Now’s the time to expand your reach, get noticed and grow your career.
Whether you’re a makeup artist, dermatologist, hairstylist, aesthetician, or any passionate beauty professional, the power of digital marketing and social media is now more important than ever. Not only does your activity enhance your personal brand, but it also brings in new business and establishes credibility in the industry you represent.
As a publicist turned writer, I’ve worked both with personal clients and my own brand to take full advantage of the opportunities, platforms, and, frankly, algorithms that will take anyone’s online presence to the next level.
Here are five suggestions that you can implement as quickly as today to develop a larger audience and hone in on what makes you uniquely you.
1. Identify What Makes You Different
Authenticity is key. If you’re a makeup artist, for example, there are thousands of other artists who are not only gunning for the same cosmetics-loving audience but are also equally as talented at what they do. Take an extremely close look at your line of work and pinpoint the one thing that makes you stand out from those who are already successful. And don’t be afraid to be too specific (i.e. if you’re a pro at applying wild metallic eyeshadows, that can be a launching point that helps you get noticed).
Building your audience on a micro-level is an important first step and one that can ensure your content feels special and innovative. You’ll also have less competition in a particular space, which will lead to you becoming *the* go-to source for a niche that others simply aren’t covering on a regular basis. Think about how many of your favorite businesses started small and expanded into lifestyle empires. It’s important to dream big, but always keep your focus narrow in the beginning stages by perfecting your craft and celebrating what makes you and/or your skill, service, or product unique. It really is that easy.
2. Post Consistently and With Purpose
It may seem like a time-suck, but you have to be consistent with the volume of posts you upload each day. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok favor those who post more frequently. You can absolutely experiment with aspects like time of day, caption calls to action, and overall aesthetic, but you should really aim to identify what resonates most with your audience when it comes to types of content and when they’re most frequently engaging and interacting with it. Keep things consistent to establish a routine that people will look forward to on a daily basis.
3. Diversify Your Outreach and Content
You don’t really want to change the general theme of your content, but you do want to diversify your platforms to target different audiences through different mediums. Changing up the format of your content is equally as important. While static photos are important and easy to upload, your personality will shine most with videos. Map out a publishing plan that really allows you to take full advantage of every feature a social media app has to offer. Let’s take the metallic eyeshadow guru as an example. A week of Instagram content alone for a beauty expert may look like the following:
Monday: Static post of a killer metallic eyeshadow look on yourself.
Tuesday: Static post of a new metallic eyeshadow product recommendation.
Wednesday: Reel post engaging with a new product or creating a soon-to-be-viral look.
Thursday: IGTV episode from a weekly series that you develop.
Friday: Static post of a metallic eyeshadow look you created on someone else.
Saturday: Instagram Live video post of an interview with someone you admire in the industry.
Sunday: Static post of a more personal aspect of your life to show a slightly different side of you, whether sharing a recipe, a room in your home you’re proud of, etc.
This schedule provides followers with an excellent range of content types while utilizing every tool that Instagram has to offer. It will also allow you to test which areas yield the most engagement, so you can then focus on something specific after a couple months of trial and error. Be sure to not stray from the schedule too much at first. As mentioned before, social audiences crave consistency and abrupt change is never going to bode well for you.
4. Engage With Your Followers
People follow you because they are invested in who you are as a person and/or the skills you possess. By replying to comments, soliciting feedback, and sending personalized messages, you are providing followers with another level of access to your life that makes them feel even more in on the action. Think of your favorite celebrity. How special would you feel if he or she took the time to reply to a comment and simply acknowledge your existence? The same happens when you respond to those who are taking the time to show their appreciation for you. Never underestimate the power of personal connections. You also never know who may be holding the key to a future (and lucrative!) opportunity.
5. Be Patient
Results aren’t going to happen overnight. In fact, the landscape is so crowded that results may not even happen at all. The only alternative is to rely on non-digital opportunities (like television appearances, magazine features, trade shows, conferences, etc.) to bring in new audiences, but you ultimately need to be passionate enough about what you’re doing to make digital marketing seem less like a chore and more like an extension of yourself. If it feels like anything less, it may be wise to head back to the drawing board and rediscover what really gets you excited.
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