8 Tips To Improve Your Instagram Game

What’s the #1 thing hairdressers ask the BTC Squad? “How do I improve my Instagram game?!” Say no more fam—we’re bringing you the must-know Instagram tips straight from a nine-time #ONESHOT Hair Awards nominee (she took home the Student Shot of the Year!) Megan Schipani aka @shmeggsandbaconn. Shmeggs is going LIVE on Monday, May 7 with BTC’s Mary Rector-Gable, where they’ll break down how to get the perfect shot for social media PLUS edit 10 photos submitted by YOU, live on camera! Get your tickets for the livestream here, and keep reading for a sneak peek!

1. Schedule Time For Social Media

Here’s the truth—there is no excuse for not taking photos of your work. Shmeggs admits that she works a bit slowly, so when she runs out of time to take pics for Instagram (which she says happens often), she asks some of her clients to come back on her off days. Then she spends that time creating the perfect style and taking the best photo.

2. Always Take A Before Shot

The most-liked posts on BTC’s Instagram are often before-and-after transformation photos, which makes the before shot crucial! Plus, showing a before-and-after gives clients a visual of what you can accomplish based on starting hair level and condition.

3. Clean Up Your Area

This may seem basic, but we see it again and again—be mindful of your backdrop when shooting photos! Take your client to a clean area with natural light (or use a ring light). Don’t take photos with a messy station and used color bowls in the background. And a bonus tip from Shmeggs on backgrounds: “If the background is a color other than black or white, make sure it accentuates the hair instead of distracting from it.”

4. Make It Easy For New Clients To Find You

Picture this: A potential client finds your page, scrolls through your feed, decides she wants to book an appointment…but can’t figure out how to do it. So she taps to another stylist’s profile, and that stylist gets the client. This is avoidable! “You must put your contact information in your Instagram description,” Mary says. “Include your location—your city, state and salon name.”

5. Focus On What’s Most Engaging

Peep your page and see which photos have the most likes and comments. Try to spot similarities in why these photos were more well-received. Is the it background? The angle of the client’s head? Are they all similar colors or techniques? Once you spot the pattern, you can begin to replicate it.

6. There’s Always An Opportunity For A Good Shot

If you’re feeling frustrated with your photos or your just not getting the picture you want, take this advice from Shmeggs: “There is always an opportunity for a good shot,” she says. “If you are having a hard time getting the hair to photograph the way you want overall, go in for a close-up of the blend or a detail shot of the style.”

7. Turn The Brightness Up

Here’s a cheat from Shmeggs that makes a world of difference, who uses an iPhone to take her pics. “Make sure the brightness on your screen is all the way up when you take a photo to avoid overexposure.”

8. Just Start Shooting—It’s a Missed Opportunity If You Don’t

“Take a look at our #ONESHOT Hair Awards,” says Mary. “If you’re struggling to find the right niche for you that’s also engaging, use our categories as a guide.” Use the #ONESHOT nominees and winners as inspiration for how to transform your Instagram game, and don’t miss Shmeggs and Mary on BTC LIVE Monday, May 7! Reserve your slot to watch here!

Get more of Shmeggs and Mary’s Instagram tips here!