As advertising and marketing have increasingly become an online game, social media has become the most accessible tool for self-promotion as a small business owner. However, running social media platforms can be a challenge - especially if you're just getting started. We’ve put together some resources that can boost your creativity, maximize your content, cut down on your posting time, and improve your efficacy on social media. The idea is to bite off what you can chew and move forward with a solid social media strategy. Choose one or two new apps, tools, or content strategies to incorporate per month, stick to a regular (3 times a week) posting schedule, and watch your audience organically grow. The best part? As a Solapreneur, you have the freedom to fully express yourself and showcase your work in a way that is true to you, your clientele, and your vision. You know your clients (and target clients-to-be) best, so think of how you can serve them up the content they will love. (@darlingbyelle) First ask yourself, where do my clients (and potential clients) hang out online? What is their demographic and what does that say about their social media habits? For example, older clients may prefer Facebook while millennials more often frequent Instagram, and gen Z tends to gravitate towards TikTok. You will need to do the research - take a poll by asking clients directly, or determine the demographics of your most frequent clients and try to cater to them. You can run a poll on an Instagram and Facebook story, or send out an email surveying your clientele. One thing is for certain - once you have an idea of who you are speaking to, you’ll have a more strategic perspective for delivering content that they want. Perhaps you already know who you are speaking to and what content you would like to deliver. This should open doors to creating content faster and serving it up more efficiently than ever before. Less time on social media for better results? Yes, please! In the world of social media for beauty professionals, the essential social media apps include: Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Twitter Pinterest For a salon professional, displaying visual content and connecting with customers is best on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest because they are content-rich and customer-focused. If you are a wiz at creating bite-sized beauty tutorials, product reviews, education, and/or any other video content relevant to your salon, those make excellent and engaging content that can be best discovered on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or your very own YouTube channel. Next, you’ll want to upgrade your content, hone that aesthetic, and create a system that will make it easier for you to post more consistently. Our apps and tricks of the trade will help you find that social media sweet spot so that you can excel on any social media platforms that you choose: 1. Instagram Reels and TikTok: It's no secret that Reels have taken over the Instagram algorithm, and TikTok seems to be a platform that's here to stay. Have you created any yet? Now is the best time to get into video blogging, or “vlogging,” as a way to show the face behind the beautiful salon looks - a great way for your audience to meet the artist behind the chair. Not a pro at video editing? Don't worry - these platforms are made to be extremely user-friendly and allow the average person to quickly create, edit and share short-form video content. Both Reels and TikTok offer users a variety of fun filters and effects, and the ability to add in music and sound effects. We've seen many of our Sola pros use TikTok and IG Reels to show their salon, their work, their daily routines and their sense of humor. Don't be afraid to show your personality on these - because who knows? You may gain new customers because they may feel a connection that you simply cannot get through static portrait photos - even when taken in the oh-so-lovely portrait mode. (@domyhairdrew) 2. Instagram and Facebook Stories: If Instagram and Facebook have been feeling stuck for you, try using the stories to spruce things up a bit. These short-term posting functions can seriously boost your visibility and relevance on these platforms. Let your clients in on your day-to-day with real-time updates on the news at the salon. New promotions? New salon updates? New products just in? Let them know! Stories, even though they only last 24 hours, get a lot of love and encourage engagement, and it never hurts to over-communicate with your audiences. To really make the most of stories, tag clients, beauty influencers, peers and friends to get them to repost on their stories. Repost stories that you're tagged in as well so that you are reciprocating the love. (@journee_stylingsalon) 3. Instagram Live/IGTV: Instagram will alert your followers when you go “Live” or post to IGTV, so these video posts tend to get more e