your brand's messaging to build your own hashtag. Larson suggests making it short and catchy — don't get too creative with spelling either! "A lot of times, people, in an effort to make a hashtag short, cut out vowels," she says. "But when people hear your hashtag verbally and write it down, they're going to include those vowels. Find that balance between shorthand texting-speak and normal words-of-mouth." Cristin Grogan, a social media specialist who has worked with beauty brands such as Sephora and Chanel, suggests first starting your hashtag campaign off-line. Create in-salon signage sporting your new hashtag — clients are frequently on their phones in salons, so it's the perfect time to educate them. Try running contests. Give one free service per month to a randomly selected client who used your hashtag. "You can't exclusively own a hashtag, but you can ride it to the top of the hashtag search by using it more consistently than competitors," Grogan says. "You have to get your employees and clients involved." If your hashtag is only populated by in-house posts for up to six months after you started using it, don't worry. "You have to put in due time to gain the street cred," Larson says. "Be diligent about promoting and incentivizing, include buzz words like 'nails' and 'polish', use great images, and make sure your tags make sense." 152 | NAILS MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2013 # # NOW THE WHOLE TEAM'S HERE When a salon has a new endeavor, such as creating a hashtag or maintaining brand consistency on a social media platform, it's important that everyone on the team is involved. Stephanie Tsai, a public relations consultant for Chi Nail Bar in Beverly Hills, Calif., shares some of the salon's in-house tactics for incentivizing employees and clients. > Chi Nail Bar empowers its nail artists to create their own Instagram profiles and build their own social media followers while still tagging @chinailbar. The main Chi account supports all of its artists in return. > The salon picks the top looks created each day and features them on social media. This excites clients and helps the nail techs stay updated and inspired. > If you have high-profile clients, leverage that network by asking them to follow you on social media. Ask them to tag you whenever they talk about their nails. #