By Nikola Cline (@brandettes)
Want to find something? anything? Google it. Every second, people around the world conduct more than 90,000 Google searches. And while that might sound like enormous volume (and it is), there are more than 1.8 billion websites vying for the attention. With so much competition how can your salon, studio or brand stand out from the crowd?
There are many tried-and-true SEO strategies available to help you grab attention across various marketing channels, but one of the hottest ways to do it today is through video. Facebook shows the love to video, so does Instagram and do we even need to mention TikTok?
But going beyond social and video is still one of the most powerful, SEO-rich marketing tools that will help your business rank higher across search engines like Google and Yahoo, too.
Before we cover the “how,” let’s briefly tackle the “why.” Video SEO is a great way to capture organic traffic to your salon because it will help you win the favor of Google’s algorithm, expand your social media presence and win highly covetable backlinks. A mind-blowing 96 percent of consumers have watched videos specifically to learn about a product or service. As salon owners and stylists, you likely have video-ready products and services to attract and engage potential clients—and you have the talent and expertise! Now, let’s dive into the “how,” focusing on four tips you’ll need to be successful with video.
1. Establish a video road map.
You can’t just add a random video to a web page or social channel and expect results. If you want your video strategy to work, you’ll need to ensure your videos are:
• relevant to topics people want to learn about today and in the near future
• exclusive to your expertise, like insider information, tips or tutorials that demonstrate your specific talents
• professional, well-produced, well-edited and present a guest-friendly voice (plainly said: create quality, upbeat content)
2. make a plan for content creation.
Your creativity can really shine through video content. Consider the types of videos you’d like to create, then figure out how your unique voice and skills can make the videos sparkle. Types of content include:
• explainer videos (like “How to craft the perfect waves”)
• product demos (like “How to use a bubble wand”)
• testimonials (like “Why you love a specific product”)
• behind-the-scenes videos (like “A tour of your wash house”)
• salon culture videos (like “Why your salon team really rocks”)
• webinars (like “How to manage those grays”)
3. Don’t forget to include context and education.
You’re an expert in your field, so don’t forget to establish your expertise and share valuable insights through video. Be sure to:
• explain your qualifications
• cover basic terms and their meaning
• demonstrate whenever possible—do the “thing” while saying “the things”
• add visual elements to the video like text and graphics to make it exciting
• answer potential questions in the video that viewers may ask
• have an intro and a sign-off with your salon logo for findability and strong branding
4. Keep it concise.
Unless you’re creating a long-form course or webinar, keep your videos as quick and entertaining as possible. Note:
• eight to 15 seconds works best for social media
• thirty to 60 seconds works best for website or YouTube videos
You may consider tapping a strong video editor to help you pare down content (you can hire someone outside of the salon, or recruit one of your stylists who is an editing pro). I, along with your clients, can’t wait to see what you create!
LISH Creative