Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/168588
Smart Tagging Although hashtagging on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook is similar, itÕs not quite the same. Get to know each space individually to make more eye-catching posts. On Instagram itÕs acceptable to have whatÕs called a Òtag cloud,Ó which is a large collection of hashtags embedded in the caption you post when you initially upload your picture. That caption always stays tethered to the top, so you want to include your most important hashtags there. If you want your post to look cleaner, you can always put a tag cloud in a comment on your own photo. On Twitter, because characters are limited, your hashtag is precious real estate. Larson suggests using two hashtags or less per post. ÒWe found our Twitter audience skews slightly more mature and welleducated,Ó Larson says. ÒThey use Twitter as a personal RSS feed. If you use more than two hashtags, people will see you as attention-seeking rather than adding value to a conversation.Ó Hashtagging on Facebook is still a new endeavor, but it might have a promising future. Google+ recently announced its incorporation of hashtags as well. ÒI donÕt think people are using them full-force on Facebook quite yet, but if youÕre a brand and you want to be a front-runner, go for it,Ó Larson says. ÒIf you want your brand to be searchable, thatÕs how you need to start phrasing your status updates on Facebook.Ó # Use Hashtags To Crowdsource According to Larson, thereÕs data showing that people are using Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest almost like Yelp to find customer reviews on businesses. ÒThe nail industry is very visual, so people want to see the venue and the end product before coming in to get the service,Ó Larson says. One way to reel in this type of user Ñ one who is more likely to actually visit your salon Ñ is to use location-specific hashtags. (For example #nyc or #nycnailsalon.) With more specific hashtags, you reach a smaller crowd, but it might be a more valuable one. Tiffani Douglas Ñ a nail tech, author, and social media guru Ñ says the best approach is to couple general nail-oriented hashtags with more specific hashtags so youÕre reaching the best of both realms. You can also be your own headhunter. Use the search features to see if anyoneÕs talking about salons in your area and reach out to them directly. This is a key opportunity to capture the sale, but a proper response requires a personal touch. ÒSocial media can be very casual, so have a conversation rather than taking the ÔletÕs book you an appointment now!Õ approach,Ó Grogan says. ÒThink, ÔHow would I sound if I were talking to a friend?ÕÓ One way to avoid sounding too advertorial is to start the conversation with a more general question such as, ÒWeÕre in the area! What are you looking for?Ó ÒItÕs hard and it takes practice, but you start to get the feel for it,Ó says Grogan. Get Back Up And Try Again In the world of social media, thereÕs no harm, no foul. The digital audience grows exponentially, so itÕs never too late to try again or join the space. If your hashtag never takes off, donÕt be discouraged. Every salon or nail tech has a different target audience and sometimes itÕs just a matter of testing the waters to find out what works best for your specific crowd. Larson says when OPI was launching its new matte top coat, the brand went for the hashtag #opimattetc. It used ÒtcÓ instead of ÒtopcoatÓ Ñ this shorthand limited searchability and didnÕt catch-on as well as OPI would have liked. ÒWeÕre always learning and evolving, and the most important thing is to stay true to the voice of the brand,Ó Larson says. ÒAs for tags, just tag, and tag, and tag until one sticks.Ó OCTOBER 2013 | NAILS MAGAZINE | 153